CREATIVE SERVICE AND VIDEO
Art Director And Graphic Designer • Creative Director
JOB OVERVIEW
These creative people design and direct the creative process that brings an advertising piece, such as the artwork for a CD, cassette, video, ad or other promotional piece, to realization. Art directors sometimes have complete freedom to design, and at other times must realize the concept of the client. Most projects are a combination of gathering ideas from the client and then creating an original design.
SPECIAL SKILLS
To succeed, you should have an education or experience in design, creativity, and strong people skills.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Like many freelance creative types, Brunt has no typical day. He may be art directing a photo shoot, which will take him away from the office from early in the morning until late into the evening. Other days he meets with his staff to review completed work and give new assignments. He may take final comps (mock-ups of a CD) to a client for review and approval, stop off elsewhere to see proofs from a photo shoot, then meet with a new client about creative direction for the design of a CD package. Because Brunt deals with about ten different record companies, he is constantly juggling a variety of projects in all different stages of completion.
CAREER TIPS
“Developing concepts; that is the first part of art direction. If you're good with concepts and you're good with people, you might make a good art director.”
“I'm not convinced you can be taught to be an art director. I think you have to inherently be an art director. I know a lot of people that are talented graphic designers that aren't good art directors, and I know a lot of good art directors that are not graphic designers.”
When art directing a photo shoot, Brunt generally is involved in the initial planning stage of selecting location, clothes, lighting, and giving other creative input. Sometimes he is involved in selecting the photographer, stylist, and makeup artist. On the day of the shoot, he arrives at the location early and is there throughout the day to offer creative input on lighting, angles, setup, and props.
POINTERS FOR THE JOB SEARCH
“There are schools that teach art direction, which is just a matter of developing concepts. Another good way to become an art director is to start out in a studio or an advertising agency and work your way up to the responsibility of having to develop, define, and take concepts all the way through to completion. That is what an art director does.”
THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS JOB:
“In country music, there is a certain framework that is forced on you. They won't let you go beyond a certain kind of type and size and color and image. It is very restrictive.”
THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS JOB:
“I like the challenge of creating something definitive.”
BILL BRUNT, ART DIRECTOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER/OWNER, BILL BRUNT DESIGNS
On the way to becoming an architect, Bill Brunt combined his love of music with a vocation and became an art director. He grew up in Chicago and, although he earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology, was intent on becoming an architect. In 1977, with his undergraduate work behind him, he took time off from school to go on the road as a lighting director for a rock band, with the idea of returning to school later for a master's degree in architecture. Drawing upon his background in architectural rendering, he designed the cover art for the band's first album. “Whether you're in architecture, lighting design, or graphic design, it's really all the same structure. You're dealing with space and moving things around in relationship to one another.” When the band later signed a contract with Mercury/Polygram Records, he continued to do their album covers, and was soon doing the same for other Polygram artists.
When Mercury/Polygram closed their Chicago office in 1982, Brunt knew he would have to move to New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville to continue his career in art direction and design. He began commuting to Nashville twice a month to build up a clientele. He landed a 15-cover greatest hits package for CBS Records that financed his move and enabled him to open his own business. Several of his subsequent projects include Charlie Daniels’ Decadent Hits, and pieces for Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Roy Orbison, Wynonna, and many others. Over the years, Brunt has won numerous national and regional awards for album, video, and advertising design. In 2000, he finally found time to return to school to pursue that master's degree.
Additional topics
Job Descriptions and Careers, Career and Job Opportunities, Career Search, and Career Choices and ProfilesCareers in the Music BusinessCREATIVE SERVICE AND VIDEO - Art Director And Graphic Designer • Creative Director, Designer • Owner Of A Graphic Design Company