Image via Complex Original
Many designers and artists dream of becoming Art Directors. Whether freelance or for a company, the career is as coveted as it is difficult to achieve. Like many of the creative jobs we've profiled so far, there isn't one way to "make it" as an art director. As such, we reached out to 10 of our favorite art directors in the industry to give some advice. Enjoy.
RELATED: How To Make It: 10 Rules for Success From Street Artists
RELATED: How To Make It: 10 Rules For Success From Freelance Illustrators
RELATED: How To Make It: 10 Rules For Success From Freelance Writers
RELATED: How To Make It: 10 Rules For Success From Freelance Photographers
How To Make It: 10 Rules for Success From Art Directors
Mario Hugo
Mario Hugo
Clients: Rihanna, J. Cole, Stella McCartney, 3.1 Phillip Lim, ESP Institute, The Decemberists, United Bamboo, Flaunt, Surface to Air, and more
Rule: Fall into holes.
"Learn to claw your way out. Make leaps, have faith. Put the cart before the horse. There is rarely an event as exhilarating as taking on projects or winning business you don't quite know how to execute yet. You learn quick when you've got to."
Rob Northam
Rob Northam
Clients: Nike, Adidas, Nokia, Google, BBC, Bacardi, Honda, Ford, Alfa Romeo, Land Rover, AMD, Samsung, Virgin Atlantic, Heineken, HTC, Axe, Skype, Ubisoft, and more
Rule: Make things hard for yourself and work within tight constraints.
"Less is more when it comes to art direction. Set constraints to work within, and you will find original ideas and creative solutions. Limit your colour palette, only use a couple of fonts, stick to your own grids, etc. The tighter the creative constraints, the more unique the outcome will be. Keep your sense of humour. Creatives lead privileged lives, so don't take yourself so seriously, but instead invest the hours to master your craft before becoming an art director."
Website
Sara Cwynar
Sara Cwynar
Clients: New York Times Magazine (Graphic Designer), Lucky Peach Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, The New Museum, Globe Clothing, Print Magazine, and more
Rule: Do whatever you want.
"At first, this will mean doing that thing for free (and probably on the side of what you have to do for money), but eventually, in my experience, the two will become the same thing. Then our job is the best."
Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister
Clients: IDEO, Sappi Paper, Red Bull, The Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones, Guggenheim Museum, New York Times Magazine, Technology Review, and more
Rule: If you want to explore a new direction professionally, it is helpful to try it out for yourself first.
"It's difficult for me to go into new territory on a client project; I'm either too responsible or too scared. There is a danger that I wind up just repeating myself, doing the things that proved to work in the past. Making little forays into unexplored areas on my own time makes this much easier and allows me to use the findings on regular projects."
Sagmeister & Walsh's "Six Things" exhibition is on view at the Jewish Museum in New York City until August 4, 2013.
Robert Lenne
Robert Lenne
Clients: Artsy (Head of Design), Product (RED), Save the Children, Swedish Postal Office, Swedish Public Television, Ford Motor Company, Forum For Living History, and more
Rule: Mind your mark.
"The world is shaped by people who make—whether they make art, buildings, stories, or businesses.
What we make shapes the people around us and the people who will come after us. Makers have a responsibility to reflect on the impact of what they put out in the world.
Forget about being an A-player. Forget about your personal brand and your ego. Avoid working in artificial incentive structures that reward achievements which don't matter or are just plain damaging. All the useless pieces of plastic piling up in landfills and all the value-twisting advertisements covering our cities were created by talented, hard-working people led to believe they were doing Something Important. Don't fall for it.
Leaving the world slightly more inspiring, beautiful and sustainable than when you found it—that's success to me."
David Calderley
David Calderley
Clients: Station Films, Disney, Converse, John Varvatos, New York Times, Interscope, Zoo York, Virgin France, Parsons School of Art NYC, and more
Rule: Notice things.
"I came across the comment scrawled on the sidewalk downtown on 5th Avenue. It had a profound effect on me. Good art, design, or music stirs an emotion inside of us and connects outside of just being 'cool' or fashionable. If we try to dissect that code and aren't too distracted by style (which is also important in contemporary communications), your work will be judged on a whole other level."
Drea Zlanabitnig
Drea Zlanabitnig
Clients: New York Times (Graphic Designer), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Park Avenue Armory, The Highline, Bloomberg Businessweek, and more
Rule: Know your content backwards and forwards.
"I've found that the more you are familiar with the content you are working with, the easier it is to make smart, informed decisions. I like to re-read drafts and research the subject before I commission art for a story. Then, it's easier to commission the right person for the job and solve any problems that might arise."
Florian Ludwig
Florian Ludwig
Clients: Isabella Bortolozzi, Susan Philipsz, Cyprien Gaillard, Stephen G. Rhodes, Klara Liden, Schinkel Pavillon, Based in Berlin, and more
Rule: Work with inspiring people.
"My best work has come out of collaborations with interesting clients. The subjects and material you get to work with will inspire you and challenge you to do your best."
Mike Perry
Mike Perry
Clients: AOL, Aldo, American Cancer Society, American Eagle Outfitters, Apple Computers, EMI France, ESPN, Element EU, Kenneth Cole, MTV, Mac Cosmetics, Microsoft, Milk Studios, Nike, Playstation, Starbucks, Target, The Ace Hotel, The Standard Hotel, Ubiquity Records, Uniqlo, Yale University Art Gallery, Zoo York, and more
Rule: Get your hands dirty. Don't steal. Chill out.
"1. Get your hands dirty: This is where the fun happens. Physically making something allows for the unexpected. Get off the computer and see what happens when your brain talks to your hand, and your hand moves in real time.
2. Don't steal: I cannot believe how many times I have heard about or seen art directors copy others work over the years. I once went to a meeting and walked past a designer with two monitors. On one monitor was a piece by a friend of mine. On the other was a Photoshop file that the young designer was diligently trying to copy. This is so wrong. I could write an entire article about the reality of "borrowed ownership." I just want people who say they are creative to be creative.
3. Chill out: It's really exciting that we are Art Directors, but really, we are not saving lives. I think everyone should believe in what they do, but you don't need to pretend that you are the coolest motherfucker in the world because you have art directed some magazine that no one has ever heard of."
MVM (Magnus Voll Mathiassen)
MVM (Magnus Voll Mathiassen)
Clients: Nike, Microsoft, Intel, Adidas, Metro, EMI, Def Jam, Sony PlayStation, Dainese, Fader, Little White Lies, and more
Rule: Seven years = 10.000
"I do not remember who said it—maybe I am just pulling it out of my ass—but it takes seven years or roughly 10.000 hours of pure hard work to master a skill. Talent is primarily just the foundation. In the meantime, it is important to enjoy yourself and be nice."
