Art Direction for the Web

Modern web technologies like CSS Grid, Flexbox and Shapes have made it possible for us to implement print’s often distinctive designs, and the web’s now full of tutorials on how to use them. But the most important question is not “how” we can use art direction techniques to improve our designs for the web, but “when” and “why?”


Based on Andy Clarke’s twenty years’ experience of working with clients, plus the expertise of the art directors and designers he interviewed, this eBook is about why art direction matters and how to art-direct compelling and effective experiences across devices and platforms.


Andy explores the work of some of the most influential art directors, luminaries like Alexey Brodovitch, Bea Feitler, and Neville Brody. He doesn’t encourage us to merely mimic work from a previous era and medium, but to understand their thinking and learn how to apply that knowledge to art direction for the web.


Art Direction for the Web will help you make your sites more effective at communicating, persuading, and selling.


Table of contents:



What art direction means
One hundred years of art direction
Art-directing experiences
Art direction and creative teams
Principles of design
Directing grids
Directing type
Directing pictures
Developing layouts with CSS Grids
Developing components with Flexbox
Developing typography
Developing with images