Storyboard artist

A Storyboard Artist is a visual storyteller who creates sequential drawings—called storyboards—that represent the scenes of a film, television show, animation, commercial, or video game before production begins. These sketches map out the flow of the narrative, camera angles, character actions, and timing, helping directors and producers visualize how a story will unfold. Storyboard Artists are essential in pre-production, ensuring creative ideas are effectively translated from script to screen and guiding production teams during filming or animation.

Includes people performing activities by hand or computer.

Storyboard artists typically do the following:

• Interpret scripts, scenes, or creative briefs and translate them into visual sequences.
• Sketch scenes frame by frame, showing key character actions, emotions, settings, and camera movements.
• Work closely with directors, producers, animators, and writers to refine the visual storytelling.
• Adjust and revise storyboards based on feedback and evolving project requirements.
• Use traditional drawing methods or digital tools like Storyboard Pro, Photoshop, or Toon Boom for professional presentation.
• Indicate timing, transitions, and special effects within the storyboard for accurate production planning.
• Ensure continuity and clarity in scene progression, pacing, and visual direction.
• Collaborate with other departments, such as cinematography or animation, to ensure consistency across the project.
• Archive and organize storyboard files for production and post-production reference.

The following job titles also refer to storyboard artist:

storyboard and animatic artist
storyboarder
story-boarder
storyboard artist and revisionist
storyboard revisionist
storyboard & animatic artist
storyboard illustrator
storyboard artist & revisionist
story boarder

Storyboard Artists typically work in film, animation, television, advertising, or video game production studios. Many also work remotely or freelance, communicating with clients or creative teams online. The job requires long hours of focused drawing, often under tight deadlines, especially during the early stages of production. Artists may work on multiple revisions as the script or project evolves. While it is a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment, it also allows for creative input and collaboration with a wide range of professionals.

Most Storyboard Artists have a background in animation, illustration, fine arts, or film, often holding a bachelor’s degree in one of these fields. Strong drawing skills, visual storytelling ability, and a solid understanding of cinematography and narrative structure are essential. Proficiency in storyboard software and digital illustration tools is often required. Many artists start with internships or assistant roles in animation or production studios to gain experience and build a professional portfolio. A well-rounded portfolio that showcases sequential art, camera work, character expression, and scene composition is crucial for securing jobs and freelance opportunities.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Storyboard artist is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to storyboard artist.

cartoonist
illustrator
animator
special effects artist
animation layout artist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of storyboard artist.

• Personal directing styles: Understand and analyse the behaviour of specific directors.
• Film production process: The various development stages of making a film, such as scriptwriting, financing, shooting, editing, and distribution.
• Graphic design: The techniques to create a visual representation of ideas and messages.
• Copyright legislation: Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.

These skills are necessary for the role of storyboard artist.

• Manage feedback: Provide feedback to others. Evaluate and respond constructively and professionally to critical communication from colleagues and customers.
• Follow work schedule: Manage the sequence of activities in order to deliver completed work on agreed deadlines by following a work schedule.
• Consult with producer: Consult with a motion picture producer about requirements, deadlines, budget, and other specifications.
• Consult with production director: Consult with the director, producer and clients throughout the production and post-production process.
• Present storyboard: Present finished storyboard to the producer and video and motion picture director. Make adaptations when necessary.
• Adapt to type of media: Adapt to different types of media such as television, movies, commercials, and others. Adapt work to type of media, scale of production, budget, genres within type of media, and others.
• Develop creative ideas: Developing new artistic concepts and creative ideas.
• Analyse a script: Break down a script by analysing the dramaturgy, form, themes and structure of a script. Conduct relevant research if necessary.
• Select illustration styles: Select the appropriate style, medium, and techniques of illustration in line with the needs of the project and client’s requests.
• Use storyboards: Use a graphic presentation to convey, shot by shot, your creative vision and ideas on how a motion picture should look in terms of light, sound, visuals, costumes or make-up.
• Study media sources: Study various media sources such as broadcasts, print media, and online media in order to gather inspiration for the development of creative concepts.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of storyboard artist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Cameras: Types of cameras, such as single-lens reflex cameras and point-and-shoot cameras.
• Photography: Art and practice of creating aesthetically appealing images by recording light or electromagnetic radiation.
• Ict software specifications: The characteristics, use and operations of various software products such as computer programmes and application software.
• Multimedia systems: The methods, procedures and techniques pertaining to the operation of multimedia systems, usually a combination of software and hardware, presenting various types of media such as video and audio.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of storyboard artist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Apply 3D imaging techniques: Implement a variety of techniques such as digital sculpting, curve modelling and 3D scanning to create, edit, preserve and use 3D images, such as point clouds, 3D vector graphic and 3D surface shapes.
• Create animated narratives: Develop animated narrative sequences and story lines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
• Create original drawings: Create original drawings, based on texts, thorough research and discussion with authors, journalists and specialists.
• Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
• Work with playwrights: Work with writers through workshops or script development schemes.
• Use traditional illustration techniques: Create drawings using traditional illustration techniques such as watercolour, pen and ink, airbrush art, oil painting, pastels, wood engraving, and linoleum cuts.
• Create sketches: Draw sketches to prepare for a drawing or as a standalone artistic technique.
• Create digital images: Create and process two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital images depicting animated objects or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modelling programs.
• Use digital illustration techniques: Create drawings using digital illustration programmes and techniques.
• Perform image editing: Edit various types of images such as analogue and digital photographs or illustrations.
• Create 2D painting: Produce a drawing by using a range of digital tools.
• Develop animations: Design and develop visual animations using creativity and computer skills. Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, colour, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
• Design graphics: Apply a variety of visual techniques in order to design graphic material. Combine graphical elements to communicate concepts and ideas.

2651 – Visual artists 

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References

1. Storyboard artist – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Ron Lach