Visual Development Artist Resume Guide

Visual development artists create the look and feel of a project. They conceptualize ideas, design characters, backgrounds and environments to bring stories to life through visuals. They are responsible for creating artwork that conveys emotion and narrative with an appealing aesthetic style.

Your artistry and creativity are unparalleled, but until you write a resume that captures your unique style, employers won’t recognize how valuable you’d be to their team. Show them what they’re missing by crafting an eye-catching resume.

This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.

The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.

Full Resume Example Summary Experience Skills Education Certifications Contact Info Cover Letter Templates

Visual Development Artist Resume Sample

Kaley Jacobi
Visual Development Artist

[email protected]
535-195-2334
linkedin.com/in/kaley-jacobi

Summary

Seasoned visual development artist with over 7 years of experience in the animation industry. Adept at developing strong concepts for characters and worlds, as well as storyboards and pre-visualization. Skilled in using a variety of 2D/3D software programs to create high-quality visuals that meet production needs. Committed to bringing creative visions alive through innovative art direction while working collaboratively within tight deadlines.

Experience

Visual Development Artist, Employer A
San Jose, Jan 2018 – Present

Efficiently created over 90 concept designs for various games, animated films & TV shows using Adobe Suite tools, achieving 20% savings on total production costs.
Facilitated the development of 3D models and animations from initial concepts to completion; reorganized design processes to reduce project timelines by 5 days per release cycle.
Achieved a 27% increase in customer engagement after creating an interactive website prototype featuring innovative visuals and smooth navigation flows within an 8-week period.
Reorganized team workflow systems to ensure that all visual elements were consistently developed across different platforms with minimal errors; compiled style guides for 12 projects which reduced style inconsistencies by 40%.
Compiled detailed reports on UI/UX trends related to animation, game design and other multimedia fields; presented findings at industry conferences, resulting in 4 new client contracts worth $50k each annually.

Visual Development Artist, Employer B
San Francisco, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017

Accurately developed visuals for 5 animated short films, resulting in a 25% increase in viewership.
Structured creative processes for visual development of 3 video games and accompanying promotional materials; ensured effective management of timeframes and tight deadlines.
Developed unique storyboards, concept art pieces and character designs that stayed true to the narrative while meeting brand standards; completed projects up to 10 days ahead of schedule on average.
Demonstrated excellent sense of composition, color theory, perspective & value when creating mood boards that captured the desired aesthetic vision for each project.
Presented final design concepts at production meetings with team members as well as clients from various industries; received positive feedback on every occasion.

Skills

Adobe Photoshop
Autodesk Maya
3D Modeling
Texturing
Rigging
Animation
Lighting
Rendering
Compositing

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

Certifications

Certified Visual Development Artist
Gnomon School of Visual Effects
May 2017

1. Summary / Objective

A resume summary for a visual development artist should be crafted to showcase your creative and technical skills. Include information such as the software you are most proficient in, any awards or recognition you have received for your work, and how many years of experience you have in this field. You can also mention some of the projects that demonstrate your ability to bring characters and environments to life with artistry and skill.

Below are some resume summary examples:

Determined visual development artist with 5+ years of experience designing characters and environments for animated films. At XYZ, helped create the look and feel of a successful feature film that grossed over $100 million in box office sales. Experienced in using Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Maya and other software to craft memorable visuals. Proven ability to collaborate well with others while meeting tight deadlines.

Proficient Visual Development Artist with a background in traditional art and digital media. Experienced in creating 2D & 3D characters, environments, and objects for animation projects. At XYZ Studio, developed over 30 unique character designs for an animated feature film. Skilled at drawing storyboards to visualize the flow of events within scenes by using Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator/After Effects tools.

Talented visual development artist with a passion for storytelling and creating art that connects people. 5+ years of experience in the animation industry, crafting designs and art direction that bring characters to life. Seeking to join ABC Studios as their next Visual Development Artist where I can use my skillset to help create stunning visuals for projects across all media platforms.

Diligent and creative Visual Development Artist with 8+ years of experience developing artwork for animated projects. Passionate about creating high-quality visuals that engage and inspire viewers, recently developed the look and feel for an award-winning feature film. Seeking to join ABC Studios to help create visually stunning stories that delight audiences around the world.

Accomplished visual development artist with 5+ years of experience in creating concept art, storyboards, and illustrations for video games. Passionate about developing visually stunning and immersive worlds that transport players to new realms. Seeking to join the team at ABC Games where I can leverage my skillset to create captivating game experiences for their customers.

Energetic and creative visual development artist with 5+ years of experience creating engaging visuals for video games, films, and TV series. Proven track record in designing visually appealing characters and environments that bring stories to life. Seeking a role at ABC Studio where my storytelling skills can be used to create unique worlds filled with vibrant colors.

Skilled visual development artist with over 5 years of experience in creating visual art assets for video games, films, and other interactive media. At XYZ Studios specialized in 2D/3D character design and UI/UX interface designs. Recognized by peers as being an enthusiastic problem-solver with a passion for creative solutions to complex projects.

Detail-oriented visual development artist with 5+ years of experience creating 2D and 3D art for feature films. Highly skilled in storyboarding, concept design, illustration, character design and animation. Seeking to join ABC Studios to help create visually stunning stories that will captivate audiences on the big screen.

2. Experience / Employment

The employment (or experience) section is where you talk about your work history. It should be written in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent job is listed first.

Stick to bullet points primarily when writing this section; doing so allows for a more concise and easier-to-read format. When crafting these bullets, think of what tasks you did and any results or accomplishments that came from them.

For example, instead of saying “Created visuals,” you could say, “Developed 3D models and textures for 10+ characters used in video game production, resulting in an improved overall aesthetic.”

To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:

Illustrated
Conceptualized
Animated
Modeled
Textured
Rendered
Rigged
Shaded
Lit
Composited
Edited
Painted
Designed
Developed

Other general verbs you can use are:

Achieved
Advised
Assessed
Compiled
Coordinated
Demonstrated
Expedited
Facilitated
Formulated
Improved
Introduced
Mentored
Optimized
Participated
Prepared
Presented
Reduced
Reorganized
Represented
Revised
Spearheaded
Streamlined
Structured
Utilized

Below are some example bullet points:

Shaded and refined over 200+ digital paintings for feature films, creating dynamic lighting effects and increasing visual impact by 10%.
Spearheaded the development of 12 full-length animations from storyboard to final editing; completed projects on time and within budget parameters.
Utilized Adobe Creative Suite applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator to produce concept art, character designs and backgrounds that met production targets while adhering to artistic style guides.
Composited up to five layers of 2D animation elements together in After Effects in order create seamless visuals with depth; reduced post-production time by 30% overall compared to earlier projects.
Reliably provided creative input for 3 short films released at international film festivals annually; earned praise from industry peers for technical proficiency & attention to detail in each project delivered.

Painted over 500 digital illustrations, visual development pieces and concept artworks for various video game titles; saved the company $10,000 in outsource costs.
Meticulously developed characters and environments with a focus on lighting & composition to create aesthetically pleasing visuals according to client specifications.
Coordinated design plans with animators, programmers, designers and other team members throughout the entire production process; led two projects from pre-production to completion ahead of schedule.
Modeled 3D assets using Maya software based on 2D concepts designed by the Art Director while adhering strictly to project deadlines; reduced rendering time by 40%.
Conceptualized new ideas for props and scenery that were used in four different video games; increased user engagement rates by 17% as reported through analytics data analysis after launch date.

Animated over 25 characters, props and environments for 2D/3D animated features; improved animation workflow by 20%.
Textured complex 3D models with photorealistic details to match the vision of directors and producers; reduced texture development time by 30%.
Rendered scenes in line with production standards while adhering to tight deadlines; increased render speed on average by 50% over a 6-month period.
Assessed aesthetic value of artwork during multiple rounds of review meetings, providing constructive feedback to other team members as needed.
Independently developed visual assets such as storyboards, concept art drawings & character designs for 4 feature films released within 12 months.

Advised a team of 15+ production designers on visual development techniques, resulting in a 10% improvement in the quality and accuracy of art assets.
Introduced new software programs to enhance workflow efficiency; decreased turnaround times for artistic designs by 25%.
Successfully managed projects from concept to completion, working independently with minimal direction to create 35+ illustrations and sketches per month that met creative design standards set by directors.
Improved the overall look and feel of characters, props & environments through detailed revisions based on feedback provided by clients; increased customer satisfaction ratings by 20%.
Optimized color palettes used throughout all artwork pieces while ensuring consistency across multiple platforms; reduced costs associated with rework requests due to incorrect hues or tones by 17%.

Designed over 300 characters, environments and storyboards for animation projects; increased visual appeal of art assets by 30%.
Mentored junior staff on best practices in character designs, color palettes and compositions which resulted in a 20% decrease in development time per project.
Expedited production processes through the use of efficient software tools; improved workflow efficiency by 15%.
Streamlined team collaboration through online communication platforms while working remotely with 10+ designers to meet tight deadlines with no missed deliverables.
Actively participated in meetings with stakeholders to discuss creative direction as well as provide feedback for various content formats such as video games and mobile apps.

Illustrated over 200 concept designs, storyboards and sketches for 2D/3D animated films; developed characters, props, environments and other assets with detailed accuracy.
Formulated innovative visual development strategies to ensure that the creative vision was accurately represented in all animation projects; reduced project costs by 10% whilst maintaining high quality standards.
Reduced asset production time from 7 days to 5 days on average through effective coordination of teams, ensuring timely completion of deadlines without compromising content quality or scope.
Represented the company’s brand at international industry events including trade shows & conferences; successfully increased brand presence within the animation sector by 25%.
Proficiently utilized Adobe Creative Suite tools such as Photoshop & After Effects for storytelling visuals and character designs in a range of movies and series productions over 3 years’ experience in visual development artwork.

Edited artwork and animations for 10+ children’s TV shows, improving the look of characters by 20% and increasing viewer ratings by 6%.
Participated in concept meetings to develop 3D designs for special effects, backgrounds, props and characters; successfully completed projects within budget parameters set forth.
Lit studio sets with natural lighting techniques as well as gels & diffusers to ensure consistent color temperature across all shots captured on location or in-house studios.
Prepared digital storyboards, animatics & presentations to showcase visual development concepts and gain approval from clients before production began; saved 15 hours of labor costs per project due to early preparation timeline completion rate successes.
Confidently presented artwork during client reviews while providing detailed critiques based upon their feedback; maintained positive working relationships resulting in repeat business opportunities over a 2 year period.

3. Skills

The skillset employers require in an employee will likely vary, either slightly or significantly; skimming through their job adverts is the best way to determine what each is looking for. One organization might be looking for someone with a strong grasp of Adobe Creative Suite, while another might require knowledge of 3D animation software.

It is important to tailor the skills section in your resume to each job you are applying for because many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS). These computer programs scan resumes for certain keywords before passing them on to a human.

In addition to listing relevant skills here, it’s also beneficial to discuss them further in other sections such as the summary or experience section.

Below is a list of common skills & terms:

3D Modeling
Adobe Photoshop
Animation
Autodesk Maya
Compositing
Lighting
Motion Graphics
Rendering
Rigging
Texturing

4. Education

Mentioning your education on a resume for a visual development artist role will depend on how far along you are in your career. If you just graduated and have no prior experience, include the education section below your resume objective. On the other hand, if you have plenty of work experience to showcase, omitting an education section is perfectly fine.

If including an education section, try to mention courses or subjects related to the job as a visual development artist that would be relevant for potential employers.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

5. Certifications

Certifications are a great way to demonstrate your expertise in a particular field. They can give you an edge over other applicants and show potential employers that you have been tested by a reputable organization.

Including certifications on your resume is especially important if the job advertisement emphasizes certain skills or qualifications, as it will prove that you are qualified for the position. Make sure to list any relevant certifications so hiring managers know exactly what credentials you possess.

Certified Visual Development Artist
Gnomon School of Visual Effects
May 2017

6. Contact Info

Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.

You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.

Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Kaley Jacobi, this would be Kaley-Jacobi-resume.pdf or Kaley-Jacobi-resume.docx.

7. Cover Letter

Providing a cover letter when applying for a job gives you the opportunity to explain why you’re an ideal candidate and what makes you stand out from other applicants. It’s usually made up of 2-4 paragraphs, but should not repeat information that is already included in your resume.

Writing a cover letter may not be required by every employer, however it can help make sure your application gets noticed more easily. This document allows recruiters to get insight into who you are as a person and helps them better understand how well suited for the role you might be.

Below is an example cover letter:

Dear Aurelie,

I am writing to apply for the position of Visual Development Artist at your company. With a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and four years of experience creating concept art, illustrations, and storyboards for video games, I am confident I would be an asset to your team.

My previous experience has taught me how to work collaboratively with other artists and designers to create cohesive visual designs that support the game’s narrative. I have also developed strong time management skills and am able to meet deadlines while still producing high-quality work.

In addition to my professional experience, I have a strong passion for video games and understand the importance of creating engaging visuals that capture players’ attention. My portfolio includes several examples of my work, which demonstrate my ability to create visually appealing designs that adhere to brand guidelines.

I believe my skills and experiences make me the perfect candidate for this position, and I look forward to contributing to the success of your company. Thank you for your time and consideration; I can be reached anytime via phone or email if you should like additional information about my qualifications.

Sincerely,

Kaley