Marta Cerda Alimbau is that type of designer whose work is appreciated not only by the expert eye but also by the uninitiated people who simply stumble upon her work. You’ll find yourself scrolling through her pieces of work, trying to understand hidden messages and genius ideas. The talented designer combines personal fonts, complex shapes, and vivid colors in a way that lets you recognize her work from afar. This is why we believe that Marta Cerda Alimbau deserves a place in our Designer of The Week Series. Without further ado, we invite you to get to know Marta better by reading our interview with her.
WebDesignLeger: Tell us about you (a short bio).
I am an Amsterdam based independent artist, type designer, illustrator and art director. At the end of 2008, after working in agencies and studios between Barcelona, Düsseldorf, and Munich, I won the ADC Young Guns and decided to found my own studio. Since then, I work for arts, culture and advertising clients abroad, and my main body of work is focussed on the boundaries between typography and illustration. I also lecture about design at creative conferences and universities internationally.
WebDesignLeger: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: Expressive, awkward, persistent.
WebDesignLeger: When did you discover your passion for design?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: Well, this is something that came little by little, at least in my case. Since I was a kid that I could isolate myself by drawing. Hours went by so quickly and it allowed me to express things I couldn’t say. Now it’s different, but the final effect on me is kind of similar.
WebDesignLeger: Where does your inspiration come from?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: Depending on when my inspirations are organic and change with time. But I usually look backward at the history of design for inspiration.
WebDesignLeger: What do you think are the most important 3 skills for a designer?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: I think it’s more about the attitude than the skills. The skills, you can learn them with patience. The attitude is something deeper, and harder to change. So for me, the three more important attitudes are being curious, hard worker and perseverant. All these mixed with a good eye for the type and art direction. the
WebDesignLeger: How do you stay updated with what is new in the design world?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: Instagram is now for me the best source to know what’s going on right now.
WebDesignLeger: Who are your favorite 3 designers?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: Herb Lubalin, Takenobu Igarashi, and Roger Excoffon.
WebDesignLeger: What kind of people do you love to work with?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: I love to work with great art directors and to team up with them, it’s the best way to learn and move forward. They give good references but also give room to develop yourself, and have a good knowledge of the direction their client needs to take.
WebDesignLeger: How do you handle stress and pressure?
Marta Cerda Alimbau: I start working really early in the morning, around 6 am. There’s silence and I can focus a lot. And I can look at my day with no rush. Also, I don’t accept new projects if I am not sure I will be able to give them my 100%.
Marta has worked with many influential brands, fact that made her name notorious among the important contemporaneous designers. If you’d like to contact her or to check more of her amazing work, make sure you follow Marta on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Behance.
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