Art Director

Description: Art Directors formulate art and design concepts and presentation approaches for print, broadcasting, or advertising. 

Knowledge Required: Basic principles and techniques of art and design, website design, graphic design

Skills:  Active listening, oral comprehension and expression, customer service, complex problem solving, management

Career Path: Training in graphic design, photography or drawing, among other forms of art, and putting together a portfolio 

Best Cities for this job: California, New York, Minnesota, District of Columbia, and Illinois have the highest concentration of art directors.

Median Annual Income: National: $95,860 California: $106,330

Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistic predicts a 12 percent growth in employment between 2008 and 2018.

From the field: “The thing I love most about my job is the flexibility I get. I get to wear a lot of different hats. I get to have a hand in pretty much every aspect of the creative process here.” - Nikki Thayer, Art Director, Inigral, Inc.

Associated Curriculum: Digital Media Arts: Introduction to Visual arts and Digital Design, Unit 1