An art director is responsible for all the visual elements in an advertisement, whether it's a newspaper or magazine ad, a billboard, or a television commercial. This means an art director is responsible not only for the conception of the visuals, but also for the selection of type face used for both the headline and body copy. It's also up to the art director to find the right photographer or illustrator to create the visual elements needed for an ad. The A.D. is also responsible for seeing that the execution of that photograph or illustration includes everything necessary to give the ad the character and appeal it was supposed to have when it was conceived by the creative team and approved by the advertiser. He must supervise or create the layout of the ad, deciding just which element goes where.
An art director has similar responsibilities in television commercials. Together with a copywriter and a producer, he selects a director or production company to shoot the commercial, then he helps supervise that entire production. He approves the cast (the actors and actresses chosen to perform in the commercial), their wardrobe, and all of the props-furniture, plants-anything that gives his commercial the flavor and feel he thinks it should have. He must approve the set or location for his commercial. He then works very closely with the director to make sure the concept and attitude originally approved by the client are carried out.
Because an art director is charged with so many responsibilities, and because he spends truckloads of his client's money to see that all of his duties are performed properly, it should come as no surprise that rarely, if ever, does an art director begin his career as an art director. Usually he'll start out as an assistant to an art director, because regardless of where you go to school, you get better training in a shorter period of time as an assistant than you would in any other manner. You work with polished professionals who really know their business, and their knowledge, ability, and professionalism rubs off on you.
An assistant A.D.'s salary is nothing to brag about, maybe $8,000 to $12,000 a year to start, depending on the size of the agency you work for, but you'll be learning your craft. You'll learn about type, you'll learn how to do mechanicals, and after a time, you'll get to do layouts and work with photographers, photoretouchers, and illustrators. You'll learn a little about photoengraving, different kinds of paper, and if your work has been very impressive, you may even get to go on a television commercial shoot at some point. (Which is trade talk for saying that you might get to visit a set where a television commercial is being filmed.)
Eventually you'll be the strong right arm of an art director who will be able to count on you to do just about anything.
Now that you know what an assistant art director does, let's talk about what you'll need to do to become one.
Make sure that whomever you do go to work for is damned good. A beginner art director, like a beginner copywriter, should go to work for the best creative director he can find. Don't worry about what accounts you'll work on, or how good the other departments in the agency are. Just make sure you work for someone who can teach you to think.
When you've connected with someone who'll talk to you, make an appointment to show him your portfolio and to discuss your future, even if he tells you right off the bat that he doesn't have a job for you.
The people with whom you interview are very important tools for getting a job. They can critique your portfolio. They can let you know about job openings in their place, as well as in other places around town and around the country. When you start your search for a job, you're going to learn very quickly just how important that help will be, because you're going to realize that there are a lot of bright, talented people out there with you searching for a job as an art director.
But, if you're talented, if you've got good advertising instincts, a good natural feel for what an ad should and shouldn't be, and, as much as anything else, if you've got the guts to stick out the long hard grind that you'll find looking for a job, you'll eventually get what you want.
A career as an art director can also open doors to other careers. Some art directors trade in their layout pads for Nikons and become photographers. Not because they were forced into a career change, but because they saw a choice and made it. Other art directors become film directors or producers. Others stay in the advertising business. They become creative group heads or associate creative directors or even creative directors. Some even open their own advertising agencies.
Most art directors, though, stay with their first love: just making ads. Because, little thrill that it is, the pleasure you experience by coming up with an advertising concept you love is really what makes an art director want to get out of bed in the morning.
True, it isn't closing a big oil deal with some sheik. But where else can you have so much fun so cheap?
