An interactive art director creates ideas and concepts for communicating and connecting brands, products, and services with consumers in an interactive format such as a website or blog, using creative devices such as theme, symbolism, and metaphor. This position necessitates familiarity with the most up-to-date digital design software, publishing technology, and other programs used to create, design, and build interactive websites, blogs, microsites, and other digital online assets. An interactive art director is a member of an internal creative services or design team who works for an advertising agency, marketing agency, or publishing house.
The position of interactive art director usually necessitates several years of web development or design experience. It is critical to be able to interact with clients and communicate effectively with them. The interactive art director must be able to provide creative input and ideas for a variety of products and services while working closely with ad teams, creative teams, copywriters, and others. Multitasking is a must-have skill. It is necessary to be able to lead creative meetings, discuss concepts, their ultimate execution, and effective implementation into the digital marketplace for multiple products or services at the same time.
Ability to put superior ideas and concepts into a medium that accomplishes the client’s objectives is required to perform all of the creative duties of an interactive art director. Most art directors have had this ability to conceptualize since childhood, while others have received training in college or while working with other art directors or creative directors on the job. An effective art director can typically generate a large number of ideas or concepts in a short period of time. The main task of an interactive art director is to take the best ideas and combine them with a specific design style within an interactive electronic, online, or digital context.
A basic understanding of HTML code, JavaScript, and PhotoShop® is not enough for an interactive art director. This position necessitates a refined design sense, creative skills, and a working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite®, Macromedia Dreamweaver®, and Adobe GoLive® software programs. Flash animation, website analytics, e-commerce site development, and search engine optimization (SEO) are all valuable skills. In some cases, a web developer or web designer will collaborate with an interactive art director, who may possess more creative abilities than technical knowledge.
One of the most important aspects of the interactive art director’s job is staying on top of constantly evolving and changing technology. This usually necessitates attending several training sessions or seminars over the course of the year. These training sessions ensure that the interactive art director is up to date on the latest trends, software updates, and technical capabilities of the various types of software programs, as the software is constantly changing and improving.