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Character Artist Resume: Example, Template + How to Write One in Australia

Character Artist Resume: Templates & Expert Tips Australia
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Character Artist Resume Examples and How to Write

Breaking into Australia’s dynamic games and animation industry as a Character Artist can feel challenging when your resume isn’t effectively showcasing your creative talents and technical expertise to leading studios and creative agencies. Whether you’re seeking opportunities with major game developers like Team Cherry, Halfbrick Studios, or Big Ant Studios, animation houses working on international productions, or emerging indie studios across Melbourne and Sydney, a compelling resume is essential for demonstrating your artistic vision and technical proficiency in character creation.

Character Artists are the creative storytellers who bring fictional worlds to life, playing a crucial role in Australia’s rapidly expanding games, animation, and digital media industries. With government support for the interactive entertainment sector and increasing international recognition of Australian creative talent, skilled professionals who can design memorable characters, master industry-standard tools, and collaborate effectively within creative pipelines are highly sought after from Brisbane to Perth.

This comprehensive guide will help you create a character artist resume that showcases your artistic abilities, technical skills, and creative problem-solving capabilities while meeting Australian creative industry standards. From highlighting your portfolio work to demonstrating your understanding of character development processes, we’ll cover everything needed to position yourself as the creative talent that Australian studios and clients are actively seeking.

Character Artist Resume (Text Version)

ALEX RIVERA
Senior Character Artist
📧 [email protected] | 📱 0423 789 012
🌐 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexrivera3d | 💼 Portfolio: alexrivera-art.com
📍 Melbourne, VIC

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Passionate Character Artist with 7+ years of experience creating compelling characters for AAA games, indie projects, and animated productions. Expert in 3D modelling, sculpting, and texturing with proven track record of delivering high-quality character assets that enhance narrative storytelling and player engagement. Proficient in industry-standard tools including Maya, ZBrush, Substance Suite, and Unreal Engine with strong foundation in anatomy, visual development, and pipeline integration. Committed to pushing creative boundaries while meeting technical constraints and production deadlines.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Character Artist | Wicked Witch Software, Melbourne | March 2021 – Present
• Lead character development for mobile and console gaming projects serving 5M+ players globally, creating memorable protagonists and NPCs
• Design and execute complete character pipeline from concept sketches to final game-ready assets optimised for multiple platforms
• Collaborate with art directors and concept artists to develop cohesive visual styles maintaining artistic consistency across 15+ character designs
• Mentor junior artists in advanced sculpting techniques and pipeline workflows improving team output quality by 30%
• Implement technical innovations in character workflow reducing asset creation time by 25% while maintaining visual fidelity

Character Artist | Team Cherry, Adelaide | June 2019 – February 2021
• Created stylised character designs and animations for critically acclaimed indie titles including character development for “Hollow Knight: Silksong”
• Developed unique artistic approach to 2D character rigging and animation achieving seamless integration with environmental storytelling
• Collaborated closely with game designers to ensure character mechanics and visual design supported gameplay objectives
• Contributed to art style documentation and character design guidelines adopted across entire development team
• Participated in international gaming conferences showcasing character development process and artistic vision

Junior Character Artist | Mighty Kingdom, Adelaide | January 2017 – May 2019
• Produced character assets for mobile gaming projects including hero characters, enemies, and customisation elements
• Assisted senior artists with character modelling, UV mapping, and texture creation under art director supervision
• Created character variations and customisation options enhancing player personalisation and engagement
• Maintained detailed documentation of character specifications and technical requirements for consistent asset delivery
• Participated in art reviews and creative feedback sessions contributing to iterative design improvement processes

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Games and Interactive Entertainment (Visual Design) | Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane | 2014 – 2016
• Major in Digital Art and Character Design | GPA: 6.2/7.0
• Relevant Coursework: 3D Character Modelling, Digital Sculpting, Animation Principles, Game Art Pipeline, Visual Development
• Final Project: “Ethereal Guardians” – complete character lineup showcased at Brisbane Independent Game Developers Association exhibition
• President, Game Art Society (2015-2016) – organised workshops and industry networking events for 150+ students

TECHNICAL SKILLS
3D Software: Maya, ZBrush, Blender, 3ds Max
Texturing & Materials: Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Mari, Photoshop
Game Engines: Unreal Engine 4/5, Unity, Godot
Rendering: Arnold, V-Ray, Cycles, Marmoset Toolbag
Digital Art: Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, Clip Studio Paint
Version Control: Perforce, Git, SVN
Pipeline Integration: FBX workflow, LOD creation, performance optimisation

ARTISTIC SPECIALISATIONS
• Character Design and Development
• Creature and Monster Design
• Stylised and Realistic Character Modelling
• Character Rigging and Animation Setup
• Visual Development and Concept Art
• Character Customisation Systems
• Cross-Platform Asset Optimisation

PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS
• “Mystic Realms” Character Series – 12 unique fantasy characters showcased at PAX Australia 2023
• “Urban Legends” Project – Modern mythology character interpretations featured in 3D Artist Magazine
• “Biomechanical Warriors” – Sci-fi character designs licensed for board game adaptation
• Personal Project: “Australian Folklore Characters” – cultural storytelling through character design

ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITION
• Winner – Independent Games Festival Australia “Excellence in Visual Art” (2022)
• Featured Artist – 3D World Magazine “Rising Stars in Character Art” (2021)
• Gold Award – Melbourne International Animation Festival Character Design Category (2020)
• Industry Mentor – Film Victoria Game Development Mentorship Program (2022-Present)

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
• Member, Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA)
• Member, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Industry Network
• Active Participant, Melbourne 3D Artists Meetup
• Volunteer, PAX Australia Indie Showcase Committee

What is The Best Format for a Character Artist Resume?

The reverse chronological format is the ideal choice for Character Artist resumes in Australia. This format effectively demonstrates your creative career progression and growing expertise in character development, which is crucial for roles requiring demonstrated artistic growth, technical mastery, and experience working within creative pipelines and production environments.

Font Selection and Sizing:
Choose clean, modern fonts that reflect creativity while maintaining professional readability. Use 14-16pt font for headings in weights like Helvetica Bold, Futura Bold, or Montserrat Bold. Body text should be 10-11pt in regular weight, ensuring clear readability while showcasing your attention to typographic detail and design sensibility essential for character artists.

Margins and White Space:
Maintain 0.5-0.75 inch margins on all sides to create a clean, well-balanced layout that demonstrates your understanding of composition and visual hierarchy. Strategic white space shows your ability to create organised, visually appealing documents – an essential skill that translates directly to character design work.

File Format:
Always submit your resume as a PDF unless specifically requested otherwise. PDFs preserve your carefully crafted typography and layout across all devices and email systems, ensuring your design skills are evident from the first impression while maintaining professional presentation standards.

Essential Resume Sections:

Header: Include your full name, professional title, mobile number, professional email address, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio website link. For Character Artists, your portfolio link is absolutely critical as it provides visual evidence of your creative capabilities and artistic style.

Summary: Create a compelling 3-4 line overview highlighting your years of character art experience, key software proficiencies, notable projects or studios, and unique artistic strengths that differentiate your creative approach.

Experience: Detail your character art roles in reverse chronological order, emphasising projects completed, artistic contributions made, technical skills developed, and measurable impact on project success or team efficiency.

Education & Qualifications: Include your art, design, or games-related education, relevant coursework, and creative achievements that demonstrate your artistic foundation and commitment to the field.

Other Sections: Add Technical Skills, Artistic Specialisations, Portfolio Highlights, Achievements & Recognition, and Professional Associations to showcase comprehensive character art expertise and industry engagement.

What Experience Should Be on Your Character Artist Resume?

Your experience section should demonstrate your artistic evolution while showcasing measurable contributions to creative projects and production pipelines. Focus on achievements that highlight your character design skills, technical proficiency, collaborative abilities, and impact on project quality, timeline efficiency, or artistic innovation within creative teams.

Emphasise metrics that matter to creative employers: projects completed, characters created, pipeline improvements implemented, team mentoring contributions, and technical innovations developed. Australian creative studios particularly value character artists who can work collaboratively, adapt to different artistic styles, and contribute to both creative vision and technical execution within fast-paced production environments.

Correct Example:

Character Artist | Blowfish Studios, Sydney | April 2020 – Present
• Create high-quality character assets for multi-platform indie games reaching 2M+ players across Steam, console, and mobile markets
• Design and model 25+ unique characters ranging from stylised protagonists to detailed enemy creatures using Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Suite
• Collaborate with concept artists and animators to ensure character designs support both narrative requirements and technical animation constraints
• Optimise character models for multiple platforms reducing polygon counts by 40% while maintaining visual quality and artistic integrity
• Establish character art pipeline documentation adopted across 3 concurrent projects improving consistency and delivery timelines

Incorrect Example:

Character Artist | Blowfish Studios, Sydney | April 2020 – Present
• Made characters for video games
• Used 3D software and design programs
• Worked with other artists and developers
• Created different types of game characters

The correct example provides specific project impact, quantified creative output, demonstrates technical problem-solving, and shows collaborative contribution to production success. It establishes both artistic capability and professional value within creative production environments.

Entry-Level Character Artist Resume Samples [Experience]

For entry-level positions, emphasise student projects, internships, freelance work, personal portfolio projects, and any game development or creative collaborations that demonstrate your potential in character art production. Focus on transferable skills and creative achievements that show artistic growth and technical learning.

Correct Example:

Character Art Intern | Tantalus Media, Melbourne | November 2022 – February 2023
• Supported character art team on console game development creating background NPCs and character variations under senior artist guidance
• Produced 15+ character models and texture sets meeting technical specifications and artistic style requirements
• Participated in art review sessions and implemented feedback efficiently, reducing revision cycles and improving artistic skills
• Assisted with character rigging preparation and asset organisation contributing to streamlined animation pipeline workflow
• Completed comprehensive training in studio’s proprietary tools and art pipeline achieving full proficiency within internship period

Incorrect Example:

Character Art Intern | Tantalus Media, Melbourne | November 2022 – February 2023
• Worked as intern in character art
• Learned about game development process
• Made some character models and textures
• Attended meetings and training sessions

The correct example demonstrates specific creative contributions, quantified output, shows professional development, and indicates readiness for independent character art responsibilities through concrete examples of supervised production success.

How to Write the Education Section for your Character Artist Resume

The education section is important for Character Artists as it demonstrates your artistic foundation, technical training, and understanding of design principles essential for character development. Australian employers value graduates from recognised institutions like QUT, RMIT, or UTS with strong games, animation, or digital art programs that provide both creative development and industry-relevant technical skills.

Include relevant coursework that directly supports character art work, major creative projects that demonstrate your artistic capabilities, academic achievements that show excellence, and any creative leadership or extracurricular activities. For character art roles, both artistic education and demonstrated creative portfolio work are essential for career advancement and creative credibility.

Character Artist Resume Example [Education]

Bachelor of Creative Industries (3D Animation and Games) | RMIT University, Melbourne | 2018 – 2021
• Major in Character Design and 3D Modelling | GPA: 6.4/7.0
• Dean’s List: 2020, 2021
• Relevant Coursework: Advanced Character Modelling, Digital Sculpting, Game Asset Creation, Visual Development, Animation Principles
• Major Project: “Chronicles of Terra” – created complete character cast for indie RPG showcased at Melbourne International Games Week
• Creative Excellence Award – Best Character Portfolio (2021)
• Student Mentor – 3D Art Skills Program supporting 20+ first-year students in technical development

How to Write the Skills Section for your Character Artist Resume

The skills section is crucial for Character Artists as it demonstrates your technical proficiencies and artistic capabilities essential for creating compelling characters across various media and platforms. This section helps your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) while quickly communicating your creative toolkit and technical expertise to hiring managers and creative directors.

Aim for 16-20 skills total, balancing technical software proficiency with essential artistic and collaborative competencies. Organise skills by category and prioritise those most relevant to character art roles and your target creative industries. Remember that Australian creative studios expect character artists to be technically versatile while maintaining strong artistic vision and storytelling abilities.

Character Artist Resume Skills (Hard Skills)

• 3D Modelling (Maya, ZBrush, Blender)
• Digital Sculpting and Topology
• Character Texturing and Materials
• UV Mapping and Unwrapping
• Substance Suite (Painter, Designer)
• Photoshop and Digital Painting
• Character Rigging Basics
• Game Engine Integration
• Performance Optimisation
• Concept Art and Design
• Anatomy and Figure Drawing
• Lighting and Rendering
• Pipeline Integration
• Version Control Systems
• Cross-Platform Asset Creation

Character Artist Resume Skills (Soft Skills)

• Creative Problem Solving
• Visual Storytelling
• Artistic Vision and Style Development
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management and Deadlines
• Team Collaboration
• Creative Feedback Integration
• Adaptability to Art Direction
• Communication and Presentation
• Continuous Learning
• Cultural Sensitivity in Design
• Innovation and Experimentation
• Project Organisation
• Artistic Research and References

How to pick the best Character Artist skills:

1. Focus on industry-standard software most commonly used in Australian game development and animation studios
2. Include both artistic and technical capabilities to demonstrate comprehensive character development abilities
3. Balance traditional art skills with digital proficiencies to show strong artistic foundation and modern technical application
4. Emphasise collaborative and communication skills essential for working within creative teams and production pipelines
5. Include specialisation areas relevant to your target projects (stylised, realistic, creatures, etc.)
6. Show adaptability and learning ability as creative technologies and techniques evolve rapidly

Character Artist Resume Examples [Skills]

3D Character Modelling: Create high-quality character models using Maya and ZBrush for game and animation projects, maintaining optimal topology for animation requirements
Digital Sculpting: Develop detailed character anatomy and surface details in ZBrush, creating compelling creature and human character designs
Texturing and Materials: Produce photorealistic and stylised character textures using Substance Painter achieving visual consistency across character portfolios
Creative Collaboration: Work effectively with concept artists, animators, and technical artists to realise character vision from concept to final implementation
Pipeline Integration: Optimise character assets for multiple platforms ensuring technical specifications are met while preserving artistic integrity and visual quality

Should I Add Bonus Sections to My Character Artist Resume?

Additional sections can significantly strengthen your Character Artist resume by demonstrating your creative breadth, professional engagement, and commitment to artistic excellence beyond basic job requirements. These sections help differentiate you from other candidates while showcasing specialised knowledge that appeals to specific creative projects or artistic directions.

Portfolio Highlights: Specific character projects, award-winning designs, or notable creative collaborations provide concrete evidence of your artistic capabilities and creative problem-solving approach while giving context to your best work.

Achievements & Recognition: Art competition wins, published work, exhibition participation, or industry awards demonstrate external validation of your creative abilities and professional recognition within the character art community.

Artistic Specialisations: Expertise in specific character types, artistic styles, or technical approaches demonstrates your depth of knowledge and ability to tackle specialised creative challenges or particular project requirements.

Professional Associations: Membership in creative organisations, participation in artist communities, or involvement in industry events shows ongoing engagement with character art best practices and networking within the creative community.

Creative Leadership: Mentoring experience, workshop teaching, or creative project leadership demonstrates your ability to guide others and contribute to creative team development and knowledge sharing.

Personal Projects: Independent character art projects, creative challenges participation, or experimental work showcase your artistic passion and ability to work independently on creative problem-solving initiatives.

Character Artist Resume Examples [Other Sections]

CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS
• Featured Artist – ArtStation “Character Art of the Year” Selection (2023)
• Gold Medal – Sydney Royal Easter Show Digital Art Competition (2022)
• Published Work – “The Art of Australian Game Characters” – NewSouth Publishing (2021)
• Exhibition Participant – “Digital Dreamscapes” – Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (2020)

CREATIVE LEADERSHIP & MENTORING
• Workshop Instructor – “Character Design Fundamentals” – ACMI Education Program (2022-Present)
• Industry Mentor – Screen Australia Games Development Program (2021-2023)
• Community Leader – Melbourne Character Artists Meetup (Organiser, 150+ members)

PERSONAL CREATIVE PROJECTS
• “Extinction Chronicles” – 24 unique creature designs exploring climate change themes (2023)
• “Cultural Guardians” – Character series celebrating Australian Indigenous storytelling (2022)
• “Cybernetic Dreams” – Futuristic character exploration featured in 3D World Magazine (2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
• I’ve won some art competitions
• I teach workshops sometimes
• I work on personal art projects

Tip: Consider adding sections for Creative Research (artistic exploration or experimental projects), Technical Innovation (new workflows or tools developed), or Cultural Projects (work celebrating diversity or social themes) to further establish your comprehensive creative capabilities and artistic vision beyond commercial character work.

How to write a Character Artist Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Your resume summary serves as your creative introduction, immediately establishing your artistic capabilities, technical expertise, and unique creative vision that differentiates your character art approach. For Character Artists, this section should highlight your artistic style, technical proficiencies, notable creative contributions, and passion for bringing characters to life through compelling design and storytelling.

Craft your summary to reflect your creative philosophy and artistic focus while demonstrating measurable achievements that show both technical competence and creative impact. Focus on your strongest character work, artistic innovations, and unique creative perspective that makes your character designs memorable and engaging.

Lead with your character art experience level and primary creative focus or artistic style
Include notable creative achievements such as successful projects, published work, or industry recognition
Mention key technical competencies most relevant to your target creative roles
Highlight collaborative abilities essential for working within creative teams and production environments
Show creative passion and commitment to pushing artistic boundaries in character development
Demonstrate industry awareness of current trends and technical requirements in character art

Character Artist Resume Summary Examples

Correct Example:
Creative Character Artist with 6+ years of experience designing memorable characters for AAA games, indie projects, and animated productions across diverse artistic styles. Expert in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Suite with proven track record of creating 50+ unique characters that enhance narrative storytelling and player engagement. Strong foundation in anatomy, visual development, and cross-platform optimisation with demonstrated ability to adapt artistic vision to technical constraints while maintaining creative integrity. Passionate about exploring innovative character design approaches and mentoring emerging artists in creative development.

Incorrect Example:
Experienced character artist with knowledge of 3D modelling and design software. Good at creating characters for games and animations. Looking for opportunities to continue developing artistic skills while working on exciting creative projects.

For entry-level character artist candidates, focus on your artistic education, portfolio projects, creative achievements, and passion for character development combined with any relevant internships, freelance work, or personal creative initiatives that demonstrate your artistic potential.

Entry-Level Character Artist Resume Summary Examples

Correct Example:
Recent Creative Arts graduate with specialisation in 3D Character Design and strong portfolio featuring 20+ original character creations across fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary themes. Proficient in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter with demonstrated artistic growth through academic projects and personal creative challenges. Award-winning student work showcased at Melbourne International Games Week with proven ability to translate concept art into compelling 3D character models. Eager to apply artistic passion and technical skills to contribute to innovative character development within collaborative creative teams.

Incorrect Example:
Recent graduate with character art qualifications looking for first position in game development. I have some portfolio work and know 3D software. Ready to learn from experienced artists while contributing to character creation projects.

How to Update Your LinkedIn Profile When Updating Your Character Artist Resume

LinkedIn serves as your professional creative showcase and is increasingly important for character artists seeking opportunities, sharing work, and networking within Australia’s creative community. When updating your Character Artist resume, synchronising your LinkedIn profile ensures consistent creative messaging while demonstrating your artistic development through visual content and professional engagement with the creative industry.

Your LinkedIn profile provides expanded space for showcasing character art processes, sharing creative insights, and connecting with fellow artists, creative directors, and industry professionals. For Character Artists, LinkedIn is particularly valuable for displaying work-in-progress content, participating in creative discussions, and building relationships across the games, animation, and digital media ecosystem.

LinkedIn Headline Optimisation for Character Artists

Your LinkedIn headline is valuable creative real estate that establishes your artistic specialisation and professional focus areas. Create a compelling headline that combines your experience level, key artistic skills, creative style, and location while using keywords that creative recruiters and studio heads actively search for.

Effective Headlines:
• “Senior Character Artist | 3D Modelling & Sculpting Expert | Game & Animation Industry | Melbourne”
• “Character Designer | Maya & ZBrush Specialist | Stylised & Realistic Characters | Sydney Creative”
• “3D Character Artist | Creature Design & Visual Development | Indie & AAA Game Experience | Brisbane”

Ineffective Headlines:
• “Character Artist”
• “3D artist seeking creative opportunities”
• “Game artist with character design experience”

LinkedIn Summary vs Resume Summary: Key Differences

While your resume summary is achievement-focused and technically oriented, your LinkedIn summary can be more personal and creative about your artistic journey and creative philosophy. LinkedIn allows for storytelling that reveals your passion for character creation, artistic inspirations, and vision for creative expression. Australian creative audiences appreciate authentic, engaging communication that demonstrates both technical competence and genuine artistic passion.

Use first-person perspective and share your creative journey, key artistic influences, and approach to character development. Discuss your philosophy on visual storytelling, favourite creative challenges, and commitment to artistic growth. Include a call-to-action encouraging connections with fellow artists and creative professionals.

Showcasing Character Artist Experience on LinkedIn

LinkedIn’s experience section provides more space than your resume for detailed descriptions of creative processes, artistic challenges overcome, and collaborative contributions to creative projects. For each role, expand on your resume bullet points with additional context about creative approaches, technical innovations, and artistic growth achieved.

Utilise LinkedIn’s rich media capabilities to showcase character work samples, process breakdowns, or behind-the-scenes content that demonstrates your creative thinking and technical execution. Include links to portfolio pieces, time-lapse creation videos, or creative project documentation that brings your character art work to life.

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements for Character Artists

Add comprehensive skills to your LinkedIn profile covering both artistic capabilities and technical competencies. Actively seek endorsements from colleagues, supervisors, clients, and fellow artists who can validate your creative abilities. Skills like “Character Design,” “3D Modelling,” “ZBrush,” and “Creative Development” should feature prominently.

Consider highlighting specialised skills that differentiate your artistic approach, such as “Creature Design,” “Stylised Character Art,” or “Cross-Platform Optimisation.” Take relevant LinkedIn skill assessments where available to add credibility badges that may improve your visibility in creative talent searches.

LinkedIn Profile Tips for Australian Character Artists

Creative Community Engagement: Follow Australian game studios, animation houses, creative agencies, and fellow character artists. Engage with their content through thoughtful comments and shares that demonstrate your creative knowledge and professional interest.

Work-in-Progress Sharing: Use LinkedIn’s content features to share character art processes, creative challenges, or artistic experiments. This demonstrates your creative thinking and keeps you visible to the creative community while showcasing your artistic development.

Industry Event Participation: Share updates about creative conferences attended, workshops completed, or creative collaborations. This demonstrates your active engagement with the creative community and commitment to artistic growth and professional development.

Creative Insights and Tutorials: Share brief insights about character art techniques, creative problem-solving approaches, or industry trends. This establishes your expertise and contributes value to the creative community while building your professional network.

Creating an outstanding Character Artist resume requires demonstrating your unique artistic vision, technical proficiency, and ability to bring compelling characters to life while collaborating effectively within creative production environments. By following these guidelines and emphasising your distinctive creative approach alongside proven technical skills, you’ll position yourself as an invaluable asset to studios and creative teams seeking talented artists who can contribute to memorable character development and storytelling excellence.

Your resume works in harmony with your character art portfolio and compelling cover letter to create a comprehensive creative professional presentation that showcases both your current artistic capabilities and creative potential. For additional guidance on crafting effective creative applications, explore our cover letter writing resources and browse current character artist opportunities to understand evolving industry requirements and creative employer expectations across Australia’s dynamic games and animation landscape.