Visual Storytelling: Why Artists Need Art Direction and Moodboards
Strong art direction is the key to creating compelling visuals. When it is time to have photos taken for an artist or brand, both the moodboard and a clear direction for the images proves its worth.
A moodboard of album artwork using a grid system.
Although it seems simple enough, having effective images of your creative project takes a good amount of forethought and planning. From the initial stages of hiring a photographer and possibly stylists to help make you look your best, the inevitable question about how you want the images to look can feel daunting, if not impossible, to communicate. After all, being an artist is not a catch-all for the many mediums it could imply: if you’re great at playing music and booking shows, you’re not necessarily great at communicating your visual ideals and crafting an effective set of images to represent your brand. Whether it's an Electronic Press Kit, a tour poster, or a new set of images to share on social media promoting an upcoming show or release/exhibition, strong art direction is the key to creating compelling visuals.
Art direction is a slippery term that can mean a variety of things depending upon the context where it is used. The simplest way to think of art direction is storytelling: the story behind the image. I find it is always important to ask yourself about the “why” behind every creative decision made to keep the visuals aligned with their purpose.
The process begins with having a dynamic range of references to pull from, including film, literature, music, and fashion–or anything you find curious and inspiring–and synthesizing them into a new narrative. Having a place to visualize these references and share it with others involved in the creative process brings us to the moodboard (also known as an artboard). This digital or analog item is the north star of your creative intent for the images to be produced, showing anything from poses and lighting to wardrobe and hair styling notes. Luckily, it is also useful for graphic designers and writers along with many other creative fields as a tool to gather ideas and look for the ‘through line’ connecting it all, serving as a guidepost throughout the creative process.
The moodboard for Issue 001 of Occulture’s zine.
For example, while preparing Issue 001, the debut of Occulture’s e-zine, a moodboard was integral to the brainstorming phase and mapping out angles to write about each topic. Starting with the initial confirmed images to be used in Issue 001, the moodboard evolved to have additional images related to the topic that serve as inspiration and references for writing. This moodboard was made without using a grid (adding a border to all images and sometimes restricting images to a consistent size) which lends to the elements of the moodboard feeling more organic. If the goal is to present your ideas in a clean and organized way, using a grid with consistent image dimensions is preferred because of the visual hierarchy and order it creates, such as a pitch deck for an event promoter or record label. Instead, a moodboard without a grid system feels closer to the storytelling style of publication and flyer layouts done by hand—think of any punk flyer or zine and you get the idea.
When the time comes to have photos taken of your project or brand, both the moodboard and a clear direction for the images proves its worth. But, it doesn't end there: once images are taken, knowing which images to use and what edits should be made all involve the initial work of having clear and strong art direction.
TL;DR: If you are an artist who needs strong visuals to help represent and promote your work, you can do it yourself or collaborate with fellow creatives who specialize–and love–this type of work. That’s where Occulture comes in. Here’s a starter to give you an idea of what this process looks like, whether you are in DIY mode or work with us:
Acquire images; know your references and source inspiration, not imitation
Select your digital canvas
Find the story
Add textures, keywords, and color palette
Organize the visuals
