e r o t c i V James
Human to human communication, the power of images and words, the strength in their opinion and personal histories—the freedom from “making shit up!” YOUR WORK IS A GIFT!
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ames Victore is a graphic designer with hands on fearlessness. He utilizes distinguishing word marks, hand written typefaces, collage, illustration and a social commentary that is unmistakably all his own. Victore’s simplicity of design on the page makes his style so effective. This simple approach along with ‘getting off the computer’ and utilizing his hands has made his signature process an inspiration. He created book cover designs and branding work for the likes of Aveda, Adobe, Mailchimp and Yohji Yamamoto and many others. He wrote and published his own book Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss? highlighting his work over the past two decades. Victore taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York but has since left there to take a more hands-on engagement with those in the creative industry. He has a much wider audience online creating short films such as ‘Burning Questions’ his series which answers many questions about graphic design and working in the industry.
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ames Victore was raised as a military brat. He remembers people recommending he pursue the nursing profession. He did not know a person could make a living from being a designer and had to take steps to move toward his goals. He loved to draw. While growing up in Idaho, James would visit his mother after school in the reference department of the library she worked. She exposed him to stacks of art and design history books.
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He was influenced by posters that were part of American and World History, posters that inspired some youths to fight for their country and others to protest war. In one particular poster book, he saw Tommie Smith raise his gloved fist in support of Black Power from the podium of the 1968 Olympics. Among other inspirations were John Heartfield, Tadanori Yokoo, Peter Max, Andy Warhol, as well as Grapus, and stirring images from Mai ’68, a cultural, social and moral turning point in France’s history. At 19 he packed a bag and moved to New York City. At 21, he dropped out of art school not feeling he was getting the education he needed. He sought out Paul Bacon
for career advice, a professor that had previously given him a D in class who agreed to take him on as an apprentice. Taking the safe route, he created covers for books on alcoholism, occult and books on how to sell used cars. He began using his own style, making titles too small, type difficult to read, using ‘wrong imagery’ to tell the ‘right’ story, collaging, scribbling, and doodling. He was searching for his own style. Victore wanted to show mark makings made by a human being; a key element in his design. He met and was hired by Steve Brower, Art Director of Carol Publishing and created the cover for Johnny Got His Gun. From there, Victore discovered his own voice creating posters, book covers, and greeting cards with his signature flare of design.
DO THE WORK. The process is everything. If you cheat it, you compromise your transformation and come out unchanged— still an asshole. And if you don’t like doing the work the first time, you’re gonna hate doing it again. DO THE WORK.
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Inspirations A. John Heartfield B. Tommy Smith in Support of Black Power C. Grapus Poster 1970–1991 D. Peter Max E. Tadanori Yokoo F. Andy Warhol G. John Heartfield H. Henryk Tomaszewski I. Mai’ 1968
James Victore Designs 1. Mea Cuba, 1995 2. The Werewolf in Paris, Book Cover, 1991 3. Guernica and Other Plays, Book Cover, 1995 4. Helene Cixous, Book Cover, 1994 5. Greeting Card, 1989–93 6. Johnny Got His Gun, Book Cover, 1991 7. The Shakespeare Project, Poster, 1994 8. The Death Penalty Mocks Justice, Poster, 1995
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BR UN SP R E B B M
Arawak men and women, naked, tawney, and full of wonder, emerged from their villages onto the island’s beaches and swam out to get a closer look at the strange boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords, speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts. He later wrote in his log: They...brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawk’s bells. They willingly traded everything they owned... They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features.... They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane.... They would make fine servants... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want. –Christopher Columbus from A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn 9
9. Celebrate Columbus, Cultural Poster, 1992
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10. Racism, Social Poster, 1993 11. Double Justice Film Poster, Front, 1993
T N A I L RIL D E L D I NBR D E T I R I P AW C I T S A I S U H T N E BOLD BRASH H L U F R E T S A M KIND S U O R E GEN G N I G A ENG E V I T A CRE FREE C I T S I A LT R U 10
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is outspokenness on social issues began on Columbus Day in 1992. Reading an article in the New York Times about Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America, he began to think about the real truths he had heard. “Where were the Indians today? What had they been doing? What about the pox infested blankets?” With no money, client, or resources, he paid the printer and the company that hung posters throughout New York “Post No Bills” City. People stopped to read his posters. The cops did too, but instead of reading they scraped them off, leaving Calvin Klein posters behind. Thus began the pivotal moment in James Victore’s career. He now utilizes a ‘no fear of white space’ attitude and a ‘break the rules, ask questions later’ design method, both bold and brash across the page.
With an altruistic concern for cultural, racial, and social injustices including the death penalty, Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s “Disney-fication” of New York, the AIDs crisis and too many more to mention, James Victore is a designer to pay attention to, a designer that cannot help but being heard.
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Examine the clichĂŠ, then dig deeper into the idea, and do that again and again, turning and twisting it each time.
12. Disney Go Home, Poster, 1999 13. Use a Condom, Social Poster, 1997 14. Probation Services Poster, 2012 15. Social Poster, NYC Coalition
for the Homeless, 1994
16. Probation Services Poster, 2012 17. School of the Visual Arts Poster
for Subway, Rilke, 2007
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We are completely competent at teaching computer skills but forget step number one—the ability to draw and create with your hands is imperative to understanding design and form. I never want to lose the joy of making something for the pure sake of making it.
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18. Chronogram Magazine Cover, 2005 19. Probation Services Poster, 2012 20. Poster Inspired by Plates 21. Critique Magazine Cover, 2000
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ames Victore’s plethora of quotes have left an indelible mark on his how-to of graphic design. Every anecdote from him is another addition to a designer’s tool kit. Don’t be afraid to try new things, use your hands, less is more, create word marks, throwing out the rules and making your own, are just a few of the remarkable guidelines pushed to the limit by this graphic designer.
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d e k c u f t o n e v a h e Peopl e g a p d e nt i r p e h t . n with a c l l i t s e w s a h e r o t c i as muc V –James
Designed and written by Kirk Simpson Composed in Museo Sans Condensed, typeface designed by Jos Buivenga, 1994 Printed by Toshiba e-STUDIO3055c on Hammermill 80# Color Copy Digital Cover Copyright © 2016 Kirk Simpson Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine Victore, James, Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss, Introduced by Michael Beirut, Design by Office of Paul Sahre, Abrams, New York, 2010. Millman, Debbie, How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer, Allworth Press, New York, 2007. Victore, James, Dangerous Ideas on Design Education, Printmag.com Williams, Eliza, worK’s SERIous PLay, Creative Review, Vol. 35 Issue 8, p36–44, Aug 2015