Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches, and direct workers engaged in art work, layout design, and copy writing for visual communications media, such as magazines, books, newspapers, and packaging.

Other names for Art Directors: Advertising Production Manager, Art Coordinator, Art Department Head, Art Director, Art Supervisor, Artistic Director, Arts Administrator, Arts Manager, Creative Director, Creative Services Manager, Presentation Specialist, Product Designer, Product Marketing Manager, Production Manager,

• Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach, and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video and sound.
• Review and approve proofs of printed copy and art and copy materials developed by staff members.
• Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
• Confer with creative, art, copy-writing, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts, and to coordinate creative activities.
• Present final layouts to clients for approval.
• Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
• Hire, train and direct staff members who develop design concepts into art layouts or who prepare layouts for printing.
• Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
• Review illustrative material to determine if it conforms to standards and specifications.
• Attend photo shoots and printing sessions to ensure that the products needed are obtained.
• Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.
• Mark up, paste, and complete layouts, and write typography instructions to prepare materials for typesetting or printing.
• Negotiate with printers and estimators to determine what services will be performed.
• Conceptualize and help design interfaces for multimedia games, products and devices.
• Prepare detailed storyboards showing sequence and timing of story development for television production.