ART DIRECTION TRAINING

In the fourth year, you learn how to manage and deploy a project of art direction in its entirety. You confront the professional world to test your method and develop your expertise through the internship experience. A professional experience of at least four months through two internships is required. You are required to invest, design, produce and collaborate.

Confronted concretely with the daily life of the company that welcomes you, you are supported by the school that follows you. Starting your career path, these internships allow you to develop your own professional network and start preparing for your future.

You cover the following disciplines:

• creative studio
• brand identities and systems
• cultural editing
• film language and production
• international communication
• editorial photograph
• brand thinking
• image
• life drawing
• film culture
• project definition

The fifth year is the culmination of your training in art direction. It is a year of affirmation, conviction and verification of prior learning. A year rich in meetings and exchanges with professionals. A workshop is offered with a prestigious brand or institution. As part of an interdisciplinary course that invites 5th year students of the three courses, the confrontation of ideas and expertise emancipates and frees the convictions of each. The workshop is an opportunity to share your thoughts, interact with future professionals, affirm your choices and confirm your expertise.

The last stage of your training is that of the graduate, a project that you develop for several months before presenting it to a jury of professional experts outside the school, thus allowing the certification of your training. Now accomplished, in control of your achievements, you are ready to embark on your own path.

You cover the following disciplines:

• professional project
• brand curation
• art direction
• film production
• photographic direction
• project definition
• life drawing
• artistic culture
• international communication
• diploma

The fields of application:

• visual communication (advertising, poster, photography, typography, etc.)
• digital communication (website, social networks, interactive design, etc.)
• brand image (identities, logo, graphic systems, brand book, etc.) packaging (design, design, etc.)
• production (advertising, video, film, video games, etc.)
• publishing (book, catalogue, press, magazine, etc.)
• image direction (illustration, shooting, photography, dataviz, etc.)

The main sectors:

• communication agencies
• communication and corporate marketing departments
• creative studios
• multimedia design studios
• digital design
• interactive design
• advertising agencies
• publishing houses
• luxury, fashion, culture sectors
• animation, video game sectors

The main business lines:

• Art director
• Creative director
• Graphic designer
• Graphic designer
• Photographer
• Director
• Web designer
• Motion designer
• Image manager
• Production manager
• Collection manager
• Publisher
• Illustrator
• Museographer
• Design director
• Model maker

After high school

Registration in the integrated foundation year is not subject to any file study or interview. Outside Parcoursup, registrations open every year in October and are subject to availability.   

After a Bachelor’s degree

Admission to a master’s degree in art direction does not appear among the materials accessible via "monmaster.gouv.fr", it is subject to a file study and a recruitment interview. 

Foundation year in applied arts

For the year 2025/2026, the amount of the foundation year in applied arts is €10,990. An application fee of €590 is payable at the time of registration.

Higher years

For students following the training in Penninghen in 5 years, the rates for the higher years are €13,890/year. For students following the training in Penninghen in 2 years, the amount each year is €15,990.

The training allows the title of "Image and Media Art Director" Level 7, registered at the RNCP under number 35876 by decision of France Compétences of 15 September 2021. The State and the European Qualifications Framework recognise the certification of training and its relevance to labor market needs.

This title allows the acquisition of 4 blocks of skills, from the first year until the end of the second quarter of the fifth year.

BLOCK 1 - DEVELOP A MONITORING SYSTEM AND ANALYZE A SPONSOR’S REQUEST
BLOCK 2 - DEFINE IMAGE AND MEDIA PROJECT
BLOCK 3 - DRIVE THE IMAGE AND MEDIA PROJECT
BLOCK 4 - PRODUCE THE IMAGE AND MEDIA PROJECT

‘When I have to recruit someone and he comes from Penninghen I instinctively know that he will have the stamina, hard work and perseverance that we were taught at school. I know he will be diligent, organized, hardworking, and curious.’ Yorgo Tloupas, artistic director, teacher at Penninghen, 1996 graduate

‘We had complementary lessons that allowed us to have something quite explosive and complete. I found the teachers professional and I was extremely satisfied with the diversity of the teachings. I had two workshops that marked me, the first at Hermès in the drawing and graphic design studio that I enjoyed. I wanted to do illustration, it made me realize that it was not for me but it showed me how a luxury house works and I think it is very useful for the future.’ Marguerite CHAILLOU, 2019 graduate

‘Penninghen was the only art school that accepted me without having done MANAA, without a record. If there was a project to highlight it would be Venice. It was interesting to work with students in architecture. It was the first time we had a real client who had a concept that we had to adapt to. It was necessary to create an artistic direction that went with the project. In Penninghen we learn a rigor of work, a way of working and this is reflected in the internships and the exchanges with the teachers. It is a learning not only technical but of life and professionalism.’ Vincent NITENBERG, 2019 graduate