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Layout artist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Julia Gaines,

Paige Williams

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical layout artist skills. We ranked the top skills for layout artists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.5% of layout artist resumes contained animation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a layout artist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 layout artist skills for your resume and career

1. Animation

Here's how layout artists use animation:

Used basic animation to imply motion and placement of animated dinosaur.
Utilized motion graphic and animation skills to release promotional content.

2. Adobe Photoshop

Here's how layout artists use adobe photoshop:

Scanned and cropped photos utilizing Adobe PhotoShop.
Can work efficiently in the program InDesign and have used Adobe Photoshop as well for certain special projects.

3. Maya

Maya, also known as Autodesk Maya, is a software and a graphics application used to create 3D models, effects, and assets intended for use in such 3D products as video games, films, architectural plans and models, and other, often interactive, pieces of media. Maya has, since the late 90s, become a standard and one of the core tools in the film and video game industries, has become a part of the primary learning curriculum in schools devoted to these crafts, and has been used in many famous movies, such as Lord of the Rings.

Here's how layout artists use maya:

Conceptualized and developed terrain models using Maya and partnered with director and animators to correspond and produce effective shots.
Created entire world zones including prop creation, UV mapping, and scene lighting using both 3D Studio Max and Maya.

4. Adobe Illustrator

Here's how layout artists use adobe illustrator:

Produced 10-15 layouts per day in Adobe Illustrator, according to customer design requests.
Fit text and photos to templates and enhanced with graphics created in Adobe Illustrator.

5. Graphic Design

Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.

Here's how layout artists use graphic design:

Constructed advertising circulars through graphic design operations.
Design Work - Layout and graphic design of campground directories, brochures, newsletters, and posters.

6. Adobe Indesign

Here's how layout artists use adobe indesign:

Prepare and layout copy for Newspaper Company using Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress.
Finished layouts for multiple books Used Adobe InDesign Formatted text and photographs to fit layout

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7. Concept Art

Here's how layout artists use concept art:

Provide set design/ dressing and scene layout for sequences based on concept art and art director supervision.
Created game ready characters -Collaborated with concept artists to create character designs -Helped coordinate meetings with team members

8. Brochures

A template, leaflet, or pamphlet which carries particulars about a certain company or an organization is called a brochure. Brochures are informative documents that are mostly used for advertisement purposes. These informative papers are organized in the form of booklets that act as promotional documents.

Here's how layout artists use brochures:

Designed brochures for camp-ground areas containing maps and local advertisements.
Worked on different projects, such as brochures, articles, reports, posters, and ad copy.

9. In-House

Here's how layout artists use in-house:

Coded text files and designed book pages according to in-house style sheets for client approval.
Introduced electronic publishing in order to bring print production in-house.

10. Macintosh

Here's how layout artists use macintosh:

Provided training to employees for working within a Macintosh environment with applicable graphics software.
Updated and maintained files and systems on MacIntosh and PC platforms.

11. Posters

Typically, a poster refers to a large printed notice or image that you put up on a board or wall in a public place to advertise or promote something.

Here's how layout artists use posters:

Created and design posters, newsletters, invitations, calendars and name badges.
Prepared posters for print; coordinated printing specifications with outside vendors.

12. CG

CG stands for computer graphics. Computer graphics deals with creating images with the assistance of computers. Computer graphics is an essential technology in digital photography, films, video games, cell phone and computer display, and many exclusive applications.

Here's how layout artists use cg:

Delivered CG character assets and scenes for use in Consumer Marketing.
Started the previs-rough layout deptartment in 1997 and Initiated the previs & CG set design process with the layout and Art departments

13. Layout Design

Here's how layout artists use layout design:

Developed and designed backgrounds for animated music video -Worked alongside layout designers, in a collaborative environment
Contributed to Women's Catalog photography art direction and layout design.

14. Typesetting

Here's how layout artists use typesetting:

Produced retail ads and circulars, including product illustration and typesetting.
Design of ads using clip art and outside typesetting.

15. Proofread

Proofreading simply carefully checking your text for possible errors like typographical errors or mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling before it can be published or shared. This is generally known as the very last stage of any writing process when you need to fix minor spelling and punctuation mistakes, typos, formatting issues,

and inconsistencies.

Here's how layout artists use proofread:

Designed catalog pages and advertisements, proofread copy, and assisted with photography shoots.
Designed and proofread advertisements for a diverse group of advertisers.

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What skills help Layout Artists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on layout artist resumes?

Dr. Julia Gaines

Director, Professor, Percussion, University of Missouri - Columbia

Some experience with AV/IT. It will be necessary to be much more familiar with all platforms devoted to customer and student consumption.

What hard/technical skills are most important for layout artists?

Paige Williams

Academic Dean, Art Academy of Cincinnati

Students entering the creative workplace need the visual, verbal, and written vocabulary to articulate their ideas and provide meaningful and constructive criticism. Students at the AAC learn criticism methods and engage in writing across the curriculum in every studio and academic course. A rigorous capstone experience requires that students write a ten-to-twelve-page thesis that thoroughly explains what they make (subject), how they make it (form), and why it matters (content). They then are required to present their ideas in a public forum.

Learning the latest technological advances and adapting as technology evolves is important for every student entering the workforce.

What layout artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Carmita Sanchez-Fong

Professor and Chairperson, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

Sketch, sketch, sketch, and work on your portfolio. Use the many resources at FIT to stay current with technology, including 3d printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality. Volunteer with one of the professional organizations, attend virtual conferences, enter a competition, develop your personal/professional profile, and become familiar with digital material resources. Work on your research and presentation skills. Create a well-organized digital library of your 2d and 3d assets. Prepare yourself to go back. Take some masterclasses. Volunteer as a virtual artist-in-residence at a local school. Be creative, remain engaged.

What type of skills will young layout artists need?

Yanique DaCosta

Creative Director, YKMD Visual Communication

Young design graduates need to have three simple things: portfolio diversity, critical thinking skills, and humility.

A diverse portfolio of various deliverables (print, web, interactive, experiential, etc.) Will give any recent grad a bigger opportunity to break into the market as a professional. Unlike seasoned professionals, recent grads have not had the opportunity to find their design "voice" or identify their niche. It's best to show a range of styles and deliverables until you have enough professional work experience to discern your path forward.

Critical thinking skills, often referred to as design thinking, is an integral part of elevating the design profession as well as building your reputation within it. The design thinking process consists of observation, empathy, problem formulation, solution deduction, testing, alteration, and reiteration. You must be able to use these skills to create design solutions, so your colleagues understand you are not the "pretty color" "Photoshop fixer" person, but an informed research-based problem solver. In implementing design thinking, new grads must seek to understand how their design solutions affect; environmental sustainability, social equity, cultural diversity, inclusivity, public safety, and accessibility.

Even with a great portfolio, supported by detailed design justifications, there is no room for designers that lack humility. We do not design for ourselves; we create to solve problems for those around us. We must be able to remove our feelings about ourselves and create from a human-centric place. Without this, a new grad may find themselves frustrated before they have even started to run the first race.

What soft skills should all layout artists possess?

John Mayer Ph.D.

Professor, California State University - Stanislaus

Thorough ability to read and write and communicate efficiently and inclusively.

Do you want to know more?

List of layout artist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a layout artist resume and required skills for a layout artist to have include:

Animation
Adobe Photoshop
Maya
Adobe Illustrator
Graphic Design
Adobe Indesign
Concept Art
Brochures
In-House
Macintosh
Posters
CG

Layout Design
Typesetting
Proofread
Quark
VFX
QuarkXPress
Print ADS
Adobe Creative Suite
Typeset
Paste-Up
Newspaper ADS
Display ADS

PDF
PowerPoint
Business Cards
CAD
Print Production
Photo Shoots
Promotional Materials
Quark Xpress
Cmyk
Apple
Line Art
In-Store Signage

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Layout Artist Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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