Skills
Product Decorator Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in product decorators, and how to build and show them.
What skills do product decorators need?
Product Decorators need technical skills such as hand painting, pad printing, and screen printing, plus people skills like steady hands and creativity. They also use tools such as Brushes and Airbrushes.
Technical (hard) skills
- Hand painting
- Pad printing
- Screen printing
- Color mixing
- Decal application
- Finishing
People (soft) skills
- Steady hands
- Creativity
- Attention to detail
- Patience
Tools, equipment and technology
- Brushes
- Airbrushes
- Pad printers
- Screens
- Stencils
- Spray booths
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how product decorators put their skills to work:
- How to hand-paint a repeated design consistently
- How to set up a pad printer
- How to apply a waterslide decal
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Hand painting” and “Pad printing.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “steady hands,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Art courses near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our product decorator glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Product Decorator 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.