James Jean-The Flow of Color

2000s to Today

James Jean is a visual artist, born in Taiwan, he began his career in commercial and advertising after he attended the School of Visual Arts (SVA). Having worked with brands like Prada, ESPN, Rolling Stone, and DC/Marvel Comics. He later transitioned to painting as his main focus where his distinct art style gained the attention of many. He uses various gestural movements with a combination of abstraction creating dream-like masterpieces. I chose James Jean as my last artist for the designer’s cookbook because of the smooth and flowing lines often depicted in his work. It gives me a sense of relaxation and awe, with the amount of attention and color he includes. And the types of people, ideas, symbols, and more that he depicts in his paintings. He also doesn’t provide much written context for his paintings, giving us the liberty to interpret them through our perspectives, which doesn’t restrict our imagination to what it could be. The way I see his work fitting into my design lineage is through the visual components, I try to incorporate in my work. I enjoy working with color because it brings my work to life, not saying that black and white isn’t enough, adding just a touch of color can transform the meaning of a piece and how people react to it. This is why I admire how Jean can combine and coordinate it so well. And while I haven’t put pen to paper in sometime, the more I view his work the more I feel motivated to pick up a pencil and let it run wild.

Work Comparison