Artist Job Descriptions for Hiring Managers and HR

What Does an Artist Do?

A professional artist can be many different things, each requiring specific talents and skills. In general, there are two categories of professional artists: fine art and applied art. Fine artists, such as painters, sculptures, or illustrators, create artwork meant to provoke a response in the viewer or listener or to convey important information. Applied artists design and produce consumer goods like furniture, jewelry, fashion apparel, and ceramics. Regardless of specialty, an artist needs to be creative, have keen attention to detail, highly refined artistic ability, and possess good time management skills. Artists can also be graphic designers, technical illustrators, multimedia artists, or sketch artists.

Some artists work in more than one area of fine or applied art but typically specialize in one. Artists need determination, and the ability to deal well with criticism and rejection. Understanding the commercial value of art is as important as the ability to produce it. Artists who market their work need good business skills, excellent communication skills, and strong project management skills. They must be flexible and willing to adapt as the project demands.

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National Average Salary

Artist salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

Artist salary data

The average U.S. salary for an Artist is:

$58,150

Artist Job Descriptions

Creating the perfect job description is crucial when seeking an artist. To aid in this process, we’ve gathered real-world examples that serve as valuable templates, giving you the best chance to attract top creative talent to your team.

Example 1

The artist is responsible for the design, creation, and modification of artistic projects. The artist must have good communication skills since they work closely with clients, sponsors, and other project managers. The artist must have a thorough understanding of design concepts and techniques, as well as computer applications. The majority of the work will be collaborative, but there may also be some individual work designing art pieces or creating models for projects to come. The ideal candidate will design concepts and techniques, be familiar with computer applications, have strong communication skills, and have the ability to work independently.

Typical duties and responsibilities

Collaborate with the creative team about client needs
Propose budget and production schedules to clients
Design rough drafts for client approval
Conduct demographic and industry research
Create content using traditional or digital tools and platforms
Refine initial drafts and revise using traditional or digital tools
Format or share final files, if necessary, for creative review
Deliver final assets for client review

Education and experience

This position requires a high school diploma or GED
Bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree from a college or university preferred

Required skills and qualifications

Expertise with traditional tools and digital tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud
Strong communication skills
Ability to work under tight deadlines
Expertise in the principles of their chosen artistic field
Proficiency with design enhancement platforms and software
Keen knowledge of emerging trends

Preferred qualifications

3+ years of experience with Adobe Photoshop
3+ years of experience with Adobe Illustrator
Knowledge of 3D Studio Max or Maya
Knowledge of AutoCAD or Revit

Example 2

Duties

Design and build 3D assets using 2D concepts from model to animation
Integrate assets directly into Unity and follow through with testing and polish
Collaborate with designers and engineers to deliver in-game art that hits our visual targets
Help implement and improve the pipeline flow for content production and implementation
Work with 2D artists, designers, narrative, and engineers to achieve visual excellence for 3D character, creature, and environment content
Provide documentation, style guides, and tools
Mentor junior-level artists
Work to maintain morale and create an atmosphere of creativity and enthusiasm

Requirements

5+ years of experience in 3D game art production
Good understanding of art fundamentals; lighting, color, form, 3D shapes
Expertise with 3D and 2D software suites (Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, etc.)
Experience with game production tools (Unity, Jira, Perforce)
Strong verbal and written communication, able to give and receive clear feedback
Familiar with low poly modeling and mobile optimization
Ability to find creative solutions to artistic challenges and problems
Able to work with a high degree of self-direction, but also within a collaborative creative team
Realistic texture knowledge
Proficiency in 3D art techniques such as VFX and animation

Example 3

Responsibilities

Use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create original high-quality vector artwork and layered images that resonate with our target audience
Create impactful backgrounds, layouts, environments, prop designs, and UI such as buttons, frames, icons, etc.
Provide concepts, mock-ups, style guides, and placeholder art that is usable throughout the development
Seek out critiques and opportunities to improve; iterate without attachment
Guide art development to ensure quality and consistency across different mobile devices
Become an industry expert on mobile art development approaches and processes
Be a team player who listens to, encourages, and supports others

Qualifications for the role

Degree in Illustration, Graphic Design, or similar equivalent training and/or work experience
2+ years of professional experience in mobile games
Demonstrable skills with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
A portfolio showing strong art and artistic design skills and understanding
A growth mindset that embraces continuous learning
Positive attitude with a desire to be a driving force in a friendly, upbeat, and supportive development environment
Excitement for the opportunities and challenges of working on a new and forming team

Example 4

Responsibilities

Preparing files for print and digital production
Creating and producing page layouts, advertisements, and other materials as assigned
Highly skilled with page layouts, typography, templating, and versioning of assets
Changing out the copy, photographs, and product descriptions
Managing multiple projects at once and ensuring they are on time
Following brand guidelines, but bringing them to life through new and unique layouts
Understanding print production and how to best set it up
Proofreading and looking for errors within the work

Requirements

2+ years experience
Bachelor’s degree
Proficient with Adobe Creative Cloud
Microsoft Office
Comfortable on MAC

Candidate Certification to Look For

Adobe Certified Professional

This certification is an industry-recognized credential that effectively validates a candidate’s skills in Adobe Creative Cloud applications. If they plan to work in art and design, having this certification can set them apart from other applicants.

How to Hire an Artist

When hiring an artist, first consider the following:

Recruiting: Do you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to attract and screen candidates?
Complexity: Do you need a senior professional, or will mid or junior-level skills and experience suffice?
Duration: Is this a one-time project or an ongoing need?
Management: Do you have the time and expertise to direct the work effectively?
Urgency: How soon does the work need to be completed?
Headcount: Do you have the budget and approval for an internal employee, or should you consider alternate options?

Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action for your current hiring need. Fortunately, great options exist for every scenario. These are our recommendations:

1. Use 4 Corner Resources (or another professional recruiting firm)

The heavy lifting is done for you when working with a top-tier staffing company like 4 Corner Resources. We source, screen, recruit, and deliver only the most qualified candidate(s), saving you significant time and effort throughout the hiring process while you remain focused on your core business. Understanding your needs and ensuring the right candidate for the position is the key to our success.

This is the best route to take when:

You need to fill the position quickly
You want access to a vast talent pool of high-quality, prescreened candidates
Your position is suited for temporary hiring services, contract staffing, or contract-to-hire recruiting, and you intend to direct the work activity.
You are hiring an employee as a direct placement but aren’t able to recruit effectively or efficiently with your internal staff.
You aren’t familiar with current salary rates, market trends, and available skill sets

Purple 4 Corner Resources banner that says award-winning staffing and recruiting solutions with learn more button and picture of female professional

2. Hire an experienced freelancer

The freelance, or gig, economy continues to grow, with more talent available daily. Freelancers provide high-quality work without a long-term commitment. They can offer you a fresh perspective, more flexibility, and increase efficiency. While the freelance market isn’t ideal for every position, artists are often a great fit.

We recommend this option when:

Your need is project-based
The work can be performed remotely
You do not intend to direct the daily work activity
You are hiring for expertise your internal team does not possess
You do not require an employee to work onsite or follow a specific schedule

We recommend using either Toptal, Upwork, or both.

Toptal

Toptal is an exclusive network of the top freelance software developers, designers, finance experts, product managers, and project managers in the world. Toptal vets its freelancers before making them accessible, ensuring their legitimacy. Top companies hire Toptal freelancers for their most important projects. Hiring an artist on Toptal can help you quickly get the results you need.

Upwork

Upwork is a freelance talent network that helps individuals connect with experts in a variety of fields to accomplish project-based needs. When you have a specific, well-defined goal in mind, this can be a great path to hiring an experienced artist. If you are satisfied with the outcome you can continue to book the same freelancer through Upwork’s easy-to-use project interface.

3. Advertise your opening on a top job board

Your best option may be to advertise your opening on a proven job board. There are many widely used job sites out there that draw visits from qualified candidates. If you have someone internally who can dedicate the time and energy to sort through applications and screen individuals effectively, this can be a great choice.

We recommend using a job board when:

Your internal recruiting team has the knowledge and experience to assess candidate qualifications
You are hiring a direct employee and have time to manage the entire recruiting effort
You have a process for receiving, screening, and tracking all resumes and applications
You are prepared to respond to all applicants

We recommend using CareerBuilder when hiring an artist:

CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder has been a trusted source for hiring since 1995. Reach 80+ million unique, diverse U.S. job seekers annually by posting your jobs through their talent acquisition channels. Through CareerBuilder, you can engage candidates and drive them into your sourcing pipeline. We recommend using CareerBuilder for hiring when you have the internal resources and processes to review, screen, and reply to all applicants.

4. Leverage your internal resources

You can utilize your own website, social media, and employees to assist in your search for top candidates.

A company website posting should be the first step in notifying prospective candidates that you are hiring. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your new opening. As far as exposure is concerned, this option can be as good as some job boards when you have a large enough following across various platforms, like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.

Current employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Encourage your internal team to promote job openings to their network by offering cash and other incentives.

We recommend these options when:

Your brand has great name recognition
You can consistently monitor and respond to candidate activity through your website and social media accounts
You have a process in place to quickly and broadly communicate job openings and requirements
You have an effective employee referral program in place

If you aren’t sure which path is best, schedule a discovery call today with our seasoned recruiting professionals. The 4 Corner team is on standby to help you find the best option for your unique hiring need.