Weekly response: interviewing art directors

This week, we finished up talking about our interviews with various art directors. Even though it was challenging for a lot of us to get a hold of someone who was willing to talk to us, I think this was a really great assignment for all of us in the advanced design class. I think we all learned a lot from the advice we heard from art directors from all different types of mediums. I really enjoyed the answers I got back from Michael at Ad Trends in Kansas City. I thought it was interesting to hear from someone not working at a magazine, and hear about how their daily experiences are alike and different.
Check out the interview.

1. Name and current job position title.

Michael Montague, Art Director / Internet Marketing, Ad Trends Advertising, Inc.

2. Educational background.

BA Communication Theory & Human Relations, Park University. Also studied Marketing and Computer Science at MU.

3. A little background information on your company/publication.

Ad Trends Advertising, Inc. is a full-service marketing company. We get to know our clients and their business and develop custom marketing solutions. We offer marketing services like promotional products, promotional apparel, business printing, design services, and custom web design to help our clients achieve consistent and steady growth. More info @ www.adtrendsinc.com

4. What is a typical day like for you?

I manage an Art Department of 3 people, do all of the Internet Marketing for our clients, and review all artwork before production. We have about 500 art clients, and about 60 websites.

5. What are some other creative jobs you have had in the past? Could you describe them?

I started designing websites for Kudoku Internet Services in Kansas City working on several very large websites as the web designer, then moved to radio for 5 years where I was on-air and the Promotions and Website Coordinator for 6 Cumulus Radio Stations and the Chiefs Radio Network. At Cumulus, I learned Illustrator for print design, and vector art for billboards and large format printing. I created all the t-shirts, print layouts, proposals, signs and websites as the only Graphic Designer for the Kansas City market before leaving for Ad Trends Advertising, Inc.

6. What led you to your current position?

I was highly under paid at the radio stations for the amount and difficulty of the artwork and websites I was doing, so I move here for a significant raise and promotion. I also really enjoy being known as a professional Graphic Artist, instead of the guy who can do graphic and web design.

7. What was your “dream job” when you were first starting out?
I was always talented with computers and I learned to do websites at a very early time and age, but I did not like being stuck behind a computer all day. It took me awhile to figure out that the marketing side of things is what I really enjoyed. Working here at Ad Trends Advertising, Inc., I get to interact with customers, come up with creative ideas, and execute the promotions or designs that I create, and I really like the balance it has provided. When I was a child, I always wanted to be on the radio, but that turned out to be not as fun or fulfilling as I hoped. However, it did lead me to this job and career.

8. What inspired you to become a graphic designer (if you design) or, what inspired you to work in a creative field?

Like I said, I have always had the talent and ability, it wasn’t until I found that it would pay well, be fun, and offer enough variety of work that I really began to see it as something I would like to do.

9. What is your favorite font and why?

We have an Animals font here, that do to some malfunction only displays Beavers no matter what key you hit. I laugh every time I scroll past it. I use Arial the most though, it is simple to read, easy to stretch and modify, and everyone has it…

10. What is your favorite color to design with and why?

I like blues. They are positive, professional and look good to my eye. Other colors are too bland or hard to read on a variety of colors or backgrounds.

11. What do you wish you had known when you were just starting out?

I think that I could have saved myself a lot of stress by realizing that the artwork in not mine. What I mean is… when you do this as a job. Someone else is paying for your work. That means they make the calls and they decide what it ultimately looks like. Sometimes you have to make ugly or just plain bad designs. If you want to be an artist and sell your stuff after it is done, you will probably starve, so get used to doing your best but surrendering control to someone else.

12. What was the job market like when you were first starting out?

I didn’t go straight into graphic or web design, but I have never had a hard time finding work. There has always been someone looking for my skills. I think in any career, you have to be good at what you do. If you are terrible, it will be hard to find work. If you are talent, people are more than willing to hire you and compensate you for your work.

13. Is this the career path you always thought you’d take?

No, but I always knew that I could if I wanted too. I tried not to be a computer nerd for a long time, but in the end, it was the best fit.

14. If you have one, what is your creative process? For example: I get an assignment/project, then I brainstorm, then I sketch, then I go to the computer, put my headphones on and design for hours on end.

Ha ha, designing for hours on end won’t get you much money. I get the project and make sure I know all the job requirements first. How much time, space, colors, money and such do I get to use. Then I try to come up with a concept that maximizes those parameters. So if I know I only get a 4”x6” area and two colors, how can I best use those to catch an eye, and get the message across? Then I just start fitting the copy and images in the layout until I like what I have. I do like to kick some tunes while I work though…

15. What other sort of processes do you have in your current position? For example: daily assignments, special projects, production schedules, etc?

I keep my email and inbox clean out. If something takes 5 minutes or less to do or respond to, then I do it right away. Everything else gets moved to a To-Do list that is prioritized by importance and time. Stay organized and responding to emails in a timely fashion will get you far…

16. How do you keep up with the current design trends, technologies, etc?

I subscribe to a few newsletters, read online, and keep an eye out for cool things that I can use. Usually the jobs themselves will keep you on your toes and current. I only get new software when it is necessary though. That will get expensive if you buy every update.

17. What software are you and your company/publication currently working with? How many times has the software changed while at your current position? How do you handle learning new software?

We use Adobe Products: Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver mostly. We also have Quark, and Indesign, but we don’t do a lot of multiple page layouts… Whenever there is a new program or update, I usually just switch and figure it out as I go.

18. How is the current state of the economy affecting your company/publication?

We have been doing very well, and in fact we just added a new web design position and increase the pay for the other two. I actually think more businesses are moving to the web and/or trying to market more to keep their business afloat. We are seeing a lot more electronic marketing though to save time and costs.

19. Do you have any advice for those of us graduating and entering the job market in May?

Be available at any time, willing to do anything, and like I said earlier, realize that you are getting paid to do the job. If you can be good, be fast, and be reliable, you can work in this industry for a long time.

20. What kinds of pressures are you under at your current position?

Mistakes in design, spelling, or layout that actually get printed can cost the company thousands of dollars, so proofing is vitally important. Keeping up with hundreds of clients and staying organized is tough. I think the key is just to keep moving on a pile of work and responding to everyone in a timely manner even if you don’t have their stuff done yet.

21. What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job?

I like hearing compliments when stuff looks awesome or makes a client money.

I hate making bad designs per client’s wishes and seeing mistakes get printed.

22. Is there anything else you think all of us should know?


Art, Graphic Design, and Web Design is a fun job and very fulfilling. I have seen my banners in other states, in People Magazine, on network television, and I think that is awesome. When a promotion or product turns out awesome, it can be around for decades. I like that I get to make tangible products, and see the results first hand.

It sounds cliché, but work hard, never stop learning, and be willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, and you will go as far as you want.

This week's work

I've been focusing on my resume, website and Mix magazine this week! I've recently decided to change my logo for my resume and website. Great timing huh!!! The week before the website is due! I lived the design of my first logo and I loved the colors. I wanted it to be a little bit girly, because this website is about ME and MY work. I wanted the site's design to reflect me. But, after working with it for a while, the more I thought it wasn't going to work. I worked with the color palette and the packaging of the logo to make things look a little more professional. Here's a little bit of what I've come up with. What does everyone think?

This week on the Daily Heller: business cards

OK! So we've all heard it: do all you can to make yourself stand out...market yourself...make a brand of yourself. I've been toying around with some ideas for a business card, but I've gotta tell you, I've never thought of this. I'm all for getting creative and unique to make yourself stand out, but I don't think I'd go this far. I'd rather not spend a whole lot of money on something someone just needs to keep track of my name and contact info. Visit the Daily Heller and check out the post from Monday, April 13, what this guy has to say about his AMAZING business card! Then, take a look at this clip from American Psycho.

My work this week

This week was another crazy week. I feel like I say that every week now. But, this week went by so fast and I was busy every second of it!! My Meredith group and I have been working very hard to get our designs done and ready for our publishers by Friday. I love my design group, we work well together and everyone has such great ideas! They’ve had to be very patient with me this week because I was also on to design the Missourian cover story for today (Thursday). Which means most of my attention was focused on getting that done up until midnight last night.
I had a lot of stuff printed this week:


1. The Missourian cover story: was really fun to work with. I was excited because I actually got to use a whole page to design the rest of the story. The story was VERRRRYYYY long, but it was a great story about a social scientist working with the Human Terrain Project. I encourage you all to pick up a paper to see it…or you can read it here. With the cover story, I also was in charge of the rest of the front page, and two more jump pages. I have to say, designing at a newspaper on deadline is not my favorite thing to do (PlanSystem hates me!!), but I’m glad I’m getting the experience.
2. I also had department pages run this week. This week was kind of tricky, I didn’t have final text by Sunday, so I had to just kind of guess about the page based on a ROUGH rough draft I got via e-mail.
Let me know what you think of everything!

Appreciating great design and photography

Do you know how to dance? If you say no…you’re lying! (Is that the correct form for those of you in editing???) We might look ridiculous, but I think EVERYONE knows how to dance. If not on the dance floor, I know we as designers know how to make our pages dance through our creativity! This week on the Daily Heller, he mentions an exhibition celebrating Dance Ink’s and 2wice’sv collaborations with dancers, choreographers,’ and photographers on the unique “stage” of the printed page.
I think these covers are really creative and interesting, and I love how the word “Ink” looks different on every cover. Take a look!

These Crazy Days

It seems like the last couple weeks just after spring break have hit us all really fast. I had a big “Holy crap,” moment this week about what’s going to happen after graduation. Other’s in my situation can probably relate to getting those same questions every day: What are you doing after graduation…What are you going to do this summer…Where are you going to be…Do you have a job yet….AAAGGGHHHH!!! It’s funny, I’ve known that graduation was coming in May this whole semester, but this week, it just sort of hit me like a bag of bricks. I’ve been freaking out about not only school (like I’m not going to get everything done in time!), but also about my future living situation, job situation, etc. I’m just waiting for that sigh of relief at the end of May. It seems like a day doesn't go by that I'm not stressing out about something!!
What are everyone’s thoughts on this? Any major freak-outs?

This week on the Daily Heller: Sappi Ideas that matter

I came across this post on the Daily Heller today. This is the 10th anniversary of Sappi's Ideas That Matter. Head over there and check it out. This initiative helps support designers in their ventures of social merit and help them contribute their talents to charitable activities. Sappi has awarded substantial grants to programs conceived and designed by designers that have made a big difference.

I think this is really awesome. It just goes to show that no matter what you do in life, you can help make a difference. Although they probably contribute more than just their creative talents, these designers are sitting a computers daily, just like you and me, but they're still making a huge effort to help others!