# Art director > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Art_director > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Art_director.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_director > Source revision: 1353061405 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Not to be confused with [Artistic director](/source/Artistic_director). Supervisor of an artistic production This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Art director" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article may contain original research. 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(August 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) *Thoughts on Design,* a book by influential art director and [graphic designer](/source/Graphic_designer) [Paul Rand](/source/Paul_Rand) **Art director** is a title for a variety of similar job functions in [advertising](/source/Advertising), [marketing](/source/Marketing), [publishing](/source/Publishing), the [performing arts](/source/Performing_arts) (including [theater](/source/Theatre), [film](/source/Film_industry), [television](/source/Television), and [animation](/source/Animation)), fashion, the [Internet](/source/Internet), and [video games](/source/Video_game).[1] The art director's role is to supervise the visual style and images of an artistic production.[2] In particular, they are in charge of its overall visual appearance and how it communicates visually, stimulates moods, contrasts features, and psychologically appeals to a target audience. The art director makes decisions about visual elements, what artistic [style(s)](/source/Style_(visual_arts)) to use, and when to use [motion](/source/Motion_graphic_design). One of the biggest challenges art directors face is translating desired moods, messages, concepts, and underdeveloped ideas into imagery. In the brainstorm process, art directors, colleagues and clients explore ways the finished piece or scene could look. At times, the art director is responsible for solidifying the vision of the collective imagination while resolving conflicting agendas and inconsistencies between contributors' ideas. In eastern animated works, such as Japanese [anime](/source/Anime) and [Chinese animation](/source/Chinese_animation), the role of art director (美術監督, *bijutsu kantoku*) specifically refers to the artist in charge of supervising and directing the background art and the background art staff of a particular work, rather than a role unifying a work's overall artistic vision.[3][4] ## In advertising and marketing This section needs expansion with: content on an art director's role in marketing. You can help by adding missing information. (August 2025) Art director and copywriter at an [advertising agency](/source/Advertising_agency) in Detroit, Michigan, in 1942 In modern [advertising](/source/Advertising) practice, an art director typically works with a [copywriter](/source/Copywriting) as a creative team[5] to devise an overall concept (also known as the "creative" or "big idea") for a commercial, mailer, brochure, or other advertisements. The copywriter is responsible for the text (referred to as "[copy](/source/Copy_(publishing))"), and the art director for the visual aspects.[6] Art directors commonly collaborate on execution of the advertisement with other team members such as [graphic designers](/source/Graphic_designer).[7] A benefit of a creative team is that art directors may contribute to the concept or copy, and copywriters may suggest a visual approach. Such collaboration, first pioneered by [Bill Bernbach](/source/William_Bernbach) of [DDB](/source/DDB_Worldwide), is considered to improve the creative work.[8][9][10] Although a good art director is expected to have good [graphic design](/source/Graphic_design) judgment and technical knowledge of production, it may *not* be necessary for an art director to [hand-render](/source/Artistic_rendering) [comprehensive layouts](/source/Comprehensive_layout), or even be able to draw, now that virtually all but the most preliminary work is done on computer. Despite the title, an advertising art director is not necessarily the head of an art department. A team composed of an art director and copywriter is typically overseen by a [creative director](/source/Creative_director).[7] In a large organization, an art director may oversee other art directors and a team of junior [designers](/source/Graphic_designer), [image developers](/source/Visual_arts) and/or [production artists](/source/Production_artist), and coordinate with a separate production department. In a smaller organization, the art director may fill all these roles, including overseeing printing and other production. ## Performing arts ### In theater This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (August 2025) ### In film Actor [Prabhas](/source/Prabhas) with [Sabu Cyril](/source/Sabu_Cyril), production designer and art director for *[Baahubali: The Beginning](/source/Baahubali%3A_The_Beginning)* An art director heads a film [art department](/source/Art_department), working directly below the [production designer](/source/Production_designer) and in collaboration with the set decorator and the set designers.[11] A large part of their duties includes the administrative aspects of the art department. They are responsible for assigning tasks to personnel, such as the art department coordinator and the construction coordinator, tracking the art department budget and scheduling, and overseeing overall quality control. They are often also a liaison to other departments, especially construction, special effects, property, transportation (graphics), and locations departments. The art director also attends all production meetings and tech scouts in order to provide information to the set designers in preparation for all departments to have a visual floor plan of each location visited. The term "art director" was first used in 1914 by Wilfred Buckland[12] when this title was used to denote the head of the art department (hence the [Academy Award for Best Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Production_Design)), which also included the set decorator. Now the award includes the production designer and set decorator. On the movie *[Gone with the Wind](/source/Gone_with_the_Wind_(film))*, [David O. Selznick](/source/David_O._Selznick) felt that [William Cameron Menzies](/source/William_Cameron_Menzies) had such a significant role in the look of the film that the title art director was not sufficient, and so he gave Menzies the title of production designer.[13] This title is now commonly used as the title for the head of the art department, although the title actually implies control over every visual aspect of a film, including costumes. On films with smaller art departments, such as small independent films and short films, the terms "production designer" and "art director" are often synonymous, and the person taking on the role may be credited as either.[11] In the United States and Canada, the [Art Directors Guild](/source/Art_Directors_Guild) is a [labor union](/source/Trade_union) for art directors and related professions in film and television production. ### In television This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (August 2025) ### Other This section needs expansion with: content on art direction in other performing arts. You can help by adding missing information. (August 2025) ## In publishing [Louise Fili](/source/Louise_Fili), former art director at [Pantheon Books](/source/Pantheon_Books), and [Gail Anderson](/source/Gail_Anderson_(graphic_designer)), former senior art director of *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* Art directors in [publishing](/source/Publishing) typically work with the publication's [editors](/source/Editing). Together, they work on a concept for sections and pages of a publication. The art director is mostly responsible for the visual look and feel of the publication, and the editor has ultimate responsibility for the publication's text content.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] [Mehemed Fehmy Agha](/source/Mehemed_Fehmy_Agha) was one of the first art directors in [magazine](/source/Magazine) publishing, having assumed the role first at German *Vogue* in [Berlin](/source/Berlin), and then in 1929 at [Condé Nast](/source/Cond%C3%A9_Nast) in New York, providing art direction for *[Vanity Fair](/source/Vanity_Fair_(magazine))*, [*Vogue*](/source/Vogue_(magazine)), and [*House & Garden*](/source/House_%26_Garden_(magazine)).[14] ## Other See also: [Game art design § Lead artist / art director](/source/Game_art_design#Lead_artist_/_art_director) This section needs expansion with: content on art direction in video games and on the internet. You can help by adding missing information. (August 2025) ## See also - [Production designer](/source/Production_designer) - [VFX creative director](/source/VFX_creative_director) - [Scenography](/source/Scenography) - [Art Directors Club of New York](/source/Art_Directors_Club_of_New_York) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["'33 Things I Know About Art Direction'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120116213231/http://catandbee.onsugar.com/33-things-I-know-about-Art-Direction-19040343). *Catandbee.onsugar.com*. Archived from [the original](http://catandbee.onsugar.com/33-things-I-know-about-Art-Direction-19040343) on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Art Directors"](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/art-directors.htm). *Bureau of Labor Statistics*. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [アニメの美術監督になるには？仕事内容や年収と合わせて紹介](https://creativefreaks.net/0819-2/) [How to Become an Anime Art Director? Job Description and Annual Salary]. *Creative Freaks* (in Japanese). August 20, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Art Director"](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/glossary/art-director/). *Sakugablog*. 30 October 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Kay, Ben (2021-11-29). ["Art director vs copywriter?"](https://www.creativereview.co.uk/art-director-vs-copywriter-advertising-creatives/). *Creative Review*. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Duties and career opportunities of an Art Director"](https://miamiadschool.es/en/art-direction-everything-you-need-to-know/). *Madrid Ad School*. 2022-05-03. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) Inglis, Theo (2023). *Graphic Design Bible: The Definitive Guide to Contemporary and Historical Graphic Design for Designers and Creatives*. Prestel Verlag. pp. 160–161. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-7913-8990-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-7913-8990-5). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** BAYERS, CHIP (2011-08-08). ["Bill Bernbach: Creative Revolutionary"](https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/bill-bernbach-creative-revolutionary-133901/). *ADWEEK*. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Petit, Zachary (2014-03-12). ["Legends in Advertising: Bill Bernbach, the Original Don Draper"](https://www.printmag.com/featured/legends-in-advertising-bill-bernbach/). *PRINT Magazine*. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Bill Bernbach - Creative Hall of Fame"](https://creativehalloffame.org/inductees/bill-bernbach/). *Creative Hall of Fame*. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_11-1) ["How to Become an Art Director"](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/art-director-70426/). *www.backstage.com*. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2025-10-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["ADG - Full History"](https://adg.org/the-guild/full-history/). *adg.org*. Retrieved 2021-04-26. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Preston, Ward (1994). *What an Art Director Does*. [Silman-James Press](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silman-James_Press&action=edit&redlink=1). p. 150. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-879505-18-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-879505-18-5). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Inglis, Theo (2019). *Mid-century modern graphic design*. London, United Kingdom: Batsford. p. 157. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84994-482-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84994-482-3). v t e Film crew (filmmaking) Above the line Actor Lead Supporting Character Ensemble Voice Child Bit Under-five Producer Executive Line Senior Supervising Screenwriter Director Casting director Below the line Pre-production Concept artist Location scout Script coordinator Storyboard artist Production Production Manager Coordinator Assistant Assistant director Location manager Photography Director of photography / Cinematographer Camera Operator Focus puller Clapper loader Digital imaging technician Steadicam operator Electric Gaffer Best boy Lighting technician Grip Key grip Best boy Grip Dolly grip Sound Director of audiography / Sound director Production sound mixer Boom operator Utility sound technician Art Production designer Art director Sets Construction grip Greensman Leadman Matte painter Scenic artist Set decorator Set dresser Swing gang Other Film sculptor Property master Special effects Special effects supervisor Visual effects supervisor Wardrobe Costume designer Wardrobe supervisor Hair and Make-up Hairdresser Make-up artist Talent Acting Acting coach Body double Choreographer Dialect coach Extra Intimacy coordinator Movement director Stand-in Stunts Coordinator Double Performer Other Animal wrangler Other Craft services Script supervisor Second unit Set medic Unit still photographer Weapons master Post-production Picture Editor Colorist Negative cutter VFX creative director Sound Sound editor Dialogue editor Audio engineer Foley artist Voice foley Re-recording mixer Score Composer Music supervisor Music editor Orchestrator Animation Animation director Animator Cleanup artist Inbetweener Background artist Compositor Layout artist Story artist Technical director Character Authority control databases GND 2 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Art director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_director) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_director?action=history)). 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