![7 Artist Resume Examples [& Templates]](https://beamjobs.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/artist-resume.png)
Artist
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Build my resume Art is a universal language. No matter what medium you use or the type of art you create, your creative abilities, professionalism, and overall talent make the world a brighter, more beautiful place.
If you’re ready to embark on your next career adventure, you may be wondering whether a cover letter generator really works and how to write a compelling resume. How are you supposed to know what hiring managers want in an ideal candidate?
We know that writing resumes isn’t easy, which is why we’ve scoured through hundreds of resumes to determine what gets you a job versus what doesn’t. Our seven sample artist resumes are the culmination of our research to help you get inspired and create a resume that gets you hired.
Why this resume works
- As a professional artist, you know the importance of demonstrating your abilities from the get-go. When it comes to your artist resume, a resume summary is a quick way to showcase your skills and experience before the recruiter even glances at your work experience.
- If you have any certifications or special achievements, now is the time to mention them! You should also list your years of experience and the title of the employer.
- Demonstrating your measurable impact will help you stand out and be hired, so include numbers (also called metrics) where you can.
- For example, good metrics for your artist’s resume might include increases in art sales, the amount of recurring business, or the amount of money you saved.
Why this resume works
- The skills section of your resume is the opportunity to list critical areas you feel are your most significant assets.
- Good skills to add would be “color theory,” “makeup application,” “skincare,” and “collaboration.”
- Whenever you submit your resume, be sure to tailor your resume to the job description.
- For example, if the job description repeatedly mentions makeup application for special occasions, you should include your experience applying makeup for significant events like proms, weddings, and birthdays.
- You should also include repeated keywords you see in the job description, such as “product knowledge” and “achieve sales objectives,” try to incorporate similar keywords in your makeup artist resume.
View more makeup artist resumes >
Why this resume works
- How realistic were your animated characters? Animation fans want something closer to real life and that’s where you can make your animator resume count.
- Show, with support of numbers, in both your artist cover letter and resume how your animation projects delivered the most realistic experiences and you’ll be the candidate that recruiters will be after.
Why this resume works
- As an artist, your success can only be from the appreciation of your work. Did you get more invitations to art exhibitions and recognition from the art community? Great. Emphasize that in your painter resume.
- To ensure that potential employers get a taste of your abilities, highlight your increasing numbers in sales.
Why this resume works
- You want your freelance artist resume to secure you a job, so you obviously want to include as much as you can on one page, so use your space wisely.
- Use sentence fragments for your work experience bullets and don’t worry about ending punctuation (although commas are encouraged).
- Avoid using adjectives or the word “skills” in your skills section since they’re redundant.
- If it comes between adding an optional section (like an objective or summary) and adding more work experience, add work experience.
- When formatting your resume, remember that your goal isn’t just to fill the page with relevant content; it’s also to make your resume easy to read.
- To make sure your resume is easy to skim, choose margins that are one inch around and keep your font size big (but not massive).
View more freelance artist resumes >
Why this resume works
- Hiring managers typically only spend seven seconds reading your resume, which means you have minimal time to show them what you can do. To make their job easier, employ action verbs at the beginning of your work experience bullet points.
- Action words cut out the fluff and highlight your achievements from the get-go.
- Words such as “founded,” “directed,” “awarded,” “managed,” and “created” are great examples of action words.
- Your graphic artist resume is your future employer’s first impression of you, so you need to make sure your resume is entirely free of mistakes and mess-ups.
- Before you submit your application, check your resume for grammar errors, typos, and inaccuracies. If you can, ask a co-worker to review your resume, too, as they’ll be able to catch mistakes that you and AI might have missed.
Why this resume works
- To impress recruiters quickly, use a resume objective to tell the hiring manager your years of experience, your skills, and what you’re looking to accomplish if you’re hired.
- Always tailor this section to the job description by including the company name and position. If you don’t have time to tailor it, omit it in favor of more work experience instead.
- Your abilities should shine in your work experience, but you still need to include your education on your fine artist resume.
- Even if you only have a high school diploma, employers want to know that you’ve completed some higher education. If you have a college degree, you can omit your high school diploma (although if you have a graduate degree, include both your undergrad and graduate degrees separately).
View more fine artist resumes >
How to Write an Artist Resume
Of course, you want to stand out in the competitive art world. A well-crafted artist resume can grant your wish. Whether you’re trying to earn a spot in a gallery representation, group or individual grants, or freelance gigs, this guide will show you how to write an artist resume that grabs attention and gets you where the action is. Let’s break it down one step at a time.
Keep your resume formatting simple and functional
Avoid doing more than necessary styling. Keep your format clean and readable with fonts like Arial or Calibri in 10–12pt size. Clearly show the headings and use short and punchy bullet points to structure your resume. One page is enough unless you have extensive experience that’s worth sharing. Recruiters and curators skim—so make it easy to scan in one glance.
Add contact information
Start your resume with your first and last name, professional title (e.g., Visual Artist, Illustrator, Sculptor), phone number, professional email, website/portfolio, and LinkedIn (only if relevant). Example:
Peter Mayers
Illustrator
[email protected] | (123) 456-7890
www.parts.com | @peterarts
Summarize your career
Start with a two to three-sentence summary statement highlighting your work, career goals, and top accomplishments. Be concise and compelling.
Example:
Contemporary visual artist with over 8 years of experience exhibiting in solo and group shows across the U.S. Reputable for large-scale abstract paintings exploring identity and emotion. Featured in ArtForum and recipient of the 2024 Promising Artist Grant.
Showcase relevant artwork experience
Make a lasting first impression with your exhibitions, freelance gigs, commissions, or group projects. Highlight accomplishments with impact—mention gallery names, dates, awards, and press coverage. Customize each experience to the opportunity you’re applying for.
Examples by genre:
Fine Artist
Solo Exhibition, “Shreds of Grey” – MoMA PS1, NYC (2024)
- Attracted 3,000+ visitors in one month
- Featured in ArtNews Top 10 NYC Shows of the Year
Illustrator
Support Illustrator – “Stranger Lands” Graphic Novel (2021)
- Illustrated 212 pages in full color
- The book sold 14K copies in the first six months
Multimedia Artist
Interactive Installer – “Room Echo” at SXSW (2019)
- Integrated projection mapping and sound design
- Earned Best Experimental Media Award
Freelance Commission Work
Freelance Portrait Artist (2017–2019)
- Delivered 152 custom digital portraits
- 4.8/5 client rating on Etsy, 2.5K followers on Instagram
Include your education
Add your degrees, certifications, and any relevant workshops or residencies. If you’re a new graduate, add your GPA (if it is over 3.5), honors, awards, and applicable courses or projects.
Example:
BFA in Fine Arts, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2016
- Graduated with Honors, GPA: 3.7
- Coursework: Contemporary Painting, Digital Illustration, Art History
- Senior Thesis: “Art & Identity in the Digital Age”
Artist Resume FAQs
A professional artist resume should be as visually appealing as your work. Use a well-spaced template and mention your best work experiences working independently or for an agency. Also, don’t forget to add your best color/sketching/painting skills and educational background.
A good artist resume should be able to show your career’s success and uniqueness. From workplace achievements to winning competitions, add everything that makes you stand out from the average artist to craft a stunning resume.
A resume summary for an artist is the quickest way to show what you can do, including your past achievements, skills, and career goals. It’s an overview of your strengths and qualifications, making it easy for recruiters to know your value without spending too much time on your resume. Therefore, when you write your summary statement as an artist, make it brief and impactful.
It’s the space on your resume that showcases what you can do as an artist. It demonstrates your unique qualities and expertise that make your art worth the consideration of hiring teams. When you create the skills section, include keywords from the job posting and relevant phrases from the art sector.
