Please tell us about yourself and how you started specialising in book design.

Graduating in 2008 in the midst of a financial crisis meant jobs were difficult to come by, so I initially bounced around a few studios on short-term contracts. When Canongate in Edinburgh posted an ad for a junior designer, I was desperate to get it. I admired the fact that Canongate were really brave with their covers, and particularly the early work they did with Angus Hyland at Pentagram.

Furthermore, book design was something that had always interested me. I wasn’t an insatiable reader as a child by any means, but I was fortunate to grow up in a house which was crammed with books; from my gran’s beautiful old botanical encyclopaedias to my big brother’s enviable collection of modern literature. I recall being fascinated by them, and I actively pursued the opportunity to produce book designs in my time at art college.

After two years at Canongate I spent a further six years at Faber & Faber before I decided to pursue a career in freelance book design, in 2017. I’m fortunate now to work for lots of big and small publishers, both in the UK, Europe, the US, and further afield.

What is your favourite aspect of designing book covers?

Briefs vary, but some of the time I get to read a novel or work and present an almost visceral visual reaction to the narrative. I think that makes book design quite unique from other disciplines.

For the most part, I find that the publishing industry encourages creativity and innovation. I work with some brilliant art directors, editors and publishers who support the cover design process and are passionate about good design.

Could you talk us through your typical design process?

Normally the publisher will send through a brief (which can be open or specific) and in the vast majority of cases I start by reading the book with a notebook at my side. I might jot down notes and scribbles indicating the tone, themes, specific passages or lines, and small thumbnail ideas, but I never start the design process in earnest until I have finished reading.

I always try to offer some solutions that adhere to the brief, and one or two solutions that, perhaps, weren’t asked for at all. It isn’t rare for those covers that break free from the brief to end up getting approved.

How do you get inspired?

I’m fortunate that many of my fellow cover designers (who I am often in awe of) create such outstanding work that it inspires me to strive harder and be a better designer. 

In truth, I’m not one to spend hours in bookshops looking at what is already out there - partly because it compounds my impostor syndrome, and partly because I don’t want to be inspired so closely that I stop trying to create innovative solutions to briefs. 

How did you come to choose GF Smith Colorplan as the base paper for your exclusive Faber Members Editions?

The key part of the brief for the Members Editions was to create something which felt collectable. I felt as though they might be bought by someone who loved the book and might even already have one edition at home.

Colorplan has a depth and richness which sets it miles apart from printing an ink on plain white stock. To me, it felt like the most premium of our stock options.

In addition, it foils beautifully. Like lots of uncoated stock, the fibres are somehow soft enough that foil blocking creates a very subtle debossing effect. This is especially true when you do away with the jacket entirely and block foil directly onto the boards, as we did with these books.

You’ve created a lot of beautiful book covers, many of which have been shortlisted for awards - congratulations! What do you think makes a book cover stand out?

Often you’re working in an incredibly crowded market, so I think all parties in the process have to be brave enough to disrupt that and create something which stands out from its competitors.

What has been your favourite cover to design?

Probably these! Every book designer enjoys creating new covers for classic or popular novels.

Working at Faber & Faber means that you’re surrounded by a rich design history. You can’t fail to be inspired by the great Berthold Wolpe, who was responsible for many iconic typographic Faber covers, from the ’40s to the ’70s. I wanted to attempt to achieve the same sort of striking simplicity in this collection of modern classics. I hope I’ve been true to Faber’s heritage while creating something quite contemporary.

How are your book covers printed? Do you get to experiment with different print finishes such as embossing, hot foiling, etc.?

On most projects I am rarely involved in the final printing process, but I do get the chance to propose print finishes before a publisher’s production department takes the files off my hands. I’m sure they’re often maddened by my suggestions!

Embossing, foils, spot and grain varnishes, binding cloths, ribbons, and special inks are all quite common and allow a further layer of creativity to the process of designing and producing a book.

In 2017 you made the decision to pursue a career as a freelance designer and art director. How did you find this transition?

I sometimes miss that feeling of being part of a team and achieving something as a group of designers, but for the most part I haven’t looked back. The book design community is small and friendly.

Have you experienced any setbacks on your freelance journey, and if so, how have you overcome these?

Of course! Lots. A publisher’s in-house cover process teaches you – early – how to deal with negative feedback and outright rejection, but it’s never easy. At times the cover process can be really long and drawn-out.

If your design gets rejected it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a bad piece of work. It’s a subjective thing. But part of any design process is problem solving, and if you don’t solve the problem then I’m not sure it can ever be considered a truly great piece of design.

Your client list is very impressive. Have you any advice on sourcing new client work as a freelance creative?

Just be approachable and warm, and try to get in front of people. That hasn’t been easy for a couple of years for obvious reasons, but when I meet people face-to-face I find that we’re much more likely to strike up a good working relationship. And be humble if and when you do get the work. Don’t be overly precious or petulant if things don’t turn out the way you want them to.

What is the one book you would love to design a new cover for?

I love unsettling, weird fiction and I think it would be fun to reimagine some of the macabre classics from authors like Shirley Jackson, Robert Aickman and Edgar Allan Poe.