Article # 4: James Victore: Straight Up

    This article, written by Michael Bierut, describes how there are two kinds of graphic designers in the world. One creates each project for an opportunity for self expression, producing work that has an unmistakeable mark and is more about the maker than the message. This graphic designer's output, at its best, is personal and passionate; at its worst, it's repetitive and self indulgent and the mark of an attention seeking person. The second kind of designer attends first to the client; to the message; and to the audience. The second designers goal is to be neutral and invisible. The best of the second designer's work is extremely effective; the worst is anonymous and unforgivable, giving design a bad name. Designer James Victore is great because he amazingly combines the best of both ways. Everyone of his pieces bears his signature in his unmistakeable work. He has a way of conveying the sense that "The words don't want to wait around to be put into type, justified, and kerned. Instead, the ideas are rushing to get out."
    If I was a professional graphic designer, I would want to be like James Victore and want to show self-expression as well as being extremely effective through my designs. I hope my designs would be as shockingly good as we should all aim for. I am definitively going to look up some of James Victore's work.