Forensic Art Discipline

Forensic Art Standing Committee FAQs

  1. What is Forensic Art?

    Forensic art is an artistic technique that is used by law enforcement in the identification, apprehension, or conviction of criminal offenders, or aids in the location of victims or the identification of unknown deceased person.

  2. Is this the same as a "Police Sketch Artist"?

    Using the above definition as a guide, the Forensic Artist interviews witnesses and victims of crime, gathering information about the appearance of a suspect, and drawing a sketch to replicate that description. The Forensic Artist will also sketch or use a computer to generate graphic images of missing people, and in some cases, showing how they might have aged over a period of time. The Forensic Artist may also conduct a craniofacial reconstruction of a human skull to provide a "face" to help identify human skeletal remains.

    Over the last twenty years, police artists have evolved from the commonly known term of “sketch artist” to “forensic artist” because they no longer render just composite art. The forensic artist possesses knowledge of victim psychology, post-mortem reconstruction and human aging. These artists currently use new computer technologies and digital imagery to assist in creating more successful investigative images.

    Forensic art encompasses several disciplines including composite art, image modification, age progression and regression, post-mortem reconstruction, craniofacial reconstruction, and demonstrative evidence. However, composite art is traditionally the most commonly known discipline of forensic art. Composite art is most recognizable as the “sketch” that is commonly seen in the news media.

    And with surveillance video playing an increasing important part in police investigations, some Forensic Artists are now trained in collection, processing and enhancement of recorded video. And when the quality of the video is not conducive to enhancement, the Forensic Artist may be required to study the video and render a drawn composite of the suspect.

  3. What skills does a Forensic Artist need to possess?

    Composite art is an unusual marriage of two unlikely disciplines, police investigative work and art. The span of the knowledge base of these two disciplines requires the artist to develop a deep-seated understanding of a wide range of topics as well as a myriad of needed skills.

    Drawing in a competent manner using a variety of media is the first necessity. Being capable of drawing a quality facial drawing would certainly be the second necessity. This can only be realized through study, understanding, and practice of drawing techniques. The police artist should be able to create a quality facial drawing with assured confidence.

    A thorough knowledge of cognitive psychology, behavioral science, interview techniques, and facial anatomy is also necessary. The ability to interview and relate to a victim or witness, or “people skills”, cannot be over emphasized as an essential skill. The purpose is to successfully gather, interpret, and illustrate the information obtained from the victim's memory. The Forensic Artist will regularly interview distressed, traumatized, or uncooperative victims or witnesses and the need to ask the right questions in a sensitive manner to get the best answer is paramount.

    In today’s forensic media climate, a good working knowledge of computers and experience with graphics software such as the Adobe Creative Suites is essential. This digital age that we are in requires the forensic artist to take his renderings to a digital format to be compatible with the rest of the world and how it communicates. A good knowledge of video editing and enhancement software, such as AVID, will be necessary if the forensic artist will be working with captured video evidence.

    A prospective forensic artist should become familiar with photography and the digital camera as this tool is needed in craniofacial reconstruction, documentation of evidence and, in some cases, taking photos of a deceased person for a postmortem reconstruction.

    Living and working in a diverse, multicultural area can pose some communication challenges for the forensic artist so some fluency in one or more secondary languages is a plus.

    And it should go without saying but many find it out too late; you may need a strong stomach in dealing with some human remains. Some forensic art students find that the visual impact and accompanying odor of decomposition can be more than they can handle. And, unfortunately, there is no method of preparation for this experience.

  4. Do you have to know how to draw to be a Forensic Artist?

    Yes, but this answer needs qualification. If you are able to draw using correct perspective, accurately render three-dimensional objects and create a realistic human face, then it would be a given fact that you have studied the techniques and “method of seeing” that is necessary to carry out such creation. It’s not that a student should be another DaVinci or Michelangelo, but that he or she understands and can illustrate the basics of anatomy, light and shadow, depth of field and perspective, detail, and contrast. If the student is able to do these things, then these same principles and procedures can be applied via a variety of media such as digital image software.

  5. Do you have to be in Law Enforcement to be a Forensic Artist?

    No, but it will certainly make life much easier for a Forensic Art practitioner. Being a successful freelance forensic artist is difficult if not impossible and this is attributable to mainly two reasons. First, the law enforcement and medical examiner communities are tight knit groups that are difficult to break into and gain acceptance. Cops are funny people and not trusting of those they are not familiar with and just handing over evidence or a witness to an unknown is simply not done. For a freelance artist to get any attention, he or she would need to assemble a portfolio of composites that were successful and resulted in a capture/conviction. But therein lays the problem because how does one get the successful composites if agencies won’t give one the chance? Exactly. Second, if a freelance person is to eat and pay bills, he/she will need to charge a fee for their services. Police departments, nowadays especially, operate on a very limited budget and not pay fees for outside services without an act of Congress. They will find another agency that can perform the services for them free of charge or they simply will not have the work done.

  6. What kind of training is required to be a Forensic Artist?

    Depending upon which forensic art specialty (or specialties) the forensic art practitioner chooses, their education and training should be geared accordingly with the intention being to “fill in the gaps” of their own training and experience. This is especially important for civilian artists who are not versed in the methods and practices of law enforcement to gain insight.

    A college degree is not necessary but it would certainly be beneficial and possibly make the job easier from a couple standpoints. First, the reports that will need to be generated concerning the work you did on a specific case must be well articulated. This is much easier for someone who is used to putting everything they do on paper. Secondly, you will be working on a daily basis with other professionals who have Doctorates and PhD’s and interacting with them on a level playing field would be beneficial.

    Since it will also be necessary for the Forensic Artist to interact at a professional level with Medical personnel, Anthropologists, Pathologists, Odontologists, Radiologists, and Ophthalmologists, just to name a few, it will be necessary to ingest as much knowledge about these fields as possible. And the following should also be addressed on a level specific to the individual artist:

    1. Basic drawing training/experience and any advanced instruction in drawing that would be available.
    2. Any study available in the areas of anatomy, crime scene investigation, cognitive psychology and interviewing.
    3. Familiarity with computers, their operating systems and file handling.
    4. Formal study or self-study with tutorials in utilizing digital imaging software such as Adobe Creative Suite.
    5. If you are a member of the law enforcement community, attendance at the FBI Facial Imaging class at the FBI Training Facility at Quantico, VA, would be a great benefit. Those not affiliated with a law enforcement agency do not qualify for this training.
    6. Highly suggest attending any forensic-oriented class offered at the Scottsdale Art School or with the Oklahoma State University Department of Continued Learning. Karen Taylor and Betty Pat Gatliff are the instructors for these classes.
    7. Attendance at any of the fine seminars offered by Joe Mullins, Steve Mancusi, Lois Gibson, Carrie Stuart Parks, Chuck Jackson and several other skilled forensic artists.