JUXTAPOSITION (Art Direction)
Final_Final_Final - June 12th
Welcome to Final_Final_Final, an on-going series focused on the documentation of inspiration, references and digital ephemera.
Every week, Raeland or a close friend of the newsletter shares a moodboard of 10 images along with a brief commentary.
Logging On is a weekly sprint through the timeline — Raeland Mendoza filters the noise into his takes on fashion, media, music, and whatever is moving the needle.
Read this weeks’ dispatch here.
Having wrapped an in-depth Art Direction / Visual Identity aspect of a larger project this week, I’d like to take this moment and reflect on Art Direction.
Often overlooked in favour of its flashier brother Creative Direction, it’s a specialty in its own right. The difference: The Creative Director sets and leads the big-picture-vision for a project across touch points (visuals/editorial, product, retail/distribution, etc.) while the Art Director leads the execution of only the visual components.
A simpler job description sure, but ensuring that the visual elements are not only compelling, but also aligned with the larger narrative requires it’s own genre of dedicated finesse. After all, we are visual creatures - with 40% of the human brain is dedicated to vision.
Some Art Direction elements to think about on your next project: Photo/Video shot lists, media formats + dimensions, team personnel (who’s right for this job?), shot composition and camera movements, colour grading, illustration/graphics, post-production selects, asset delivery/distribution/roll-out.
And don’t forget production budgeting.
BONUS: Real heads remember the last image, a favourite from ICYT’s Leave You in Peace campaign circa 2021.
BONUS BONUS: I watch a lot of music videos for A/D references. Young Thugs’ video for Wyclef Jean is probably the best music video of the modern era.
Raeland is a Creative Director amongst other things in Vancouver.
Explore his work at TOMORROW WORKS.
