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Senior art director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Scott Foster,

Brian Pirman

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical senior art director skills. We ranked the top skills for senior art directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.9% of senior art director resumes contained graphic design as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a senior art director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 senior art director skills for your resume and career

1. Graphic Design

Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.

Here's how senior art directors use graphic design:

Assisted and mentored graphic designers by providing constructive feedback, technical direction and design modifications as necessary to ensure high-quality output.
Develop creative campaigns including advertising, graphic design, interactive design, Company collateral and new product design and development.

2. Photography

Here's how senior art directors use photography:

Managed eight-person visual team to concept and develop all American Girl catalogs and all merchandising/lifestyle photography for American Girl brand.
Enabled additional cost savings by designing less elaborate sets and utilizing pickup photography whenever possible.

3. Creative Concepts

A creative concept is a big idea that helps in capturing the audience's interest, attracting customers, influencing decisions, and help them to take action. A creative concept can be applied to all communication channels like messages, call to action, emails, etc. Generally, a headline or a tagline is the place where creative concepts play a vital role in successfully attracting the target audience.

Here's how senior art directors use creative concepts:

Develop and prepare creative concepts internally and externally.
Brainstormed and collaborated on creative concepts with account managers and creative director and presented finished creative concepts and campaigns to clients.

4. Sketch

Here's how senior art directors use sketch:

Developed strategic project plans managing and maintaining multiple projects from sketch to print, facilitating high-impact presentations to senior leadership.
Organized and coordinated the conceptual idea of product to the working engineered sketch of product.

5. Digital Marketing

Here's how senior art directors use digital marketing:

Designed and developed print and digital marketing and sales tools, promoting revenue growth and brand awareness.
Provide support for special projects that impact digital marketing, advertising, e-commerce and retail customer experience.

6. Adobe Creative Suite

Here's how senior art directors use adobe creative suite:

Prepared project estimates, timelines and Adobe Creative Cloud/Suite scope.
Illustrated and designed magazine and book covers using programs in the Adobe Creative Suite 3 along with the Creative Suite 2.

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7. Healthcare

Healthcare is the maintenance or improvement of a person's health by the diagnosis and treatment of a person's injury, illness, or any other disease. Healthcare is a basic necessity of human life and is the responsibility of the country's government to ensure that each person gets healthcare. Providing healthcare is the job of certified health professionals that includes doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other physicians. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, dentistry, therapy, and health training all come under healthcare. Healthcare plays a vital role in the country's economy and its development.

Here's how senior art directors use healthcare:

Launched creative platform for GE Healthcare's Diagnostic Imaging business leading to an extensive national print ad campaign.
Led the conception, design and execution of cross channel initiatives for healthcare and pharmaceutical clients.

8. Web Banners

A web banner is used on websites as a form of advertisement to showcase products and services via images situated at strategic positions on the web page. They are mostly rectangular and can be situated at the bottom, top, right, middle or left part of any given web page or online content. A web banner is a popular form of online advertising and doesn't obstruct the viewing process of web visitors like pop-up ads.

Here's how senior art directors use web banners:

Developed the Harvard Business School brochure from concept to design and created digital ad, e-card and web banners.
Created print ads, catalogs, mailers, email blasts and web banners.

9. Creative Solutions

Creative solutions include the process of using someone's creativity to develop new ideas and solutions to problems.

Here's how senior art directors use creative solutions:

Envisioned and developed strategic creative solutions that accelerated growth of target market and insured long-term organizational success and profitability.
Collaborated with all departmental areas to provide creative solutions to increase profit margin.

10. Direct Photo Shoots

Here's how senior art directors use direct photo shoots:

Design, art direction, direct photo shoots, and oversee production for multiple accounts.
Coordinate and direct photo shoots to meet client needs.

11. Creative Direction

Here's how senior art directors use creative direction:

Provided senior art and creative direction for projects produced by advertising and marketing agency.
Provided account management and creative direction for client partners co-branded advertising campaigns

12. Project Management

Here's how senior art directors use project management:

Managed department calendar, project management/coordination, and time/cost estimates for client projects and internal marketing materials.
Provided project management, business development and brand management.

13. Photo Art Direction

Here's how senior art directors use photo art direction:

Jockey for Target: Intimate apparel photo art direction lead.
Provided photo art direction, pre-press color approvals and ownership of brand standards.

14. HTML

Here's how senior art directors use html:

Designed and coded digital solutions for capabilities and event videos, presentations, HTML email, web graphics, and websites.
Assisted in the creation of the SIGMA Marketing Insights HTML Email Standards and Best Practices.

15. Fine Arts

Here's how senior art directors use fine arts:

Coordinated and lead extracurricular Fine Arts activities.
Managed the administrative duties of the Fine Arts Department including filing, organizing calendars, scheduling meetings and planning events.

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What skills help Senior Art Directors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What senior art director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Scott Foster

Associate Professor of Studio Art, Chair of Creative Arts Department, Siena College

Working on a team. The exact project might not matter much, although it's better if it dovetails with your interests or career goals. This could be as simple as volunteering at a non-profit to revamp a website or build an app to measure outcomes.

What type of skills will young senior art directors need?

Brian Pirman

Associate Professor, St. Norbert College

For someone who is contemplating a career in graphic design, I recommend several things. One would be to develop a portfolio that shows a diverse skill-set. This may include expertise in design and layout, photography, illustration, typography as well as animation and video. If you have a more varied skill set, you are more likely to either gain employment or able to do freelance work. The other thing is internships, internships, internships. Having a portfolio of applied work (versus school projects), as long as it's good, will separate you from the competition.

Do you want to know more?

List of senior art director skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a senior art director resume and required skills for a senior art director to have include:

Graphic Design
Photography
Creative Concepts
Sketch
Digital Marketing
Adobe Creative Suite
Healthcare
Web Banners
Creative Solutions
Direct Photo Shoots
Creative Direction
Project Management
Photo Art Direction
HTML
Fine Arts
Creative Process

Mac
Design Concepts
Creative Projects
Creative Vision
Creative Strategy
Creative Development
Concept Development
Client Presentations
PowerPoint
Creative Briefs
Style Guides
User Experience
Brand Development
Print ADS
Website Design
POS

Print Production
Facebook
Design Projects
Print Collateral
Creative Design
Brand Marketing
Collateral Materials
Brand Design
Print Materials
User Interface
Conceptual Development
Design Direction
Promotional Materials
Copywriting
Web Site
Integrated Marketing Campaigns

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Senior Art Director Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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