Do you want to be a forensic artist? This is what I know based on my 18 years as a forensic artist for the FBI:

Most forensic artists in the United States are law enforcement employees. Usually they are sworn police officers, although some are in other jobs like dispatcher, evidence technician, etc. There are easily less than 100 full-time forensic artists in the United States, and they are usually employed by the federal government (FBI, CIA, etc) or in large cities like Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles. 

Doing composite sketches used to be the “foot-in-the-door” to the field, and how most artists got started: A person would get hired by a law enforcement agency, get some training in composite art, then go out and do sketches. It’s not that way anymore. Surveillance cameras are everywhere, and everybody has a camera in their pocket. You can pay a lot of money to take a class, just have no illusions that it will help you in getting a job. 

If you want to work at the FBI:
Unlike most other forensic artists, artists at the FBI do everything: post-mortem imaging, facial approximations from the skull, fugitive age progressions, demonstrative evidence for federal trials, crime scene documentation, courtroom testimony, and many other (cool) things I’m not allowed to talk about.

You are going to need a bachelor’s degree, drawing and design skill, a Top Secret clearance (or the ability to qualify for one) and very strong 2D and 3D computer graphics experience. You will also need some luck, because even though there are about 20 artists there, the positions don’t open very often. Getting one of those spots is like winning the lottery. Competition is fierce, and the openings are rarely posted to the public.

When I saw the FBI listing in the Washington Post, I pounced. I had a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Art, a Top-Secret clearance, and years of graphic design experience under my belt. I was lucky that I saw that listing when I did, but it was everything else that helped me land the job. So, work on your skills, scour the government job postings under Visual Information Specialist (our official title), and be patient. It could take years for a spot to open.

If you want to do facial approximations from the skull:
You should have advanced art and sculpting skills (clay and digital) and in-depth knowledge of facial anatomy. You also need to have some sort of tie to the law enforcement and/or medical examiner community. Working in pathology, medical illustration, maybe victim services could be a way in. Working in academia can do that too. Instructors in art, anthropology and criminal justice have done facial approximations for their community. Were they paid? I don’t know for sure, but I would hazard a guess they did it pro-bono or for a nominal fee. This is not a job you do for the money. 

Lots of worthwhile opportunities (in any field) can come in from word of mouth. Knowing somebody, or knowing somebody who knows somebody else. It’s how the world works, so get out there and start meeting people. Make contacts. Network.

If you want to do age progressions of missing children:
This work is done at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one of the few forensic art positions that is not in law enforcement. You’ll need drawing skill and 2D and 3D computer graphics experience. You won’t need a secret clearance but there will definitely be a background check. Again, you’ll need patience; there are only four or so artists here, with very little turnover.

If you want to be a freelance forensic artist:
This is honestly a near-impossibility. Forensic artists are part of active, ongoing criminal investigations. They must follow certain protocols, maintain chain-of-custody, and be qualified to testify in court. A law enforcement employee is held accountable for all that; someone on the outside can’t be. I can’t give you any advice other than to say, that I know several people who insisted they would be the exception, and they are no closer now than they were 20 years ago. 

Do you have a career question I haven’t answered?
Send me a DM through my Instagram, and I will answer there in a post for you and others who may be wondering the same thing.  I hope this helps, and best of luck!