career post: courtroom sketch artists

As a courtroom sketch artist, a person is essentially hired to draw court proceedings due to the lack of courtroom cameras; in high-profile cases, these drawings are often used in the media, most recently in the cases of the Donald Trump and Luigi Mangione trials. I personally have a vested interest in law and would love the opportunity to watch court proceedings regularly -- despite my lack of enthusiasm about sketching portraits, I would be SO willing to practice my skills and become a courtroom artist.

The technical skills to become a sketch artist (clearly) require the skills of quickly and accurately capturing a likeness through a variety of drawing materials, and having excellent visual memorization skills. This often requires taking classes, practicing extensively, or even getting a degree in a visual arts field, which is extremely helpful but not required. Compared to my last career post about being a cultural policy analyst, this occupation requires much less formal training, as artists often work freelance and are paid on commission rather than with a fixed salary. However, any well-known art program would provide someone with more than enough of the needed skills to be successful in this profession -- to name a few, the Rhode Island School of Art and Design, the Pratt Institute, VCU Arts, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.