Joe Cuticone

FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CUTICONE DESIGN, NEW YORK NY

“There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” – Milton Glaser

Having immigrated to the United States from Italy at a very early age, Joe Cuticone’s beginning as a visual communicator was fostered by a strong desire to compensate for his early lack of English verbal skills. Growing up in multicultural Brooklyn, Joe was fortunate to have been first awarded a painting scholarship to the Brooklyn Museum School, and later a design internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Joe’s passion for design began in the classroom of Milton Glaser who inspired his interest in a search for the magical balance between business and art in ways that brought originality and style to otherwise ordinary consumer goods. Founder and Creative Director of Cuticone Design, Joe has been heading up a branding and packaging design firm for nearly 20 years. Having won many design industry awards, his passion is for solving clients’ marketing challenges with innovative-targeted design solutions.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?

Times have certainly changed in our industry, including of course how design is made. In a world where most people think that with the push of a button comes great creative, my advice to a young designer is: Just slow down! Let the creative process be a natural extension of you and not your machine. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they’re only going to make you a better designer in the end.

HOW DOES WHERE YOU WERE BORN, GREW UP OR LIVE NOW EFFECT YOUR DESIGN SENSIBILITY OR STYLE?

I’ve been very fortunate to have had two great cities influence my formative years as a designer; New York City, where I currently live, and Rome Italy where I lived for a period of time and often revisit. The energy and stimulation of NYC provided me with the opportunities and resources needed to grow professionally, while Rome’s incredible history and vibrant contemporary culture provided me with an array of inspiring artistic and sensory experiences.

FAVORITE COLOR?
Orange

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
Sloop

FAVORITE APP?
CitiBike

FAVORITE WEBSITES?
The Karaoke Channel

FAVORITE TV SHOW?
Walking Dead

FAVORITE BOOKS?
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

FAVORITE MOVIES?
Barbarella

FAVORITE MUSICIANS OR BANDS?
Depeche Mode

FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS?
Leslie Tucker

GREATEST STRENGTH AS A DESIGNER?
My ability to visualize beyond the conventional

WEAKNESS?
I would rather walk away from a project than be paid to execute a design that does not thrill or engage the consumer.

TALENT YOU WISHED YOU POSSESSED?
The gift of gab

IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
A biologist

A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
Om Shanti Om

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