David Plunkert Shares His Passion for Color and Shape
David Plunkert is an ideas man. The graphic designer and illustrator behind the cover art for Criterion editions like Diabolique and The Merchant of Four Seasons prefers to keep things simple so those ideas can shine; in his work, shape, color, and concepts take center stage. In this latest episode of Studio Visits, we head to Plunkert’s spacious atelier in Baltimore, Maryland, where he explains his unique approach to creating images that are as “universal as possible.” The diversity of his influences—from African art to comic books—is apparent in his more recent work, which has evolved since he first made a name for himself with his distinctive collage designs. For his collaborations with Criterion, he has turned to such sources as cave paintings and Frans Masareel’s woodcuts—this latter influence, for instance, can be felt in his expressionistic cover for The Tin Drum. Watch the above video for more on the artist and his methods.
