# Cobi and Mariscal's Barcelona '92 Mascot Graphics

> A mascot-led strand of the Barcelona '92 Games, narrowed here to the character and not the emblem or pictograms. Javier Mariscal's Cobi, an orange Catalan sheepdog in a Cubist manner after Picasso's Las Meninas, brought a cartoon grin to the Games, then spread to statues, a fountain and a cartoon series. It was initially criticised by Catalans who felt Mariscal was less worthy than Miro or Gaudi to represent them.

- Period: 1987–1992
- Where: Southern Europe
- Origin: Barcelona: the Olympic Organising Committee (COOB) and the illustrator Javier Mariscal, who designed the mascot Cobi (unveiled 1987; his own Wikipedia page says it was chosen as official mascot in 1989) and the Paralympic mascot Petra. This entry covers the mascot only, not the Games emblem or the pictogram system.
- Branch: Postmodern
- Also known as: Cobi, Mariscal style, Barcelona 1992 Olympic mascot
- Page: https://stylogeny.com/styles/barcelona-92-identity/

## How it works

- Make a drawn character the centre of the mascot graphics, separate from the Games' pictogram and emblem work.
- Draw it with Cubist distortion, such as a nose on the side of the head.
- Keep the figure simple and the tone cheerful so that a national event feels like a street party.
- Take the character off the page into statues, fountains, comics and animation.
- Expect debate: Cobi was initially criticised by Catalans over who should represent Catalonia, and Mariscal's avant-garde style was called controversial.

## Its design choices

Defining choices make the style, characteristic ones are usual, occasional ones turn up now and then.

### Layout & composition
- [Isolated object](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/isolated-object/) (characteristic)

### Space & hierarchy
- [Single focal point](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/single-focal-point/) (defining)
- [Extreme scale contrast](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/extreme-scale-contrast/) (occasional)
- [Visual tension](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/visual-tension/) (occasional)

### Typography
- [Hand-lettering](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/hand-lettering/) (occasional)

### Colour
- [Flat fields](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/flat-fields/) (defining)
- [Full polychrome](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/full-polychrome/) (characteristic)
- [Light ground](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/light-ground/) (characteristic)
- [Primary triad](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/primary-triad/) (occasional)

### Form & shape
- [Distortion & exaggeration](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/distortion-and-exaggeration/) (defining)
- [Stylised figuration](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/stylised-figuration/) (characteristic)
- [Rounded & pill](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/rounded-and-pill/) (occasional)
- [Squiggles & confetti](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/squiggles-and-confetti/) (occasional)

### Surface & texture
- [Flat](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/flat/) (characteristic)

### Ornament
- [Restrained accents](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/restrained-accents/) (characteristic)
- [Emblems & badges](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/emblems-and-badges/) (occasional)

### Imagery
- [Comic & cartoon](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/comic-and-cartoon/) (defining)
- [Line illustration](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/line-illustration/) (characteristic)

### Medium & production
- [Pen, brush & ink](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/pen-brush-and-ink/) (defining)
- [Motion & broadcast](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/motion-and-broadcast/) (characteristic)
- [Architecture & signage](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/architecture-and-signage/) (characteristic)
- [Offset printing](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/offset-printing/) (occasional)

### Tone & intent
- [Playful & witty](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/playful-and-witty/) (defining)
- [Communal & popular](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/communal-and-popular/) (defining)
- [Warm & approachable](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/warm-and-approachable/) (characteristic)
- [Ironic & self-aware](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/ironic-and-self-aware/) (occasional)

Avoids: Straight photography, Generous white space, Authoritative & institutional, Abundant decoration, Skeuomorphic material

Palette: #f28c1c, #e63027, #1e5fb4, #f6d523, #fbf5e6, #1a1a1a

Typefaces: Hand-drawn lettering (illustrative, no source confirms Barcelona '92 lettering), Generic rounded hand-drawn comic caps (illustrative, unsourced)

Known for: Cobi mascot, Javier Mariscal (unveiled 1987); Petra, Paralympic mascot, Javier Mariscal (1992); Cobi fountain, Barcelona (inaugurated 11 July 1992, per a Barcelona City Council catalogue cited by Wikipedia); Statues of Cobi playing each of the 28 Olympic sports; The Cobi Troupe animated series (BRB Internacional) and its six comic albums

## Where it comes from, and what it’s close to

- Grew out of: [Pop Art Graphics](https://stylogeny.com/styles/pop-art.md) (1955–1975)
- Influenced by: [Memphis Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/memphis.md) (1981–1988)
- Alike in its design choices: [Chat Reaction-Sticker Cartooning (LINE)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/line-reaction-sticker.md) (2011–present), 83% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Rubber-Hose Revival (Cartoon Mascot Graphics)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/rubber-hose-revival.md) (2017–present), 82% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Yuru-chara (Japanese Local Mascot Design)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/yuru-chara.md) (2000–present), 77% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Sudanese Revolution Graphics (Digital Illustrations and Sit-in Murals)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/sudanese-revolution-graphics.md) (2018–present), 72% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Skateboard Deck Graphics](https://stylogeny.com/styles/skateboard-graphics.md) (1973–1989), 72% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Push Pin Style](https://stylogeny.com/styles/push-pin.md) (1954–1980), 72% alike

## Sources

- Wikipedia, Cobi (mascot): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobi_(mascot)
- Wikipedia, Javier Mariscal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Mariscal
- Wikipedia, Cobi (mascot): early Catalan criticism cites The Atlanta Journal, 'The Cobi Controversy', 5 April 1992
- Palette note: only the orange of Cobi is sourced (Wikipedia, 'an orange Catalan sheepdog'); the other swatches are illustrative approximations

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From Stylogeny (https://stylogeny.com/), an atlas of graphic-design styles by Van Riel Online Services. How it is made: https://stylogeny.com/about/. Cite as: Stylogeny, “Cobi and Mariscal's Barcelona '92 Mascot Graphics”, https://stylogeny.com/styles/barcelona-92-identity/