In today’s class, Kyle gave us a presentation on Art Direction, and making art as our own decision. The art direction is your decision. It doesn’t have to be a sans serif type, and if it is, each of us will handle that differently.
“Surprisingly, art direction is seldom taught in schools and there is very little formal information on the subject; it is only often learned in practice.” – Stephen Hay
What is art direction?
We use design techniques to intentionally evoke an emotional response from someone when they read an article, use a product or visit a website.
Art direction brings clarity and definition to our work. It helps our work to convey a special message to a particular group of people. Art direction combines art and design to evoke a cultural or emotional reaction.
What is the aim of art direction?
- To create lasting impressions
- To create memorable experiences
What should we consider when using art direction?
- What is the outcome we want?
- Who are the characters (users)?
- What are the backstories?
- What do we want to happen?
Visual Inventory
- Typography
- Branding, colour
- Call to action buttons
- Images
Lost Mothers
I found the example that Kyle showed us today on Lost Mothers to be particularly interesting, and emotionally touching – not just because of the subject matter, but because of the visuality of it, and the design of its elements.
Everything is centred – the text and the circles. The background is plain and dark. The typeface in the header is strong but not overpowering, and perfectly conveys its message. The body of text is plainly put, and easy for users to read. It is a serious topic, and the visual design respects that.