Creative Direction

Digital Basics: LinkedIn Learning 1.0 is a self-directed course taught online that covers the basic principles of 2D design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. It leverages the unique relationship ArtCenter has with LinkedIn Learning to educate students via a select set of online LinkedIn Learning videos. Students watch the videos, learn the content, and are assessed on their learning at the end of the term.

This class is an introduction to the world of advertising. It will highlight publications and sites to visit; award shows; best agencies; best current work; career paths; best grad books/sites; work ethic required and work process.

This class covers historical aspects of the advertising and graphic design fields, as well as addressing communication strategies including the effective use of metaphors, iconography, idioms, allegories, cliches and methodologies. The nature of symbol and cultural essence are considered in assignments where the dynamic role of image, photography or illustration is stressed. Problem solving and conceptual thinking are strongly emphasized, as are the development of philosophical and professional attitudes related to the role of the designer as interpreter of society and promoter of products and services. This course provides an intensive introduction to both the creation and critique of original ideas.

Students will learn the basic tools and functions of Adobe InDesign to successfully design and build their books and portfolios. The workshop will cover setting up documents, working with tools and panels, keyboard shortcuts, type and text frames, using grids, using master pages and importing and linking images. Students should feel free to bring projects they are working on with them to the workshop for help and critique. Meets for five weeks, starting week 2.

First basic course in a consecutive sequence of three classes. This class is about creating imagery that breaks with the conventions of time, viewpoint and content, not advertising protocol. Emphasis is on the transformation of ideas into images, and effective communication that occurs when an idea produces an image that is perceived and understood by an intended audience. While art direction is the focus, studens will have opportunities to concept ads. Course material focuses on the early works of Doyle Dane and Bermbach, the agency which began the "Creative Revolution" during the '60s and still exists today.

MD1 is the first course where students learn how to bring their design to life with motion. Students will use lessons learned from Narrative Sketching/Imaging and digital language learned from Digital Basics to develop their creative suggestion before choreographing their solutions. MD1 will feature 2 main projects with some shorter learning objective assignments earlier in the term. The 1st project will be kinetic type that focuses on handling typography in motion. The 2nd project will feature more sophisticated approach with an expanded approach to the assignment. The 3rd & final Motion piece using graphic elements. Imagery will be limited to stills or keyed elements. Storyboards, animation. 20-30 sec.

This course provides conceptualizing process, design, and production of creating still images for advertising. It focuses on formulating effective ideas for images that communicate the message, as well as constructing outstanding visuals.

Lens-based imagery is fast becoming a universal language. This course explores the use of photography as a creative tool for graphic designers, creative directors, and others who wish to develop their skills and vision in the art direction of photography and professional photographers. We will study the history of collaborative image making while adding camera assignments, so that we may better understand the technical / aesthetic issues of photography. These include lensing, lighting, layout, file management, and image manipulation. We will further develop the skills needed to discern the quality of an image and to direct and create original photographic communications rather than using formulaic stock imagery. to discern the quality of an image and to direct and create original photographic communications rather than using formulaic stock imagery.

This course will enable students to use photography and videography to effectively capture situations and to unleash the narrative and symbolic potential of images. The course starts by creating a narrative with stills and ends with creating a narrative with motion. Students will learn: storytelling from narrative single images to a multi image narratives and photo essays; how to understand meaning in photographs; compositions and cropping; original and found images (photo editing); art directing and how to conduct a photo shoot. This class teaches the art of the storyboard as a powerful story-telling device used in motion graphics.

This is the second class in a consecutive sequence of three writing courses. Students will learn techniques for solving advertising problems in unique ways, and develop non-traditional portfolio pieces.

Students will learn how to shoot, direct, art direct and edit short narrative film. The class will also explore the impact of sound in a production. Students will learn the basics of cinematic structure and how to storyboard an idea to produce an effective, visually compelling moving image piece. The first project is highly structured to give students the experience and skills to then develop their own vision in the final project. The class uses Premier Pro as the editing software.

Second intermediate course in a consecutive sequence of classes. Special emphasis is placed on final art direction and copy. Students are encouraged to collaborate with other disciplines such has Photography, Graphics and Illustration to prepare their advertising concepts for portfolio consideration.

Introduces narrative sequence through temporal or spatial means. Messaging in 3 moves or more (images, screens, pages, sentences) or in 3 dimensions. Media agnostic (students may choose an appropriate medium/method). Builds on CD1+2 but adds serial/multiple communication. Deals with series/stories/sequences/choices/transitions. Project types: Messaging in sequence. Multiple pages or screens. Image or language sequences. Storyboards. Interaction or navigation choices. More complex grids. Multi-page documents. Motion.

This course asks students to apply what they have learned in Type 2 to particular contexts, allowing the individual nature of the project content and audience to start influencing and determining their typographic choices.

Web Design introduces students to web technologies and the basics of web design. They learn how to organize content, visually design sites, and build a working prototype by applying a basic understanding of HTML and CSS, also taught in the class. Students also take a workshop to help them with web technologies.

This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of advertising with emphasis on conceptual process and development, and basic advertising methodologies and techniques.

Required for all 4th term Advertising students. Portfolio review & successful review by Dept Chair.

Course description and learning outcome: Developing a graphic voice for client or message. Consistency of voice through different media/contexts. Importance of design as editing (research, content forms) and designer as author of content. May involve branding. More complex problems than CD 1, 2, 3. Media agnostic. Opens up to communicating solutions in print, packaging, motion, interactive, environmental, 3D. Project types: Longer more in depth projects, 1 or 2 per term. Possibility of student-generated projects aligned to their individual interests or in collaboration with work in another class. Maybe all students work on a different project. ie. A theme is given but they must develop/generate content themselves.

This is a beginning course that builds on the information from Advertising Concepts 1. Emphasis is on the application of conceptual advertising principles and design. Research, copywriting and marketing knowledge are applied to advertising assignments.

This is the first class in a consecutive sequence of three writing courses. Course material provides an introduction to the craft of advertising copywriting and gives students a basic understanding of the copywriting process as it applies to advertising.

This course provides an introduction to the design and conceptual process of creating television commercials. Focus is on the technical, as well as the emotional content of various commercial formats through storyboard design.

The Advertising Photographer: From Concept to Completion, is a course that mirrors the development and execution of a professional advertising photo shoot. Beginning with brand or products' research to concept ideation and storytelling, Students will learn how to communicate stylized ideas through the use of photography, imaging, and photo-treatments. This course guides students through the process of executing a professional advertising photo shoot. Course demos will include a fully produced photo shoot with an automobile, models, professional grip, and stylists. Each student will get a chance to partake in each roll; photographer, assistant, digital tech, and producer. The shoot will be followed by an in-depth look into the process of making selects, as well as building out layered Photoshop files for final finish and color grade. This course will include several industry guest speakers that will provide in depth insight into their area of expertise. The course will culminate with students producing, shooting, and finalizing their own photo shoot. These shoots will be centered around a client or product with an understanding of how the content will speak to the target demographic. Students will learn all aspects of an advertising shoot that include; estimates, pre-production deck, scout locations, pre-block out shots, and team building of stylists, make-up artists, and assistants needed to execute a professional advertising shoot. The outcome will be a composite of multiple images for the application of the perfect color grade.

It's not a box, it's a place that explores the boundaries of communication. It's a course built with multidisciplinary teams to create content at the speed of culture tackling a variety of contemporary topics that make people look, make them think, make them care. This is an fast paced class requiring critical thinking at a high level. The tools are: Inspiration, Freedom to Experiment, and Awareness.

This intense immersion course, meeting a full day for multiple days, allows students to experience the pace and intensity of working in a real-world advertising agency. Led by an eminent creative director, students will work on multiple assignments on a range of media, both traditional and non-traditional.

This intermediate-level course emphasizes the definition of target audience, marketing objectives, and the development of specific creative briefs through to finished comprehensives.

Media Makers Lab is a new class combining the skills of advertising, film and design students in an intense collaborative immersion of short storytelling of advertising concepts applied to multiple social media platforms. The class is specifically created to emulate the process of a creative team working in an ad agency or a design firm crossing into the world of marketing. It will be a 5 hour class made up of 3-4 teams comprising one from ad, one from film and one from design to work on a series of briefs every two weeks from concept through to final production. Week one is getting a concept approved. Week two is shooting your concept, editing with sound design and presenting finished video(s) in class the second week. There will be 6 assignments each term. It will move fast. You will shoot on a smart phone or a digital SLR, no big budget shoots. Shoestring productions only. You must submit a website/portfolio to be accepted into the class. We will curate/form these teams prior to the first class. You will get an email telling who your partners are. You're expected to introduce yourself to each other before the first class. With your get-to-know-each-other you will come to the first class with the name of your company that you've agreed on as a team. You will present that name with a brief raison d'etre to support your company name The outcome is to disrupt the status quo of the conventional business model of ad agencies, clients and commercial production companies with the simple application of strong concepts and clear storytelling.

Conscious Communication is an intense immersion course at ArtCenter College of Design that allows students to experience the pace of a professional environment, creating work relevant to current real-world social issues. Led by photographer and creative director Matthew Rolston, students will produce a series of targeted short-form videos, ultimately making powerful pieces of audiovisual communication. The class addresses issues that affect us all, among them: the movements for diversity, equity and inclusion; mental health; the climate crisis; the promotion of joy and kindness; and many other pressing topics. The course is ideal for aspiring advertising professionals, creative directors, filmmakers, photographers, and those who wish to communicate powerfully in the public interest. For more information about the course, please visit www.consciouscommunication.io.

Photography is the current universal language. This course will explore the use of photography as a creative tool for designers, creative directors, and others who wish to increase their skills to engage photography and photographers in their vision. We will study the history of collaborative image making while adding camera assignments to better understand technical issues including lensing, lighting, layout, color, file management, and image manipulation. Our focus is on the skills needed to discern the quality of an image and to direct and create original and compelling photographic communications as opposed to formulaic stock imagery."

This intense immersion course, meeting a full day for multiple days, allows students to experience the pace and intensity of working in a real-world advertising agency. Led by an eminent creative director, students will work on multiple assignments on a range of media, both traditional and non-traditional.

Required for all 6th term Advertising students. Portfolio review & successful review by Dept Chair.

An advanced, fast paced class combining conceptual thinking with the ability to craft and execute across the many digital platforms, connecting brands, products and services to unsuspecting consumers in a way that disrupts their normal patterns of consumption.

The unexplored space of new market advertising: Every brand wants to be successful in their market, dominating the competition and delivering products that keep them relevant, profitable and moving ever forward. As advertising partners, it's our job to find new creative ways to help them accomplish this goal. In this class we will creating layered campaigns that take the brand beyond where they have been, pushing the limits of their identity and explore the endless creative possibilities. Moving them forward into new unexplored market spaces. Thinking for next is a medium to advanced course, that will focus on creating comprehensive campaigns centered on emerging market opportunities. Students will use research and existing brand identities to design and craft projects that work cohesively across an array of media platforms.

An advanced understanding into the craft of advertising copywriting. Assignments given is to reinforce/teach students about the importance of presenting information clearly, provocatively and memorably.

Teaching advanced concept skills with an emphasis on campaign development, strategic thinking, writing, layout and design. Students will get tools that will help them produce advertising ideas guided by strategic framework. They will gain insights into the largely unconscious nature of the creative process.

This is an interdisciplinary project class that works with other disciplines in a studio situation to create collaborative solutions to design and advertising problems. This studio may occur within the context of a sponsored project or other interdisciplinary working arrangement.

The unexplored space of new market advertising: USING YOUR LIFE & FEELINGS TO COMMUNICATE ON BEHALF OF COMPANIES. Don't create advertising - communicate with other human beings. Most advertising is bland, impersonal and irrelevant to the people viewing it. So, it's ineffective. Whatever the media, the best communication feels personal, like one human being talking to another. So rather than simply figuring out a new way to say this product is 'so awesome', it's more effective to bring your own humanity to the product or message. This requires looking for ideas within, (not on Google and YouTube). Unearthing your thoughts, feelings and experiences around a brief.

Students will consider the development of projects in both traditional and non-traditional media, from ad campaigns to television commercials. The objective of this class is the establishment of a finite conceptual direction, the blueprint of a project.

In this studio course, Creative Direction students will create entries for the Annual Show competition. Students will develop their entries individually or on self-selected teams (as permitted by competition rules), but will meet as a class for strategy development, brainstorming, mutual critique, and feedback from faculty. This course requires the students to enter the One Show competition.

Emphasis is on the development of advertising pieces for the finished portfolio. All aspects of photography, design and typography are finalized. Students also complete personal I.D., Letter head, Bussiness card, resume, website and leave behind. 160

This course provides an opportunity for students to put all their skill sets together and focus solely on creating portfolio pieces for their book. All assignments will be catered to specific needs of each student so that they can create new work that complement their existing portfolio. These will be complementary pieces to a student's portfolio, based on an understanding of the conceptual process and development presented in class. Students will be able to create Print, Social/Stunt, and Experiential campaign execution for a product/service, but most importantly, they will be Portfolio ready.

Sensuality, seduction and pleasure are at the core of almost every effort in the worlds of entertainment, advertising and marketing. In order to ignite desire and create brand awareness in consumers and audiences, it is necessary to speak in symbolic visual terms. A curated selection of films, advertising campaigns, photography, brand materials and 'brand codes' will be examined in order to form an understanding of the traditions of the art of visual seduction and how such traditions constantly evolve in response to society's ever- changing conditions and values. Students will create concepts, research documents, mood boards and a short film using pre-existing footage, the focus of which will be an instructor-assigned luxury brand communication project.

This course will review past work and assign new projects that will focus on categories that will complete the finished portfolio. Discussions will cover present advertising trends and current agency activities. There will be special emphasis on preparing and perfecting all concepts through to final photography, illustration and copy application. This class in conjunction with the Portfolio Studio class is the culmination of all work that will complete the final portfolio.

TestlabBerlin is a sponsored studio abroad project. One core faculty member will run the project for the entire semester, additionally there will be guest faculty/lecturers/guest critics in Berlin. Available to fifth term and above students by application. Students will experiment with new creative strategies for art & design production which will be informed by real-time response from a chosen audience. This feedback process will be enabled both through social media (Socialtecture) and through in-person interaction with the audience. The resulting projects are cross-cultural in nature and dramatically broaden the creative horizon of all participants.

TestlabBerlin is a sponsored studio abroad project. One core faculty member will run the project for the entire semester, additionally there will be guest faculty/lecturers/guest critics in Berlin. Available to fifth term and above students by application. Students will experiment with new creative strategies for art & design production which will be informed by real-time response from a chosen audience. This feedback process will be enabled both through social media (Socialtecture) and through in-person interaction with the audience. The resulting projects are cross-cultural in nature and dramatically broaden the creative horizon of all participants.

TestlabBerlin is a sponsored studio abroad project. One core faculty member will run the project for the entire semester, additionally there will be guest faculty/lecturers/guest critics in Berlin. Available to fifth term and above students by application. Students will experiment with new creative strategies for art & design production which will be informed by real-time response from a chosen audience. This feedback process will be enabled both through social media (Socialtecture) and through in-person interaction with the audience. The resulting projects are cross-cultural in nature and dramatically broaden the creative horizon of all participants.

TestlabBerlin is a sponsored studio abroad project. One core faculty member will run the project for the entire semester, additionally there will be guest faculty/lecturers/guest critics in Berlin. Available to fifth term and above students by application. Students will experiment with new creative strategies for art & design production which will be informed by real-time response from a chosen audience. This feedback process will be enabled both through social media (Socialtecture) and through in-person interaction with the audience. The resulting projects are cross-cultural in nature and dramatically broaden the creative horizon of all participants.