Alright, Here's the downside.
My art direction experience has all been in the last few years and hasn't been released to the public yet. Unfortunately, that means big scary NDAs.
The Upside...
I'll be breaking down my approach to art direction here. It's a work in progress so apologies if it's not entirely finished when you see it. I'm always happy to schedule a meeting to chat through my experience and my process.
The Process
Client Meeting
This is the most important part of the whole project, which is why it's the first. This is where I sit down with the client, be they internal or external, and figure out what their needs are.
I like to see these meetings as one part information gathering on my part and one part collaboration where the client and I find the best way to accomplish their goals
Trend and market analysis
After the client meeting has happened, it's important to contextualize the work within the broader industry. Both my industry and theirs.
Who is their competition and what are they doing? What is working and what needs to be changed? What style is going to feel the most modern and relevant while also not being so trendy that it's dated before its life cycle has ended?
Who is their competition and what are they doing? What is working and what needs to be changed? What style is going to feel the most modern and relevant while also not being so trendy that it's dated before its life cycle has ended?
Mood and Trend Boards
This is what you see across this page. This is a tool that helps dictate a tone and style for the project. Typically I'll source images from a dozen or two sources, create different moods and then let the client pick which one feels most in line with their brand and specific project.
Time to work
After getting all the necessary information from the client, it's time to actually start doing the dang thing. I'll meet with my team and break down the client's needs and the direction of the project.
This is a very important step because this is where communication breaks can arise. The majority of the time, the designers aren't interacting directly with the client so I have to be very careful to adequately elaborate and contextualize the client's needs for the project. Taking our time here makes the entire process run more smoothly.
After this meeting, the team starts work. I monitor the process at regular intervals and answer any questions the team might have on the project. I'm also the first line of defense against any errors or accidents getting through to the client.
This is a very important step because this is where communication breaks can arise. The majority of the time, the designers aren't interacting directly with the client so I have to be very careful to adequately elaborate and contextualize the client's needs for the project. Taking our time here makes the entire process run more smoothly.
After this meeting, the team starts work. I monitor the process at regular intervals and answer any questions the team might have on the project. I'm also the first line of defense against any errors or accidents getting through to the client.
Client Review
This is where the client gets to see the fruits of our labor. I get to show them the solutions we've created for them and help explain how these solutions will help them reach their goals.
This is also where the client gets to weigh in and make sure that they feel strongly and confidently about the project. Then we go back and make any necessary adjustments and start the review process again. In an ideal world, this would be a one time process, but in practice, it really ends up being a matter of how precise the client's vision is and the kind of budget they're willing to dedicate to achieving the most accurate version of that vision.
This is also where the client gets to weigh in and make sure that they feel strongly and confidently about the project. Then we go back and make any necessary adjustments and start the review process again. In an ideal world, this would be a one time process, but in practice, it really ends up being a matter of how precise the client's vision is and the kind of budget they're willing to dedicate to achieving the most accurate version of that vision.
That's all for now, but more to come soon.
Stay tuned or hit me up and pick my brain.
Stay tuned or hit me up and pick my brain.
