30 Day Craft Your Art Direction DNA Course/Week 1
An introduction + laying the foundation
Hi everyone,
I’m very excited to introduce and trial courses on my newsletter. As I’ve teased, I developed a 30 day program for art directors that can help craft their DNA, what they stand for and be more strategic in shaping their career path. I wanted to make this inclusive, so I included a free weekly task for free subscribers while paid subscribers get access to the full program (daily tasks and a lot more industry insights on why this is important). I will share every Monday the new tasks for the week, additionally to the regular schedule of posts.
What is this course about?
There are more visuals in the world than ever before. Brands, magazines and cultural spaces are producing content at an insane speed. Every day, you scroll past thousands of images, campaigns and creative work. Some of it catches your eye. Most of it doesn’t. The reality is, the creative industry is oversaturated. It is no longer enough to just be a good designer, photographer or art director. You need a distinct creative identity, something that makes people remember you, something that makes you the obvious choice for a project, where they can pick between many fish in the sea.
This is what Craft Your Art Direction DNA is about. Whether you are a junior trying to break into the industry or someone making a career switch, this challenge will help you define your creative DNA and turn it into a structured playbook. When people know exactly what you stand for, they trust you. They know what to expect from you, and they know how to recommend you. This challenge is designed to get you there.
Why this matters
Think about the art directors who stand out. They aren’t just good at their job, they have a signature. Some specialise in Scandinavian minimalism and know everything about the aesthetic, the influencers, and the brands in that space. They are extremely wanted by brands or agencies who find this aspirational, want to move towards this market, or local brands that want to hone in on their identity. Being specialised, doesn’t make you less wanted for other jobs. It makes you stand out and attract the jobs that align with your vision. It makes you be in demand and able to ask higher prices, because you are irreplaceable. Others are deeply embedded in youth culture, creating campaigns that feel plugged into the moment. Some have a specific way of working with colour, composition or storytelling. Whatever it is, they are known for something. And that makes them desirable in a competitive market.
A strong creative identity not only makes you stand out, it makes your work more efficient. When you have clarity, decisions come faster. Your portfolio becomes sharper. Your outreach is more effective. Instead of struggling to position yourself, you attract the right opportunities because your work already communicates who you are and what you bring to the table.
How This Works
Craft Your Art Direction DNA is a 30-day challenge designed to help you build a structured creative playbook. Each week focuses on a key area:
Week 1: Laying the Foundation – Understanding your creative instincts and influences.
Week 2: Exploration Beyond the Familiar – Expanding your visual world and references.
Week 3: Refining Your Aesthetic – Defining your unique creative language.
Week 4: Building Your Vision – Translating your identity into a clear direction for your career.
Week 5: Crafting the Playbook – Bringing everything together into a toolkit you can use for years to come.
Each day has a specific task that builds on the last. If you are a paid subscriber, you get access to the full breakdown, guiding you through exercises that go deeper than just inspiration boards. I will also introduce the tasks and the topic of each week with my personal observations and experiences, giving you a clearer overview of the current market and the confidence on what to do to stand out. By the end, you’ll have a defined creative identity, a structured portfolio direction and a clear way to position yourself in the industry.
Free Task: Week 1 Exercise
If you are not ready to commit to the full challenge, here’s your Week 1 task:
Take 30 minutes to build a mood board that instinctively feels like you. This can be on Pinterest, in a folder on your laptop, or a physical collage. Do not overthink it. Choose images, textures, colours, and compositions that you naturally resonate with. After you’re done, step back and look for common threads. What do these images say about your aesthetic? What elements keep showing up? Write down three observations about your selection.
This task is a great starting point for both free and paid subscribers. If you’re a paid subscriber, this exercise can be done additionally, but you will also gain access to a more detailed pathway with deeper exercises, industry insights, and a structured framework to truly define your art direction DNA. As a paid subscriber you also still can join the Gohar World briefing where I give you detailed feedback and help you shape your idea according to industry standards, and the entire archive including Concept Labs, Visual Playbooks and different guides.
And as an extra. February is my birthday month, it’s also a cold month so the perfect time to hibernate and reflect before spring comes. So I am treating on a limited offer for this month, to get 40% off on the annual subscription.