The world of typography is filled with rules, but Sergi Delgado is more interested in finding new ways of thinking to create letters. 

It’s the graphic designer’s ability to reimagine the bounds of typography — challenging our perception and knowledge through advancing technology — that is the basis of the swirling red ampersand featured in this year’s Adobe InCopy splash page. But the entrancing glyph is just a small sampling of Delgado’s ever-expanding portfolio that includes an array of trippy letterforms and equally hypnotic illustrations. 

Here, we talk to the Barcelona-based talent about his creative journey and how he stays inspired.

What led you to a career in typography?

Looking back, I was always drawn to graffiti and drawing letters when I was a kid. There is no one in my family who is involved in creative fields. My mother is skilled at drawing and painting, but there are no close relatives that I know of who have focused their work in the creative field.

I started studying design without really knowing what it was. I wanted to work in a creative field, but I didn't really know which field I wanted to focus on. Graphic design was one of the careers that seemed to have the best potential in the job market.

This lettering is inspired by psychedelic-tinged rock band, Tame Impala

I studied graphic design at the Serra i Abella School of Design, one of the few public schools located on the outskirts of Barcelona, in the city of L’Hositpalet de Llobregat. My love for letters blossomed naturally at school when typography became my favorite subject. That's why typography was a fundamental pillar in my work, and still is.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

When I was a student, I got a lot of inspiration from all the classical and contemporary references we were taught in class. I learned a lot by trying to imitate how the great masters and designers I admired built and created.

Obviously, everyone is inspired by nature — it is the greatest source of inspiration for every human being, but within its apparent chaos, we find algorithms, fractals, golden rules, mathematics, patterns, a hidden order within apparent meaninglessness and randomness that fascinates me.

Can you explain your typographic creative process?

My creative process is quite chaotic and often arises from mistakes. A project can be born through the error of another project, so I try to pay a lot of attention to those things that I can't control — that's where a large part of my creative process lies for me.

Going outside the established script, for me, is essential to be able to explore and enrich one's own work. In this way, my work is constantly evolving and nonlinear. I like being able to pull the thread, or evolve things that I find interesting — even if they are not part of the brief of the current project. Then, I can use those findings for a personal project or even enrich other projects.

You’ve described yourself as a “risk taker” in the past. How do you take risks with your design work? 

I think anyone wants to be riskier than they really are. I like challenges — that’s the only way we can evolve in our work and day-to-day lives. If every project were to be the same as usual, we would fall into a routine and our way of solving things wouldn't change. It is hard, but I need to stay uncomfortable in order to improve, and in 2020 I realized that more than ever. It was a year of reflection for me, and 2021 is a year of change and evolution.

Typography is about constant experimentation. Think of it as a chef who is trying to combine different flavors and taking risks, even if common sense tells him that it won't work. I believe that true experimentation lies in this mixture — taking risks and trying infinite combinations, even if you think something already works, or the other way round, you don't think it will ever work.

How do you create optical illusions in your design work?

I always think first of the idea and then I find the best way to realize it. I try not to be tied to any one tool. Obviously, I have my favorite programs and among them are Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, both of which I used growing up.

Why do you find yourself attracted to surrealism and psychedelia for your typography work? 

The truth is that I am attracted to a lot of movements, and any artistic or cultural aspect deserves attention and study. With surrealism, I try to practice introspection — to go into my subconscious, the oneiric, because then I can create different shapes that I wouldn’t find in everyday life. I also really like the collage or mixture that comes with surrealism, which is fundamental in all my work.

I like the organic shapes and colors found in psychedelia, and the exploration of that parallel world in each of our imaginations. I find the origin stories of each movement, born from a need for change, very interesting. We are living in very difficult times, but as a result of this time of crisis, I am sure that new movements and visions of the world will emerge. Moreover, an entirely new generation of creatives will be moved by this climate of tension, as everyone has been affected by this pandemic.