What is Art Direction?
Art direction is an essential job in the activities related to theatre, advertising, fashion, publishing as well the film industry. All of these fields have a direct or indirect connection with art and therefore require direction and supervision regarding this very aspect of the job. The art director is responsible for how a product turns out visually..
How is Art Direction used?
Zippia reviewed thousands of resumes to understand how art direction is used in different jobs. Explore the list of common job responsibilities related to art direction below:
- Freelance graphic design, illustration, and art direction for a variety of clients.
- Created initial style guides, visual development and art direction for innovative game concepts Designed packaging art Generated storyboard art
- Led visual design and art direction on "Ralph Lauren's Red Racing Challenge" mobile game.
- Managed production of final electronic art, assisted in press supervision and collaborated on photographic and illustrative art direction.
- Designed logos for upcoming products and created advertisements for publication in international magazines, while working under strict art direction.
- Developed branding, brand strategy, creative direction, art direction and identity development for local and international businesses.
Are Art Direction skills in demand?
Yes, art direction skills are in demand today. Currently, 640 job openings list art direction skills as a requirement. The job descriptions that most frequently include art direction skills are designer/artist, art director internship, and designer/illustrator.
How hard is it to learn Art Direction?
Based on the average complexity level of the jobs that use art direction the most: designer/artist, art director internship, and designer/illustrator. The complexity level of these jobs is challenging.
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What jobs can you get with Art Direction skills?
You can get a job as a designer/artist, art director internship, and designer/illustrator with art direction skills. After analyzing resumes and job postings, we identified these as the most common job titles for candidates with art direction skills.
Designer/Artist
Job description:
A designer/artist specializes in developing concepts and visual imagery for marketing, manufacturing, fashion, entertainment, etc. Even if their responsibilities depend upon their line of work or industry of employment, they usually include understanding and identifying project requirements, conducting research and analyses, drawing drafts or developing prototypes for client approval, adhering to deadlines and budgets, and performing revisions when necessary. In some industries, a designer/artist may work with engineers or developers, which requires an open and transparent communication line for optimal results.
- Art Direction
- CAD
- Adobe Photoshop
- Web Design
- Graphic Design
- Adobe Illustrator
Art Director Internship
Job description:
An Art Director Intern assists in concept development and art direction for several agency projects. Art Director interns deliver art direction for development for the local vendor clients. They take part in the art direction of campaigns to get sales. It is their job to lead in conceptual work, storyboards, and art direction for beauty commercials. The necessary skills they need to develop include graphic design, creative direction, product photography, and client presentations.
- Art Direction
- Graphic Design
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Brainstorming
- Creative Concepts
- Photography
Designer/Illustrator
- Adobe Illustrator
- Web Design
- Art Direction
- Adobe Photoshop
- Graphic Design
- Design Concepts
Assistant Art Director
- Adobe Photoshop
- Graphic Design
- Photo Shoots
- Art Direction
- Concept Development
- Adobe Illustrator
Creative/Art Director
Job description:
A creative/art director is someone who provides the conceptual idea behind a project and executes project details. His/Her or her responsibilities include leading a team of artists and developing budgets and timelines. The essential skills that a creative/art director should possess to accomplish such responsibilities include good analytical and technical skills and the ability to adapt to his/her or her team. The job's education requirements include obtaining a bachelor's degree in graphic design, advertising, fine arts, or other related fields.
- Sketch
- Art Direction
- Photography
- Creative Direction
- Web Banners
- Graphic Design
Creative Director/Owner
- Graphic Design
- Photography
- Art Direction
- Video Production
- Website Design
- Creative Concepts
Art Director
Job description:
An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign. Most of the time, it is an art director's call to conceptualize and bring a vision to completion and take the lead in coordinating with various artists and creative staff. Furthermore, an art director must oversee the progress of workflow and workforce, develop plans and strategies, and approve or provide suggestions in every creative output from staff.
- Graphic Design
- Art Direction
- Creative Concepts
- Sketch
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Adobe Photoshop
Graphic Artist
Job description:
A graphic artist is either an illustrator or an animator who creates art work that will be used in graphic projects such as advertisements, posters, or even book covers. Although a graphic artist has his/her own style of artwork, he/she may be often commissioned to create art specifically for a particular project. A graphic artist may work with a graphic designer in order to convey the overall message of a project. The portfolio of a graphic artist includes cartoons, illustrations, and graphic novels.
- Graphic Design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Art Direction
- Photography
- Brochures
Studio Craft Artist
- Art Studio
- Adobe Photoshop
- Art Direction
- Adobe Indesign
- Creative Design
- Presentation Materials
Commercial Photographer
- Product Photography
- Adobe Photoshop
- Art Direction
- Video Production
- Photo Shoots
- Lifestyle
Senior Interactive Art Director
- Website Design
- Graphic Design
- UI
- Art Direction
- Design Concepts
- HTML
Director Of Art Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Product Photography
- Art Direction
- Email Campaigns
- Brochures
- Website Design
Senior Designer/Art Director
Job description:
A Senior Designer/Art Director is responsible for the execution and on-time delivery of high-quality creative materials. They determine how best to represent a concept visually and which photographs, art, or other design elements to use.
- Creative Concepts
- Graphic Design
- Web Banners
- Photography
- Art Direction
- Sketch
Art Director And Production Manager
Job description:
An Art Director And Production Manager hires, supervises, and evaluates artistic personnel, including directors, performers, designers, and stage managers. They supervise the production process and ensure that the production is cost-effective.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Creative Concepts
- Graphic Design
- Art Direction
- Adobe Indesign
- Photo Shoots
Graphic Designer/Production
Job description:
A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.
- Graphic Design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Art Direction
- Adobe Indesign
- Signage
Concept Artist
Job description:
The job of a concept artist is to make visual representations of creatures, characters, environments, vehicles, and other artistic assets. You should know about the design and how to create one that needs to blend well with any creative project. Your typical job includes drawing or painting these creative assets and providing references for any ideas you need to illustrate. The general qualifications needed to become a successful concept artist include illustration skills, design understanding, and knowledge of Photoshop.
- Storyboards
- Maya
- Animation
- Sketch
- Art Direction
- Graphic Design
Junior Art Director
Job description:
The job of a junior art director is to plan, assist, and execute the design and creative projects, including websites, emails, magazines, and ad campaigns. Duties may vary but typically include creating presentations and layouts, working closely with other departments on current projects, and organizing and conducting training on branding and design concepts. Additionally, you will be responsible for creating logos, brand standards, and corporate marketing. You are also responsible for creating graphic standards and communication guidelines.
- Graphic Design
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Creative Concepts
- Visual Design
- Art Direction
- Mac
Designer, Printer
Job description:
The duties of a Designer, Printer depend on their place or industry of employment. They are typically a member of a company's creative team where they are in charge of conceptualizing plans and designs according to a project's needs. Their responsibilities often include meeting with clients to identify their needs and preferences, coordinating with graphic designers, and developing print materials in adherence to project goals and requirements. They typically work in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
- Graphic Design
- CAD
- Adobe Photoshop
- Art Direction
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Brochures
Photograph Retoucher
- Product Photography
- Adobe Photoshop
- Portrait Photography
- Adobe Lightroom
- Art Direction
- Color Correction
How much can you earn with Art Direction skills?
You can earn up to $51,173 a year with art direction skills if you become a designer/artist, the highest-paying job that requires art direction skills. Art director interns can earn the second-highest salary among jobs that use Python, $80,576 a year.
| Job title | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Designer/Artist | $51,173 | $25 |
| Art Director Internship | $80,576 | $39 |
| Designer/Illustrator | $48,838 | $23 |
| Assistant Art Director | $77,835 | $37 |
| Creative/Art Director | $125,743 | $60 |
Companies using Art Direction in 2025
The top companies that look for employees with art direction skills are Meta, Ford Motor, and Zillion Technologies. In the millions of job postings we reviewed, these companies mention art direction skills most frequently.
| Rank | Company | % of all skills | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | 27% | 11,300 |
| 2 | Ford Motor | 21% | 2,702 |
| 3 | Zillion Technologies | 12% | 30 |
| 4 | Amazon | 5% | 13,889 |
| 5 | Robert Half | 5% | 8,428 |
Departments using Art Direction
| Department | Average salary |
|---|---|
| Art/Design | $93,473 |
4 courses for Art Direction skills
1. What is Art Direction?
Discover all about art direction as you create a powerful movie poster...
2. Art Direction for the Web
In this course youll learn about art direction; what it means why it matters who can do it and—most importantly—how it applies to the web. If you’re an experienced art director or designer who works in print this course will help you understand how to take your talent to the web. It’s also for web designers and developers who want to understand art direction and how to make it work for digital products and websites. This course is also aimed at developers who want to learn the design principles designers use every day so they can apply to sites on any platform. I also made this Art Direction for the Web course for me because I’m weary of seeing websites which feel soulless and look identical to each other. I hope this course can help change that...
3. The Art of Filmmaking: Film Directing & Video Production
In this Bey Atelier in Filmmaking Vol 1 course, students will learn how to transform an idea from a tagline into a complete cinematographic concept for their film project. This includes the translation of a screenplay into a visual language that tells a story through images and sound design. Through this course, students will gain an in-depth understanding of what it truly means to be a film director. This course is designed for a variety of audiovisual creators, such as filmmakers, videographers, YouTubers, and content creators. Students will learn how to bring their ideas to the screen, improving their audiovisual communication skills. In this course you will learn how to properly direct a cinematographer, as well as sound technicians and other members of the production team. The objective of this program is that you are not only a film director but also a professional producer, knowing every step of a professional production, from the moment an idea is developed, through the correct selection of actors, filming to post production of your film. To properly communicate with a professional film production team, students will learn how a film script works. They will gain an understanding of the cinematic language and the process of creating scenes through cinematic semiotic signifiers, metaphors, and cinematic spaces. In addition, students will learn about the various tasks of the members of a professional production team and how to work with cinematographers to achieve excellence in the visual quality of a film project. This includes using different types of shots and lenses, as well as mastering camera movement and the figure-ground concept to improve the direction of photography. Students will also learn how to direct actors by selecting the best actors for each project and creating a character for them. The course will cover the process of developing a successful casting and the different types of visual narratives to tell a story. Furthermore, students will learn about the film editing process and the importance of the film director's vision in developing visual and special effects. The course will also cover the importance of sound design and how to use it to translate visual scenes into sounds. Lastly, students will learn how to choose the best soundtrack for their movies and film projects, including understanding the difference between diegetic music and scoring. The course will feature beautiful examples on screen to help students fully grasp these concepts. This Bey atelier in filmmaking is all the knowledge I have gained in my career as a film director, actor and soundtrack composer. An academic knowledge enhanced through experience that I want to share especially for you using my best audiovisual works. Baudilio Bey Perez...
4. Art Directing Photography: Delivering a Successful Photoshoot for Your Company
Communicate your company’s visual brand identity with confidence and make stakeholders happy with Brooklyn-based visual artist Aundre Larrow!...