  We show that many $2$-dimensional Artin groups are residually finite. This
includes $3$-generator Artin groups with labels $\geq 4$ except for $(2m+1,
4,4)$ for any $m\geq 2$. As a first step towards residual finiteness we show
that these Artin groups, and many more, split as free products with
amalgamation or HNN extensions of finite rank free groups. Among others, this
holds for all large type Artin groups with defining graph admitting an
orientation, where each simple cycle is directed.
