Digital Illustrator Resume examples & templates

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Copyable Digital Illustrator Resume examples

Ever wondered what transforms a blank digital canvas into a world that captivates millions? Digital illustrators are the modern-day magicians behind everything from the characters in your favorite mobile games to those eye-catching Instagram ads that somehow know exactly what you want. It's a field where technical precision meets unbridled creativity—and right now, it's absolutely booming. With the explosion of content marketing, the average company now uses 11 different types of visual content in their strategies, creating unprecedented demand for skilled digital artists who can translate brand stories into compelling visuals.

The tools have changed (goodbye paper, hello stylus), but the core remains the same: telling stories through images. What's fascinating is how the boundaries keep expanding. The rise of augmented reality has pushed digital illustrators into creating dimensional work that literally jumps off the screen, while the growing indie game market has opened doors for illustrators to shape entire visual worlds. Looking ahead, as more companies shift their marketing budgets toward visual storytelling (a 39% increase since 2019), digital illustration isn't just surviving in the digital age—it's defining it.

Junior Digital Illustrator Resume Example

Ellie Chen

Denver, CO 80205 • (720) 555-8941 • elliechen.art@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/elliechen-illustration • portfolio: elliechenart.com

Digital illustrator with a focus on character design and concept art for gaming and animation. Recent graduate with hands-on experience through internships and freelance work. Proficient in Procreate, Adobe Creative Suite, and traditional media. Passionate about creating visually compelling narratives through stylized illustrations.

EXPERIENCE

Junior Digital Illustrator – Pixel Perfect Studios, Denver, CO
January 2023 – Present

  • Create character concept art and environmental illustrations for indie mobile game developer
  • Collaborate with 4-person design team to develop cohesive visual styles across multiple projects
  • Design promotional materials for social media, increasing engagement by 27% in Q1 2023
  • Participate in weekly client pitches, incorporating feedback to revise concepts

Illustration Intern – Mountain View Animation Studios, Boulder, CO
May 2022 – August 2022

  • Assisted lead illustrator with storyboarding and concept development for children’s animated series
  • Created 30+ background elements and props for episodic animation
  • Learned industry-standard animation pipeline and file management practices

Freelance Illustrator – Self-employed
September 2021 – Present

  • Design custom illustrations for diverse clients including local businesses and private commissions
  • Created illustrations for “Denver Arts Quarterly” magazine (Fall 2022 issue)
  • Manage client relationships, project timelines, and billing processes

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration
Colorado College of Art and Design, Denver, CO
Graduated: May 2022
GPA: 3.87, Dean’s List (6 semesters)

Certification
Character Design for Animation – Skillshare (2022)
Digital Illustration Masterclass – CCAD Continuing Education (2021)

SKILLS

  • Digital illustration (Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, Photoshop)
  • Character design & concept art
  • Vector illustration (Adobe Illustrator)
  • Color theory and composition
  • Storyboarding
  • Traditional media (watercolor, ink)
  • Wacom tablet proficiency
  • Basic animation principles
  • Client communication
  • File preparation for print/digital

PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS

  • “Mythical Creatures” – personal project featuring 12 original character designs
  • “Skyward” – concept art for indie game (credited illustrator)
  • Children’s book illustrations – “The Curious Cat” (self-published, 2022)

Mid-level Digital Illustrator Resume Example

OLIVIA JENSEN

olivia.jensen82@gmail.com | (415) 555-8249 | Oakland, CA 94612
linkedin.com/in/oliviajensen | behance.net/oliviajensen

Versatile Digital Illustrator with 5+ years creating distinctive visual narratives across publishing, gaming, and editorial projects. Known for merging traditional art foundations with cutting-edge digital techniques to develop unique visual styles. Comfortable managing multiple deadlines while maintaining creative quality—my children’s book illustrations for “Whispers in the Woods” helped secure a 3-book publishing deal.

EXPERIENCE

Senior Digital Illustrator – Pixel Perfect Studios, San Francisco, CA
March 2021 – Present

  • Lead illustrator for 4 mobile game projects, creating character designs, environments, and UI elements that increased user engagement by 27% compared to previous titles
  • Collaborate with writers and developers to transform concepts into cohesive visual narratives while adhering to tight production schedules
  • Mentor 2 junior illustrators, providing technical guidance and creative direction on client projects
  • Pioneered studio’s transition to Procreate workflow for initial sketches, cutting concept turnaround time in half

Digital Illustrator – Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA
June 2019 – February 2021

  • Illustrated 6 children’s books and 3 cookbook projects, working closely with authors and art directors to capture distinct visual tones
  • Created promotional artwork for social media campaigns that generated 14k+ shares across platforms
  • Developed custom brushes and textures that became part of the company’s digital asset library

Freelance Illustrator – Self-employed, Oakland, CA
January 2018 – Present

  • Produce editorial illustrations for clients including SF Chronicle, Wired Magazine, and Medium
  • Designed album artwork for indie bands that received features in Pitchfork and Rolling Stone
  • Created a successful line of digital prints and merchandise generating ~$12k in passive income annually

Junior Illustrator – Westcoast Animation Studios, Berkeley, CA
May 2017 – May 2019

  • Assisted senior artists with background illustrations and character turnarounds for animated shorts
  • Developed texture libraries and color palettes for 3 commercial projects
  • Participated in weekly art direction meetings to refine visual storytelling approaches

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration – California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
Graduated 2017 – Dean’s List, 3.8 GPA

Certificates & Training

  • Advanced Digital Painting Techniques – CGMA (2020)
  • Character Design for Animation – Schoolism (2019)
  • Visual Storytelling Masterclass with Shaun Tan (2018)

SKILLS

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, Blender (basics)

Technical Skills: Digital painting, vector illustration, character design, environment design, storyboarding, color theory, typography integration, texture creation

Business Skills: Client communication, project management, art direction, freelance contract negotiation, print production requirements

EXHIBITIONS & RECOGNITION

  • Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition – New York, 2022
  • Featured Artist – Oakland First Fridays Art Walk, Summer 2021
  • Finalist – Communication Arts Illustration Competition, 2020

Senior / Experienced Digital Illustrator Resume Example

Megan Clark

Chicago, IL | (312) 555-8976 | mclark.illustration@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/meganclark-illustrator

Professional Summary

Versatile Digital Illustrator with over 12 years creating compelling visual content for major brands, publications, and advertising campaigns. Proficient in translating complex ideas into eye-catching illustrations that drive engagement and tell stories. Known for delivering high-quality work within tight deadlines while maintaining a distinct artistic voice. Experienced in mentoring junior artists and leading creative projects from concept to completion.

Experience

Senior Digital Illustrator | Spark Creative Agency | Chicago, IL | 2018 – Present

  • Lead a team of 4 illustrators to create visual assets for Fortune 500 clients including Apple, Nike, and United Airlines
  • Developed signature illustration style for United’s “Travel Reimagined” campaign, increasing social engagement by 34%
  • Collaborate with copywriters and art directors to conceptualize and execute illustrations for print, digital, and social media platforms
  • Established new creative workflow process that reduced revision cycles by 27% and improved client satisfaction scores
  • Mentor junior illustrators through quarterly portfolio reviews and weekly technique workshops

Digital Illustrator | Inkwell Studio | Chicago, IL | 2015 – 2018

  • Created 175+ illustrations for editorial content in publications like The Atlantic, Chicago Tribune, and Wired
  • Designed character illustrations and backgrounds for the award-winning “City Stories” mobile game
  • Collaborated with marketing team to develop visual identity for 8 major product launches
  • Recognized with 2017 American Illustration Award for “Urban Legends” series

Freelance Illustrator | Self-employed | Chicago, IL | 2011 – 2015

  • Developed illustrations for diverse clientele including small businesses, startups, and local publications
  • Specialized in character design, editorial illustrations, and product packaging
  • Maintained a consistent client base of 12-15 regular customers while expanding portfolio
  • Featured artist in Chicago’s Emerging Visual Artists showcase (2014)

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 2011

Certificate in Digital Art & Animation | Chicago Digital Arts Academy | 2012

Skills

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects)
  • Procreate & iPad Pro illustration
  • Character design & development
  • Editorial illustration
  • Vector illustration
  • Conceptual problem-solving
  • Storyboarding
  • Brand identity development
  • Art direction
  • Wacom tablet mastery
  • Basic motion graphics

Selected Clients & Publications

Apple, Nike, United Airlines, The Atlantic, Wired, Chicago Tribune, Penguin Random House, Spotify, Target, Blue Moon Brewing Co.

How to Write a Digital Illustrator Resume

Introduction

Landing that dream Digital Illustrator job starts with a resume that showcases your artistic talents and technical skills in equal measure. Your resume isn't just a list of past jobs—it's a visual representation of your career journey that needs to impress both human eyes and those pesky applicant tracking systems (ATS). I've helped hundreds of creative professionals craft resumes that get noticed, and I'm going to share my best tips for digital illustrators specifically.

Resume Structure and Format

Digital illustrators have more leeway with resume design than corporate professionals, but restraint is still key. Your resume should be:

  • 1-2 pages maximum (one page is ideal for those with under 5 years experience)
  • Clean and readable with consistent spacing (think 11-12pt font)
  • Professionally formatted with clear section headers
  • Balanced between white space and content
  • Saved as both a PDF (for human eyes) and plain text (for ATS systems)

While you might be tempted to create an ultra-creative resume design, remember that many companies use ATS software that can't read complex layouts. Save your creative energy for your portfolio—that's where your visual skills should truly shine!

Pro Tip: Include a link to your online portfolio prominently at the top of your resume. Make it a clean, short URL that's easy to type. About 73% of hiring managers will look at your portfolio before even finishing your resume.

Profile/Summary Section

Your professional summary should be 3-5 lines that capture your unique artistic style, technical capabilities, and career achievements. For example:

"Digital illustrator with 6+ years creating character designs and environmental concepts for mobile gaming. Proficient in Procreate, Adobe Creative Suite, and ZBrush. Known for delivering 14 character designs for 'Monster Mayhem' that increased user engagement by 27%. Strong collaborator who thrives in fast-paced production environments."

Professional Experience

This is where you shine! For each position, include:

  • Company name, location, and dates (month/year)
  • Your job title (be specific: "Character Concept Artist" rather than just "Digital Illustrator")
  • 3-5 bullet points highlighting achievements, not just duties
  • Quantifiable results where possible (completed 45+ illustrations for campaign)
  • Software and tools you mastered in each role

Focus on your contribution to projects, not just what the project was. Did your illustrations help increase sales? Did you complete work ahead of schedule? Did clients specifically request you for future projects?

Education and Certifications

List relevant education with most recent first:

  • Degree, institution, graduation year (skip GPA unless exceptional)
  • Relevant coursework only if you're early in your career
  • Any specialized training or certifications (Autodesk certification, etc.)
  • Workshops or masterclasses with renowned artists

Keywords and ATS Tips

Many companies use ATS software that scans for specific keywords. Sprinkle these throughout your resume naturally:

  • Software names (Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, Clip Studio Paint)
  • Technical skills (vector illustration, digital painting, texturing)
  • Industry terms (concept art, storyboarding, character design)
  • Art styles you specialize in (realistic, cartoon, manga, etc.)

Industry-specific Terms

Show you speak the language by naturally incorporating terms like:

  • Color theory, composition, perspective
  • Asset creation, sprite sheets (for gaming)
  • Pen pressure, brush customization
  • Turnarounds, model sheets
  • UI/UX illustration (if applicable)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Including every project you've ever worked on (quality over quantity!)
  • Using generic art terms without specific examples of your work
  • Forgetting to mention collaborative skills (most illustration jobs require teamwork)
  • Making your resume too "artsy" to be readable
  • Listing software without showing how you've applied those tools

Before/After Example

Before: "Created illustrations for children's book."

After: "Illustrated 24 full-page watercolor-style digital scenes for 'Moonlight Adventures' children's book, completing all artwork 2 weeks ahead of deadline while incorporating feedback from both the author and publisher."

Remember, your resume is just one tool in your job search arsenal. Pair it with a knockout portfolio, targeted cover letter, and some strategic networking, and you'll be well on your way to landing interviews for those competitive digital illustration positions. Good luck!

Soft skills for your Digital Illustrator resume

  • Client relationship management – turning vague creative briefs into workable concepts
  • Constructive feedback reception – ability to separate personal pride from professional critique
  • Cross-functional team collaboration (especially with UX designers, developers and marketing)
  • Time management while juggling multiple projects with conflicting deadlines
  • Visual storytelling and translating complex concepts into digestible imagery
  • Adaptability between different art styles based on client needs or brand guidelines

Hard skills for your Digital Illustrator resume

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) with specialty in vector art manipulation
  • Procreate 5X for iPad Pro with custom brush creation
  • 3D modeling basics in Blender for reference composition
  • Wacom Cintiq and tablet mastery with customized pressure sensitivity
  • Character rigging and basic animation in Spine 2D
  • Print production preparation including color separation and bleed setup
  • Digital asset management across multiple file formats (AI, PSD, PDF, PNG)
  • Concept development using traditional sketching translated to digital workflows
  • Experience with UI/UX design principles for interactive illustrations