CREATIVE DIRECTOR (ART) – UK & EU BASED, AVAILABLE GLOBALLY
But what does it mean?
The Art in
Art Direction
Often when telling people what I do for a living there tends to be the million-dollar-follow-up question of “But what does that mean?”. And truth be told, I usually struggle to put it in words - I conceptualise ideas, but visualise them too, I come up with ways to represent a “feeling” or a “message”. And usually I end up in a spiral of abstract explanations that leave the other person probably thinking I’m just another arrogant creative that failed at becoming an artist.
But really, what is art direction or the art of a campaign? What does that mean?
Just like any other creative practice - and big disclaimer here - it’s subjective and dependent on your own perception and experiences.
At its core, art direction to me is so much about shaping how a story feels visually and how it translates emotion and meaning into something that will resonate and stay with people.
I think I do what I do because I realised through art how much representations can move people. And not only visual representations but written words, sounds and experiences too.
Art has driven me for as long as I can recall, especially through music and paintings. I was thirteen when I first visited the Musée de l’Orangerie and still remember how I could not leave the room of Monet’s Les Nymphéas - first time the combination of light and colour made me feel something so strong that I could not stop thinking about it, even to this date.
This same principle is what’s been pulling me into art direction and visual storytelling throughout the years.
I became obsessed with painters that encapsulated feelings, volatile moments or described emotions on canvas only by playing with composition, light and colour. Obsessed with how someone’s interpretation of something real - and yet so subjective - could still connect with millions of viewers at such a personal level.
And I’ll forever thank my nan - who graduated in Art History after retirement - for nurturing this obsession over the years.
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Through the years, when approaching projects I always seek in this "art" three evoking pillars that guide my decisions throughout the process;
There has to be something in the work that moves the audience emotionally - a detail, the light, the set, casting, something that helps people feel rather than just view.
It needs to build layered storytelling. Something that helps get the most of the narrative visually and aims to go beyond the product. A combination of intricate yet intentional decisions that help paint a fuller picture of the brand’s world and its audience.
It has to sit within its cultural context. Relevant to the moment, resonant to its audience and able to carry a conversation beyond just some temporary visuals.
Visuals carry meaning and hold an emotional layer that feels deeply personal. They are “experienced” by audiences but so much of what they tell us is about ourselves, others and how we see the world. A typeface, a style of photography, even furniture on a set - they can all trigger a memory or recognition, even when this may not even be the intended message behind them.
Expressing feelings and encapsulating emotions isn’t just about aesthetics, but also responsibility. Visuals don’t exist in isolation without context, so as creatives we hold power to shape perception and with that comes the need to look at our work from multiple perspectives.
It’s not just about our own vision, but about ensuring the message is represented fairly, avoids harmful shortcuts and reflects the complexity of the world and culture we live in.
Truth is so much of my work and art direction is subjective, not theoretical.
It’s partly a never ending eye-training exercise and partly instinct. A guttural feeling that visual decisions simply feel right.
And perhaps that’s where art direction lives. It isn’t in a pixel-perfect poster or a sale driven ad, but in the intricate details that make the ordinary feel special and remind us that we’re human.
Collective creations, built through collaboration, strategy, and instinct, with the purpose and ability to move us. There are still stories to tell, even in a saturated world like today's.
So next time someone asks me what art direction is, I’ll share this blog. Because personally, it’s not about selling, it’s about telling visual stories and creating worlds people can step into, even if only for a moment.