A Day in the Life of a … Cover Designer

Posted on June 23, 2009 in Uncategorized

What does a typical day as a designer involve?

A work day tends to be pretty varied but always really busy. I have a staff of four designers and we are each responsible for the design of one or more of our lists, my own areas being Children’s, Natural History and certain Reference titles. At certain times of the year the workload can be particularly heavy, preparing presentations in the run up to bookfairs and sales conferences, while trying to fit in all the day-to-day jobs as well.

I design most of the covers for my lists, while the text design is generally done by freelance designers. New title briefs are received from Editors and then it’s a case of sitting down with a pen and paper, or a computer, and coming up with initial ideas. Much time is spent at this stage online looking for inspiration, typefaces, doing picture research or sourcing suitable illustrators. Once I have some rough designs I will discuss them with the editor and work-up one or more to a more presentable state. When I have something that the editor, author and myself are happy with, the designs are presented at regular design meetings for final approval by the MD, sales and marketing. Then it is a case of commissioning an illustrator or image library and getting the job ready to hand to the production department.

Production and editorial meetings are monthly, so do not take up too much of my time, but I receive a vast amount of samples from illustrators and photographers, mainly by e-mail now, and I spend part of the day reviewing and responding to these, along with the ever increasing amount of admin that seems to come with any job. It can sometimes be frustrating that I seem to spend relatively little of my time involved in the creative process but life is certainly never dull.

How did you get where you are today?

I like to think by hard work – not to mention a large slice of luck. My college course focused on general design for print so gave me the option of pursuing a career in a number of directions. After a brief stint designing graphics for cardboard packaging I was offered a job with a publisher and had no hesitation in accepting it. And I have been in publishing ever since, either for publishers or packagers, mainly working on children’s titles. Having worked for a couple of very small companies, the experience gained has been invaluable in giving me a pretty good understanding of the whole publishing process.

What was it about book design in particular that appealed to you, rather than other types of design?

Book design is pretty much all I know but I always had the feeling that it was the gentler side of design, without the reputation that advertising, for example, has. It was also the knowledge that I would be helping to produce something I considered worthwhile and relatively long-lasting in a throw-away world. And I love books of course.

What’s the best bit of your job?

It really is the satisfaction of seeing an advance copy of a book which I have contributed to, and it is particularly gratifying when the sales figures exceed expectations. The other great thing about publishing is the people. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with so many great people, both work colleagues and freelance designers, illustrators, authors and editors.

And the worst?

The worst part of my job has to be when a design that I have put so much work into is rejected. I like to think that I am thicker-skinned with experience, but it still hurts sometimes, though I understand that it is not only my opinion that counts.

Is there a particular cover that you are most proud of?

That is a tricky question. I tend to be rather self-critical and generally feel in hindsight that I could have done things slightly differently. I suppose I am proudest of those covers that others like and prove successful in selling the book. But I always believe my best work is still waiting for me to design it!

How do you adapt your designs for different areas of the lists you work on?

It’s not that difficult really. As designers we naturally like to be innovative but there are certain disciplines which need to be followed, so the end result reflects the genre. So the briefing process is very important, as is researching the competition and keeping in touch with current trends. That said, I think most designers show a flair for a particular subject or age level.

What would your advice be to aspiring designers who want to get into publishing?

Probably the single most important thing is presentation. A well-presented portfolio and CV are essential, as they reflect what a potential employee will be doing on a day-to-day basis. It is also important to have a good knowledge of a publisher’s books when going for an interview, and demonstrating an awareness of that publisher’s competitors displays a strong interest in a candidate’s desire to work in a particular field. Any work experience is extremely useful in gaining experience of how publishing really works. And of course all-round IT skills are vital in modern publishing.

What do you think is the future for cover design, as publishing becomes more digitised?

In an industry that has changed hugely in my time I believe that the skills of designers will always be required, whatever form the book takes. In recent times the role of the designer has become ever more important as publishing has become more competitive and design standards are constantly being raised. Anyone involved in publishing over the past 25 years has had to adapt those skills as technology evolves and I have no doubt this will continue.

Interview with Terry Woodley, Head of Design at A&C Black