Art Sims


Art Sims is an African-American graphic designer and art director born in Detroit, Michigan in 1954. Sims is well known for his poster designs for classic African-American films, including Do the Right Thing and The Color Purple. He is the CEO and co-founder of 11:24 Design Advertising in Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Sims has committed to promoting and making visible African-American art and culture.

Career

Sims attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit then received a scholarship to attend Michigan State University from 1971 to 1975.
While still in college, Sims took a position as an art director at Columbia Records in Los Angeles, where he produced a series of album covers. He continued to work in Los Angeles as an art director at EMI for four years. Sims then started his company 11:24 Design Advertising in 1981.
Among the album covers that he designed were:
Sims has worked with filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Jon Kilik, George Lucas, John Singleton, and Spike Lee. He's designed posters for The Color Purple, Clockers, Do the Right Thing, Dreamgirls, Girl 6, A Huey P. Newton Story, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Summer of Sam, Woman, Thou Art Loosed, Bamboozled, , New Jack City, Black Dynamite, Love and Basketball, Mo’ Better Blues, The Secret Life of Bees, Crooklyn, Brooklyn’s Finest and Black Panther.