What is the Art Director Job?
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- JulienDonkeyBoy
Hi, I'm doing research for a school project, need help understanding exactly what an Art Director is supposed to do, compared to a designer or a creative director...
I've been doing a little bit of research and I'm really confused, Art Director and Graphic Designer looks pretty much the same, some have both tittles...
Don't get me wrong, I like design and art as much as the next person but this situation is confusing.
Also if you could point me to cool sites and famous people I would really appreciate it.
- mayo0
i like your name
- _salisae_0
The question is an involved one because the job function of an AD can change from situation to situation. I have a book titled 'The Education of an Art Director' with loads of interviews with various ADs. It exemplifies the complexity of the position because they each describe their jobs in very different ways.
In a typical situation though, the AD handles the work flow of their designers and keeps the CD aware of any issues that may come up. They're a calendar watcher, design encourager, file handler, meeting goer. They need to understand the project from the largest perspective (client budget, marketing goals, print handling) so they can be sure they are giving clear direction.
- +1falcons_allies
- damn. I'm doing it wrong.grunttt
- This is spot on.rson
- JulienDonkeyBoy0
So who comes up with the concepts, ideas? the over all picture?
- Creative Director.NONEIS
- a mixture of CDs and ADsidentity
- Really depends on where you work, but "tradition" leans to the CD. In practice, it's often not the case, causing an AD to step up.NONEIS
- in my situation the SD makes it ALL happen. AD CD serve as shields from the client so SD can do his magicJayCee
- from = to
JayCee
- margotjames0
Ask my boss. He is an Art Director-- although I can tell you that if he were being completely honest he'd tell you that he does nothing all day long.
- JulienDonkeyBoy0
So far I like stuff MOGOLLON do, and this dude Fabien Baron is pretty dope too, is Alex trochut an Art director? What about that big place Bunch? are they an art direction company? is there an art director at Bunch?
(thanks)
- creative director at bunch?JulienDonkeyBoy
- every design studio will have an art director and a creative director unless someone just quit/got fired_salisae_
- there are no 'art direction companies' .. just studios_salisae_
- usrper0
im cool and famous
- JulienDonkeyBoy0
So they're called Art Direction Studios, and this "Studio" has Creative director/s that will come up with ideas and stuff, art director wil execute it, keep it together, make it work, deal with budgets, hire whoever needs to be hired etc, and a bunch of designers that will work as a team to do the job. is that kind of how it works?
- studderine0
oh boy, i have read so many threads about this...but allow me elaborate on the function of theee Art Director: to steal work. j/k
- Pupsipu0
they're just meaningless labels, like calling cars "automobiles." Or like calling adults "grown-ups." Or like calling astronauts "cosmonauts."
- monNom0
No. Art director is a role in a Design studio, Advertising Agency, or Publication (and others)
Sometimes Art directors are more junior and are responsible for making things look good and not much else. Sometimes they are more senior/middle management and can be involved with strategy, positioning, execution, managing a team of designers and artists and ensuring quality.
there's not a set definition, just like CEO of a home based business is different than CEO of a multi-national
- grumpymonkey0
Timely article for you: http://www.alistapart.com/articl…
- applepirate0
shit all this time i thought they just got to pick the interns.
- HomeCreative0
I was art director for my last agency. My role was to brainstorm ideas, for the creative director to present them and steel all the credit.
Basically in my experience an art director is no different than any other solid senior creative in terms of skill and knowledge.
- alicetheblue0
^
Traditionally, an Art Director works with a writer to brainstorm and come up with concepts and roughs for presentation to CD.
Perfects the choosen ideas (with or without help from a graphic designer)
These days graphic designers are also given a title of "art director"
and an art director, like myself, is sometimes referred as the graphic designer.
- JulienDonkeyBoy0
Is the art director involved in the process of pricing the job? (estimating), I kind of understand the whole deal better, specially that an AD for a magazine and an AD for agency are 2 different things.
- no to pricing - thats production for output. account person does creative estimate.alicetheblue
- again, depends on the studio, the last 3 places I have worked, depended heavily on designers and AD's to develop estimates.NONEIS
- Bam0
an good AD is one who can't describe his function
- kreydle0
There seems to be a divide between "design agencies" and "advertising agencies". Art directors have a larger presence on the advertising side, whereas the role of "designer" is more common on the design agency side. They literally do the same job. Typically, there are more people in an ad agency, therefore they need more titles.
In the short, I know tons of designers that can art direct, but I know few art directors that can design.
- awesome point!JulienDonkeyBoy
- and designers don't get much respect on the agency side ; (mtgentry
- fyoucher10
A Designer is really an intern.
Art Director is really a Senior Designer.
Creative Director is really a salesman who can talk design jargon.
Producers and Account Executives come up with all of the ideas and creative direction.- Oh wait.fyoucher1
- backwards world there!alicetheblue
- Prods and AE's oversee the design direction from behind shoulders.MSTRPLN
- This is why I can't stand 99% of all Project Mgrs. and AEs.Scotch_Roman
- AE's/producers come in from 9-5, shit on ideas, placate the client and leave you with a new creative brief on their way outidentity
- THE TRUTH!MSTRPLN