Skills
Craft Artist Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in craft artists, and how to build and show them.
What skills do craft artists need?
Craft Artists need technical skills such as craft techniques, design, and photography, plus people skills like creativity and patience. They also use tools such as Potter’s wheels and Kilns.
Technical (hard) skills
- Craft techniques
- Design
- Photography
- Pricing
- Online selling
- Studio management
People (soft) skills
- Creativity
- Patience
- Self-discipline
- Customer service
Tools, equipment and technology
- Potter’s wheels
- Kilns
- Torches
- Looms
- Hand tools
- Online shop platforms
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how craft artists put their skills to work:
- How to price handmade work so you profit
- How to prepare for a juried craft fair
- How to photograph craft work for online sales
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Craft techniques” and “Design.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “creativity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Craft school courses near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our craft artist glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Craft Artist training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.