Painter Resume Guide + Tips + Example
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Painters conceptualize artwork, whether for artistic purposes or as requested by clients. Their interpersonal skills connect with collaborators, while their expertise in mixed media, color theory and artistic software can bring to life their visual designs.
Approach your painter resume with your expert creativity. We’ll help you turn your accomplishments and experience into a professional painter resume.
The resume examples and tips on this guide will help you create a visually appealing resume to present you as a candidate to watch out for.
Start by editing this painter resume sample template or explore our 40+ resume templates to find the best one for you.
Painter resume example (text version)
Lucas Delgado
Atlanta, GA 30310
(555) 555-5555
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Career Objective
Versatile assistant arts painter with a strong foundation in fine arts and a keen eye for detail seeking a painter position. Experienced in assisting with various stages of the artistic process, from sketching and underpainting to final touch-ups. Possesses excellent communication skills and a proactive approach to supporting artists in realizing their creative visions. Adept at managing art supplies and maintaining a clean, organized studio space conducive to artistic productivity.
Skills
- Color theory and composition
- Drawing and sketching
- Spraying techniques
- Paint mixology
- 3D and 2D painting
- Detail oriented
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
Professional Skills
Artistic Proficiency
- Executed diverse painting techniques, including acrylics, oils and watercolors, resulting in the creation of 15 high-quality art pieces under the supervision of the lead painter.
- Demonstrated an ability to capture intricate details and nuances, receiving praise from clients and peers for attention to artistic vision.
- Completed projects within established timelines, maintaining a 95% on-time delivery record.
Adaptability and Innovation
- Adapted quickly to new project requirements and challenges, showcasing versatility in handling different subjects and styles.
- Experimented with unconventional materials and techniques, leading to the development of a signature style that gained recognition in local art exhibitions.
- Spearheaded a mural project in a community center, engaging with diverse stakeholders and fostering community cohesion, measured by a 15% increase in community participation.
Time Management and Efficiency
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously, meeting or exceeding deadlines for 95% of assigned tasks.
- Implemented efficient workflow processes, reducing painting production time by 20%.
- Implemented a color-coded project tracking system, improving organization and project visibility, resulting in a 30% reduction in project delays.
Work History
August 2021 – Current
Park West Gallery – Atlanta, GA
Assistant Arts Painter
January 2021 – May 2021
Dentsu – Savannah, GA
Arts Painter Intern
Education
June 2021
Savannah College of Art & Design Savannah, GA
Bachelor of Fine Arts Painting
5 essentials of a top painter resume
Contact details
Use a creative and professional header to share your contact details: full name, city, state, phone number and email address. Include a link to your portfolio or professional website. If you’re a member of an artistic organization or have a professional networking profile, like LinkedIn, link to its latest version in this section.
Personal statement
In no more than five sentences, create a professional summary to let a hiring manager know how many years you’ve been in the industry, present an important professional accomplishment and your strongest skill.
For example:
Innovative painter with experience in mural painting, teaching and project conceptualization. Member of NAWA. Dedicated to cultural preservation and educating the local community in creative expression.
Skills
Create a balanced skills section to present what you bring to the table. Remember to use the job description as a guide and match their job skills.
Using bullet points, list your soft skills, like cultural competence, collaboration and relationship building, and hard skills, like texture painting, color theory and digital art software.
Work history
Beyond showcasing where you’ve worked, your professional history shows what you’ve accomplished during your roles. Format your work history as our example, add your current or most recent job first and work your way back. Include the name of the employer, dates of employment and location.
Then, under each entry, include a bulleted list with three quantifiable achievements.
For example:
- Utilized traditional methods to restore two classic paintings for the National Art Museum.
- Illustrated four children’s books using collage style.
- As a member of the Communities United By Color, conceptualized painting seminars for seniors in nursing homes and hospices.
If this is your first painter job, include other relevant work experience, like volunteer experiences, community services, professional projects and more.
Education
Start this section with your highest level of education; include the institution’s name, degree and graduation date. For example:
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting
Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA.
May 2022Skip the graduation year if it has been a decade. If you did not attend college, list your high school and any other post-high school course you’ve completed.
See why MyPerfectResume is a 5-star resume builder
Action words for a standout painter resume
Showcase what you bring to the table. These verbs empower your accomplishments and abilities.
For example, “Conceptualized community mural as part of the Unidos initiative to celebrate the Latino culture and peace through color, textured techniques and cultural homages” shows your expertise and volume of work better than “Painted mural to uplift the Latino community.”
Some action verbs a painter resume could include are:
- Create
- Develop
- Conceptualize
- Collaborate
- Perform
- Build
- Provide
- Design
- Illustrate
- Generate
- Communicate
- Manage
Our Resume Builder can pair up action verbs to your professional history accomplishments. See it for yourself in one of our 800+ resume examples to help you create your perfect painter resume.
Top skills for a painter resume
Grab the recruiter’s attention by creating a skills section with your best ones. Use the job description to match the required skills to the ones that fit you.
Your skills for a painter resume might include the following:
- Expertise on different painting surfaces, such as cloth or canvas
- Charcoal strokes
- Schematic development
- Abstract painting
- Leadership skills
- Aesthetics expertise
- Attention to detail
- Drawing and sketching
- Organizational skills
- 3D painting
- 2D painting
- Paint mixology
- Spraying techniques
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
Certifications for a painter resume
Create a section to list your painter certifications. Some painter certifications to consider are:
- Certified Digital Artist
- Certified Professional Artist (CPA)
- Certificate of Fine Art (CFA)
- Certificate in Portrait and Figurative Art
- Studio Certificate
- Drawing and Painting Certification Program for 2D painting
- Certification in 3D Art and Curation
- Certified Art Appraiser (CAA)
Include the issuing organization and, if applicable, the expiry date. If you’re still working toward the certification, you can include it with the expected completion date.
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Painter resume FAQ
How to write a resume for a painter position?
Use this guide and the job description to determine what and how to include information on your resume. Start by completing the basic sections:
- A bold header with your current contact information.
- A professional summary with your strongest skills and achievements.
- A thoroughly balanced skills section with 6-12 skills.
- Your work history with quantifiable achievements tailored to the role and company.
- A concise education section that starts with your highest degree.
Once this is complete, add any optional sections that’ll help you stand out:
- Certifications and licenses
- Volunteer experience
- Professional memberships or associations
Our Resume Builder can help you throughout this process. Simply choose a template to suit your style, add your information and edit to your preferences. Then, download in multiple formats and send it along with your cover letter to complete your application.
How to write a resume for a self-employed painter?
The only difference between an employer and being self-employed, when it comes to a resume, is that you’ll write Self-Employed as the employer. For example:
Commissioned Painter Jan. 2023 – Present
Self-employed
- Use the bullet points as you would a hired position. Add your quantifiable achievements, special projects you worked on, and include any specialized tasks you offered to clients.
Which format is best for your painter resume?
Your painter resume format depends on your years of experience. Each format is made to highlight your strengths:
- A chronological resume format is ideal for candidates with a decade or more in the industry, as it focuses on your extensive experience.
- A functional resume format is great for candidates with no experience, as it highlights your skills while downplaying your lack of experience.
- A combination resume format is ideal for candidates with three to nine years of experience, as it balances skills and experience
Should you include references in your painter resume?
No. This is an outdated habit. A resume is a snapshot of your career. Use it to highlight skills, showcase your quantifiable accomplishments and present your credentials.
You can create a separate reference sheet, using your resume header, to list your references. You can print it out and bring it to the interview, email it to the interviewer in your follow-up email or, even better, wait until the employer requests it.
Do’s and don’ts for building a painter resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your painter skills and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your painter resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target painter job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your painter resume.
- Format your painter resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your painter experience and skills.
- Boast about your “incomparable” painter abilities.
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that do not pertain to a painter.
- Forget to proofread. A painter resume with errors is unprofessional and will be discarded.
Top 4 tips for acing a painter interview
Research the potential employer
Research your potential employer. Use their official web channels, media and current or previous employees you might know. This research will help you answer the employer’s questions and create your own.
Practice at home.
Prepare by practicing an interview with the help of a friend or relative. Start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- Describe a Time When You Needed to Cope With a Stressful Scenario
- Experience with Suggesting Process Improvements
- Setting Goals & Following Through
- Tell Me About a Time When You Were Forced to Think on Your Feet
- Workplace Project Failure & Bouncing Back
Research other interview questions and practice with an interview partner, someone you can trust, to provide feedback. You can write down your answers or jot down a few points as you prepare.
Also, don’t forget to mind your body language as it speaks before you even utter a word.
Ask questions.
This is your chance to interview the employer and determine if this is the right place and role for your career. Arrive for the interview with already prepared questions that will help you learn more about how this position aligns with your goals. For example:
- Why did you choose this employer?
- What is the day-to-day like?
- Is this a new position?
- If yes, why was it created, what are you looking to fill?
- If not, why is it open once again? What are you looking to change with a new person?
- How do you support professional development?
Use open-ended questions (Why, How, What) and give the interviewer enough time to answer them to find out more.
Remember: You can bring a small notebook or piece of paper to remember everything you want to ask and write down their answers.
Gather your references.
Ask former managers, colleagues and individuals who can vouch for your work ethic and skills to act as your references. If this is your first job, you can request a reference from a mentor, former professor, volunteer, or coordinator. Let this person know where you are in the process and if they should expect a phone call or email. Also, ask if they could provide a letter of recommendation just in case a potential employer requests one.
How we reviewed this article
Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. Craft and Fine Artists
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. Arts and Design Occupations
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Certificate Programs
- New York Academy of Art. Certificate of Fine Art
- Florida International University. Certificate in Portrait and Figurative Art
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Painter Resume Example
Nilda Melissa is a Certified Professional Resume Writer who has written for The Washington Post and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in Journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
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