Interview with Juror Damien Correll!!!

Interview by AIGA member and awesome Mississippi State Student Tim Cook:

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with New York based designer Damien Correll via iChat, and I got to ask him some questions in lieu of his participation in Pix(elated!).  Here’s what he had to say:  

Damien, at what point in your life did it click that you should do this and not be a rock star or a civil engineer? 

As a kid of probably 10 or 11 I had this weird obsession with type, or as I called it "lettering." As most adolescent boys are, I was into comics and as most adolescent boys that have an interest in drawing do, I made my own comics. But I realized I had way more fun doing the type that accompanied my drawings than the crudely drawn superheroes I was attempting to make. I would often visit the local library by my house and just cruise pass the "young teen" section and head straight for the art and design bookshelves. I would take out books on display type and other type specimin books and started redrawing them. I even took it upon myself to redesign my middle school's logo which I am proud to say stayed in the main hallway bulletin board my entire Middle School career. 

Do you have a favorite superhero or series from those days? 

I was big into Image comics at the time. The Maxx and Bone were my favorite. 

How would you describe your artistic style? 

There is a level of abstraction in my work that I think comes across right away. Because to everything means something and I was educated as a Designer, I love to play with iconography and symbols. And of course my palette. I have this rotating cast of colors that I like to use. I think most of my work is defined base on those color relationships. I also like to think it is constantly evolving. I think I just may be getting better at what I do. 

So, if your style was one of the Ninja Turtles, which one do you think it would be? 

Hmmm... I suppose Michelangelo. I mean, who doesn't like pizza?  

What have been some recent projects you’ve worked on? 

Lately I have really been keeping busy with various Artist Series projects and I have been involved in quite a few broadcast productions. I just did a piece today for a show upstate in Beacon, NY which opens on Saturday. Still just trying to walk that line of commercial and personal work. 

Do you have any work that you’re most proud of? 

It is tough to say commercially what that project would be, but for some reason I think the cover of the Yale University Art Gallery cover I did. There are really so many projects I am proud of, all for various reasons. 

Do you have a dream project or client? 

I'm doing some album art and some video projects for this band that I really dig, Ancient Crux, so that is always amazing when that works out. When there is a mutual appreciation for each other's creative endeavors. Beyond those projects I would love to do a big expansive map project, maybe something for the government, but only if they were willing to have fun with it. 

Are you musically inclined? 

Hah not at all. I am a huge fan music, though. So much so, I started a podcast a few weeks ago. 

Well speaking of music, Ive noticed that many artists also have musical endeavors, and visa versa.  Would you say that there is a connection between the two? 

I think there is something inherently familiar with music and the visual arts. There always seems to at least be a mutual respect between the two disciplines. 

Do you have any thoughts on the general idea of the fine arts community that graphic design is “selling out” or “the death of real art?” 

Oh man, I think "selling out" is an antiquated concept. I think it is all about intention. The fact that we, as designers, can make some money off of what you love to do is a brilliant thing. Many people in other occupations don't get to experience that. If you, as an artist or designer, don't have any moral problems with Pepsi being able to sell some sugar water because of some piece of visual communication you made, where is the problem? I think it only becomes an issue when there is some sort of conflict. or some reason Gen Xer's had a real problem with selling out. My generation and the younger generations seem to recognize that there are grey areas. It's not all black and white. 
 

NOW FOR SOME WACKY FUN!!! 

If Helvetica were a food, what food would it be? 

Bread. Goes well with most things but doesn't constitute as a meal by itself. 

If your studio was on fire and you could only save three things, what would you grab? 

My copy of Design as Art, my external hard drive, and at least one of my Dick Bruna books. 

Do you have any pets?   

I have a dog, a mini dachshund named Franklin. 

If Satan came to you and said you had to either:

1. use Comic Sans or Papyrus for the rest of your life.
2. Put a toothpick under your toenail and kick a wall.
3. Go with him to Hell.

What would it be? 

C seems the least painful 

Could you say that options A and C are kind of the same thing? 

Hah! Yeah, I’d imagine there isn’t much of a difference 

Desert Island:  If you were stuck on a desert island for the rest of your life, and could only have with you three of the following, what would they be? 

Books 

At least on David Sedaris book, Charlie Harper “Monograph” and a Madlib.

Movies 

The Royal Tenenbaums, Labryinth, & The Triplets of Belleville 

Typefaces 

Futura, Akzidenz Grotesk, & Clarendon 

Tools? 

Knife, flint, & Sunscreen. 

Man, sounds like you could survive for a good while. 

Hah, a weekend. 

Final question.  For all of us students, I have to ask, do the all nighters ever stop? 

No, but you get paid for them. 

Well that was it for my interview with Damien Correll, who is a great guy and an even better designer!  Check out Damien’s website www.damiencorrell.com, and good luck!