Work in Skteboarding, an interview with Joe Castrucci

oe Castrucci is the aesthetic behind Habitat Skateboards, with his vision he has created a darling of the skate world, which has contributed in solidifying the importance of Art in the culture of Skateboarding.

Interview by Suziie Wang

How did you start your artistic career?

I have always been into creating things. I have drawn and constructed stuff since I was a kid. I also borrowed my parent’s home video camera to film skateboarding and other random neighborhood scenes.

Did you study or gain a degree in the Arts?

I don’t have a college degree in Art but I attended a vocational high school for Commercial Art. Where did you work before Alien?

I worked at Strength Magazine part time and for my dad washing cars and doing oil changes. I started working for AWS when I was 20 so I didn’t get much work experience anywhere else.

Did you have a local crew of skaters you filmed with? If so how did they help you develop your skills before you worked at Alien?

Yeah for sure, I had a good crew and I was always making the videos. We even screened decks and shirts.

Had you produced any local skate videos before working at Alien and if so what were they?

I made a few. “TAKE FIVE” was my first local video that I filmed and edited the entire thing.

How did you create your portfolio you submitted to Alien and why did you choose to do it that way?

They put an ad in the local Cincinnati paper for a Graphic Designer and I applied. I sent a portfolio and reel to show my work. My resume wasn’t that impressive so I figured I would have to show some visuals to get their attention.

How did you feel when you got the job at Alien?

I was so excited but also very nervous and intimidated.

What were the first things you did for them & was it what you expected?

My first project was the AWS Industry section in 411. I was super excited to skate with the team and build visuals for the video.

It took me a long time to adjust to working with pro skaters. I was used to filming with local friends. I had to prove myself and grow up a lot.

Insignia Series

When you started at Alien you had minimal graphic design experience, how did you learn graphic design?

Back then, I was so hungry to learn and work in all mediums. Mike Hill and Chris Carter were my bosses. Hill is a master designer and gave me design projects for AWS. I couldn’t have had a better teacher. I was terrible at design for years. I’m still learning how to create stuff that I can live with.

Whose idea was it to start Habitat?

While working on Photosynthesis, Rob Dyrdek and I became friends. We talked about starting a brand throughout the summer of 1999. I moved back to Ohio and we continued talk over a few months but Rob was busy with other projects so it just sorta evolved into my baby. I was responsible for the team, product and visual arts while DNA handled the biz.

Why do you think you were given the chance to run Habitat?

I was young and pretty blindly ambitious. It was a gamble on their part and I’m grateful they gave me the chance. I had some success with the videos and commercials. I think Carter and Hill knew I was committed

Exposition Series

and had a good work ethic. I was also in the streets a lot and had met a lot of pros and industry folks.

What’s been your favourite Habitat board series to date and why?

I would say Exposition, Stained Glass and The Insignia Series What’s been some of your favourite projects you’ve worked on for Habitat and why?

I love doing the video intros and title sequences. Those are my absolute favorites. I think my dream job is to make movie intros and trailers. It’s great being able to film something knowing how it will be edited and titled to music. It’s the perfect combination of film, design and music.

How has habitat helped you develop your own art?

Hmm. Well… When you’re working on commercial stuff with tight deadlines it’s impossible to really make everything good. I would love to spend twice as much time on every visual Habitat puts out. I think the brand has helped me work faster and more realistically but I don’t think that’s always good for improving and truly mastering a craft. I hope to make something perfect at some point in life that I can really say is finished.

Who would you say has had the most influence on your art?

I like design a lot. I really like traditional graphic design better than fine art. I love

clever and simple renditions of real things. I would say Paul Rand and Alexander Girard are my all time favorites. I also love Saul Bass, Wes Anderson, Charley Harper and all the old masters from 50s to 80s era of design.

What format do you like to work in best and why?

I would say for print, I like everything to end up in Illustrator. I like to mix photos, hand drawings, and anything else into Illustrator and vectorize everything. Spot color printing from Illustrator just creates the most perfect colors. For video, I like to work between After Effects and Premiere. I think both are equally as important and I ping pong between them throughout the entire editing process.

In your experience how important is initiating your own projects?

I am inspired by both creating my own projects from scratch and problem solving within a given projects parameters. Both can have great results. I would say creating something from scratch and seeing it through to the end is the most rewarding and personal.

Today, if you were trying to get a design job in Skateboarding how would you go about it?

First I would learn all the Adobe apps on my own. Then, I would do something within skateboarding that also has a broader appeal outside our small industry. I think that is important. It gives you the financial freedom to fund your projects and travel. So I guess that would mean either start something new

with the potential to grow beyond the core market or work for a brand that appeals outside of the core market.

Did you intentionally choose to stay in Cincinnati as opposed to moving to CA and why?

Yeah for sure, I like the seasons and the obscurity of Ohio. It’s a strange place. I’m kind of a hermit here now. I will say if I didn’t have kids I would move to LA. I really have a lot of friends in California and I miss collaborating with others.

How important is having an outside perspective of the California skate industry?

It’s been key in developing the brand, no doubt about it. My inspiration has always been old books, nature, and team travel. I would have had a totally different perspective in the midst of the skateboard industry.

Do you have any advice for an artist living outside of California that wants to work in Skateboarding?

Try to master your trade and always stay humble. People will notice good work no matter where you are from. Critique your work honestly. Compare it to the people working in skateboarding now. I would say take on freelance work wherever you can find it, in order to build your portfolio. I think working for local skate shops on boards and videos is a great way to start.

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