Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich

www.devicq.com

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich is a type-based illustrator and graphic designer who was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. In 1982, de Cumptich moved to New York and studied art and design at the Pratt Institute earning a MFA. Nowadays de Cumptich works as a Senior creative director at Harper Collins.

I came across de Cumptich whist I was researching for my self-directed project. My self-directed project was a self-portrait moving image piece that is made up of typography. De Cumptich 'Bembo Zoo' was a huge influence as he makes up animals just out of typography, this is the idea that I used as I made my face out of different sized typography.

Bembo Zoo was de Cumptich's children's book debut, although many adults and students have bought the book for themselves. De Cumptich produces a abecedary picture book that has an animal represent each letter of the alphabet using just typography. "Bembo has long been one of the most popular typefaces for continuos reading. But never before in the history of typography has its versatility been better displayed than in Robert de Vicq de Cumptich 'Bembo's Zoo'. In his first book for children, de Cumptich has created an abecedary of animals made entirely from Bembo letter-forms and punctuaction marks nothing else. And, you know, the conceit works." (www.devicq.com)

De Cumptich's Bembo Zoo has been huge influence so far on my multimedia course. I think that his clean aesthetic, limited colour palette and minimalist style will influence me for years to come because this is the style that I prefer to work in.