ART DIRECTION

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How to give your book a face? Usually, I jot down ideas whilst reading, make sketches, and do some image research before I sit in front of the computer to design anything. In many cases, being the editor, I have a unique, detailed insight into the story and know exactly who the audience is. So I have what I need for the direction, sometimes I get guidelines from the publisher, and/or the sales team also have input on which direction a concept should move in, based on audience response and where the book will be sold. Deadlines can vary from a few weeks to a few months. Often, a publisher wants to brand the author with a certain look so they are easily recognizable to their audience. Sometimes, an author will come to me whose first book cover was not a success and I start over. For many self-publishers, art direction is new ground. It could be that you've created your own brand and you have a fan-base but that you want to call the shots - GREAT!

It’s important for me to be true to every book and author, and try to present their writing with a unique look an solve design problems. Design is not the same as making art but it is creative! Design is led by function, structure and objectivity. When designing for fiction, I think about imagery and what the feel and audience are for the writing. I begin with a handful of specific concepts and work on developing those ideas. The type should be legible and large enough to read and, like people, every book has a personality—if the cover were a film poster, it would encapsulate the content of the movie, convey the tone and, via its style, appeal to a certain type of audience. Your book cover is the first, and sometimes only door into the world of your story and we want people to stop, look, and step in.

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I develop my vision for your book, using theme, genre, visual hierarchy, and impact to trace my route. I work with artists and designers who have the right style to create what I 'see.’ I am not a graphic designer but I conceptualize your story. Depending on the set-up, I work with the author to create an initial cover brief, which I then develop with a graphic designer/artist/illustrator/photographer. My job is to provide clear visual direction, overseeing the overall artistic style and giving life to a concept.

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Difficult: it’s often hard to get everyone on board with a decision. Book design is very subjective. When working for a publisher, there may be disagreements about colour, typeface, and human elements. The benefit to self-publishing authors is that I can take an objective view of your wonderful work with the GOAL of doing what is best for the book: solid representation, impact and—selling it.

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Pricing

Please contact me for a tailored quote.​

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