Painter Resume Sample

Render a vivid picture of your career with spotlights on your technical skills and how you leave lasting impressions borne of your creative mindscape.

By Omar Sommereyns, Monster Contributor

You, the painter, see the world ever so keenly. Your imagination will often run wild too. And it’s this balanced combination of your observational skills and the imagery of your mind’s eye—as well as your technical ingenuity—that makes your artistry so special. And now, think about how to put all of this into your painter resume.

Furthermore, you should:

  • Write a painter career summary that not only synthesizes your achievements so far, but also establishes your grander sense of vision—your unique way of seeing.
  • Throw in some painter keywords—and change them up based on the job you’re applying to.
  • Use language that’s credible, direct, and written in declarative sentences.
  • Provide examples of how you’ve been able to translate your mentalscapes into various creations for your clients and the companies you’ve worked for.
  • Highlight the recognitions you’ve received (e.g., awards given to you by city officials or inclusion in prestigious rankings).
  • Add an “Exhibitions” section at the end of your painter resume, where you can display a selective list of your best gallery and museum shows. Is your work part of any acclaimed collections? Then mention that as well.

And do showcase how you can use both traditional mediums and new technologies. Make sure there are no typos and scratch out any awkward phrasing. Then, review our template below for more ideas.

Painter Resume

Vincent van Groff, MFA

vincent@email.com | New York, NY | 555-555-5555 | linkedin.com/vincent.vangroff | website.com/portfolio

PAINTER

Fine artist with pieces featured in galleries, museums, and private collections around the globe. Proven abilities in a wide range of visual mediums and styles with strengths in large-scale formats, including murals and scenic art. Reputation for professionalism—going above and beyond to provide exceptional quality and exceed client expectations.

KEY SKILLS

Mediums | Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Drawing, Pen & Ink, Airbrush, and Digital Painting.

Areas of Expertise | Murals, Scenic Painting, Portraits, Landscapes, Illustration, Reproductions, and Abstract Art.

Technical Skills | CorelDRAW, Procreate, Blender, Maya, Unity, and Adobe CC (Photoshop and Illustrator).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Fine Artist | Freelance | New York, NY | 20XX – Present

  • Create original oil and acrylic paintings, including portraits, landscapes, and abstract art.
  • Complete commissions for select clients, including libraries, universities, and government institutions.
  • Chosen to paint the governor’s inaugural portrait—currently displayed in the state capitol.

Scenic Artist | Company One | New York, NY | 20XX – 20XX

  • Developed immersive environments for stage and screen—designing and painting larger-than-life backdrops and props to bring to life characters, scenes, and storylines of major productions.
  • Partnered with teams of writers, builders, directors, and producers to set project scope, develop storyboards, and coordinate builds; monitored project progress and resolved challenges to ensure on-time completion.
  • Imparted realism by using diverse techniques, including forced perspective, faux finishes, and trompe-l’oeil techniques.

Muralist | Company Two | Savannah, GA | 20XX – 20XX

  • Led a team of 12 artists in the direction of a city-wide mural project—creating seven, large-scale murals on buildings throughout the downtown area. Designed concept, mapped layout, assigned workflow, and managed execution.
  • Earned 20XX “Cultural Arts Award” for the mural project; recognized for contributions to city-improvement efforts.
  • Work garnered nationwide attention with coverage on major television, print, and online news outlets.

Artist | Company Three | Savannah, GA | 20XX – 20XX

  • Created onsite caricature portraits for upscale social events—capturing the unique qualities of over 75 people daily.
  • Painted custom signs, banners, and props for in-house theatrical productions and special events.
  • Leveraged time-management skills to meet tight delivery milestones with zero negative impact on quality.

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio Art | University One | New York, NY | 20XX

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Painting | College One | Savannah, GA | 20XX

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition One | Museum One | New York, NY | 20XX

Exhibition Two | Gallery One | Los Angeles, CA | 20XX

Exhibition Three | Museum Two | Berlin, Germany | 20XX

Exhibition Four | Gallery Two | Paris, France | 20XX

Exhibition Five | Gallery Three | New York, NY 20XX

Download this sample of our painter resume for free.

Also, the future is looking bright for painters and artists of all types. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of craft and fine artists is estimated to grow by 14% over the next decade, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

In addition, let’s get you some pay data. The median salary for an artist/painter is $21.71 per hour, but that can vary between $16.51 and $37.74. And those numbers may change depending on the kind of painter jobs you take on and your location (plus they don’t include the paintings you sell independently or through your gallery), so browse around Monster’s Salary Tools to view what you might make in the city you live in.

Or are you relocating? Then consider these job postings for areas that have a high demand for artists and painters:

If you want to branch out further, check out all the art jobs available on Monster.

Depict Your Greatest Self in a Newly Glowing Painter Resume

It’s time to vivify your qualities, skills, and accomplishments—all of your merits as a visual prodigy. Our experts know how tricky it can be to express your worth on paper or condense years of experience into one or two pages. So if you’re unhappy with the current state of your resume—or if you need help to create one from scratch—contact our experts now. We’ll discuss your needs and aspirations—lickety-split—and then we’ll get to work so that you can focus on new commissions and upcoming exhibitions.