Stock photos and royalty free images of artists

The photos of artists category in the Shutterstock library covers a wide variety of images. The most straightforward example is photography of different kinds of artists at work. This might include painters in their studios, musicians at their mixing boards, designers at their computers, or photographers out in nature. Artists' photos differ from arts photos in that the emphasis is on the human element of the art world — the people whose talents yield the art that enriches others' lives. Other photos might include portraits of artists with work they've completed or snapshots of artists working with or maintaining their tools. The most important element of a photo of an artist is their story — the expressions and body language that relate the drama, challenge, and reward of creating art.

The artists themselves are what make images with artists engaging. Art showcases the heights that creative talent can achieve, often to unbelievable or breathtaking results. We've seen what our best and brightest artists can do, and the mysteries of their talent are compelling stories. Seeing the face, the posture, and the quiet drama of an artist at work or even at rest allows us to connect with something that we may not be capable of ourselves. Artists are unique, creative people, and they tell stories simply by standing there. Unpacking the nuances of their appearance and while still seeing how very similar we all are is a process of moving beyond the image and connecting with someone we may never meet but whom we find fascinating!

Popular photos of artists include people creating art, painters, makeup artists, icons, and logos. When people are interested in photos of artists, they first want to see artists at work, or people creating art. This is the best way to connect with the idea of an artist — to show them doing what they love. However, there's often a need for specific representations of "artists," and that's where the images of painters and makeup artists come in. Some artists fit a more general idea than others, based on their media of choice, which is why we see painters and makeup artists near the top of the list. Finally, icons and logos are among our most popular image types, so it stands to reason that there would be popular artist icons and logos — sometimes a project needs to represent artists without using a specific face, and icons and logos are great for this work.

It's easy to find impressive artist photos and images here at Shutterstock. First, scroll down and explore our custom collection of artist photos and images, curated from our network of contributors all over the world. If you have something more specific in mind, head over to the top of this page, where you can enter your search terms where it says "Search for images." When you get your results, you can filter them by size, orientation, color scheme, and more. If you have a very specific image in mind, and you'd like to find something similar, click on "Search by image," upload your file, and then the A.I. powering the Shutterstock library will return similar compositions. If you need help customizing your image or using a social media template, head over to Shutterstock Editor, and you can make your image your own with only a few clicks.

Thousands of talented artists from all over the world, working in every medium, upload their work to Shutterstock every day. Drawings, illustrations, paintings, photos, vectors, logos, icons, portraits, and more — the Shutterstock library is a treasure trove of talent. Check out this category on the arts to get started exploring the many artists who've made their work available for your own projects. And when you find an artist you like, you can click down into their name to see the rest of the pieces they've uploaded. Follow those artists you like the most, and you can develop a signature style for your designs by relying on the talents of regular contributors.