Weekly Creative Biz Note #3

The Life of an Art Director

During my 13+ years freelancing at multiple advertising agencies I worked on many national accounts--such as: United Airlines, U.S. Postal Service, Frito-Lay, KOOL, Lucky Strike, Bally's, LaSalle Bank. Now that I'm illustrating, I have a perspective from both sides. So, I thought this may be a good topic to blog about...for those who don't already know.

I'll start by explaining the creative "ranks". First up, among agencies the titles of artist positions seems to always vary. In simple terms, here's the order: junior art director, art director, senior art director, creative director. The other half of the core team is the "copywriter". He or she will work on concepts, copy and partner with the art director through the entire project. Then there's the "art buyer" who connects the art director with the correct photographer/illustrator and sometimes freelancer. Also, the art buyer will manage the artist (with the art director) and negotiates pricing. A "traffic manager" helps the art director coordinate meetings, etc. with the art buyer, production team or anyone that is involved internally. Make note that some mid-size to small agencies don't have art buyers or traffic people. There can be a multitude of "account managers" on the team too. Typically, one is assigned to work with the art director as the mediator between "art and client". The account person will provide the project details, coordinate deadlines and help sell the concept to the client. So, as you can see...there are a few cooks in the kitchen.

The life of an art director is never boring. There is plenty of stress, late nights, hair-pulling, lack of communication and even tears...yes, tears. I've seen plenty of directors break down. Though when it all goes as planned there is a inspiring sense of accomplishment and you want to do it all over again!!

Most young, fresh-out-of-school, art directors don't mind the late hours. For me, there were plenty of nights that went into the morning--it's part of the job. My day as an art director would start at 9:00am and usually go until 6:00pm. Lunch was sometimes eaten in front of the computer. There are plenty of hours spent concepting, doing electronic timesheets and even figuring project hours/timelines. Three to five meetings during a day wasn't unusual and that doesn't include the countless times people would pop into your office to make their own immediate meeting. From rep meetings to client meetings to gatherings with keyliners. As the art director, you don't always have the time to do the actual work on the computer. Bummer--cause you can slowly lose you computer skills this way! I would have a freelancer or another junior director helping out--that management time would suck up some of the day. Keeping your cool and trying to be organized was key. An art director is bombarded by email constantly throughout the day too. There was meeting maker software that helped coordinate all the team players. As I said,"never boring"!

The process in which a director uses to find an illustrator is a personal preference. There are resource books, the internet or an art buyer. I've had this conversation with quite a few people and it seems to me that the younger generation of art directors are utilizing the internet as their source of finding artists. It's quicker. I'll talk more about this subject next week.

If you have ever had the chance to walk through an ad agency, the creative team cubicles/office walls are covered with art! It's quite a sight to see! All the cool postcards and posters they receive in the mail are inspiring or hung as a reminder to possibly use the artist on a future project.

Thanks for reading!

Next Friday--Weekly Creative Biz Note #4---The Yin & Yang of Source Books
(Feel free to comment, give your experiences or even disagree!)

Weekly Creative Biz Note #2

A Website that Works

By no means am I claiming to be a web guru or stating to have a perfect website. PixelBoy's website is still evolving and still has a few loose ends. Some day soon...

I feel there is no true science to creating a perfect website---it's art. But a few weeks back, I was having a "web discussion" with a creative director friend, who works at a mid-sized ad agency, and she mentioned that recent studies have shown online viewers naturally following an invisible path on the screen in the form of the letter "F". Food for thought---or not.

I've designed quite a few websites in my designer years but creating a personal site was tough. As you float among the multitude of artist sites, learn by asking yourself: Was the site intuitive? Is it well organized? Function over form? Could I view the main info in the browser window? Too much clicking or scrolling? Do not use flicker-like sites to sell your portfolio! It tells the art director that you're not serious about your profession. There are lots of ways to create an inexpensive website.

Your average splash page gets skipped and studies have shown it to be a nuisance. If you have to place a "skip intro" button on the splash page, then doesn't that say something?! Don't do a splash page or animated intro unless it's amazing OR you're selling your skills through the process.

Another good piece of info---A "hit" is a request made to a web server for an object on your web site. The object can be an HTML file, an image or sound file placed on your web pages. A "visit" to your web site represents one unique viewer who has visited your site. 1,000 hits/month doesn't mean 1,000 visitors. I'm usually concerned with visits.

The number of visits to your site is important but don't freak out if it's low at first. One artist could have 1000 visits per month (from surfers) and have no work. The other artist could have 400 visits per month (from actual prospects) and be swamped! Hitting your market/niche and receiving a response is your goal. Give yourself time and always be looking for ways to increase your traffic. Join community sites and portfolio sites. If projects are coming in, then something is working. Google Analytics is a must and is free. You can learn where your visitors come from and how they interact with your site. This will tell you what works and what needs to go. You can find it on http://www.google.com/analytics/. I hired a programmer to drop it into my site...less hair-pulling.

The next time an art director calls on the phone and is buzzing away about a project with four cups of coffee in his or her system. Ask them what they thought of your website--get feedback. I had a creative director once repeat a quirky one-liner from my site. Get their attention! Tear sheet files that can be downloaded are a good idea...the director can print-out your best work in two minutes and make it on time to the new project meeting--possibly getting you work!!

Thanks for reading!

Next Friday--Weekly Creative Biz Note #3---The Life of an Art Director
(Feel free to comment, give your experiences or even disagree!)

Weekly Creative Biz Note #1

Getting the Studio Started

When my brother and I first started PixelBoy Studio all we had were two PC's, one Mac(loaded with software) and a b&w printer. All of it was set-up on the dining room table. I had read and heard from friends that it typically took four years to get an illustration business rolling and it's true. In the beginning, we had no logo, website or blog. We did have an evolving 3D style and I had an additional cartoon style narrowed down. My 15 years as an art director gave me the experience, organizational skills and knowledge that one might need to manage a studio. While Lee brought years of print production experience and 3D software knowledge to the table. But we had plenty to learn by a long shot!

We spent approximately $15,000 to get the (at home) studio situated. We updated hardware and software; bought a color printer; got a lawyer to help get the studio incorporated; and purchased some office furniture and lighting. Also, we found a good accountant through a referral ($800 annually). A good chair is a must (AllSteel or Herman Miller) and a decent keyboard tray for ergonomics (www.humanscale.com). Can you get by without all expensive stuff? Yes...

As for advertising, I believe our budget was too robust for a start-up and I'm not sure it helped. At first, postcards and free/inexpensive promotional sites would have sufficed for the studio. Our advice--don't even think about trying out the national resource books as a newbie illustrator! Your style may change. I'll touch more on advertising options and costs in a later Biz Note.

Next Friday--Weekly Creative Biz Note #2---A Website that Works
(Feel free to comment, give your experiences or even disagree!)

Good Freelance Illustrator Resources

As a freelancer for over 20 years (yikes!), I've read a ton of books and articles on the freelance life and most never completely answer my questions. But one book in particular seems to be worth the read..."The Business Side of Creativity" by Cameron Foote. I wish I had read this book a long time ago. The book is an incredible guide for freelance illustrators. A good portion of the information is common sense but it's refreshing reinforcement.

Another source that I found is http://www.freelanceswitch.com/ I frequent the site and grab what info I need.

I will soon be writing a weekly "Creative Biz Note" for anyone reading this stuff--it may help! The post will be a small notation concerning our experiences and procedures when it comes to the business side of a start-up illustration studio. So, subscribe in the upper right column.