"Be fearless" - Insights into life as an art director

Date
6 July 2016

Collaborating with a team is crucial to progress as an image-maker. No one succeeds alone. The right blend of skills and talent is vital. In a series of articles in association with Mastered, It’s Nice That will be publishing new content that will offer insight and advice for creatives looking to further their careers. We kick off by speaking to a number of art directors about how they arrived in the role and what it takes to lead a creative team.

Becoming an art director is a coveted position. The job puts an individual at the heart of the creative process and requires numerous skills as well as artistic vision. It’s Nice That spoke to three creatives about what they have learned on the way to becoming an art director and asked them to share their insights. We interviewed Becky Smith, editor and creative director of fashion magazine Twin and visual director at Stella McCartney; Shazia Chaudhry who has been art editor at the Independent New Review, Icon magazine and recently redesigned Jocks and Nerds magazine; and Ric Bell, founder of London agency Post who has just delivered issue two of Brick magazine.

Starting out.

All three of the art directors we spoke to studied graphic design at university. From this point their career paths diverge and all of them expressed that a wealth of experience was fundamental to success. Becky started out at Vogue, before moving on to Wallpaper and then Harpers Bazaar before launching her own titles Lula and Twin. “I wanted more of a challenge then so I went into advertising: first working for Nike at AKQA, freelancing at Y&R and right now I’m visual director at Stella McCartney,” she says. Shazia moved into print, gaining experience while working at Grand Designs Magazine and Icon before moving to the Independent where she worked as art director of the New Review. Ric, meanwhile, took part in D&AD New Blood and New Designers after graduating, before undertaking a series of internships, including some time spent at Saatchi & Saatchi. “I worked at a range of studios, I did everything from corporate branding to interior design,” says Ric. “I think seeing the different scales of businesses and operations was important, learning how things operated in a really huge company is incredibly useful.”

The joys of art directing

Job satisfaction can take many forms. A common theme among the trio of art directors we spoke to was the pleasure of collaborating effectively. “I love developing concept and building teams/collaborating – whether that be with a photographer, stylist, hair and make-up – to work well together under my guidance,” says Becky. “Or working with a team like at Stella where you have so many different people with unique talents.” Ric concurs that teaming up with other talented people is an inspiring way to work. “You can have a really good idea, but unless you are surrounded by people who have the skills to execute it, you won’t do the idea justice,” he says. “Always surround yourself with people better than yourself.” The outcomes of any project remain something to be proud of too. “For me, when you get an issue back with your work in it, it’s an important moment,” says Shazia. “The finality of it, and the tactility of an object that will be around forever is satisfying.”

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Becky Smith: Twin Magazine

The challenges

Of course, with great power comes great responsibility, and overcoming the many challenges and obstacles that present themselves is an important learning process. “The industry is changing massively, editorial is growing in a different way and I’ve had to learn to adapt to the market,” says Shazia. “When The Independent shut, it was an incredibly difficult and sad time. I had to adapt and it gave me to opportunity to go freelance and take on different jobs – such as the_Jocks and Nerds_ redesign.” Ric was keen to point out that communication can be challenging, particularly within the client/creative relationship. “If you can communicate your ideas well to clients and collaborators, then the outcomes will be better,” he says. “Every time you do a project you learn how to talk about ideas and work more.” When there are setbacks, it’s important to respond in a positive way, as Becky explains: “I was ripped off by a few people a lot in the beginning- and promised things that I never got. However, it made me stronger and it was a good lesson to go and do my own thing, in my own way.”

Staying ahead of the game

The amount of work that goes into coming up with new and inventive ideas requires dedication. All three art directors stress that an engagement with the world beyond design is an important source of inspiration. “I make obsessive notes and screenshots on phone,” says Ric. “It becomes an archive, which I can draw from.” He also finds that his workspace and location have an influence on his creative awareness. “We have a shared studio and people from very different disciplines come in and use our space. People who are in tech or marketing for example – I over hear conversations and see their work and it reminds me that there is so much else going on.” Another common idea was to look beyond the world of design. “If you look at the wider world, the news and the economy, it provides an awareness beyond what others in the field are doing,” says Shazia. “It can inspire you to try new things.”

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Shazia Chaudhry: The New Review

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Shazia Chaudhry: Design Report 2015

Learning from the best

On the journey from graduate to professional, it’s important to expose yourself to a breadth of ideas and ways of working in order to formulate an approach that suits the way you work and lets you get the best results. Throughout your career you will meet any number of inspiring people to learn from and be inspired by. “James Kent at Kent Lyons (now Why) gave me my first job,” says Ric. “He gave me freedom to experiment and have the confidence to try ideas. Then there was Jon Cefai who runs Collaborate, he taught me about craft, how to communicate ideas and how to present.” You don’t necessarily need direct contact to learn from people either, close analysis of someone’s work can teach you a lot. “I really like the work of Matt Willey for The New York Times Magazine and what he did for Elephant. He designed the Independent before I arrived, so I saw his influence when I worked at the paper,” says Shazia. “He has a great ability to enhance stories through design.”

One key piece of advice:

Ric: “The wider your experience in your formative years as a designer, the more you will learn and be able to draw from in the future. For me, being an art director is more of an attitude, which is gained through experience of working”.

Shazia: “Never stop drawing and doodling. It’s a way to consolidate and visualize your ideas. It’s a fantastic skill to have and develop whether you are a designer or an art director.”

Becky: “Be fearless, work hard, treat people well, collaborate, teamwork helps and try to enjoy it all!”

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Ric Bell: Brick Magazine

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Ric Bell: Brick Magazine

Collaboration: Mastered is a free short course by Mastered, the talent company for creatives in fashion. Featuring Nick Knight, Fabien Baron, and a host of other expert collaborators – you will be challenged to create stunning images and learn how to collaborate better as a team. It is completely free to enrol, and you can do so by following the link below.

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