ABOUT PANDEMONIUM

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, Pandemonium is the capital of hell, the place where demons have a board meeting in order to discuss their plans. It also means confusion, chaos, and commotion. Such a metaphor can be used to describe the creative process of a graphic designer, whose mind functions as an overflown cauldron filled with interconnected information in a complex network. Contrary to popular belief, ideas are not a result of divine inspiration or orderly and predictable thinking. They come to life due to repetitive practice, effort and experimentation, which are characteristics of the designer’s own repertoire.

Processo de criação em design gráfico: Pandemonium is the book by Leopoldo Leal, result of his Ph.D. dissertation presented in 2019, which focused on understanding the graphic design creative process in which chance and experimentation are inserted.

It was based on the eight phases of the creative process described by Robert Keith Sawyer. These phases constitute the structure of the project and provide clarity and understanding of the entire creative process, which does not occur in a linear standard. It is as if the practical items of an experimental work in design originate from any material such as punch cards, craft sticks or a collection of bar codes. Even after establishing a point of arrival—in the case of experiments, the design of the word “pandemonium”—, the outcome will not necessarily be known in advance, for it will depend on the paths and decisions to be taken. The creative process is carried out as the project develops, assuming deviations, errors, improvisations and surprises which add up to its formation.

"PANDEMONIUM, THE PALACE OF SATAN RISES, SUDDENLY BUILT OUT OF THE DEEP: THE INFERNAL PEERS THERE SIT IN COUNCIL."

John Milton,
Paradise Lost

Awards

"LEARNING (…) THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION TAKES MORE TIME, ENTAIL DETOURS AND WRONG DIRECTIONS. WALK BEGINS WITH CRAWLING, AND SPEAKING WITH BABY TALK."

Josef Albers

Leopoldo Leal holds a Ph.D. in design from FAUUSP. He is a professor for the SENAC graduate program and at EBAC. In over 20 years of experience, he has worked as a designer at Landor, Interbrand, Futurebrand and GAD ’Branding.

His book Creation process in graphic design: Pandemonium, is a result of his Ph.D. dissertation which was awarded in 1st place at the “Museu da Casa Brasileira” Award, nominated for the Type Directors Club of New York (TDC66), as well as for the 13th Biennial of “ADG”, Brasil Design Award 2020 and LAD Awards 2021.

For now, Leopoldo has intensified his research on creative processes in graphic design, lecturing and producing graphic workshops and experiments.

EDUCATION

2019 Ph.D. at FAUUSP in Design and Architecture

2014 Design Camp na Kolding Designskolen, Dinamarca

2004 Post-graduation in Graphic Design at Senac

2001 Bachelor in Graphic Design at USJT

1997 Arts and Crafts at Liceu de Artes e Ofícios

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

2016–present Associate Lecturer at EBAC

2014–present Professor da pós-graduação do Senac

2009–2016 Associate lecturer at Miami Ad School

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2020–present Pharus Design

2015–2017 Design Director at Landor

2012–2014 Designer freelancer at Pharus Design

2012–2012 Brand Manager at GAD’Lippincott

2006–2011 Senior designer at Interbrand

2005–2006 Designer at FutureBrand

2002–2005 Designer at GAD’Branding

2001–2001 Designer at DTS Consulting

1998–2000 Intern at Liramax textile factory

AWARDS

2021 LAD Awards

2020 Brasil Design Awards

2020 Type Directors Club New York (TDC66

2019 1st place at “Museu da Casa Brasileira”

2019 13th Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial ADG

2017 IF Communication Design Awards

2015 IF Communication Design Awards

2015 11th Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial ADG

2013 Idea Brasil

2013 10th Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial ADG

2012 Idea Brasil

2010 DDC Gute Gestaltung 10

2009 Corporate Design Preis

2009 IF Communication Design Awards

2009 Red Dot

2009 9th Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial ADG

2005 1st place at “Semana de Moda”

2001 2nd place Typodrome Exhibition