Sketch Artist
Job Summary
Responsible for drawing outlines and profiles of individuals to be used for identification in a crime. Victims typically participate in sketch artist's composites and help identify prominent features so that sketches accurately portray alleged perpetrators.
Primary Responsibilities
- Work with crime victims to draw composite images of alleged criminal that got away during or after committing a crime, with the ideal goal of capture and prosecution.
- Use victim's cues and description to sketch out prominent chins, noses, hairlines, or other facial characteristics.
- Utilize pencil, charcoal, pastels, or other medium.
- Refer to knowledge of human anatomy when composing sketch.
- Ask questions about physical build, sex, nationality, and facial features.
- Use shading and shadows to bring picture to life.
- Classifies and codes image using established police system.
- Make several sketches of person until victim is satisfied with accuracy.
- Releases final sketch to media so public can help identify perpetrator.
- Sketch crime scenes for future use in trials.
- Examine police photograph records, using classification and coding system to determine if existing photograph of suspects is available.
- Sketch proceedings of courtrooms when cameras are not allowed.
- Sketch illustrations for commercials or films.
