How to Art Direct great ideas

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

youtube.com/watch?v=BHvGEJtcvrM

“Decide what you want to do, and do it”

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

Find you own creative process

This is awesome This is tricky This is shit I’m shit This might be okay This is awesome

Be a creative sponge

Never stop

feeding your mind

Look beyond your screens

for inspiration and ideas

Look up for

inspiration

This old sign is still live

today on Sydney’s busiest

shopping mall.

Look

inside for

inspiration

www.  creativity-online.com

www.adsoftheworld.com/

www.directnewideas.com

Inspiration is all around you

Write your ideas

down. Sketch,

snap & scan

them.

Always have the product on your desk

Taste Touch See Smell Hear

Ever wondered why

artists have so many different brushes?

Free your thinking.

If you get stuck,,

swap pens and the

ideas will soon flow.

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

S i m p l e i s a l w a y s b e s t

S i m p l e i s a l w a y s b e s t

Never fear white space

oagworld.com/design/why-whitespace-m

atters/

If the idea has

an unreal twist,

use illustration

to help bring it

to life

Reflect your ideas

Is there an idea in the logo?

Or on the

bottle?

Visualise the benefit

A quick and easy way to grab attention

Flip the image

Maintain eye contact

Sharbat Gula was the subject of Steve McCurry's "Afghan Girl."

Select your shots carefully

Alberto KordaHavana 5 March 1960

And crop

with care

Alberto Korda - Havana

Avoid visual cliches or your ideas will fail

Complete kit

The exception

Versatility

The exception

Family

The exception

20 more visual cliches to avoid

Opposites always attract attention

Helvetica

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

Designing by the rule of thirds

designmodo.com/rule-thir

ds-grid-outline/e

Grids are good

The Golden Section and the theory of composition

1505

2015

Know when to stop.

Mr. Robert Waters High School Art Teacher

“If it looks right. It is right.”

Try another view  

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

Love and

understand

type

Love and

understand

type

Love and

understand

type

www.dafont.com

Ideas in visual type

Don’t annoy your Copywriter (or t

he reader)

If your poor design reduces readability, then expect the worst to happen.

If your poor design reduces readability, then expect the worst to happen.

www.stcsig.org/mgt/docs/readabilit

y-kiss.pdf

When to let the headline do the talking

h#ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnZr0wiG1Hg  

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

The Art

Director’s

secret weapon

desire

motion

emotion

Art Directing ideas in living colour

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

Take

the time

to learn

origami

www.adsoftheworld.com/media/

dm/cocacola_fm_magazine_ampl

ifier

How art direction

can be the idea

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

ART DIRECTING IDEAS

The 10 things Art Directors should show Don

1. Be on time Be prepared, be enthusiastic,

be positive and be yourself. AND visit Don’s site and have

three questions to ask him about the job and his agency.

2. First impressions Begin with a great idea

and end with an even better one.

3. Turn good ideas, into great campaigns

4. Be brutal Edit your work. Three great ideas, always beats thirty three average ones.

5. Variety Show a variety of work across multiple channels, products and brands

- Charity vs FMCGs (Fast Moving Consumer Goods)

- Social vs OOH (Out Of Home)

6. PresentationRemember you’re an Art Director, so presentation is extremely important

Portfolio vs Laptop vs iPad? (Don was a copywriter, so always consider your audience carefully)

7. Flexible Adapt your book for your audience and rehearse each presentation.

8. Craft Show at least one fully Art Directed campaign.

9. Creativity Talk about your creative interests outside of advertising.

10. Advice Listen carefully to all the feedback and act on the advice that feels right for you.

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell

QUESTIONS