The Painter Career In The Sims 4
Designed for the most creative Sims and paying well at the higher levels, the Painter career in The Sims 4 can very easily become one of the more lucrative. Choose between making your own Masterpieces or curating others, surround yourself in all things aesthetic, and make a living in the world of art.
Whether you pursue your own artistry and become a Master of the Real, or schmooze your way up on the other side of the canvas as a Patron of the Arts, our guide to The Sims 4 Painter career breaks down your pay, hours, and unlocked items.
Painter Career Overview
Patron Of The Arts Versus Master Of The Real
While there’s plenty of simoleons involved in selling your paintings right from the comfort of your home, artistic Sims may find themselves cut out for a career as a Painter in The Sims 4.
Upon your promotion to Level Seven of the general Painter career, you’ll be asked to choose a specialty for your career path:
- Patron of the Arts sees your Sim becoming a curator of all things fine art and working in galleries, requiring the Charisma to connect with other art enthusiasts to advance.
- You’ll need to View Paintings as a daily task, so prepare to spend time at the Museum or at your Computer.
- Master of the Real is a more painting-based career, with fewer days at the office and more time to stay home creating paintings on your own, requiring Logic throughout the upper levels of the career.
- This career track continues to Paint Paintings as a daily task, so don’t get rid of your Easel just yet.
Both branches require you to paint, though, so you’ll need to make time for your own art regardless.
Essentially, the career choice for your Sim boils down to whether they’d like to make art or talk about art for the majority of their time at work.
Beginning as a regular 9-5 job in the earlier days and climbing to esteemed positions at Level 10, hours are fairly consistent for Painters, no matter which branch you choose.
Naturally, like with the other careers in The Sims 4, you’ll need to work your way up the ladder and pay your dues.
Galleries And Agents
One of the benefits exclusive to joining the Painter career instead of simply freelancing as a Painter is that you’ll unlock the ability to Sell to Gallery when selling completed paintings.
Galleries regularly pay more for your paintings, so not only does the career offer you a stable paycheck for each day you go to work, but you’ll also earn more money on paintings you’re completing as your daily task.
Additionally, beginning at Level Five of the Sims 4 Painter career, you’re able to Hire an Agent from your phone in the Careers tab.
With an Agent, not only will you earn more for Masterpieces, but you’ll also be able to call them periodically to receive a bonus payment for your work!
Helpful Traits, And Moods For Painters
Creatives Make The Best Painters
It’ll come as no surprise that Sims with the Creative trait usually tend to make the best artists, and that definitely includes your Painter!
As a Creative, this Sim will become Inspired more often, and you’ll even find them becoming Inspired when finishing a painting.
The Art Lover trait leads to your Sim feeling pretty Inspired by viewing or discussing art in their daily life.
Choose Traits To Help Advance Through Your Later-Level Career
As we highlighted above, the Patron of the Arts branch of the Sims 4 Painter career will require you to build your Charisma skill in order to advance, while the Master of the Real asks your Sim to focus on Logic instead.
Though Creative definitely helps with the painting itself, choose traits based on which career path you’d like to follow to give yourself a leg up on building those skills, too.
Outgoing Sims tend to have an easier time building Charisma and talking with other Sims, while Genius Sims build Logic much quicker – and genuinely enjoy doing so.
It’s helpful to decide on a career path earlier so you can give your Sim one of these traits when you first make them.
Lots with the Home Studio trait can help your Sim build the Painting skill even quicker!
Inspiration Is Key
When it comes to art, the best pieces are typically made while your Sims are feeling Inspired before they get to work – start off in a Happy mood, and interact with art in some way to become Inspired.
Inspired is the suggested mood for the Painter career, and not only will it help you at work, it helps you get ready for work as well by increasing your chances of painting a Masterpiece.
Check out Build/Buy mode to find objects that give off an Inspired aura to keep the creative juices flowing around your painting space – you’ll unlock several as you progress through the Painter career!
But, if you’d rather check out some art to prepare to make your own, you’re also able to Browse Art on any computer, Research Art Reference exclusively through the Painter career, take a Thoughtful Shower, and more.
Every Level Of The Painter Career: Pay, Hours, Tasks, And More
For the first six levels, all Sims in the Painter career have the same hours, pay, and expectations.
The career splits upon promotion to Level Seven, differentiating significantly between working hours and pay rate.
General Painter Career
Level |
Hours |
Rates |
Daily Tasks And Promotion Requirements |
---|---|---|---|
Palette Cleaner (1) |
Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM |
$21/hour ($168/day) |
Paint Paintings |
Art Book Collator (2) |
$23/hour ($184/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 2 in the Painting Skill |
|
Hungry Artist (3) |
Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM |
$26/hour ($208/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 4 in the Painting Skill |
Watercolor Dabbler (4) |
Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM |
$29/hour ($232/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 5 in the Painting Skill |
Canvas Creator (5) |
Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM |
$35/hour ($280/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 6 in the Painting Skill |
Imaginative Imagist (6) |
Wednesday-Sunday 9 AM – 4 PM |
$44/hour ($308/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 7 in the Painting Skill |
Patron Of The Arts Career Branch
Level |
Hours |
Rates |
Daily Tasks and Promotion Requirements |
---|---|---|---|
Color Theory Critic (7) |
Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday 9 AM – 3 PM |
$70/day ($420/day) |
View Paintings Reach Level 8 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 2 in the Charisma Skill |
Fine-Art Aficionado (8) |
Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday 9 AM – 2 PM |
$126/hour ($630/day) |
View Paintings Reach Level 9 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 4 in the Charisma Skill |
Composition Curator (9) |
Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM |
$227/hour ($1,362/day) |
View Paintings Reach Level 10 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 6 in the Charisma Skill |
Patron of the Arts (10) |
Saturday-Monday, Wednesday 11 AM – 4 PM |
$328/hour ($1,640/day) |
View Paintings |
Master Of The Real Career Branch
Level |
Hours |
Rates |
Daily Tasks and Promotion Requirements |
---|---|---|---|
Artist En Residence (7) |
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 10 AM – 7 PM |
$65/hour ($585/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 8 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 2 in the Logic Skill |
Professional Painter (8) |
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10 AM – 3 PM |
$140/hour ($700/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 9 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 4 in the Logic Skill |
Illustrious Illustrator (9) |
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10 AM – 3 PM |
$280/hour (1,400/day) |
Paint Paintings Reach Level 10 in the Painting Skill Reach Level 6 in the Logic Skill |
Master of the Real (10) |
Monday, Thursday 10 AM – 3 PM |
$492/hour (2,460/day) |
Paint Paintings |
The Master of the Real works fewer hours each week, but the Patron of the Arts earns more in base pay, so keep this in mind when choosing a specialization!
All Rewards And Items Unlocked In The Painter Career
The majority of the rewards you’ll receive throughout the Painter Career in the Sims 4 are, unsurprisingly, related to making art and very often giving an Inspiring aura.
Both career branches will unlock an easel specific to each career path, with the easel unlocked in the Master of the Real path offering a slightly higher painting quality.
Additionally, you’ll unlock plenty of art-themed decor and CAS items for your house throughout, as well as some pretty nice cash bonuses when promoted to add to what you’ve been making selling your practice paintings.
Items Unlocked In The Painter Career
Career Level |
Items And Interactions Unlocked |
---|---|
General |
|
Palette Cleaner (1) |
“Sell to Art Gallery” option when selling paintings |
Art Book Collator (2) |
“Research Art Reference” on a computer Picture Perfect Art Lighting |
Hungry Artist (3) |
Study of the Human Form |
Watercolor Dabbler (4) |
“Critically Assess” paintings Easy-Breezy Easel |
Canvas Creator (5) |
“Gather Inspiration” when viewing art “Hire Agent” option Painting Canvas Storage Rack |
Imaginative Artist (6) |
New CAS Options Vase of Sunflowers |
Patron of the Arts |
|
Color Theory Critic (7) |
Artiste Supply Taboret |
Fine Art Aficionado (8) |
Pre-Owned Painter’s Easel |
Composition Curator (9) |
Stack of Canvases |
Patron of the Arts (10) |
New CAS Options Rustic Dream Bed |
Master of the Real |
|
Artist En Residence (7) |
Artist Supply Taboret |
Professional Painter (8) |
Deluxe All-Season Easel |
Illustrious Illustrator (9) |
Premium Prima Ballerina |
Master of the Real (10) |
New CAS Options Flegel Studio Floor Lamp |