James Jean and Prada
If the illustration world has any rock stars, James Jean is certainly one of them. We’ve only briefly had a peek at James Jean’s work for Prada here, but for a more in-depth peek at this cultural mash-up of fashion and comics, look to no other than comics-blogger and Beguiling manager Chris Butcher. Chris gives the fashion line the attention it deserves, with a look at the pieces themselves, and some sharp commentary on the seeming lack of attention given to James Jean’s contribution:
While industry sites had made notice of Jean’s mural and film, no one (myself included) seemed to have noticed that James Jean’s palette, visual style, and even his actual illustration, is present across almost the entire line, and to be found in the pages of virtually every fashion magazine around the world.
Link: Prada is James Jean: Comic Artist Covers Spring Collection
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He is incredible. When I introduce people to his work(process recess) I say that he’ll hopefully be a whole section in future art history books. I’m glad his work is being more successfully used in the clothing and murals than just the video posted here before(not his fault, I just found it off and like it lost a lot of his appeal).
What amazes me about Jean is that, while he’s really good as an illustrator, he’s an AMAZING designer. Mixing the two together as well as he does shouldn’t be legal.
Jean is an illustrator, and a very talented one, but isn’t likely to take up space in art history books any more than N.C. Wyeth—unless the book is a history of illustration. Though Jean may go on to do some interesting personal work as well, the majority of his work is done for a commercial venue, and though he often uses the computer, his techniques are essentially traditional. He’s an incredible drafstman, has a great design and color sense, but he isn’t doing anything all that new formally. He’s applying classical techniques to a narrative purpose—to tell stories of one kind or another. For the most part he’s not making images as statements that are an end to themselves. This doesn’t make him any less than an amazing artist, but he’s not exactly breaking new ground here, and I doubt he would claim to be doing otherwise.
I may sound star struck, but I don’t think you have to be attempting to break new ground to be worthy of a place in history. He’s doing what he loves and for a living. I feel too many artists get caught up in trying to impress the rest of the world with their concepts to really explore.
I know I’m not following your line of discussion above, because I’m still reeling about James Jean not getting much credit and/or attention for his work with Prada! That seems like a tragedy. Still, he has walking advertisements EVERYWHERE of his work. That’s amazing.
I concur he is a great draftsman although i don t particularly dig his sappy illustration work.
Does anybody know of an artist whose style and detail is similar to Jean’s?