What skills and traits are needed to be a forensic artist?
The most obvious is drawing and artistic skill. Don’t believe anyone that tells you otherwise, because they are probably trying to sell you something. The whole concept of “anyone can be a forensic artist” is ridiculous. To be a forensic artist, you must first be an artist. To work doing composites, you then adapt that artistic skill through qualified training to learn how to do draw a composite by working through a witness. You must draw what they want, and be flexible and confident in your skills to change that drawing at any moment. An often overlooked trait in composite drawing is interviewing skills. Building rapport with the victim, having empathy, listening to them, and putting that image that’s in their head on paper. You can be the best artist in the world, but if you don’t listen to your victim, and draw what they tell you, then you’re next to worthless as a composite artist. To work doing facial reconstructions and post-mortem images, you need solid artistic skills as well a
