Courtroom sketch of a typical court proceedings
The basic requirement to become a court artist is the ability to draw, therefore, it is a talent-driven career. Some have gone into education to further develop their artistic talent on different levels while some have just continued the traditional way and never stopped. Whichever angle you choose to pursue art, the fundamental concept is that you must have been born with the talent (that is the foundation of every artist) and if you enjoy it, then you work on getting better at it through constant practice and depending on the style required i.e. realism or caricature.
Getting better involves familiarising yourself with your environment, especially with the court which is anything but a friendly place of work. So, to gain your confidence, you need tomake several trips to the court for experience, that will improve over time. On deciding to make a meal out of the artist in you, through the courts, taking the ideal 6 steps is the way to go….
1. Apply a professional Attitude
It’s all about structure and the disciplinary approach in managing your work as a business, by laying the grounds for accountability, through;
- Purchasing work materials ahead.
- Keeping financial records to help assess progress and filing taxes.
- Arriving at court early, ideally 15 minutes before proceeding starts, to get a seat with a better view.
- Refraining from interrupting or compromising proceedings.
2. Develop a unique style of work
Irrespective of your incredible talent, you need branding to sustain a business. It’s about uniqueness, the idea of providing something above board, when compared to that of your competitors, by;
- Providing quality finished work.
- Creating an impressing identity for your work.
- Provide work depicting attention to details.
- Provide work that conveys the impression, general mood and facial expressions and gestures of the happenings during the court proceedings.
3. Research other Court Artists
In every business, it’s always advisable to associate with like-minded people as they will keep you be ‘in the know’ with things that matter, such as;
- Negotiating the price of your work.
- Knowing the right person or people to offer your work for sale.
- Knowing the right way to approach the market.
4. Locate the court you want to work in
Unlike some professions, you don’t need any government license, qualification or professional body membership to become a court artist, most court artists are freelanced. Therefore, you essentially must strive for work, by;
- Finding courts, to possibly locate high profile cases.
- On arrival at court, check the listing to note who the presiding Judge is likely to be.
- On arrival inform the court clerk that you are there to sketch participants during the proceeding.
- If possible, find out the court’s norms depending on the Judge because while Judge ‘A’ may allow you in on certain terms, Judge ‘B’ might not.
- Originally, the court has a culture of no cameras or recordings allowed and some Judges are still not comfortable with even the alternative option of sketching, especially when they feel that it could compromise the case.
5. Source your Customers
This is the aim for every effort made, having to think of placing a value to your work and your customers agreeing to it. Traditionally, a court artist’s major customers are the media (both publishers, broadcaster and even the internet) but I suggest they extend their service to…
- Judges who would not mind a portrait of themselves while at work, something memorable for them in later years.
- The sketches of the witnesses could be useful for lawyers on preparing for further representation, as the sketches do sometimes capture the mood of the witnesses and all involved, including jurors.
- Court artists can broaden their services by sketching and selling caricature versions of their work.
6. Maintain media presence
The media now serves as a universal marketplace, reaching people across the globe. So, you could be telling your story to a wider audience through arts, by…
- Creating a website with a gallery page.
- Creating a Facebook page to interact with supporters of your work.
- Create a Twitter page to interact, network and share your work.
- Being on Instagram and Linkedin to achieve the above through a different medium.
The idea is for you to go over and above what other people in your profession are doing to create jobs for yourself and possibly, take on an apprentice. Even if you reside in a country where there is no such thing as court artist, try initiating the idea. Be innovative, in this time of modern technology, we can reach people around the world without leaving our comfort zone.
By Deborah Beyioku (CEO-Ochu Group)