How to write a concept artist CV (with template and example)

Updated 17 July 2023

A concept artist produces visual representations of artwork and works in industries such as gaming, advertising and architecture. If you're seeking a position as a concept artist, create a professional CV that shows employers your suitability for the role and encourages them to invite you for an interview. Learning how to write a CV can help you effectively communicate your skills, work experience and educational qualifications to hiring managers. In this article, we explain what a concept artist is, discuss how to write a unique concept artist CV and provide a template and an example document.

What is a concept artist?

A concept artist is a design specialist who makes visual representations of artistic assets, such as characters, vehicles or environments. Some common tasks of professionals in this role include:

developing a project's conceptual artworks
meeting clients to understand their design needs
creating specification sheets to guide other artists
writing Maya Embedded Language (MEL) scripts to automate design operations and enhance productivity
developing character concepts and models for online games
designing the aesthetics of marketing assets

How to write a concept artist CV

A unique concept artist CV can help you secure job offers. Here are nine steps on how to write one:

1. Review the job description and specifications

The job description for a position outlines its tasks, primary duties, deliverables and expectations. The specifications summarise mandatory skills, educational qualifications and work experiences. Employers often publish these details on their websites, either beside job postings or at the bottom of career pages. Review these elements so you can adjust your CV accordingly.

For example, if most of a position's tasks involve using computer-aided design (CAD) and the employer has outlined CAD proficiency as a key specification, ensure your CV mentions this expertise. List it directly under your skills, refer to it in your professional summary and outline previous jobs where you used it. Optimising your CV with relevant keywords shows you researched a position and understood its requirements before applying. Employers may interpret this as a genuine interest in an opportunity, which enhances your employability.

2. Identify a suitable template

CV templates can help you create these documents faster and more easily. Several word-processing programs come with free templates and writing guides. Find one that suits your preferred document structure or allows complete customisation.

3. Create your CV header

A header typically outlines a candidate's name and contact details. While you can left justify it in the same way as the other sections, you can highlight your header by centring it. Alternatively, you can write details such as your name and educational qualifications in bold or larger fonts to distinguish them. As a concept artist, your CV header includes the following:

name
degree or certification, if applicable
phone number
email address
location

4. Write a professional summary

A professional summary comprises two to three short and direct sentences. Use it to introduce yourself to an employer, outline your greatest strengths and potential contributions to their organisation and explain why you're suitable for a job. Hiring managers often use this section to assess CVs and decide whether to continue reading them, so make it impactful, short and relevant to the position you're applying for.

Since your summary is directly below your CV's header, use it to direct an employer's attention to your most appealing skills. Focus on what differentiates you from other candidates. Here are a few details you can include in your professional summary:

an overview of your work ethic
a summary of your work experience
your most significant strength
your potential contributions to an organisation
the number of years you've worked in the design industry
your personal traits relevant to the position
your relevant awards and recognitions
your career goals
your past employers and why you want a new job

5. Highlight your work experience

Due to the practical nature of a concept artist's job, organisations often prefer candidates with considerable industry experience. Create a separate section to discuss your employment history and include your past employers, job titles, tasks, responsibilities and achievements. Ensure every role you've highlighted relates to the job you're applying for. If you've never worked as a concept artist, mention other positions where you learnt or used transferable expertise. For example, if your last job was in graphic design, you can outline it in this section to illustrate your proficiency in CAD.

Use bulleted lists to highlight at least five primary duties and achievements in your current role and at least three for the other positions. If you can add specific details, such as statistics or figures, this can help prove your value. Your list may include the following:

collaborating with art directors, producers and developers to create visual concepts
meeting clients to understand their design needs
creating representations of vehicles, environments, characters or other artistic assets
explaining designs to project owners and collecting feedback
drawing up specification sheets to guide developers
reviewing and improving existing designs

6. List your relevant skills

Concept artists often require specific soft and hard skills. Hard skills refer to task-specific expertise, such as proficiency in particular CAD software. Soft skills are transferable abilities that can help you relate well with colleagues, clients and managers and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Relevant skills for concept artists include:

creativity
attention to detail
teamwork
effective communication
coding
diagramming
typography
branding
knowledge of user experience
expertise in foundational programming languages

7. Discuss your educational qualifications

Concept artists typically have at least a bachelor's degree. Employers often prioritise candidates with degrees in art-related subjects, such as graphic design, fine arts and animation. While an undergraduate degree can help you secure entry-level jobs, you may need a master's or other postgraduate degree to advance your career. Furthering your education can also help you hone your skills, increasing your competitiveness and enabling you to negotiate higher salaries.

When discussing your educational qualifications, mention the host organisation and degree name. If you have multiple credentials, outline them in reverse chronological order. Only add graduation dates for qualifications you attained less than five years ago.

8. Outline your certifications

Certifications can illustrate your expertise in specific concept design areas. They can also show your commitment to observing industry standards and staying current with emerging trends. While this section is optional, including reputable accreditations in your CV may significantly enhance your chances of getting job offers. Examples of relevant certifications for concept artists include:

9. Proofread your CV

Confirm your CV includes everything you want to communicate to an employer and edit it for grammatical and spelling errors. This step also involves eliminating unnecessary details and rewriting long sentences and paragraphs to enhance concision. You can use online proofreading tools or ask a friend to help.

Concept artist template CV

When writing a CV for a concept artist job, you can refer to a template to correctly structure the formatting and content. Here's one you can follow:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Experience
[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Education
[Degree and subject] | [Name of school or university]

Certifications
[Certification name], [Host organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Concept artist example CV

CVs for concept artist positions often follow a similar format. Here's an example for reference:

Julie Braverman, Autodesk Certified Professional +44 71993 201634 | juliebraveran@email.com | Liverpool

Professional Summary
Creative concept artist with exceptional CAD skills and attention to detail. Over six years' experience in the creative industry. Recipient of Fine Arts Concepts 2019 and Employee of the Year 2021 awards.

Experience
Concept Artist | January 2019–Current
Tugendhat Concepts Ltd | Liverpool

meet customers to understand their design needs
create at least three visual representations of buildings per week
explain my concepts to managers and project owners and collect feedback
develop specification sheets to guide developers
improve existing designs to meet client specifications

Concept Artist | February 2015–August 2018
Pursglove Ltd | Oxford

developed character concepts and models for online games
reviewed game models for functionality and user experience
wrote MEL scripts to automate tasks

Skills
CAD proficiency | Coding | Diagramming | Attention to detail | Teamwork

Education
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Cooper University

Certification
Autodesk Certified Professional, Autodesk - 2019

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.