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Kimmy Gustafson
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Forensic Sketch Artist Career Outlook, Salary, and Requirements
“[Forensic art] will include composites, unknown remains, age progression, image modification, courtroom sketches, crime scene sketches, demonstrative evidence, crime scene reconstructions, etc.”Carrie Stuart Parks, Forensic Artist
Forensic sketch artists serve and protect with paper and pens. While it’s true that high-tech digital instruments sharpen the accuracy and validity of witness testimonies, paper and pencil facial sketches still play a significant role in criminal investigations.
Forensic sketch artists, also known as composite artists, use their knowledge of facial anatomy and artistic skill to create images of potential criminals and missing persons. By interviewing victims or witnesses of a crime scene, forensic artists create sketch drawings used by police and released to the public to identify and apprehend criminal suspects. Forensic sketch artists have multi-faceted careers that require them to think critically, ask probing questions, take verbal information, and express it in artistic mediums.
Forensic sketch artists typically work as members of a law enforcement team or are employed as freelancers. Most have a bachelor’s degree in fine art, criminal justice, or computer science, specializing in 3D modeling. The International Association for Identification (IAI), the world’s oldest and largest forensic association, defines three main disciplines in forensic art: composite art or imagery, postmortem or facial reconstruction, and image modification and enhancement.
- Composite artistic imagery requires forensic artists to ask questions and create sketches of victims or suspects using paper and pencil sketches.
- Post-mortem rendering or facial reconstruction involves rendering faces using computer software, paper and pencil, or sculpting clay from viewing photographs or actual skeletal remains.
- Image modification and enhancement are used by forensic artists to create age-processed images that can help families and law enforcement locate missing people. These three artistic specializations are effective for law enforcement in bringing justice and closure to victims’ families.
Due to the emotionally taxing nature of this career, forensic sketch artists need to be patient and strategic communicators. Empathetic skills are essential when interviewing traumatized victims, and the ability to ask strategic questions when dealing with an uncooperative witness is equally crucial.
Melissa R. Cooper, a California-based freelance forensic artist, describes the multidisciplinary skills required for her career:
As an expert forensic artist, my renderings are done by unifying the two most dominant elements in our arsenal: art and science. The sources of my illustrations are often the product of someone else’s memories combined with the science of how we anatomically evolve throughout life […] and my renditions continue to serve law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, law firms, scientific research, production companies, and whomever else is in need of my services.
Read on to learn about the career outlook, salary, requirements, and steps to take to become a forensic sketch artist.
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Meet the Expert: Carrie Stuart Parks
Carrie Stuart Parks is an internationally known forensic artist, working on major criminal cases throughout the nation. She teaches courses in forensic art to law enforcement professionals across the US and Canada, including the FBI, Secret Service, NCIS, and RCMP, and is the largest instructor of forensic art in the world. She was runner-up for Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year offered by the Federal Law Enforcement Academy at Glynco, Georgia. Her career highlights also include winning Woman of the Year for the Spirit of the American Woman and the first Educator of the Year by the Lewis Clark Alumni.
Stuart Parks is a popular speaker and presenter and has been the special guest at the Writer’s Police Academy, an early bird special presenter along with Frank Peretti at the American Christian Fiction Writers, and a keynote at the Oregon Christian Writers Conference. She’s also presented at ThrillerFest, Daphne Du Maurier’s Kiss of Death, the BlueRidge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, and numerous other conferences.
In addition to her forensic work, writing, and teaching, she is a professional fine artist and Signature Member of the Idaho Watercolor Society. Her paintings hang in a number of corporate and private collections. She has written and illustrated non-fiction best-selling art books for North Light Publishers (now Penguin Random House).
ForensicsColleges.com: What is something you wish the public understood about forensic artists?
Stuart Parks: Forensic art is nothing like what you see on television or other shows. Most forensic artists do the work as one of their duties working for an agency. They come in all shapes and sizes and may be with crime scene, detective, patrol, jail, records clerks, dispatch, crime lab, or freelance.
The FBI, Secret Service, NYC, Texas Rangers, and a few other places have full-time artists. The knowledge behind the work (rendering a face) is not a dying art. Only the tools have changed…slightly.
ForensicsColleges.com: What advice would you give to aspiring forensic art students?
Stuart Parks: For those interested in this field, the specifics of how to do the work aren’t taught in college or universities. It’s found in short courses. I would recommend getting a broad background in useful fields and making connections in the law enforcement field.
By the way, forensic art refers to any art used in law enforcement or legal proceedings. It will include composites, unknown remains, age progression, image modification, courtroom sketches, crime scene sketches, demonstrative evidence, crime scene reconstructions, etc.
Career Outlook for Forensic Sketch Artist
As previously mentioned, forensic sketch artists are either trained law enforcement professionals, freelance artists, or both. Therefore, the career outlook for forensic sketch artists depends on individuals’ educational and professional backgrounds.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025) shows that police and detectives are growing at a rate of 4 percent, as fast as the national average for all other occupations, and predicts that 28,700 new positions will be needed between 2023 and 2033 (BLS 2025).
Specific data for forensic sketch artists is unavailable, but the BLS estimates that demand will create 1,800 new openings for craft and fine artists from 2023 to 2033 (BLS 2025). The occupational market for craft and fine artists is on par with the national average at 4 percent. In addition, many forensic sketch artists are self-employed, meaning the demand could be higher than is reflected in the BLS occupational profiles.
Forensic Sketch Artist Salary
Due to the numerous career pathways to train for this career, the average annual salary for a forensic sketch artist varies widely. Salaries depend on factors such as education, experience, years of employment, and the location where work is performed.
The BLS calculates the average annual salary for a craft and fine artist to be $45,340 or $21.80 per hour (BLS May 2024), while the average annual salary for a police officer or detective is $79,320 or $38.14 per hour (BLS May 2024).
Professionals who hold associate’s or bachelor’s degrees statistically earn higher salaries than professionals with a high school diploma. Therefore, certification or proof of continuing education courses can help people leverage higher salaries when applying for jobs or promotions in law enforcement. Freelance artists calculate their pay rates based on their educational backgrounds, previous work experience, and professional training.
How To Become a Forensic Sketch Artist
Step One: Graduate from High School (Four Years)
High school students aspiring to become forensic sketch artists are encouraged to take as many courses as possible in art, anatomy, and physiology. Additional courses to support a future artistic career in law enforcement are civics, computer science, and graphic design.
Knowing a second language could be advantageous for questioning witnesses, victims, or family members whose primary language isn’t English. In addition, partaking in arts or athletics extracurricular activities can teach essential communication and teamwork skills. Finally, students are advised to keep their grades up to gain admission into a reputable and regionally or nationally accredited college or university program.
Step Two: Enroll in an Undergraduate or Professional Training Program (One Year or More)
Future forensic sketch artists are encouraged to pursue a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or fine arts. An additional associate degree or a fine arts major with a minor in criminal justice, anatomy, anthropology, or computer science is recommended to learn as much as possible about this multidisciplinary field.
If available, the IAI educational program requirements recommend forensics art courses emphasizing composite drawings, age-progressed imagery, post-mortem imagery, and forensic facial imaging and anthropology.
Utica College offers an online bachelor’s of science in criminal justice. The 120-credit undergraduate program allows students to choose from six specializations, including a general track, which allows students to choose four elective courses to suit their professional goals.
The criminal justice minor program requires 15 credits to complete. It is designed for noncriminal justice majors interested in multidisciplinary careers such as social work, psychology, law, and government. This program is recognized by the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) and prepares graduates to sit for the CipherTrace Certified Examiner (CTCE) exam.
- Location: Utica, NY
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Forensic artists interested in police officer training should seek state or municipal training programs. An example of a police academy training program is the New York Police Department (NYPD). Located in Queens, NY, this 750,000 square-foot facility gives didactic instruction and hands-on scenario-based training in mock environment training rooms to prepare future law enforcement professionals for police and detective work in emergency response and investigation.
- Location: Queens, NY
- Duration: Unknown
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA)
Step Three: Enroll in a Forensic Artist Course or Training Program (Timeline Varies)
Many forensic sketch artists pursue courses or training programs to learn specific forensic artist techniques. These courses are typically approved by the International Association for Identification (IAI) or taught by seasoned forensic artist professionals.
To meet the rigorous IAI requirements for certification, forensic art programs must include a minimum of 40 hours, taught by an IAI-certified instructor, and include curriculum in one of the three forensic categories: composite art and imaging, age progression, or facial recognition.
Forensic artist workshops taught by experienced professionals are a commonly sought-after training option. Such courses can be government-sponsored programs or courses offered by established forensic artists.
An example of a course offered by an established forensic artist is the forensic art essentials class offered by Lois Gibson—a professional sketch artist who has worked for the Houston Police Department for 35 years. In addition to holding the title of the most successful forensic artist in the Guinness Book of World Records, she has appeared in numerous media outlets and TB true-crime television segments.
Her course, “Forensic Art Essentials,” provides beginning and seasoned forensic artists with what they need to get started in the profession and techniques to increase their effectiveness. The cost of the course is $250 and includes all supplies.
- Location: Houston, TX
- Duration: Five days
- Accreditation: Unknown
Another forensic art course is taught by Stuart Parks Forensic Associates, which includes 40 hours of instruction in a one-week format. Participants can immediately start drawing composite images for their law enforcement agencies. In addition, advanced courses in drawing, facial comparisons and identification, and black and white sketching are available.
- Location: Rotating workshops in cities in the US and Canada
- Duration: One week
- Accreditation: Unknown
Step Four: Build Law Enforcement Clientele Base (Ongoing)
Forensic sketch artists employed as police officers are encouraged to communicate their desires to contribute their unique services to leadership and human resources. It is possible that they could begin sketching right away or perhaps have the chance to fulfill this role when another sketch artist resigns or retires from the local police force.
Freelance artists with forensic sketching skills are encouraged to build their professional networks and contact as many nearby law enforcement agencies and legal professionals as possible to increase their clientele base.
Step Five: Gain Experience and Professional Development
Forensic sketch artists are encouraged to practice their craft whenever possible and stay current with professional development opportunities, workshops, and lectures by leading professional forensic artists.
Gil Zamora, a forensic sketch artist based out of San Jose, California, who is famous for his role in the Dove Real Beauty Sketch video series, has trademarked an interview technique called Compositure, which utilizes cognitive psychology to recreate a sketch from an eyewitness’s memory rather than traditional memory recall techniques. He gives talks on forensic sketching, interview techniques, and is a Justice Studies and Forensic Sciences lecturer at San Jose State University.
Forensic Sketch Artist Tasks And Responsibilities
The multidisciplinary nature of forensic sketch artist careers means that individuals engaged in this work should be ready to solve problems using skills from various fields, from art to science. Here is a list of typical tasks and responsibilities a forensic sketch artist requires.
- Applying knowledge of facial anatomy in sketching or recreating images of the faces of suspected criminals or crime victims
- Investigating human teeth for abnormalities and structure (odontology)
- Using knowledge of the function and structure of human bones to draw (osteology)
- Creating composite images and age-progressed images of suspects or potential crime victims with digital imaging software
- Interviewing crime suspects, witnesses, and crime victims in a variety of states, ranging from emotional duress to non-cooperation, to create an accurate sketch
- Designing simplified and appropriately detailed visual aids for courtroom testimonies
- Providing courtroom testimonies in criminal trials
Forensic Sketch Artist Certification
Certification for forensic sketch artists is not required for most positions, but having it may increase an applicant’s chances of gaining employment.
Forensic artist certification is available through the International Association for Identification (IAI) and encourages applicants to have solid fundamental knowledge in composite imaging, facial reconstruction, and age or image enhancement.
In addition to extensive documented educational and work experience requirements with one or multiple agencies, forensic artists seeking certification must also submit a portfolio of forensic artistry with ten forensic art images prepared for law enforcement investigations, and complete a written exam with a score of 80 percent or higher. Applicants who fail the test must wait six months from the rejection date to reapply and pay the certification fees. Recertification is possible after five years.
Educational requirements for IAI forensic art training programs are outlined, and educators who want to have their programs affiliated with IAI must submit their forensic art training program curriculum to the forensic art certification board for review.
Kimmy Gustafson’s expertise and passion for investigative storytelling extends to the world of forensics, where she brings a wealth of knowledge and captivating narratives to readers seeking insights into this intriguing world. She has interviewed experts on little-known topics, such as how climate crimes are investigated and prosecuted, and has written for ForensicsColleges.com since 2019.
Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.