Art Directors

Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions. They create the overall design and direct others who develop artwork or layouts.

Duties

Art directors typically do the following:

• Determine how best to represent a concept visually
• Determine which photographs, art, or other design elements to use
• Develop the overall look or style of a publication, an advertising campaign, or a theater, television, or film set
• Manage graphic designers, set and exhibit designers, or other design staff
• Review and approve designs, artwork, photography, and graphics developed by other staff members
• Talk to clients to develop an artistic approach and style
• Coordinate activities with other artistic and creative departments
• Develop detailed budgets and timelines
• Present designs to clients for approval

Art directors typically oversee the work of other designers and artists who produce images for television, film, live performances, advertisements, or video games. They determine the overall style in which a message is communicated visually to its audience. For each project, they articulate their vision to artists. The artists then create images, such as illustrations, graphics, photographs, or charts and graphs, or design stage and movie sets, according to the art director’s vision.

Art directors work with art and design staffs in advertising agencies, public relations firms, or book, magazine, or newspaper publishing to create designs and layouts. They also work with producers and directors of theater, television, or movie productions to oversee set designs. Their work requires them to understand the design elements of projects, inspire other creative workers, and keep projects on budget and on time. Sometimes they are responsible for developing budgets and timelines.

The following are some specifics of what art directors do in different industries:

In advertising and public relations, art directors ensure that their clients’ desired message and image are 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, such as graphic designers.

In publishing, art directors typically oversee the page layout of catalogs, newspapers, or magazines. They also choose the cover art for books and periodicals. Often, this work includes publications for the Internet, so art directors oversee production of the websites used for publication.

In movie production, art directors collaborate with directors to determine what sets will be needed for the film and what style or look the sets should have. They hire and supervise a staff of assistant art directors or set designers to complete designs.

Art directors held about 101,000 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of art directors were as follows:

Self-employed workers	59%
Advertising, public relations, and related services	12
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers	3
Motion picture and video industries	3
Specialized design services	3

Even though most art directors are self-employed, they must still collaborate with designers or other staff on visual effects or marketing teams. Art directors usually work in a fast-paced office environment, and they often work under pressure to meet strict deadlines.

Art directors need at least a bachelor’s degree in an art or design subject and previous work experience. Depending on the industry, they may have worked as graphic designers, fine artists, editors, or photographers, or in another art or design occupation before becoming art directors.

Education

Many art directors start out in another art-related occupation, such as fine artists or photographers. Work experience in art or design occupations develops an art director’s ability to visually communicate to a specific audience creatively and effectively. Workers gain the appropriate education for that occupation, usually by earning a bachelor of arts or bachelor of fine arts degree.

Some art directors earn a master of fine arts (MFA) degree to supplement their work experience and show their creative or managerial ability.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Most art directors have 5 or more years of work experience in another occupation before becoming art directors. Depending on the industry in which they previously worked, art directors may have had jobs as graphic designers, fine artists, editors, photographers, or in another art or design occupation.

For many artists, including art directors, developing a portfolio—a collection of an artist’s work that demonstrates his or her styles and abilities—is essential. Managers, clients, and others look at artists’ portfolios when they are deciding whether to hire an employee or contract for an art project.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Art directors must be able to listen to and speak with staff and clients to ensure that they understand employees’ ideas and clients’ desires for advertisements, publications, or movie sets.

Creativity. Art directors must be able to come up with interesting and innovative ideas to develop advertising campaigns, set designs, or layout options.

Leadership skills. Art directors must be able to organize, direct, and motivate other artists. They need to articulate their visions to artists and oversee the work as it progresses.

Resourcefulness. Art directors must be able to adapt their latest designs to the changing technology used in their industry.

Time-management skills. Balancing competing priorities and multiple projects while meeting strict deadlines is critical for art directors.

The median annual wage for art directors was $92,780 in May 2018.

The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $52,160, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $172,570.

In May 2018, the median annual wages for art directors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Motion picture and video industries	$117,360
Advertising, public relations, and related services	95,130
Specialized design services	93,270
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers	81,060

Employment of art directors is projected to show little or no change from 2018 to 2028. Art directors will continue to be needed to oversee the work of graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, and others engaged in artwork or layout design.

Employment of art directors is projected to decline 10 percent in the publishing industry from 2018 to 2028 as traditional print publications lose ground to other media forms. Rather than focusing on the print layout of images and text, art directors for newspapers and magazines will increasingly design for web and mobile platforms.

Job Prospects

Strong competition for jobs is expected as many talented designers and artists seek to move into art director positions. Prospective art directors with a strong understanding of how to create intuitive, user-friendly designs will have better prospects working with interactive digital platforms. Workers with a good portfolio, one that demonstrates strong visual design and conceptual work across all multimedia platforms, will have the best prospects.

Employment projections data for art directors, 2018-28

Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2018	Projected Employment, 2028	Change, 2018-28		Employment by Industry
				Percent	Numeric
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Art directors	27-1011	101,000	101,800	1	900	Get data

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of art directors.

	Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2018
	Craft and Fine Artists	Craft and fine artists use a variety of materials and techniques to create art for sale and exhibition.	See How to Become One	$48,960
	Fashion Designers	Fashion designers create clothing, accessories, and footwear.	Bachelor’s degree	$72,720
	Graphic Designers	Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers.	Bachelor’s degree	$50,370
	Industrial Designers	Industrial designers combine art, business, and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products.	Bachelor’s degree	$66,590
	Multimedia Artists and Animators	Multimedia artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.	Bachelor’s degree	$72,520
	Photographers	Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images.	High school diploma or equivalent	$34,000
	Writers and Authors	Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media.	Bachelor’s degree	$62,170

For more information about art directors in advertising, public relations, or publishing, visit:

Art Directors Club

For more information about art directors in film and television, visit:

Art Directors Guild

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Art Directors