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Technical illustrator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Julia Gaines,
Anne Beekman
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical technical illustrator skills. We ranked the top skills for technical illustrators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.4% of technical illustrator resumes contained adobe illustrator as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a technical illustrator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 technical illustrator skills for your resume and career

1. Adobe Illustrator

Here's how technical illustrators use adobe illustrator:
  • Created and/or edited graphics and illustrations for customer installation manuals using Adobe Illustrator.
  • Revised illustrative manuals for company assessment in Adobe Illustrator and Microsoft Word.

2. Engineering Drawings

Engineering drawings are technical drawings that tell about the requirements for engineering components or equipment. Such drawings have standardized languages and symbols. There are multiple types of engineering drawings such as isometric drawing, orthographic or multiview drawing, schematic drawings, one view, and two view drawings, etc.

Here's how technical illustrators use engineering drawings:
  • Developed technical illustrations leveraged from source data, PRO-E engineering drawings, photos, and/or design or engineering specifications.
  • Utilized engineering drawings to create technical illustration for repair procedures viewed online by field technicians.

3. Technical Illustrations

Here's how technical illustrators use technical illustrations:
  • Obtained information from blueprints, detailed sketches and verbal instructions and prepared simple technical illustrations using drafting tools and automated equipment.
  • Provide quality 3D and static technical illustrations of mechanical hardware and exploded views appropriate for technical documentation, and manuals.

4. Adobe Photoshop

Here's how technical illustrators use adobe photoshop:
  • Created process animations from finished illustrations using Macromedia Director, and performed digital-imaging using Adobe PhotoShop.
  • Entrusted to generate illustrations of military equipment in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

5. Solidworks

Here's how technical illustrators use solidworks:
  • Utilized SolidWorks and CATIA to export selected views from 3D models in formats compatible with illustration development applications.
  • Created hard surface mechanical models from illustrations using Solidworks.

6. Technical Manuals

Technical Manuals are informative pieces of writing, often including diagrams and images, which educate the person who is using it and assist them in learning how to control, build, fix, or otherwise handle the product or products which it speaks of. A technical manual is also known more commonly as a user manual and it typically comes with most products, especially items such as furniture, electronics, appliances, software, machinery, and even medication and medical devices.

Here's how technical illustrators use technical manuals:
  • Develop fault lists for Technical Manual Validation/Verification and Maintainability Evaluations/Demonstrations events.
  • Created illustration and text in support of Technical Manual Publication development for US Military vehicles and public transit authorities.

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7. Technical Publications

Here's how technical illustrators use technical publications:
  • Provided graphics creation production for various groups within Texas Instruments, including technical publications and technical training organization.
  • Planned, organized and scheduled the graphics requirements for multiple projects simultaneously to meet technical publications schedules.

8. 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 technical illustrators use graphic design:
  • Created stylized marketing art using a combination of photograph editing and graphic design concepts.
  • Implemented in-house graphic design for marketing department promotional materials.

9. Creo

Here's how technical illustrators use creo:
  • Train offshore team internationally on PTC programs IsoDraw, Pro-E, Creo for divisions in France.
  • Will soon be receiving Creo Illustrate training.

10. Technical Writers

Here's how technical illustrators use technical writers:
  • Worked with technical writers to produce technical documentation for customers and other in-house departments, including instructional and sales manuals.
  • Plot and execute electrical and hydraulic schematics during developmental editing stage in tandem with technical writers and proofreaders.

11. CATIA

Here's how technical illustrators use catia:
  • Used CATIA V5R18 to model aircraft parts and equipment as necessary for animated procedures.
  • Worked with CATIA V4 software and did stress testing for strength and weigh concerns.

12. Technical Drawings

Here's how technical illustrators use technical drawings:
  • Developed technical drawings, artist renderings, schematic diagrams and blueprints for audio-visual engineering firm.
  • Updated and reviewed technical drawings according to customer specifications by using IsoDraw software.

13. Line Drawings

Here's how technical illustrators use line drawings:
  • Converted digital photography into vector-based line drawings.
  • Extract ISO views from PRO Engineer files for import and manipulation with CorelDraw to produce black and white ISO line drawings.

14. Technical Documentation

Technical documentation means any documentation that gives a functional, architectural, and handling description of a technical product or a product in use or development.

Here's how technical illustrators use technical documentation:
  • Perform maintenance and operations activities to develop procedures and capture user interface information for technical documentation.
  • Oversee distribution of all technical documentation and drawings to appropriate personnel and depositories.

15. Sketch

Here's how technical illustrators use sketch:
  • Maintained and assigned engineering sketch numbers and files, executed drawing requirements for engineering order/change packages.
  • Used Auto Sketch Computer system for these projects.
top-skills

What skills help Technical Illustrators find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on technical illustrator resumes?

Dr. Julia GainesDr. Julia Gaines LinkedIn profile

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 technical illustrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Anne BeekmanAnne Beekman LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, University of Findlay

Designers with a broad range of skills- technology, creativity, and communication-with a strong aesthetic will continue to find jobs.

What type of skills will young technical illustrators need?

Philip LindseyPhilip Lindsey LinkedIn profile

Professor of Fine Arts, Wilson College

Communication skills, creative and critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, work well independently, and in a team, tech-savvy, broad knowledge (liberal arts) + disciplinary knowledge.

What technical skills for a technical illustrator stand out to employers?

David Abbott

Chair, Albion College

Skills in technology will primarily be more important than ever as we transition not only into more virtual learning but also even after the pandemic, I think virtual learning will still remain somewhat just as I have little doubt that across education as well as in many business settings, virtual meetings will slowly begin to become the norm. I regret this as I feel it ultimately (llike with the iphone texting, etc.) will contribute to a great social isolation that will ultimately have a pejorative effect on how we learn and interact as individuals.

What soft skills should all technical illustrators possess?

John Mayer Ph.D.John Mayer Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, California State University - Stanislaus

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

What hard/technical skills are most important for technical illustrators?

Dr. Andy Curran

Professor, Area Coordinator, University of Cincinnati- Clermont College

-File management

-Computer literacy skills

-Software proficiency
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about technical illustrator

List of technical illustrator skills to add to your resume

Technical illustrator skills

The most important skills for a technical illustrator resume and required skills for a technical illustrator to have include:

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Engineering Drawings
  • Technical Illustrations
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Solidworks
  • Technical Manuals
  • Technical Publications
  • Graphic Design
  • Creo
  • Technical Writers
  • CATIA
  • Technical Drawings
  • Line Drawings
  • Technical Documentation
  • Sketch
  • Engineering Data
  • Maintenance Manuals
  • Aided Design
  • Windchill
  • Isometric Drawings
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • FrameMaker
  • Line Art
  • Parts Breakdown
  • IPB
  • PowerPoint
  • Corel Draw
  • Parts List
  • Mac
  • FAA
  • Mil-Std
  • Desktop
  • Source Data
  • Assembly Drawings
  • Technical Orders
  • BOM
  • Aircraft Maintenance
  • Flow Charts
  • Aerospace
  • Training Manuals
  • Promotional Materials
  • Block Diagrams
  • Windows
  • Military Specifications
  • Slide Presentations
  • Product Data Management
  • DOD
  • Visio

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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