How to become an advertising assistant art director

Advertising assistant art directors can sometimes work on a freelance basis and are hired when an art director or the supervising art director requests an assistant. Advertising assistant art directors are also known as junior art directors. To work within the art department you must work smoothly with others, there is a defiant pecking order to the department and all must know their jobs and complete them in a timely manner. In order to understand the assistant art director position you must understand the art directors position, being this is the position you will be assisting. An Art director works underneath the department head or creative director. They must also work within a budget as does the creative director in order to stay within the advertising campaign budget. In smaller agencies the art director may manage some accounts.

The art director takes conceptual ideas from the creative director and puts them into a finished layout. Once the ideas are approved the art director also works closely with production to see the project through to completion. On occasion the art director meets with clients and attends photo shoots and printing sessions. In larger agencies they have assistants who they delegate work to and this is where you the assistant art director would come into play. Work that can't be done by the art director due to time constraints or is “too simple” for the art director to do, it is then delegated to the assistant art director. Sometimes this position is an entry level position, but usually this gopher job is entry level only at large agencies. Strong computer skills needed, you must be organized, driven, creative and team player in this position. An assistant art director will need to obtain an education in the field, and work experience, a portfolio or “book” is also required in order to obtain a position. Your book consists of previous advertising campaigns you have worked on. This shows your potential employer your creative skills for creating advertising. The assistant art director position is a stepping stone in order to obtain experience for the art director and creative director positions within the advertising industry.