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Courtroom Artist
Painter (Fine/Visual Arts)
Potter and Ceramic Artist
Sculptor

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Artistic or CreativeSkill Level 1Skill Level 2Skill Level 3
Skill Level 4Skill Level 5

Artists create visual and three-dimensional forms using painting, drawing, printmaking, carving, sculpting, photography, modelling, film-making, music, acting, dancing, video and computers to communicate an impression or idea. FutureGrowthModerate

Artists conceive and create visual representations to investigate, respond to or communicate an impression or idea.

An artist may be concerned with the production of two-dimensional or three-dimensional forms, employing a number of methods such as painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and ceramics to realise their ideas. They may also use film, digital technology and performance techniques and forms.

ANZSCO ID: 211411

Specialisation:

  • Performance artist: A performance artist uses their own or other people's physical attributes to create a performance. They use their body as the site and material of their art practice. Through action and spectacle performance and live art, artists may explore ideas of process, experience and production. The performance may be scripted or unscripted and can include audience participation.

    The performance is occasionally enhanced by the use of props or visual aids to enhance the artistic impact.

Alternative names: Art Practitioner, Visual Artist, Painter, Sculptor,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

  • artistic ability
  • good hand-eye coordination
  • creativity
  • self-discipline
  • promotional skills
  • knowledge of business/management skills, if self-employed.


Working
(Source: Seek)

Duties and Tasks

  • Creating two-dimensional or three-dimensional forms to realise and explore ideas.
  • Generating artwork based on commissions or briefs by clients, or the artist’s own creative desires.
  • Participating in applying for grants and residencies, exhibiting and selling work at galleries, stores, festivals and museums.

 

An Artist may be a person who creates works in a number of mediums, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, textiles, glasswork or pottery.Artists are creative individuals, and depending on the field that they work in, they may produce different types of artwork using various mediums.

Working conditions

Artists may concentrate on a specific area of work or may use a combination of these techniques. They work in studios and may share rented space with other artists.
 

Education and training/entrance requirements

Formal qualifications are not required to work as an Artist in Australia. However, many aspiring artists wish to gain qualifications in visual arts, fine arts or design.

Develop a body of work. You can then work as an artist or undertake formal qualifications in visual arts, fine arts, creative arts or design. This may be a course such as a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) or a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Entry to these courses usually requires the successful completion of secondary school, an interview and/or submission of a folio of work.

There are a number of areas of specialisation for artists including painting (fine/visual arts), performance, printmaking, photography and sculpture.

 

 


Did You Know?

Sculpture with Skin

Jo Bain hails from a long line of taxidermists and from a very early age he knew he wanted a career in taxidermy too.

At fifteen he joined the South Australian Museum where he's still employed to this day.

He's worked on everything from blue whales to tiny spiders and 500 million year old fossils. In this feature we meet Jo in his basement workshop and he explains his passion for preserving dead creatures in a way that shows their natural power and beauty.

For him, taxidermy isn't just the craft of stuffing things; it's an art-form which he calls 'sculpture with skin'. Jo shows us what he has in his acid bath and takes us into his walk-in freezer to see what's on the shelves. He also tells us some stories about the first taxidermist at the museum, George Beazley, a troubled man who left secret messages inside some of the animals he preserved.
(Source: ABC: RN: Earshot, 2015)

To read more about the Taxidermist & Preparator go here!

Life on the Job: Jane Tosh: Taxidermist

 

Painter Visual Arts
Leisure and Entertainment

Artistic or CreativeSkill Level 1Skill Level 2Skill Level 3
Skill Level 4Skill Level 5


A painter (fine/visual arts) conceives and develops ideas for paintings, drawings, designs or installations. Painters select a medium such as oil, watercolour, pencil, pastel, acrylic or ink and prepare surfaces such as canvas, paper or board to produce designs or illustrations for publications.FutureGrowthModerate Painters mix or apply colours using appropriate techniques while taking into account the relationships of line, colour, design and form. Painters may run workshops and oversee community arts projects.

Artists become renowned for their individual techniques and in some cases have created dynamic artistic movements based on their original style.  Pablo Picasso is remembered for his cubism, and Salvador Dali began the surrealist movement.

ANZSCO ID: 211411

Alternative names: Art Practitioner, Visual Artist,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

  • artistic ability
  • good hand-eye coordination
  • creativity
  • self-discipline
  • promotional skills
  • knowledge of business/management skills, if self-employed.

 

ArtistPainter


Duties and Tasks

  • Conceives and develops ideas, designs and styles for paintings and drawings.
  • Arranges objects, positions models, and selects landscapes and other visual forms according to chosen subject matter.
  • Selects artistic media, method and materials.
  • Applies media to surfaces using appropriate techniques
  • Maintain portfolios of artistic work to show styles, interests, abilities and realisations
  • Research sculpture trends and disruption, in order to keep up with current researches and design evolutions
  • Select artistic materials to create artworks based on strength, colour, texture, balance, weight, size, and other characteristics that should guarantee the feasibility of the artistic creation regarding the expected shape, colour, etc. – even thought the result might vary from it. Artistic materials such as paint, ink, water colours, charcoal, oil, or computer software can be used as much as garbage, living products (fruits, etc) and any kind of material depending on the creative project.
  • Monitor art scene developments, artistic events, trends, and other developments. Read recent art publications in order to develop ideas and to keep in touch with relevant art world activities.
  • Study a variety of artistic techniques and learn how to apply them in concrete artistic projects.
  • Design objects to be crafted by sketching, drawing or designing sketches and drawings from memory, live models, manufactured products or reference materials in the process of crafting and sculpting.
  • Study artworks including styles, techniques, colours, textures, and materials used in works of art.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You need a high level of artistic skill to work as a Painter (Visual Arts). Formal qualifications might be useful but aren't essential. VET (Vocational Education and Training) and university are both common study pathways for Painters (Visual Arts).

 

Sculptor
Leisure and Entertainment

Artistic or CreativeSkill Level 1Skill Level 2Skill Level 3
Skill Level 4 Skill Level 5

 

A Sculptor conceives and develops a concept or design for a sculpture or installation project. FutureGrowthModerate

A sculptor's media may include: marble, sandstone, chisels, clay, wax & bronze for casting a sculpture, wood, steel and many other found materials.

Sculpting (or modelling) is an ancient artform that dates back to stone-age times. Modern sculpting can involve complicated procedures that involve a complex knowledge of materials.

ANZSCO ID: 211413

Alternative names: Installation Artist, clay sculptress, stone sculptress, wood sculptress, sculpting artist, clay sculptor, metal sculptress, ice sculptor, sculptress, welded steel sculptor, ice sculptress, marble sculptress, marble sculptor, wood sculptor, metal sculptor, stone sculptor, welded steel sculptress

Knowledge, skills and attributes David in Florence

To become sculptor, you would need:

  • a high level of creativity
  • a good appreciation of colour and shape
  • determination and commitment
  • self-motivation
  • willingness to work alone
  • business skills to promote and market your work.

Duties and Tasks

  • Conceives and develops ideas, designs and styles for sculptures.
  • Sketches designs of proposed sculptures, and makes wax and plaster models.
  • Devises forms from metal using welding and metalworking equipment, and from stone using masonry tools.
  • Carves and forms materials to desired shape using hand and power tools.

Tools and Technologies

Sculptor or installation artists may sketch designs and then decide on the material, techniques and the space where the sculpture or installation is to be exhibited. They often make models using wax or  plaster and then carve, model or assemble materials to the desired form using hand or power tools. They may also fire clay objects in kilns and prepare moulds for casting sculptures in metal.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You need a high level of artistic skill to work as a Painter (Visual Arts). Formal qualifications might be useful but aren't essential. VET (Vocational Education and Training) and university are both common study pathways for Painters (Visual Arts).

Sculptor

 

 

Potter or Ceramic Artist
Leisure and Entertainment

Artistic or CreativeSkill Level 1Skill Level 2Skill Level 3
Skill Level 4Skill Level 5

Potters or Ceramic Artists conceive and create functional or artistic articles by moulding clay, glass and other fusible materials using hand-building and wheel techniques. FutureGrowthModerate

ANZSCO ID: 211412

Knowledge, skills and attributes

  • artistic ability
  • good hand-eye coordination
  • creative and the ability to conceptualise ideas
  • self-discipline
  • promotional skills

Bendigo Pottery
(Source: Visit Victoria)

Duties and Tasks

  • Selects artistic media, method and materials.
  • Moulds clay into functional and artistic articles by wheel-throwing, moulding and hand-building.
  • Mixes glazing materials and applies glazes to dried pottery by dipping and painting.
  • Places finished and decorated pieces in kilns.

Working conditions

A Potter or Ceramic Artist usually arrange their own working hours, which may involve fitting your art work around another full-time or part-time job.

You may work in a studio, at home, in rented space within a shared studio, or in specialist facilities such as a potter's workshop.


Tools and technologies

Potters Tools
(Source: Spruce Crafts)

In addition, are the potter's wheel for throwing pieces and the kiln for drying.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You need a high level of skill in your artistic medium to work as a Potter or Ceramic Artist. Formal qualifications might be useful but aren't essential. VET (Vocational Education and Training) and university are both common study pathways for Potters and Ceramic Artists.

 

Did You Know?

When young and poor, Pablo Picasso one of the world's most famous artists, kept warm by burning his own paintings!

Pablo Picasso
(Source: Independent)

It was lucky, then, that he produced 13,500 paintings, 100,000 prints and engravings, 34,000 book illustrations and 300 works of sculpture and ceramics

Lady in Red Hat
Weeping woman with red hat
(Source: Martinez Art Dealer)

 

Arts Administrator or Manager
Leisure and Entertainment

Clerical or OrganisingArtistic or CreativeSkill Level 5Skill Level 6

Arts Administrators or Managers plan, organise, direct, control, coordinate and promote artistic and cultural policies, programs, projects and services and make sure they are successful. In a senior arts administration role, you may also manage artistic and cultural venues such as theatres and art galleries.

ANZSCO ID: 139911

Specialisations: Art Gallery Director, Community Arts Centre Manager, Cultural Centre Manager.Future Growth Strong

As an arts administrator you could work for many different types of organisations, including:

  • theatres or art galleries

  • museums

  • music festivals or concert venues

  • opera houses or dance companies

  • community and disability arts

  • regional arts board or local authorities.


   
Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become an arts administrator, you would need:

  • a general interest in the arts, or a particular branch such as theatre, dance or sculpture
  • administration and computer skills
  • good written and spoken communication skills
  • the ability to organise and prioritise work
  • problem solving skills
  • good time-management skills
  • able to relate to people of diverse backgrounds
  • good organisational and management skills
  • able to handle finances
  • able to work under pressure and to deadlines
  • able to work varying hours
  • appreciation of the role of the arts in the community

Arts Administrator
(Source: Your Career)

 

Duties and Tasks

  • Selects items for display/presentation.
  • Arranges finance for show/production.
  • Selects the director and technical personnel and, in consultation with the director, auditions and selects cast.
  • Establishes operating budgets and production schedules.
  • Determines treatment and scope of production or display.
  • Supervises production and suggests or approves change in script or presentation
  • booking venues and artists
  • working with all types of local arts bodies
  • negotiating sponsorship and funding deals
  • coordinating publicity and ticket sales
  • writing for promotional publications or websites
  • marketing activities through social media
  • organising security and catering
  • managing budgets and keeping records
  • carrying out general administration
  • seek sponsorship and funding from federal, state, territory and local governments as well as community and industry organisations
  • prepare and submit funding applications
  • negotiate with artists and performers regarding contracts
  • coordinate arts programmes
  • coordinate sound and lighting, stage management and security, box office sales, distribution and sale of publications, public relations and catering
  • take part in the commissioning and purchasing of works of art
  • organise and promote exhibitions and events
  • help to develop and implement the organisation's strategic plans and marketing strategies
  • manage the organisation's human and financial resources, including budget preparation
  • provide an appropriate working environment for employees
  • liaise with the media
  • provide education services to the public
  • make recommendations on cultural grants
  • ensure compliance with corporate and legal requirements
  • provide support in policy development and report to the board of directors

In small galleries and arts centres you could be involved in the day-to-day running of the centre. In larger organisations, such as arts boards, you may specialise in one area, for example marketing, public relations or education.

Support Know My Name: a message from Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery of Australia
https://youtu.be/OcBCkTjnLJ4

 

 

Education and training/entrance requirements

Either extensive experience or a bachelor degree in arts is needed to work as an Arts Administrator or Manager. Many Arts Administrators and Managers complete postgraduate studies.

Employment Opportunities

Arts administrators may work for national performing arts companies, local councils, regional community arts centres, museums, galleries, orchestras and entrepreneurial organisations such as concert and theatrical promoters. They also work for government departments and funding organisations such as the Australia Council for the Arts. Some are self-employed, while others work in partnerships.

Opportunities will vary depending on the level of activity in the arts and media industries in regional and metropolitan centres. The long-term job prospects for arts administrators are affected by the level of government funding and corporate sponsorship.

 

Courtroom Artist
Leisure and Entertainment

 

Clerical or OrganisingArtistic or CreativeAnalytic or ScientificSkill Level 4Skill Level 5

 

Courtroom artists create visual records of courtroom proceedings, particularly when cameras are not allowed [which is the case in Australia]. Their primary duty is to document the events and key figures of trials, such as judges, defendants, witnesses, and lawyers, for media consumption and public viewing. This involves quickly capturing moments on paper, often working under pressure with limited time to complete each sketch.

A courtroom sketch artist is someone who draws pictures of what happens in a courtroom during trials and legal events. They do this because cameras are not allowed in courtrooms. The sketches help people see what’s going on, and they’re often used by the media.

Courtroom artists need a blend of artistic skills, quick thinking, and a keen eye for detail to capture the essence of court proceedings. They must be able to draw quickly and accurately while also maintaining a sense of artistic flair.

 

ABC News 12 May 2024

ABC News

ANZSCO ID: 211411
  

Alternative names: Court Artist, Courtroom Illustrator, Courtroom Sketch Artist, Sketch Artist,
  

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Becoming a courtroom sketch artist requires a unique knowledge of the legal system combined with artistic talent. This can be a rewarding career for creative people who can create detailed drawings to share with the media and courts for important record keeping.

  • Drawing Skills: courtroom artists must be proficient in drawing, able to create likenesses quickly and accurately. This includes understanding anatomy for realistic depictions and mastering various drawing techniques.
  • Artistic Principles & Tools: a working knowledge of artistic principles like composition and colour theory is essential. Understanding different mediums and tools allows for expressing emotions and capturing the nuances of the courtroom setting.
  • Quick Sketching: the ability to draw quickly and accurately under pressure is crucial. This requires efficient sketching techniques and the ability to memorize details for later refinement.
  • Attention to Detail: courtroom artists must be observant, paying attention to both the individuals and the details of the courtroom environment, ensuring their sketches accurately reflect the scene.
  • Communication: while primarily visual, courtroom artists may need to communicate with legal professionals or media outlets, so strong interpersonal skills can be helpful.
  • Time Management: meeting deadlines and managing time effectively are important, as artists may need to create multiple sketches during a trial.
  • Anatomy Knowledge: a solid understanding of human anatomy allows for more accurate and realistic representations.
  • Computer Skills: many artists now use digital mediums for sketching, so computer proficiency is increasingly important.
  • Business Skills: self-employed artists may need business skills like marketing and client management.
  • Observational Skills: the ability to observe and quickly identify key details and emotions is crucial.
  • Creativity: courtroom artists need a certain level of creativity to make their sketches visually compelling and engaging.
  • Patience: courtroom proceedings can be lengthy, requiring artists to be patient and observant throughout.
  • Professionalism: maintaining a professional demeanour and following legal protocol is important.
  • Emotional Intelligence: understanding the emotional nuances of a trial and conveying them through their artwork is an important skill.

 

Late Night Live 12 May 2025 Listen(16 mins)

ABC

 


Duties and Tasks

Courtroom sketch artists are valuable experts for courts and the media to communicate with throughout a court proceeding. While any member of the public can sit in the gallery during a trial, courts in Australia typically rules against allowing photographs or recordings, with very few exceptions.

Courtroom sketch artists can gain access to the courtroom when cameras can't and use their skill set to create engaging illustrations that demonstrate the emotions and events throughout the trial. They can then share their work with news media outlets to support their written reports of the proceedings. They also share them with lawyers or the courts to accompany official documentation and records.

These sketch artists typically create very simple outlines so they can work quickly, and fill the images in later with colour and more detail. As sketch artists may attend trials for serious crimes, the ability to maintain composure, work objectively, and maintain confidentiality is beneficial. For example, jury members' identities are to remain anonymous before, during, and after proceedings.

  • Attending court proceedings: Courtroom artists attend trials, hearings, and other legal events to observe and document the proceedings.
  • Capturing key moments: They focus on capturing significant events, facial expressions, and the overall atmosphere of the courtroom.
  • Creating sketches: Artists use various drawing techniques, including pencils, ink, or digital tools, to create detailed sketches of the courtroom and its occupants.
  • Working quickly and efficiently: Courtroom artists must work swiftly, often capturing a sketch within minutes of a significant event.
  • Collaborating with media outlets: They often work with news organizations to provide visual content for television, newspapers, and other media.
  • Providing a visual record: Their work serves as a visual record of court proceedings, allowing the public and media to see events that might otherwise be unseen.
  • Humanizing the legal process: Courtroom sketches can help to make the legal system more accessible and understandable to the public by depicting the human drama and emotions involved.


Working conditions

Courtroom sketch artists work in a fast-paced, and sometimes tense environment. You may spend several hours per day watching court proceedings and may attend complex or high-profile trials that last several weeks. This means the work hours can vary significantly in this role, and the volume of work may change.

With no photography allowed in the Australian courtroom, the only image the public has seen of, for example Patterson [Mushroom poisoning 2025 - Erin Patterson's mushroom murder trial in regional Victoria is being followed by millions around the world] on trial, is a hand-drawn illustration produced by a courtroom sketch artist.

The role may also involve travel, whether to other States and Territories or internationally, to cover important trials that gain media attention.

As a freelancer, you can determine whether you want to work locally or pursue sketching opportunities in other regions. While you may spend several hours in the courtroom drawing, you may also work in a studio or another location to add more detail to the basic sketches you created on-site.

You may also visit law offices and media organizations to share your work and discuss upcoming trials. This career provides a dynamic work environment with opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and personal fulfillment and is suitable for people who enjoy being artistic and working under pressure.


Tools and technologies

These days, Courtroom Artists use iPads with a styles to create their drawings. In the past, they used pencils including colour pencils to capture their images.


Education and training/entrance requirements

While formal education in art or a related field can provide valuable skills and knowledge, it is not a strict requirement for becoming a courtroom sketch artist. Instead, practical experience and a strong portfolio of work are often more influential in securing assignments and developing a career in this niche field.

To become a courtroom sketch artist, you’ll need the ability to draw quickly and accurately, a keen eye for detail, and a knack for capturing important moments during trials through your artwork. It’s like being a live reporter using your drawings!

While not required, a TAFE diploma or university degree can make you a more competitive job candidate. A Bachelor of Fine Arts or college diploma related to illustration, graphic design or visual arts can be valuable as these programs help you develop technical skills related to drawing and composition that you can apply to courtroom sketches.


Employment Opportunities

At the moment, Australian courts only allow Courtroom Artists to capture the court scene. All cameras are banned in Australia within the courts.

This occurrence might change.

Did You Know?

Courtroom Artist - Veronica O'Leary - CAMEO
MA Visual Arts, BA Fine Arts, BA Hons, Dip Ed
Taken directly from Arts Hub 24 April 2023


Veronica O'Leary
(Source: Bega District News)


Artist Veronica O’Leary is perhaps best known – outside her exhibition work – for producing 182 courtroom sketches of the high-profile criminal trial of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain over the death of their daughter Azaria.

The disappearance of baby Azaria from Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock) on 17 August 1980 is one of the most infamous events in contemporary Australian history. Capturing it O’Leary says it was exciting but often stressful.

There has been a renewed interest in courtroom drawings in the recent month, as images by US artist Jane Rosenberg, illustrating Donald Trump’s arraignment in a Manhattan courthouse, have circulated social media, with her images making the front cover of the 17 April edition of The New Yorker – the first time a courtroom sketch has been used in such a way by the weekly magazine.

So what does it take to be a court illustrator?

O’Leary had been living in Darwin at the time, when she was appointed Court Artist for the ABC during the Chamberlain trial. They used her drawings in their television coverage of the case each night. Sometimes up to 15 of these would be flashed into the script. Later on, her suite of drawings from the trial were purchased by the National Museum of Australia, in 2011.

In 2012, O’Leary returned to her role as courtroom artist, travelling to Darwin for the fourth Coronial Inquest into the death of Azaria Chamberlain.

Cross examined
Court Artist Veronica O’Leary captures Lindy Chamberlain being cross-examined.
Image: Supplied courtesy the artist.[to Arts Hub]


While this was a defining moment for O’Leary, she is also known as an arts educator, and her studio practice of landscape and still life paintings, for which is a regular prize finalist. She speaks with ArtsHub about that amazing career opportunity.

How would you describe what you do to your ‘non arts’ friends?

What I do is paint and draw as a practising visual artist, working across different mediums from watercolour, to ink, acrylic, oil paint and lino prints. Currently, I am painting small- and large-format paintings based on the table scape and food as art – a series inspired by COVID lockdown and inspired by the Dutch still life painters of the 16th and 17th centuries, like Clara Peeters, a very successful woman painter of vanitas table settings and natura morte.

What qualifications do you need for this job?

You do not necessarily need qualifications to be a practising visual artist, but dedication, commitment, perseverance and a lot of time doing the work is essential. Initially, I trained at the Victorian College of the Arts Melbourne, where I majored in painting and printmaking.

I completed my BA in Visual Arts at Darwin Community College in painting. I then completed a Master’s Degree in Visual and Performing Arts at Charles Sturt University, majoring in painting.

How did you get your start in this career [as a Court Artist]?

I got my start in the job as a court artist in Darwin after I had graduated and was working as a lecturer in Creative Arts at Darwin Community College. I had never been a court artist, and it wasn’t until the ABC called for expressions of interest to be the ABC Court Artist for the Lindy Chamberlain trial in the Darwin Supreme Court, in 1983, that I started my career in this field of visual art practice.

Basically, you had to submit a portfolio of drawings of people in situ, drawn from life and on the spot. The job was to draw the participants of the court room and capture significant moments in the courtroom drama for a nightly ABC television audience.

The artist was to be in the courtroom all day drawing sketches for the news. I submitted my drawing portfolio to the ABC in Sydney and was awarded the job for the duration of the trial, which lasted for three months. This began the journey of a lifetime.

Daunting, and at times terrifying, knowing that the work was to be on national television each night and would have to be a good representation of the major players in the drama, significant witnesses and the jury. You had to work quickly, be inventive about picking key moments and the drawings had to be dramatic enough to capture audience attention and be true to the chronology of the case.

How collaborative is this job?

This job required collaboration with the TV journalists, who would have a particular pitch for each day’s events in the duration of the trial. The court drawings selected for that day would have to corroborate with the particular headline banner for that night’s news. This often meant doing 20 or so courtroom sketches for the day, from which the appropriate selection could be made. This could prove a tricky guessing game dependent on the particular dramatic turns in the theatre of the court drama.

You had to cover a lot of bases and watch, and read the playout of what was being argued in court. The essence was speed, confidence in capturing the moment, and a belief in your own ability to draw people in situ. People were moving about and you had to quickly catch their mood and likeness.

Veronica O'Leary Lindy Chamberlain
Court Artist Veronica O’Leary captures Lindy Chamberlain during trial.
Image: Supplied courtesy the artist.[To Arts Hub]


What’s an average week like?

An average week was all day in court until the session finished each day, usually about 10am to 4.30pm daily. This was a complicated process from Darwin. Because I was working for ABC television news, the broadcast had to be done with the news front person with the chosen daily drawings. The time difference between the NT and NSW meant that this broadcast had to be filmed from Darwin Court at 4pm to make the cut for the national 7.30 ABC news.

A problem sometimes arose if the court was still in session when the broadcast was sent to Sydney. If there happened to be a significant turn in the course of the day’s trial it may not have been captured by the artist, or the journalist. So that could mean a quick dash back into court for a particular drawing. This did often cause some panicked moments.

What’s the most common misconception about being a court Illustrator?

I was working for television as a court artist, so the brief was significantly different from the traditional court illustrator, doing highly articulated drawings of the courtroom with the lawyers, judge and jury represented in their respective places within the detailed architecture of the courtroom.

I was employed as an artist to give a rendition of the drama of the courtroom moments, so the focus was on the faces and posture of key players – the Chamberlains, the jury, the lawyers, the judge and, importantly, key witnesses. The courtroom sketches sought to be dramatic, show movement and capture the drama for a nightly TV audience. As no photographers were allowed in court, the drawings had to be close to life and identify the key participants in this complicated trial.

How competitive is this job?

For me the job was based on the submission of a portfolio of drawings and, like all arts jobs, highly contested.

In an interview for your job, what skills or qualities would you be looking for?

This job requires a sureness of drawing skills based on the knowledge that court drawing demands that the rendered likeness be true to life and identifiable. It demands speed of drawing, a good eye for relevant and pertinent detail, and an eye for compelling composition. It means understanding the courtroom drama and choosing the salient moments to draw for news reportage.

What’s changing in your professional area today?

I think that today some courtrooms do allow news photographers in, so the courtroom artist is not always needed. In those cases where there are no photographers present, the court artist is a very essential recorder of the courtroom facts. There is, of course, a revived interest in the art of the court artist in major trials like that of Donald Trump. The court artist can capture personality in a way the camera cannot.

What’s the most interesting thing that’s happened to you in this job?

The Chamberlain trial was one of the most publicised trials in Australian legal history, and Lindy Chamberlain became something of an enigma in Australia. The nation was divided about her guilt or innocence. It was a television spectacular, and viewers followed the saga nightly via media news, then a movie and several books.

The world of court drawing for television was exciting, challenging, often stressful, but artistically inspiring. I was invited some 30 years later to be the court artist in the Darwin Supreme Court for the Coronial Inquest, which finally exonerated Lindy and granted her pardon. This was an exciting opportunity to reconnect with ABC journalists and see Lindy finally be declared innocent of the death of her daughter Azaria

Read: So you want my arts job: Scribe

Subsequently this led to a meeting with Lindy in Sydney, where I was able to talk with her and paint her portrait. It was a marvellous meeting and talk with a truly remarkable and strong woman.

What about gender balance in your industry?

There have always been a number of women court artists. When I was doing the initial court drawings there were at least two other women in the court room drawing.

What’s the weirdest thing that has happened to you ‘on the job’?

It was on my first day on the job. I was placed in a room with hundreds of journalists and told to draw from the television screen. This was impossible. The flickering pixelated image on a screen made it an impossibility to draw from. What a panic! Thankfully, this was revoked, and we were allowed as artists into the courtroom.

The other weird thing was drawing the inside of the Chamberlain car. For a morning, the journalists and court artists had to crawl inside the car and gather images for the news broadcasts.

Taken directly from Arts Hub 24 April 2023


Critical Thinking Spot

MiddleMiddle  High SchoolSecondary TeacherTeacher

ExamineDiscussion

Examine the following article and discuss as a class

The Conversation 18 April 2023

The Conversation

 

 

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Fitness Instructor

Sports Coach

Karate Instructor

Fisher

Sportsperson

Musician

Umpire/Referee

Composer

Jockey

Actor

Choreographer

Music Director

Stunt Performer

Entertainer

theatrical costume maker and designer

Diver

Set Designer

Sports Development Officer

Horse Riding Instructor

Stage Manager

Cinema or Theatre Manager

Prop & Scenery Maker

Outdoor Adventure Guide

Tennis Coach

pyrotechnician

Snowsport Instructor

Raceday Officer

Voice over artist

Artist

Aerobics Instructor

Dancer

Fitness Instructor

Sports Coach

Karate Instructor

Fisher

Sportsperson

Musician

Umpire/Referee

Composer

Jockey

Actor

Choreographer

Music Director

Stunt Performer

Entertainer

theatrical costume maker and designer

Diver

Set Designer

Sports Development Officer

Horse Riding Instructor

Stage Manager

Cinema or Theatre Manager

Prop & Scenery Maker

Outdoor Adventure Guide

Tennis Coach

pyrotechnician

Snowsport Instructor

Raceday Officer

Voice over artist

Artist

Aerobics Instructor

Dancer

Fitness Instructor

Sports Coach

Karate Instructor

Fisher

Sportsperson

Musician

Umpire/Referee

Composer

Jockey

Actor

Choreographer

Music Director

Stunt Performer

Entertainer

theatrical costume maker and designer

Diver

Set Designer

Sports Development Officer

Horse Riding Instructor

Stage Manager

Cinema or Theatre Manager

Prop & Scenery Maker

Outdoor Adventure Guide

Tennis Coach

pyrotechnician

Snowsport Instructor

Raceday Officer

Voice over artist

Artist

Aerobics Instructor

Dancer

Fitness Instructor

Sports Coach

Karate Instructor

Fisher

Sportsperson

Musician

Umpire/Referee

Composer

Jockey

Actor

Choreographer

Music Director

Stunt Performer

Entertainer

theatrical costume maker and designer

Diver

Set Designer

Sports Development Officer

Horse Riding Instructor