So You Want to Be an... Art Director
Art Schools and a Career as an Art Director
Art directors work in a variety of capacities from designing and managing the backgrounds for movies, television shows, and television ads, to overseeing the visual images that go into print advertising, to directing the layout and visual design of magazines. In almost all cases, the work of art directors combines visual design and project management tasks.
What Kind of Art Education Goes Into Becoming an Art Director?
There are a variety of art-related programs that can prepare you for a career as an art director. A degree in visual communications is one possible art education path that can open a future as an art director. Degrees in visual communications are available at all levels, from associate's degrees through advanced degrees. Art-focused programs like bachelor's of fine arts or master's of fine arts degree programs can also be excellent preparation for a career as an art director. Earning a degree in marketing or communications with a focus in visual communications can be yet another inroad to a career as an art director.
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Where Do Art Directors Find Work?
Advertising agencies are a major employer of art directors, who work within ad agencies to do everything from designing sets for television commercials to choosing images for print advertising. Film production companies also employ art directors, using them to manage the background scenes for movies. Television networks and television production companies employ art directors in a similar capacity. Magazines and catalogs are another major employer of art directors. Art directors can also find work designing and managing visual communication projects for businesses from fashion marketing companies to car manufacturers.
