Art Director Job Description

Art Directors

An art director is a person who is responsible for the visual components of a finished product. A book, advertisement, movie, video game, or periodical is a product. Each type of product poses unique challenges, and the term is found in many industries.

The look and feel of the publication must be consistent for an art director to work in. Art directors tend to work on publications. The book art directors focus on the book covers only.

The art directors match the art with the stories in the magazine. There is no set path to becoming an art director. One usually begins as an employee working under someone in the industry.

Artists who want to become art directors must have the skills to manage and organize. An art director is needed for a documentary. They might need one more than most films.

Art Directors: How Do You Create Your Images?

The visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions are the responsibility of art directors. They create the overall design and direct others to do the same. Art directors are usually the ones who oversee the work of other designers and artists who produce images for television, film, live performances, advertisements, or video games.

They decide the style in which a message is communicated. They articulate their vision to the artists. The art director has a vision for the artists to create images, such as illustrations, graphics, photographs, or charts and graphs.

Art directors and design staffs work together to create designs and layout. They work with producers and directors of theater, television, or movie productions to oversee set designs. They have to understand the design elements of projects, inspire other workers, and keep projects on budget and on time.

They are sometimes responsible for developing budgets. Art directors in advertising and public relations make sure that their clients' message is conveyed to consumers. Art directors are responsible for the overall visual aspects of an advertising or media campaign and coordinate the work of other artistic or design staff.

Art directors and directors work together to determine what sets will be needed for the film and what style or look the sets should have. They hire and supervise staff to complete designs. Art directors are self employed, but they still need to work with designers and other staff on visual effects or marketing teams.

Art Directors and Creative Director

You have always been a fan of a creative career. Making the everyday things around you beautiful and visually intriguing is what could better. If you have done any research, you will likely find that the two job titles are very similar.

Both of them could help you leverage your creativity in a meaningful way. You are correct. The roles can be very similar.

Brian Smith, creative director at FullStack Labs, says that art direction and creative direction at small agencies will have a lot of overlap. There are some specific details associated with each career that can help you compare and contrast the duties of art directors and creative directors. The creative director is in meetings with clients, leads team sessions of ideas and is the one who comes up with the initial concepts of a project.

They map out future plans and make sure the process matches the client's goals. The role is centered on team management and providing creative vision. The creative director might get further into the project with the team and contribute to certain aspects.

Other creative directors may make course changes as needed. The art director executes the details of the project while the creative director provides conceptual idea. Art directors are responsible for heading up their teams and creating the aesthetic of the piece once the concept is out on the table.

Art Director Job Description Template

We've made that distinction, so let's take a deeper look at what an Art Director does. We'll take a look at five real Art Director job descriptions and then we'll give you a template and salary information to make your own Art Director job description. Art Directors are responsible for the integration of design with strategy.

They are usually a member of the Creative or Marketing Team and work with the Communications Team, Software Developers, Project Managers and anyone else involved in the execution of a design project. We created an Art Director job description template that combines all of the important information from the job descriptions into one cohesive template. It is possible to modify it to better reflect your company's culture and personality.

Art Direction for a Motion Picture Animation

The visual style of the animation is overseen by the art directors. The rest of the art department is dependent on how the characters, props and environments look. Art directors begin by examining the script and working with the director to understand their vision for the film.

They then create their designs and pick out their tone, mood and colour. The work of an art director is more specific than the work of a concept artist. Art directors have to understand what the final, on-screen image will look like and how to get there in order to determine the design language of the film.

Online Art Director Jobs

The art director is the one who coordinates the efforts of each team to complete the final project. They make sure that everything is running smoothly and that they follow the creative brief. The art director is the final set of eyes before a design is presented to a client or published.

The role of the creative director is different from the art director's. The final say on the work that goes to the client is usually held by the creative director. The art director will usually take over the project from the creative director in the early stages.

The art director is often the one who is in charge of the individual elements of the project through the production and edit stages, rather than the big picture thinker that the creative director is. There are many different ways to become an art director. You could get a degree in art.

You could use a stellar portfolio to build your career and get up the professional creative ladder without formal training. If you have limited experience in a creative field, a degree in art is often a minimum requirement for most art director jobs. You can find an art degree that fits your interests and skills.

A degree in art isn't the only way to find an art director job The best way to gain professional experience that can't be found in an art degree program is to actually do the job and work in the field. Online jobs are ideal for some art directors.

How Much Do Art Directors Make in the United States?

The process of bringing an idea to life is overseen by art directors. The art director doesn't need to learn how to draw or code just as the majority of the creative team don't.

The job description of an art director is not always the same. Art directors are usually the ones who oversee the work of other designers and artists who produce images for television, film, live performances, advertisements, or video games. They decide the style in which a message is communicated.

They articulate their vision to the artists. How much does an art director make? The median salary for art directors was $94,220 in 2019.

The highest-paid 25 percent made over $120,000, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made less. An art director is focused on aesthetic things, whereas a creative director is more focused on strategy, campaign execution, and more. An art director will know the names of the fonts that will work if a creative director requests a bold one.

How much does a Creative Director make in the US? The average Creative Director salary in the US is $126,075, but the range is between $105,222 and $150,007. Most producers and directors have a bachelor's degree, but you can become a creative director without one.

What Makes an Art Director?

An art director is a part of most creative fields. It's an impressive job title that is used in a lot of different areas. If you're just starting out, you probably want to know what you have to do to get the top job.

If you are already on the path to becoming one, you might want to read on to make sure you haven't stumbled off the road. Ben Brears, strategic design director at Robot Food, says that the agency models of the year have become more fluid and individual roles have become less defined. It's not easy to accurately summing up a role in one or two words, and in many companies, employees will take on a number of different tasks within their day-to-day structure.

What makes an art director great? It's not all about creativity, you're also going to need to have the right temperament and personality for the job. "For me, an art director needs to be open to influence, inspiration and the expertise of the people around them, as well as appreciate their talents, strengths and weaknesses, while maintaining a clear vision of delivering a message that speaks directly to the reader, viewer or user," says Fenton.

Art Directors: Compensation, Compensation and Hours

Art directors in advertising and marketing communicate their message visually. Art directors help design or choose art for magazine and book covers. They can also create or manage website visuals.

The main directors and the art directors will work together to create sets. They will work with set designers to complete the design. Art directors' salaries vary depending on factors such as their years of experience and the size of the company.

Art directors working for large corporations can easily make six figures a year. The salary link is where you can find the most up-to-date salary information. A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is required for art directors.

Some art directors may want to get a Master of Fine Arts to improve their skills and increase their professional worth. Most art director jobs don't require advanced degrees. Art directors who work in a creative field tend to develop their skills through experience.

If they need to have specialized skills in their job, they may take additional courses. If they work online or with digital media, art directors might take website design and class. Art directors don't need a license or certification to get hired.