Illustrator Resume: Examples and Tips
Illustrators create visuals and illustrations in all types of media formats for online and print use. An illustrator needs to be highly creative, have strong storytelling skills, and be proficient in technical skills such as sketching and drawing, as well as programs like Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.
Make sure you draft a resume for an illustrator job that’s first-class by using these professional tips and examples.
Featured Resume Example: Illustrator
Name: MELISSA BLOSSOM
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Versatile Illustrator with years of experience and cartoon and computer graphics expertise. Created 2D and 3D vector illustrations and diagrams for large graphics agency and earned accolades for quality work. High-level technical and collaborative skills leading to outstanding results.
SKILLS
- Design team oversight
- Visual storytelling
- Graphic arts
- Drawing and sketching
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe PhotoShop
- Character art
- Project management
WORK HISTORY
Illustrator
06/2014 to Current
Company Name, City, State
- Cultivated relationships with other artists and internal partners to produce results that met customer parameters.
- Applied color theory and lighting techniques in drawings and illustrations to add excitement, focus and depth
- Developed illustrative designs using customer specifications, company standards and mathematical formulas
Artist
07/2012 to 02/2015
Company Name, City, State
- Advertised and sold mosaics and drawing pieces at local markets and established all piece pricing on customer demand, labor costs and raw material costs.
- Collaborated with marketing and support departments to create high-quality images and illustrations for specific projects
- Developed creative design for marketing packages, including print materials, brochures, banners and signs
Freelance Artist
07/2007 to 01/2011
Company Name, City, State
- Made use of materials, such as ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, computer software, paints, and pencils, to complete unique piece for customers
- Managed all art and office supply needs for art department
- Worked alongside writers to create unique designs to translate artistic vision into visual medium
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts: Illustration
City, State
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Illustrator Resume
- Summary Present your top skills as an artist, designer or illustrator here, and highlight your most relevant work experience, all within the space of a few sentences. Match your summary to what the job requires. For example, if the job calls for a solid amount of 3D drawing work, emphasize elements of your background that fit that requirement. For example: “Versatile illustrator with a bachelor’s degree in illustration and four years of experience designing 2D and 3D illustrations.”
- Skills In addition to technical skills related to drawing, sketching, and editing pictures, as well as important software such as Adobe Illustrator, don’t forget to mention essential interpersonal and intangible skills such as good communication skills, organizational ability and experience with collaboration.
- Work History Don’t pack this section with every ordinary task you’ve undertaken in previous jobs. Instead, focus on your most important accomplishments, providing context in the form of numbers and details when possible. For example, instead of writing, “Designed images and illustrations for several books,” write, “Produced illustrations and designs for 12 different children’s books, including tw Newbery Medal winners.”
- Education Feature your highest academic credential (e.g., high school diploma, college degree) as well as any specialized training or courses you’ve taken in subjects such as illustration or graphic design. Also list any related certifications you have, such as an Adobe Creative Suite certification.
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Find the Right Template for your Resume
Make sure your resume looks its best by using one of these professionally designed layouts.
Original
The template uses a unique quadrant design to catch recruiters’ eyes, with each section getting its own piece of the pie.
Accentuate
With a professional, clean look, this design features a subtle colored header and a two-column approach, making for easy scanning.
Charismatic
This bold layout uses mixed colors to make the job seeker’s name stand out, while all information underneath is arranged in straightforward fashion.
For more than two dozen designs you can use to construct your resume, visit our resume templates page.
Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO include soft skills. Intangible skills tell employers how you approach your work, which can be just as important as your technical abilities. Look to mention skills such as being a good collaborator, superior organizational abilities or close attention to detail.
- DO include relevant keywords. Employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) will be scouring your resume for the right keywords. To make sure you’re ship-shape, scan the job description of the position you’re applying for, and note important phrases such as “Photoshop,” “rough sketches,” or “visual storytelling” that define the job. Then make sure your resume’s summary, skills and work history sections feature skills and experiences that match these keywords. Don’t just copy and paste keywords: Including “Photoshop” as a skill is nice, but giving a work example where you used Photoshop to successfully complete an assignment is better.
- DO quantify your accomplishments. As mentioned above, always quantify your achievements and accomplishments instead of describing your work in vague general terms. For example, saying “Collaborated with product manager and SEO expert to create 50+ illustrations for marketing campaign reaching 2,000,000 users” tells the recruiter much more than “collaborated with client to create marketing visuals.”
- DON’T submit your resume without proofing. As an illustrator, you’re expected to be meticulous — make sure your resume follows suit. Even a single silly spelling or grammatical snafu can sink you. Read through your document a few times before sending it in, checking to ensure that all information is correct and error-free. For extra security, if you create your resume using our resume builder, our tools will scan your resume for you
- DON’T make your resume too long. Recruiters only spend a limited time reading each resume, so make sure yours makes for an informative but crisp read. Your document should be two pages long at most. Don’t stuff your resume with details that don’t matter, and keep your bullet points and phrases short and to-the-point. Keep your summary statement within three sentences, aim for three to five bullet points in your work history section, and for your skills section, focus on your top 8-10 abilities.
- DON’T use first-person pronouns. You’ll notice that in our resume examples, we don’t use “I” or “my” — for good reason. Using first-person pronouns in your resume is just not necessary. Write phrases instead of sentences to both save room, and focus potential employers on your qualifications. Just look at these two sentences:
• “I am an illustrator with four years of experience and a bachelor’s degree in art.”
• “Versatile illustrator with a bachelor’s degree in art and four years of work experience.”
Both sentences are the same length, but the second example without the “I” gives you more room to talk about your best traits.
Pair your Resume with a Matching Cover Letter
