ManMaker Profile: Dennis de Groot, Graphic Designer Extraordinaire!

My wife and I were recently in Amsterdam. I know, I know, our lives are amazing. But that’s not the focus of this story.

created at: 09/22/2011One evening we went to cozy little bar with some outdoor seating. While we were there, two guys sat down on the bench next to us, over looking a canal,like all seats in Amsterdam do.

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One of the guys, it turned out, worked in publishing. He’d just brought a print of his client’s new book, “Bare Essentials”, and was showing it to a friend.   I couldn’t help but stare, because each page featured one iconic pop character, reduced down to the most minimal of colors and shapes and yet still completely recognizable.

created at: 09/22/2011

They let us join in the guessing game, I think because the publisher’s friend was having some trouble recognizing some of the characters, probably because he was bicycling around outdoors in his youth, whereas I spent my entire childhood glued to a tv.

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The book, and much of Dennis’ work, revolves around really clean shapes and lines, and vibrant color schemes.

Needless to say I was hooked. And if his book or the Amsterdam rendering at the jump weren’t enough to hook you, check out the story of how he met his wife.