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Art direction for video and animation

Recognisable from the first frame.

A project’s visual style from the concept up: the idea that holds it all together, the palette, the typography, the illustration and how it all moves. Like the SUBEA Brand Book for Decathlon, printed to be read underwater.

Tell us about your projectSee examples

Who we’ve worked with

  • BBVA
  • Fundación Mapfre
  • Decathlon
  • Allianz Partners
  • Penguin Random House
  • Energizer
  • Endesa
  • Fundación BBK

In short

What is art direction?

Art direction is responsibility for a project’s visual style: it sets the idea that holds everything together, the palette, the typography, the kind of illustration or imagery and how it all moves, and makes sure every piece follows it. In video and animation, it connects the script with what appears on screen.

Here we mean art direction for brands and animation, not the film kind, which deals with sets and props. An art director doesn’t draw every image: they define the visual language, test it in moodboards and style frames, and keep it consistent from the first piece to the last.

What art direction is for

Giving a project a style of its own and keeping it from start to finish. Three real projects.

  1. Animated press cutting from the documentary Infiltrada en el Búnker
    01

    A graphic language for a difficult documentary

    From the first moodboards to the final style of the graphics for Infiltrada en el Búnker: textures, palettes and devices to convey investigation, infiltration and the coldness of the laboratory.

    Infiltrada en el BúnkerFremantle · Amazon Studios

    View the case study
  2. Ceramicist María Lázaro working in her studio, in the film about Giorgio Morandi
    02

    Bringing two crafts together in one piece

    For Fundación Mapfre’s exhibition “Morandi. Resonancia infinita” (Morandi: Infinite Resonance), a film that weaves the images in the show together with ceramicist María Lázaro at her wheel.

    Giorgio MorandiFundación Mapfre

    View the case study
  3. The silver superhero, in a silver wrestling mask, pins down a three-eyed green villain against a turquoise background
    03

    Characters for an educational project

    For Metals for Humanity, the visual world and animation for silver, one of four minerals turned into superheroes for an educational project in schools, Héroes de la Tierra (Earth Heroes).

    Héroes de la Tierra: la plataMetals for Humanity

    View the case study

What’s included

Everything it takes to choose a style well and keep it consistent.

  • Concept

    The idea that holds the project together, in one sentence and in images.

  • Moodboards

    References for colour, texture, typography and imagery to choose a direction.

  • Style frames

    What the piece will really look like, before anything is animated.

  • Illustration and characters

    The project’s series of illustrations or its characters, in its style.

  • Brand books and style guides

    So the brand or the project is understood, and stays consistent, when we’re not in the room.

Case study

The SUBEA Brand Book

SUBEA, Decathlon’s diving division, wanted a Brand Book to give to its staff and investors: a few pages to capture the essence of the brand and its idea of diving as something accessible, safe and enjoyable for anyone, not just experts.

We built everything on one concept, “Share the amazing underwater experience”, which guided the art direction and every illustration: real Decathlon customers enjoying themselves underwater, with safety and enjoyment ahead of technique.

We made the full series of illustrations and a video for the investor presentation, in the same visual world. The book was printed on stone paper, so it can be read underwater.

Client
Decathlon · SUBEA
Project
SUBEA Brand Book
View the project
The SUBEA Brand Book, with its illustrated water cover
Decathlon · SUBEA · SUBEA Brand Book · Art direction, illustration and animation

Brand book, brand guidelines or video style guide

They look alike and get mixed up. Each one serves different people.

Brand bookBrand guidelinesVideo style guide
What it’s forMaking the brand understood and feltMaking sure the logo, colours and typefaces are used correctlyMaking every video and animation speak the same language
Who it’s forStaff, investors, partnersWhoever designs with or applies the brandWhoever produces: studios, agencies or the in-house team
What’s in itThe idea, the values, the tone and the visual worldUsage rules, logo versions, palette and typefacesPalette, type in motion, illustration, rhythm and transitions

How we work

Five stages. Style gets decided with images in front of you, not adjectives.

Start with the brief

  1. Step 1: Brief

    What needs to come across, to whom and in which pieces.

    You getA proposal with the approach and a quote

  2. Step 2: Concept

    The idea that holds everything together.

    You getThe concept, in one sentence and in images

  3. Step 3: Moodboards and style frames

    We test visual directions until we choose one.

    You getThe possible directions, to choose from

  4. Step 4: Development

    Illustration, characters and pieces, always within the style.

    You getThe pieces, one by one

  5. Step 5: Guide and delivery

    Everything needed to keep the style consistent afterwards.

    You getThe final pieces and their guide

Frequently asked questions

What does an art director do?

An art director defines how a project looks and makes sure everything follows it: they propose the visual concept, put together moodboards and style frames, choose the palette, typography and illustration, and review every piece so nothing strays from the visual language. In a video and animation studio, they work alongside the script from the start and stay with the animation until the end.

What is a brand book?

A brand book is a book or document that sets out what a brand is and how it expresses itself: its idea, its values, its tone and its visual language. Unlike brand guidelines, which lay down the rules for using the logo and colours, a brand book aims to help staff, investors or partners understand and feel the brand. SUBEA’s, for example, was printed so it could be read underwater.

What’s the difference between art direction, creative direction and graphic design?

Creative direction decides the idea and the message of a campaign or project; art direction decides how it looks; and graphic design works out each piece within that style. In practice they go hand in hand, and in a studio like ours they’re worked on together from the concept onwards.

How much does art direction for a project cost?

It depends on how many pieces need defining (a video, a campaign, a brand book), how much original illustration is involved and whether production is included. Once we have the brief, we’ll send you a proposal with a quote.

We also do

What does your project need to say?

Tell us about the project, who it’s for and which pieces it needs. We’ll get back to you and set up a time to talk it through properly.

WhatsAppCall · +34 615 239 202
info@isla-studio.com

The Isla Studio teamVideo production studio in Madrid

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