Simple though it may seem the term Art has very broad connotations. Loosely defined the term denotes anything and everything that is aesthetically appealing, visually delightful, and requires certain skills. Accordingly art includes a number of things: painting, sculpture, sketching, cartooning, dance, music, singing, poetry, ceramics and pottery, photography, flower arrangement (e.g. ikebana), interior designing and yes, even cooking!!! The basic difference between fine art and the applied art is in terms of their application. While fine art is a form of art that finds appeal to one’s senses of beauty like painting ( portraits, sceneries , stone , carving wood or using plaster of paris, reinforced cement, concrete , clay etc) etc or in other words it can be described as a work of self expression , whereas the applied art involves painting, commercial art , illustration , visualization, metal craft, graphic arts, mural design , pottery etc. Art, as a course at the college or university level, typically begins by focusing on the fundamentals of art. Most students learn about drawing, sculpting, painting, and more in their first two years of a program. By the third year, they select a concentration to focus on throughout the remainder of their college years. During this time, they study specific aspects of their selected concentration and prepare for a career within their specialization.

The minimum qualification for taking up the course is Class 12. For the degree courses, there is an entrance test in which the aptitude of a person is checked. You may have to make a still life sketch as well as a free-hand drawing on any medium from given topics. There is also a general awareness section in which general knowledge is assessed. The next step in the admission process is the interview. A person should have substantial portfolio to display during the interview.

Several of employment opportunities exist in India for fine art professionals. It is the application of the art for commercial purpose that can be a paying proposition. Different forms of art media are applied in commercial art to create advertisements and other publicity, promotion and marketing materials. On attaining a degree in Fine arts one can work as a visualizer, lay out artist , graphic designer etc. It has acquired significance as it uses various techniques for commercial purposes. Besides teaching and working as a freelancer, advertising companies , art studios , publishing houses, fashion houses companies engaged in interior designing , display and exhibition work employ artist. Now a days there are number of opportunities for people belonging to the field of fine arts in advertising agencies as a visualizer , publishing houses , with established interior designers or set designer as trainees/assistants etc. Later on, after gaining experience one can work as a freelancer or join a publishing house or an ad agency. Prospects of rise and success in the field of fine arts depend on the individuals talent, motivation, interest, awareness of market for their creativity, experience and exposure. Being at right place at right time may change the course of an artist's career. Remuneration of fine arts professionals may vary depending on the nature of the jobs. Those who are working in media and publishing houses, advertising agencies and textile industries can get lucrative pay packages of Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000 per months. Fine arts professionals working in theatre, drama and production houses can get salary of Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 per month. Those in teaching also have good earnings. Besides Fine Artists working independently have varies income depending upon their skill and ability of innovation.

Some of the universities that offer courses in Fine Art / Applied Art are :---