Student of the Month: Diogo Rapazote

Date
1 December 2011

Now in his fourth year of communication design at the University of Porto’s Faculty of Fine Arts, we’re very pleased to announce Diogo Rapazote as our November Student of the Month. We really loved his Rothko Rides Velos project which shows an excellent instinct for print, informed by an innate curiosity in compendiums of all sorts, something that could only be sated by exercising his own collectors mentality. It’s not common to see someone with a bike in Porto – “there are a lot of hills” he explains – so by cataloging the colours and designs of their sporadic appearances, he’s like some cycle-lepidopterist with a pleasing eye for design.

The finished product is a really great example of consistent communicative design – he gave himself all sorts of rules in which to fit his findings in – and it tells a nice story! The rest of his portfolio has the same charm of an illustrative brand of typography (see the Lurzen Bucht poster also pictured) that varies in outcome throughout his portfolio. “My school train us in so many different areas that It’s hard to do merely one single thing” he says. “Well Steve Jobs says you can only connect the points looking backwards. I have hope they will connect further down the road. :-)”

At the time of making/creating this project, who or what was your biggest influence?

Luzern city, and being abroad. These were the two main things which led me to develop Rothko Rides Velos. Also being in Alpenhof in the fantastic Andreas Zuest library and to see so many books there was a big help. It might not be so clear but I love Daniel Eatock’s work and process of working. And I always remember his crazy methods of working when I think of the process for this book. For Luzern Bucht I just fell in love with Matthäus Merian’s print of the city and wanted to do something with it – it seemed to match the the theme and the vibe of the Book Festival. (The teachers hated it.)

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university to date?

Having friends is wonderful! It’s amazing what you can achieve if you share and participate with others. I have great teachers but I think most of the stuff I’ve learnt came from working with my colleagues. University is a great places for this to happen. Oh, and everything is easier when you’re having fun! :-)

What would you be doing now if you weren’t at Art School?

Probably the part-time job I have now at Casa da Musica’s ticket office but at full-time.

Where are you making/creating most of your work?

Right now at home. I have not been printing lately but I used to spend a lot of time at school using the screen printing machines, getting my hands dirty! Sometimes a walk around the city is nice to get your ideas straight.

What are you working on at the moment?

Right now I’m preparing some illustrations for an independent publication fair here in Porto. Check it out here.

You can apply to be December Student of the Month here

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About the Author

Bryony Quinn

Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

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