I first saw this clip from the Hillmancurtis Designer series a couple years ago, and the quote has stuck with me since.

Here’s the video of the interview with James Victore…

Here’s the line that does it for me…

“Graphic design is a big fucking club with spikes in it and I want to wield it.” — James Victore

Here’s what it means to me…

As Victore notes in the video, Graphic Design can be incredibly influential and those who practice it have the power to send strong messages about topics from the profound to the profane.

On one hand, graphic design is a great way to “sell socks.”  A successfully designed campaign can do wonders for a commercial enterprise.  I understand design is used for this, but I don’t have a problem with it.  I like the challenge of developing a solution to not only provide information, but also move the audience to action.  In the case of most companies, that’s to persuade the consumer to learn more about the product and/or make a purchase.  But that call to action through visual communication has much more signifcant potential, and that’s what Victore spells out.

Look at World War II posters, look at poignant magazine spreads, even look at some album artwork and you see how graphic design can have a huge sociocultural impact.  The video shows some though-provoking pieces, and in that regard, Victore is indeed wielding the big “club” to promote others to pause and reflect on a particular topic of importance.  That’s something the absence of engaging design may not have achieved.

I am still learning how to most effectively handle that metaphorical club, but through projects both professonal and personal, I will do my best to do so deftly, honestly and responsibly.