How Do I Become A Painter Or Interior Decorator?
Most painters learn their job by actually doing it, although there are apprenticeship programs available that many experts recommend taking to become a true recognized professional in the field. Most painters learn their trade by working as a helper to an experienced painter. There are formal and informal training programs available that will help prospective professional painters when they first enter the workforce, allowing them to enter at a higher level than if they had no training at all.
A painter apprentice must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent. They must be in good physical condition and they will apprentice for 2 to 4 years of on the job training with a minimum of 144 hours of related classroom instruction each year. Painter apprentices will take classes in math, color harmony, surface preparation, application techniques, use and care of their equipment and cools, blueprint reading, paint mixing, and wood finishing to name a few.
Some vocational and technical school offer formal classes in painting skills. Apprentices on the job will learn how to erect scaffolding, do basic surface preparations, and some painting. Towards the end of their apprenticeship, apprentices will learn additional craft skills and learn safety and health regulations that comply with the laws in the area that the painter is working in. Painter apprentices may also learn how to properly hang wallpaper which includes all of the techniques needed. Additionally, painters who specialize in industrial painting will be required to get certification in order to work with corrosive materials.
Decorators, on the other hand, should have at least a bachelor’s degree in order to obtain an entry-level position with an interior design firm. There are some two and three year programs available for this degree. These degrees can be obtained from standard colleges and universities with significant art departments as well as professional design schools that specialize in interior design. Basic classes that are required for a bachelor’s degree include CAD (computer aided design), perspective, color and fabrics, furniture design, drawing, architecture, psychology, ethics, spatial planning, and ergonomics.
Interior decorators usually enter an apprenticeship program that lasts one to three years in order to get the experience needed to take their licensing exam. They will apprentice under the supervision of a professional designer at a large design or architecture firm. They could also work as an in-store designer at furniture stores or other establishments that use this type of expertise to help their customers.
Unlike painters, decorators are required to be licensed. They must have a total of six years combined education and experience before being able to take their testing. Two years of the six must be of postsecondary education. Decorators are responsible for keeping up with the current trends in decorating and design in order to offer their customers the most comprehensive service available. Painters and decorators commonly work hand in hand with one another to finish the interior of a building and it is not uncommon to see someone who is certified to do both jobs for their customers.
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