<p>5,200 views thank you
When I was in the bookstore of Cooper Hewitt looking for kaelyn’s euro-anglo design bibles yet my eyes focused on this one - face up piled high on the center table, brand-new! fresh out of oven!
<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Victore-Who-Died-Made-Boss/dp/0810995913/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1284523495&sr=1-1-fkmr0[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Victore-Who-Died-Made-Boss/dp/0810995913/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1284523495&sr=1-1-fkmr0</a>
I mentioned about it in some other thread and now, just did thru examining at B&N.</p>
<p>James Victore is one of the SVA bigshot designer who have been teaching 15 years but actually never finished schooling.
He learned what he needed to know about being graphic designer from looking at books in the university library as a kid where his mom worked and had to wait for the ride home after school every day, then later apprenticing to SVA teachers whom given him D grade while he was a student.
AND, loves Norman Rockwell (yay); the big old book of works was around in the house he was growing up, so were weird posters his dad got while serving overseas.
I am not really crazy of any of his works, esp. awful subway posters SVA 'd churn out one after another ( I know I know Raininguru, it’s just me…)
but some of what he said made me think, and lack of formal higher thru art education kept him somewhat accessible and bit dorky, the way I like it.
and I love that he ended the book with fake letter addressed to " James Victore’s mom" from MoMA ( could be real, once achieved his caliber, I bet you could befriend MoMA bigshot to send joke-real letter done on their official stationary.)
He must have wanted to dedicate this first book of his to his mom the most. In the shadow of every great man, there are great moms… heheheh</p>
<p>here is what he wrote about challenge to meet students’ need to get qualify for a job as a commercial designer. say, he could help them do that , but then…</p>
<ul>
<li>and the (design) job doesn’t love you.
most student enter class with a prognostication of what their future in the design business holds. And generally it is not a pretty picture.
When it is suggested that they widen their perspective or entertain a radical idea, or just shoot for the moon, I am met with that lamentable moan, " But, Mr. Victore… In the real world…"
these students are not even out the door, haven’t yet had their first whiff of rejection, and are already bracing for it.
This is, of course, is natural, as they have already trained in design. Trained by twenty years of sitting in front of the TV. Of looking at the colorful - but " new" and inevitably " improved" - sadness that fills the supermarket. Of watching movies marketed for them, made from formula and the only memorable bit was a fart joke.
They are unitingy trained in corporate - and committee -approved design.
They have been trained to " obey" </li>
</ul>
<p>jab to Shepard Fairey -the other sticker guy- hype? ( could the master/Victore possibly be jealous?)
his description of students here does not so much apply to Cooper kids, in fact, it’s so very SVA - you go to school to get trained to do “real world” paying jobs, what else?</p>
<p>I like what he said about making ceramic plates and drawing on it
-In design school today there is much less emphasis on drawing and making. We are completely competent at teaching computer skills, but forget step number one - the ability to draw and create with your hand is imperative to understanding design and form. </p>
<p>naturally, he does not use much technology. he still draws, cook ideas manually, many many many times. goal is to make something looks like he just kind of doodled up but after hundred of revisions, tweaking, editing. phew.
here is his advice</p>
<p>"The hell with genius. Work hard. "</p>