APPLICATION ESSENTIALS

MOOD studio art director Jesper Andersen on how to get an edge over the competition

How should an artist go about approaching a studio or art director in the first instance?

It goes without saying that you need to do some homework; who is it you’re approaching? What have they done before? Is there something that moves you particularly? It’s great to tie your application or opening email with a personal experience that relates to seeing artwork or products from whomever it is you’re approaching.

What are some common mistakes that candidates make in their portfolios?

Not daring to show your process. Nothing beats seeing the process towards the final image or design. We want to see all the choices you’ve made; show the steps in creating the artwork from sketch to final art piece, the research you had to do, what kind of story you wanted to imbue the artwork with, and the decisions your workflow was influenced by.

What are the most important core skills for working in an art studio?

Being a team player and being approachable – prima donnas are not something that inspires a team. Communication is everything, so if you can’t express your ideas and explain your thoughts or criticism, then you’re going to have a hard time. We scrutinise the portfolio, that’s the thing that will get you in the door, but then the in-person interviews are really where we try to get a feeling for what type of artist we’re dealing with.