What an art director really does
You set the visual direction, steer a team to make it real, and sell it to the client.
FieldCreative and media
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Considerable preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for art directors, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Working with the creative director to shape the big visual idea for a campaign
- Meeting with copywriters, designers and production to keep everyone pointed the same way
- Reviewing and approving layouts, copy and proofs your team makes, with specific notes
- Presenting final work to clients and steering them toward approval
- Tracking budget and schedule for your own accounts
- Planning and attending photo shoots and print checks to make sure you get what you need
- Mentoring and directing junior designers
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- Most of your day is talking to people, not designing yourself. Face-to-face discussions: 100% every day; Contact with others: 71% constant contact (O*NET Work Context)
- Deadlines press on you daily and the weeks run long. Time pressure: 76% every day; Duration of typical work week: more than 40 hours 62% (O*NET Work Context)
- You make calls every day, and you own the quality of other people's work. Frequency of decision making: 47% every day; Work outcomes and results of other workers: 23% very high responsibility (O*NET Work Context)
- Managing budget and schedule is part of the core job, not someone else's problem. Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements: importance 84, Core (O*NET task 3)
How people get into it
Usually a bachelor's degree in art, design or a related field (68% of new hires per O*NET survey) followed by several years as a graphic designer, illustrator or similar role. Art director is rarely an entry level job; people move up by building a portfolio and leading projects.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks at Northpine Creative, a fictional company, with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: The trial cannot show being on set at a photo shoot or standing at a press check, or the slow work of hiring and growing a team over months. You direct simulated designers whose work is pre made, so you cannot see how your notes really change a person's output over time. Real client relationships also build over years, which the trial cannot reproduce.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
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Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 27-1011.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.