David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

youtube.com/watch?v=BHvGEJtcvrM
“Decide
what you
want to do,
and do it”

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

Findyouowncreativeprocess

Thisisawesome
Thisistricky
Thisisshit
I’mshit
Thismightbeokay
Thisisawesome

Be a
creative
sponge
Never stop
feeding your mind

Look beyond your screens
for inspiration and ideas

Look up for
inspiration

Look
inside for
inspiration

www.
creativity-online.com
www.adsoftheworld.com/
www.directnewideas.com

Inspiration
is all around you
Write your ideas
down. Sketch,
snap & scan
them.

Always have
the product
on your desk

Taste
Touch
See
Smell
Hear

Ever wondered why
artists have so
many different
brushes?

Free your thinking.
If you get stuck,,
swap pens and the
ideas will soon flow.

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

S i m p l e i s a l w a y s b e s t

S i m p l e i s a l w a y s b e s t

Never fear white space

oagworld.com/design/why-whitespace-matters/

If the idea has
an unreal twist,
use illustration
to help bring it
to life

Reflect
your ideas

Is there
an idea in
the logo?

Or on the
bottle?

Visualise
the benefit

A quick and easy
way to grab attention
Flip the image

Maintain
eye contact

Sharbat Gula was the subject of Steve McCurry's "Afghan Girl."

Select your shots carefully

Alberto Korda
Havana 5 March 1960

And crop
with care

Alberto Korda - Havana

Avoid visual
cliches or
your ideas
will fail

Complete kit

The exception

Versatility

The exception

Family

The exception

20 more visual cliches to avoid

Opposites always
attract attention

Helvetica

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

Designing by
the rule of thirds

designmodo.com/rule-thirds-grid-outline/e

Grids
are good
The Golden
Section and
the theory of
composition

1505

2015

Know when to stop.
Mr. Robert Waters
High School Art Teacher
“If it looks right. It is right.”

Try another view

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

Love and
understand
type

Love and
understand
type

Love and
understand
type

www.dafont.com

Ideas in visual type

Don’t annoy
your Copywriter
(or the reader)

If your poor design
reduces readability,
then expect the
worst to happen.
If your poor design
reduces readability,
then expect the
worst to happen.

www.stcsig.org/mgt/docs/readability-kiss.pdf

When to let
the headline
do the talking

h#ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnZr0wiG1Hg

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

The Art
Director’s
secret weapon

desire

motion

emotion

Art Directing ideas
in living colour

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

Take
the time
to learn
origami

www.adsoftheworld.com/media/dm/cocacola_fm_magazine_amplifier

How art direction
can be the idea

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
ARTDIRECTING
IDEAS

The 10 things Art Directors
should show Don

1. Be on time Be prepared, be enthusiastic,
be positive and be yourself. AND visit Don’s site and have
three questions to ask him about the job and his agency.
2. First impressions Begin with a great idea
and end with an even better one.
3. Turn good ideas, into great campaigns

4. Be brutal Edit your work. Three great ideas,
always beats thirty three average ones.
5. Variety
Show a variety of work across multiple channels,
products and brands
- Charity vs FMCGs (Fast Moving Consumer Goods)
- Social vs OOH (Out Of Home)

6. Presentation
Remember you’re an Art Director, so
presentation is extremely important
Portfolio vs Laptop vs iPad?
(Don was a copywriter,
so always consider your
audience carefully)

7. Flexible Adapt your book for your audience and
rehearse each presentation.
8. Craft Show at least one fully Art Directed campaign.
9. Creativity Talk about your creative interests
outside of advertising.
10. Advice Listen carefully to all the feedback and
act on the advice that feels right for you.

David Bell - Executive Creative Director MercerBell
QUESTIONS