Art Teacher (Private Tuition)

An art teacher delivers individualised visual arts instruction to private students in studio, home, or community settings across drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and digital media. They design bespoke lesson plans aligned to each student's ability and artistic goals, demonstrate techniques, assess creative progress, and foster technical skill development and artistic expression. The role operates independently or under a private tutoring business model, managing scheduling, student records, and art material costs.

Assess individual student skill levels and learning objectives through diagnostic drawing or studio observation to inform curriculum planning. Design and sequence lesson plans targeting specific techniques such as perspective, colour theory, figure drawing, anatomy, or composition based on student level and medium. Demonstrate drawing and painting techniques using materials such as graphite, charcoal, oils, acrylics, watercolour, and pastels. Teach foundational skills in 2D media including line work, shading, tonal value, colour mixing, and brushwork. Instruct students in 3D sculptural techniques using materials including clay, wood, stone, or plaster. Guide students through printmaking processes such as relief printing, etching, or screen printing, managing safety with chemical materials. Introduce digital art tools and software such as Procreate, Adobe Creative Suite, or Clip Studio Paint for digital drawing and design. Provide constructive written and verbal feedback on student artwork addressing technical execution, composition, and artistic intent.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Income is unpredictable and often low, especially starting out. You're self-employed so you manage your own tax, super, and insurance. Finding enough paying students to sustain yourself takes time and hustle. Materials and studio space cost money upfront. School holidays mean lost income unless you run workshops then.

Some tutors work from home studios or shared spaces. Regional Australia has less demand. Building a client base relies heavily on word-of-mouth and local reputation.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2492, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivitycore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Feedback Collection and Actioningcore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Inclusive Practicecore
• Professional Boundaries Maintenancecore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Appointment Scheduling
• Digital Literacy
• Email Management
• Group Facilitation
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Problem Solving
• Record Management
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026