Art Director Interview Sample Questions (Plus Answers!)

Art directors are skilled professionals that provide conceptual ideation and design skills to a project, their artistic eye guarantees that the project will be aesthetically pleasing and will grasp the attention of the audience or consumer. They are in charge of the visual aesthetic of a particular piece of advertising or marketing material, whether it may be illustrations, graphic design, or motion graphics. Art directors manage other members of their team to make sure the project is being carried out in the way they intended. In short, they guide the whole vision into completion.

An art director is a creative mind that helps the project come to life. A lot of what they do is behind the scenes or before a shoot. Art directors put teams together, look for the photographer that is right for the campaign, write a brief for the project, and figure out the aesthetic for the overall project. While on set, they make sure that everything goes smoothly and that the vision of the project is materializing in a way that is aligned with the client’s mission.

If you are planning on applying for an Art Director position we recommend that you look at the following interview questions to familiarize yourself with the process and so you know what kind of questions to expect.

Interview Sample Questions:

• As a creative, which Art Director’s work do you admire?
• Which product would you redesign if you could? Why?
• What personal creative projects are you working on?
• In what ways do you keep up with the latest creative tools and technologies?
• Which design software or tools do you depend on daily for your work?
• How much is your work influenced by current events/trends?
• How has your background in art direction helped in solving a business-related problem?
• What do you do in order to quickly familiarize yourself with a high-profile brand?
• How do you take leadership and improve a difficult situation within your organization?
• Design projects can be challenging, what is one way you facilitate this process to make it go smoother?
• How strong are your communication skills? When your projects are not going as planned, how do you communicate to your colleagues and clients?
• In what ways do you train or mentor your team members?
• If a creative project gets declined, what do you do?
• How do you motivate your team members when faced with a tight deadline?
• Which of our clients are you most interested in working with? Why?
• Are you familiar with any of our creative projects? What are your thoughts?

 Taking the First Steps Towards a Career in Art Direction

In order to become an art director, you must prepare yourself for this highly competitive field by acquiring a Master’s. With a Master of Science degree in Mass Communications from Florida International University (FIU), you will become equipped with the skills any art director needs to be successful. FIU’s partnership with the Miami Ad School will allow you to build an impressive portfolio of work and give you the opportunity of having real-life experience before entering the field.

The Global Strategic Communications Creative Track is a 39-credit program that culminates in a Master of Science in Mass Communications degree awarded by Florida International University and graduation from world-renowned Miami Ad School’s portfolio program. The interdisciplinary program combines graduate-level academic courses with the creative skills-building curriculum taught by the leading portfolio school in the world.

For more information on the GSC program, contact Grizelle De Los Reyes, Director of the FIU-MAS Creative Track program at gdelosre@fiu.edu