Job Descriptions

Artist Job Description

What is the job description of an Artist? What are the duties and responsibilities of an Artist? What does an Artist do?

Job description of an Artist

Artist is a broad term that describes occupations in fine arts, crafts, desktop publishing, website design, animation and video game production. Artists can work as Multimedia Artists, Animators, Graphic Designers or Fine Artists.

Depending on where they work and what they do, Artists might work in teams throughout the creative process to complete a project or create a product, though in some cases they will work independently. Artists can work as freelancers or for studios, advertising agencies, media design companies, marketing firms or in graphic arts departments.

This Artist job description example includes the list of most important Artist duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Artist profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Artist Duties and Responsibilities

Artist job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Project planning, creating and managing a budget, financial planning, calculating expenditure;
  • Generating ideas, idea development, sketching, making models;
  • Creating or developing a piece of work in response to a brief or commission;
  • Meeting deadlines;
  • Liaising with contacts, gallery owners, curators and other artists;
  • Curating individual and group shows;
  • Writing project proposals for galleries, competitions or artist residencies;
  • Negotiating a sale or commission;
  • Self-promotion, networking, attending private views and other events;
  • Sourcing materials and developing relationships with suppliers;
  • Researching, visiting locations, interviewing people, using libraries and the internet;
  • Administration, correspondence, creating publicity;
  • Managing tax and self-employment issues;
  • Organization and administration tasks associated with running a studio;
  • Writing press releases;
  • Maintaining a portfolio which will typically include a website;
  • Working in a studio or off-site and adhering to health and safety procedures;
  • Writing funding applications (public and private);
  • Applying for residencies and competitions;
  • Evaluating a project and feeding back to the main funder or sponsor.

Artist Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Artist job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • Hands-on experience in digital design, Photoshop, texturing and rendering techniques
  • Strong knowledge of special effects, modeling, and lighting
  • Proficient in Maya, 3D Max, and graphic programming language shaders
  • Outstanding ability to create a cinematic environment through digital media
  • Strong creative skills
  • Organized, detail-oriented and able to work under deadlines

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Artist starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Artist job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of an Artist may also reference it in preparation for the interview.