ART DIRECTION

Get to know your Instructor Fred Corazza. With over a decade’s experience working in the Australian, Brazilian, and UK markets, he will introduce you to his expertise and what you can expect to learn during the course.

• Overview of the course curriculum & outcomes
• Course expectations and assignments
• Q&A

Ready to dive in? Get familiar with what exactly an art director does, what skills they require and the core tasks involved. Start to discuss the tools needed including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Figma, as well as beginning an exploration into the creative process in art direction.

• Mastering the tools you need
• The relationship between art direction and other creative disciplines
• Conceptual art director vs. hands-on art director

What really happens in the creative process? This lesson focusses on the different stages - from inspiration and ideation to implementation. You’ll be shown techniques for generating ideas and will start to learn how to refine your ideas through critical analysis and prototyping.

• Techniques for generating & refining ideas
• How to know and research your audience
• What makes a good art director
• Workshop 1: Analysing a Campaign

Assignment #1: Creative Brief
Deconstruct a creative brief and develop innovative ideas and concepts that align with the brief’s requirements.

Want to gain access to the type of art direction insight and skills that aren’t generally taught anywhere? Find out about the overlooked elements of what makes a layout into a great layout, and learn how to break rules in order to create innovative pieces of work.

• Layout composition
• Hierarchy of information
• Typography, art styles & colour theory

Hone your skills and elevate your art direction to the next level. Learn from the best as Fred leads you through an introduction to some of the most legendary art directors in the world. Understand the power of mood boards and learn to create, recreate and recreate again!

• Purposeful art direction
• The power of mood boards
• Learn from the best

Tailor every one of your future campaigns to specific audiences. Get to grips with a deeper understanding of target audiences and the importance of consumer psychology. Analyse successful ad campaigns and gain a new perspective on watching ads with a critical lens.

• The importance of art direction in a campaign
• Ad campaigns and target audiences
• What is a key visual? What is an insight?
• Metrics and evaluation of ad campaigns

Assignment #2: Cannes Board
Develop proactive advertising ideas and create a Cannes Board to showcase your concepts in a visually compelling and persuasive manner.

Want to know about the world of advertising awards and why they’re so important? Develop an appetite for innovative campaigns and start to realise the limitless possibilities of advertising.

• How to present proactive ideas
• Finding the right client for the right idea & vice versa
• Creating a case study

Take a look at where the best places are to start your hunt for references, and learn how much some of the greatest campaigns cost to make. Gain a deeper understanding of the production process required to bring an ad campaign to life. Just a few more key topics that you probably won’t learn about anywhere other than right here!

• Building your references
• Idea ambition vs. budget
• Picking the right production company

Criticism is key, but can you accurately identify the difference between constructive and destructive criticism? Learn all about efficient feedback methods and how to establish appropriate channels for these within a creative team. Start to explore the concept of mentorship and how to leverage this for career guidance and skill development.

• Constructive vs. destructive criticism: how to handle both
• Working with designers
• Feedback & what to do about it
• Workshop 2: Giving Constructive Feedback

Assignment #3: Theme-Based Poster
Explore your creativity and design skills by creating a visually engaging poster based on a theme you are passionate about, using a reference style that resonates with you.

Analysing your client preferences can help to give your audience what they really want. Learn to adapt presentation strategies for diverse audiences, and tailor your content depending on who it’s for. Get insight into how to ensure your presentations have maximum impact - and learn the principles of visual storytelling.

• Understand your audience & learn to read the room
• Strategies for presenting ideas to clients
• Communicating with clients & stakeholders
• Creating compelling presentations with narrative flair

Now is your chance to curate and present the professional portfolio you’ve been dreaming of! By selecting and organising your best work, you’ll get to showcase your diverse skill set and projects. Get useful tips on portfolio best practices, and how to avoid copyright and usage issues in collaborative projects.

• Curating & presenting a professional portfolio
• Portfolio best practices
• Portfolio tools: eg: Readymag, Squarespace, Cargo Collective

Building industry connections can help to carve out your ideal career path. Get the practical skills you need to learn how to network and maintain ties. Enhance your portfolio, refine your interview skills and consider how you want to place yourself within the current job market.

• Networking & building industry connections
• Portfolio & interview tips
• Navigating the job market & career advancement

Assignment #4: Networking Challenge
Proactively reach out to a creative professional you admire but have not previously met, with the goal of scheduling a 1-on-1 chat to showcase your portfolio and seek feedback.

Embrace immersive technologies including VR and AR in Art Direction. Learn to navigate the AI landscape - understanding both its challenges and opportunities. Future proof your career path by getting on board with digital literacy, technical skills and an appreciation of interdisciplinary knowledge.

• Understanding immersive technologies
• AI in art direction - including risks & benefits
• Skill development for the future

FINAL PROJECT: Portfolio Revamp & Creative CV
Apply the foundational principles you’ve learned regarding art direction portfolio design to your own portfolio. Implement feedback to create a professional-grade portfolio that authentically reflects your vision, skills, and desired career trajectory.
Develop a CV tailored to specific job opportunities of industry sectors, highlighting your strengths in the art direction field.