how art direction works

Having taken a look at what exactly art direction is, it’s worth briefly examining how art direction works, before tackling this in more detail in the chapters that follow. A good place to start is by looking at David Christensen’s analogy of art direction as a ‘window’.

Just as a window is essentially a transparent medium that enables us to view things on the other side of it, good art direction enables us to see or understand the advertising message more clearly. It’s all about clarity, and nothing that the art director adds should hinder, obstruct, or get in the way of that message.

In this sense, the window in question is of course a clear pane, not a stained-glass affair. It’s often tempting to start showing-off with clever graphic tricks and design wizardry, but it’s essential to resist the temptation and always remember that ‘less is more’… a theme that we’ll be returning to in detail later....