Jim Datz is the former art director of The New York Times A2/A3 pages, and was the final art director of the Op-Ed page (from 2016 until its retirement in 2021.) He studied architecture and design theory at the University of Pennsylvania before embarking on a career that spans graphic design, illustration and product development.
In the past he has designed brand assets, marketing materials, packaging and softgoods for AlexaChung, J.Crew and Madewell, led the Urban Outfitters Web and Catalog creative team, engineered Super Soaker boxes, laid out tuberculosis laboratories, and woke with the tide to harvest clams in South Jersey. His architecture Master’s thesis, “Perilous Architecture and the Drowning Man,” anticipated our contentious relationship with climate change and eroding coastlines. He remains drawn to water.
RECOGNITION
Society of Illustrators
Gold Medal
Mark Pernice, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
Society of Illustrators
Gold Medal
Johanna Goodman, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 39
Selected Work
Brian Stauffer, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 38
Selected Work
Hudson Christie, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 38
Selected Work
Mikel Jaso, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 37
Chosen Work
Lauren Simkin Berke, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 37
Chosen Work
Grace Heejung Kim, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 36
Selected Work
Adam McCauley, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
American Illustration 36
Selected Work
Mike McQuade, illustrator
The New York Times, publication
PUBLICATIONS
New Ornamental Type:
Decorative Lettering in the Digital Age
Gail Anderson and Steven Heller, authors
Thames & Hudson, publisher
Little Book of Lettering
Emily Gregory, author
Chronicle Books, publisher
A Map of the World: The World According
to Illustrators and Storytellers
Antonis Antoniou, editor
Gestalten, publisher
Hand Job: A Catalog of Type
Mike Perry, author
Princeton Architectural Press, publisher
Over and Over: A Catalog of
Hand-Drawn Patterns
Mike Perry, author
Princeton Architectural Press, publisher
Pulled: A Catalog of Screen Printing
Mike Perry, author
Princeton Architectural Press, publisher
Wondering Around Wandering
(Wrote the Introduction)
Mike Perry, author
Rizzoli, publisher
IdN Magazine v17n2: Retro Graphics
(Nostalgia in Modern Times)
Featured with some of my heroes, including Jimmy Turrell, Aesthetic Apparatus and Tyler Stout.
Systems Design Limited, publisher
Fresh Dialogue Two: New Voices in Graphic Design
Kevin Lyons, One9ine (Matt Owens, Warren Corbitt), and ReVerb (Susan Parr), authors
Nancy Eklund Later, editor
Princeton Architectural Press, publisher
clients
Abrams Appleseed
Ace Hotel NY
AG Jeans
Alexa Chung
All-You-Can-Eat Press
Bust Magazine
Condé Nast
Eames Institute
Fortune
Facebook
Fenchurch
Galison
Google
Harvard GSD
Herb Lester Associates
Hachette
Hugo & Marie
Jamie Magazine
J.Crew
Koko Architecture
Madewell
Make Magazine
Malwitz Surfboards
Marks & Spencer
Metropolis Magazine
Muji
The New York Times
Penguin Random House
Princeton University
Sub Pop
Terrain
Three Potato Four
Urban Outfitters
YWCA
juries and speaking
Invited Juror—Editorial
Society of Illustrators, Illustrators 64
Invited Juror
Society of Illustrators Zankel Scholarship 2021
Invited Juror—Editorial
American Illustration, AI37
Invited Juror
Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition
Invited Juror—Uncommissioned
Society of Illustrators, Illustrators 59
Invited Speaker
Ligature 18
University of Florida (Gainesville)
Invited Juror
38th Annual UCDA Design Competition (Smyrna, TN)
Invited Critic
Collab Competition
Philadelphia Museum of Art
contact
I am often available for freelance projects (especially book covers), so if you would like to collaborate, please send a message below.