James Jarvis - Rock in Design

James Jarvis studied illustration in Brighton and London. He became known in France for his work on the RATP Imagin'r campaign before starting to create toys with his company AMOS NOVELTIES. Its inspiration comes in particular to the rock groups of the 70s. The name given to the cartooneque universe in which its characters evolve is "World of bread" and its inimitable style (the characters with a potato-shaped head) is available today. hui in many series. Here is a little interview with the gentleman, he wanted to answer us in French, we kept these answers to the word ready .... You will be surprised ! First of all, can you introduce yourself to the French public? My name is James Jarvis. I was born in 1970 in London. I live in South London, I like drawing, cycling, jogging and listening to psychedelic music. What is your career? I studied the illustration in Brighton University and Royal College of Art. What is your news and what do you plan to do soon? I draw a lot. I conceive of the in-crowd series of toys. How do you proceed for your creations? I do a lot of drawings. Then I prepare technical drawings that I send to a sculptor. Have you ever wanted to produce your mass toys for a big manufacturer? No. I like being in control of what I do. With a big company I think I would lose my independence. But I would like to create popular toys for everyone, not just the limited edition. Can you describe the universe from which your characters come from? My characters live in various universes of potato heads. These universes are all different. In one universe they use only 'Helvetica'. In another they still live in caves. But all the inhabitants of these universes have heads formed like potatoes. What are your main influences? Richard Scarry, Hergé, Gary Panter, Josef Muller-Brockman, Paul Klee, Phillip Guston, Jean Dubuffet How did you come to make collection toys? In 1998 a friend of Japanese suggested that I should make a toy based on one of my drawing characters. I made this figure with the fashion company, Silas; With the assistance of a Japanese company, Bounty Hunter. We made several figures together until I decided to make toys for a new company, Amos. Do you consider your creations like toys or objects of art? For me the most important thing I do is drawing. Toys are a byproduct of the drawing. Without the drawing, the toys would not exist. What kind of thing would you like to do in the coming years? I would like to make an animation. I would like to grasp the power and be able to tell everyone what to do. From who feel you close to among the toy designers? A few times I have lunch with Pete Fowler. What would you have liked to do if you had not been a designer? I wish I could have been a professional cyclist. I like politics. What are your favorite movies and cartoons? The Long Goodbye, Popeye, The Samurai, Conan The Barbarian, This is Spinal Tap, Pinochio ... What is your favorite website? http://www.cyclingnews.com What's your favorite video game? I do not like video toys. Your favorite hero? Jan Ulrich, Your favorite bad boy? Richard Virenque. What are you reading and listening right now? I'm trying to read Proust, but it's hard. Right now I really like WEEN's new album. I listen to Willham's Will, the Pretty Things, John Phillips, Carter Family, Pavement. Which movie poster or which record pouch would you have liked to realize? 13th Floor Elevators