Art direction is the oversight of all artistic aspects of a project. It involves the management of the creative processes that produce a visual output. This output may be in the form of a publication, advertising, video games and magazine covers. There are a number of elements to consider when planning the direction of a visual output of a project, examples include vision, audience and language, these are ultimately combined as cohesive piece. Design is a main component of art direction as this is the main visual element of any creative output, but in fact art direction and design work hand and hand with one another.
These two processes use art and design to evoke emotional and cultural reactions. Art direction involves evoking the right reaction to a piece of art. It ensure these the visual element has direction and is used in a clear communicative way to fulfil the required specification. For example, in magazines, art direction is used to combine text, visual imagery font and language to enhance the story’s meaning and produce an expressive reaction that connects with readers and ensures it isn’t easily forgettable and grabs the attention.
Baron and Baron are a good example of direction In action. Fabien Baron is a French art director and magazine director. He formed the agency Baron and Baron specialising in fashion, fragrance and cosmetics luxury brands. The company has helped shape a number of brands visual identities. He has a distinct style that is composed of a picture often opposite type. Often a letter is visually bigger than the rest and reflects the image, almost mirroring the picture. Sometimes, the image is intertwined within the font. The way the images and text blend seamlessly to form a cohesive piece is astounding. The design of his work is distinctive and clear, it is clean cut and modern. The use of the imagery versus text creates a sense of elegancy and classiness within the black. A lot of the time the work is black and white adding a delicacy within the work. Baron and Baron work with luxury brands which is clearly reflected through the visual output. The styles are lavish and contemporary, provoking feelings of the height of luxury and sophistication.
