Olivier van Zummeren is a freelance graphic designer, living and working in Tilburg. He focuses mainly on brand, editorial and motion design. His website already reveals a few things about him: ‘likes people, admires animals, cares for the planet, craves food, appreciates love, loves climbing, digs music, desires art, enjoys beauty, prefers Age of Empires 2, fancies a Tesla, idolises Eefje de Visser, worships Fontainebleau, values typography, adores design and sympathises with branding.’ We’d like to find out a bit more about him.
You value typography. Could you explain further?
“Good typography is the base of a solid visual identity or campaign. It allows a text to speak. I find the craft itself beautiful and fascinating, but it requires a huge amount of patience and concentration. Which I don’t have.”
What typography did you use in the Summer School identity?
“That’s Dinamo’s ABC Maxi. This geometric font fits nicely with the imagery of iconic beach objects like a beach chair or parasol. Staggering the letters, as if they were sitting on a wave, creates tension and contrast. A nice discovery.”
Photo by Chantal van den Berg
How does a design process unfold?
“I start by researching the subject and look for reference material. For the Summer School identity, I read about what people like to do in summer; going on holiday, to the beach, relaxing. I delved into the stereotypical parts of summer. In this I saw a very graphic language that appealed to me.
Summer School participants very consciously choose to go to school during their holidays. Something I could relate to, as I participated in 2021. They join from a professional point of view, but also for fun. I wanted to reflect that fun in the campaign line.”
What do you find important in your work?
“The coolest thing for me is to create something from scratch. A visual language that is aware of the world, and has a bit of individuality in it. My work should be a pleasure to look at, but also have strong substance.”
You’ve been a freelancer for almost two years now. How does that work out for you?
“It’s absurd how much you learn when you do everything on your own. Before this, I worked at the agency Toffey for four years, and there most of the practical stuff is done by someone else. Now I have to be on both creatively and business-wise. But I like it. It’s very satisfying to pull your own weight.”
When you’re not at work, what is your favourite (summer) activity?
“I can do nothing very well – and sometimes I need to – but I like an active holiday. I prefer to go climbing.”
What is your favourite holiday country?
“Portugal. On the coast, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, you feel very insignificant as a human being. Great to put things into perspective.”
