All things Production
The production staff at a publishing house are responsible for getting your book to you looking the way that you love! From helping to finalise cover designs, organising any finishing touches, tweaking images to optimise them to their full effect, and ordering the books so that they arrive on the shelves! They are busy people, but a few of them are here to explain their roles and answer questions!
SATURDAY 21st AUGUST
How to Get into Production (A Lecture)
11am-11:30am - (Meeting Room 1)
Presented by Ami Smithson, designer at Picador
Are you an advanced designer or a complete beginner? Either way, it doesn’t matter – If you’re intrigued, come along! This session presented by Ami Smithson, experienced designer at Picador, will cover how to get a career in design and production and what to expect when in the job role. It will also offer CV and interview advice which will be specifically geared towards the design and production sector. Ami will discuss in detail the types of preparation someone applying for jobs in production should be working on, and will also talk a little bit about her own route into the industry.
Ami Smithson is a designer from Picador who was responsible for designing the cover for the 2016 novel The Muse, the followup to Jessie Burton’s best-selling 2014 novel The Miniaturist. Ami is an expert on creating intricately designed, beautiful covers.
The Fundamentals of Design (A Presentation)
2pm-3pm - (Meeting Room 2)
Presented by Peter Mendelsund from Alfred A. Knopf, based in New York
Presented by Peter Mendelsund, an extremely accomplished book designer, this session will give a basic introduction to the process of book design. It will begin by covering basic terminology, processes, and concepts and will progress through to short demonstrations using. This session will also cover why book design is important, the benefits of working in design and the different career options available. This session will be well-suited to those who are looking to begin their career as a book designer, or those who would like to know more about the process.
Peter Mendelsund is an author and the former Associate Art Director at Alfred A. Knopf whose book covers have been described as ‘witty and visually arresting.’ He designed the book covers for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy by Steig Larsson and has decades of experience in design.
Designing Children's Books (A Workshop)
Presented by Neil Hardwick, head of design at Sweet Cherry Publishing
Presented by Neil Hardwick, established designer at children's publisher Sweet Cherry Publishing, this workshop will explore how children books are designed, as well as providing an opportunity to design some of your own work! The workshop will look at the themes generally used by designers, the typical conventions of children's books, and also how and why different designs are used for different genres of book! It will cater to those who are already familiar with the concepts and practises of design but are less experienced with children’s book design in particular.
3:30pm-4:30pm - (Meeting Room 1)
Neil Hardwick has worked in a number of design positions before becoming head of design at Sweet Cherry Publishing, a children’s publisher based in Leicestershire. In total, he has more than 19 years of experience in design and is an expert in illustration, licensed design and creative product development.
SUNDAY 22nd AUGUST
Ask the Designer (Q&A)
Presented by Ray O’Meara, designer of Fitzcarraldo Editions
This session welcomes those less familiar with design as well as those who are familiar with more advanced concepts and will provide an opportunity for all to ask questions. It will be hosted by design and typeface expert Ray O’Meara, who will also explain how he got into design, why it appeals to him, and why it’s simply the best area of publishing to work in!
10am-10:30am - (Meeting Room 1)
Ray O’Meara is a talented and experienced designer who has spent decades designing book covers. He was responsible for designing the classic covers for all Fitzcarraldo Editions which has been cited as being a ‘classical design’ which is ‘simple and striking.’ Ray is a true master of his profession and knows everything there is to know about book design.
An Introduction to Adobe inDesign (A Workshop)
1pm-2pm - (Meeting Room 2)
Presented by Jaya Miceli, book designer at Scribner
This workshop will cater for those who are complete beginners at Adobe InDesign. If you’re intrigued by book design, layout and function, come along to learn the basics. No prior experience necessary! Presented by Jaya Miceli, a talented book designer from Scribner, every attendee will leave this session having gained useful and transferable knowledge, not only about Adobe InDesign, but about the book design process as a whole.
Jaya Miceli is the art director of Scribner, and imprint of Simon and Schuster. She was previously an art director at Penguin Group USA, a post which she held for fourteen years. She designed the cover for Girl On The Train and Into The Water by Paula Hawkins and has more than twenty years’ experience in the industry.
Creating Book Covers (A Lecture)
Presented by Non Figg, designer at Usborne publishing
How do designers come up with ideas for book covers? What works and what doesn’t? Come along to learn about the process of design and how to create fantastic cover art. This session, presented by seasoned designer Non Figg from Usborne publishing, will cover everything from the basics to the nuances. All attendees will learn about the basics of book design and theory and apply them to specific examples. There will also be opportunity for the more daring designers among you to create your own book covers. This session is ideal for beginners and those looking to advance their skills further.
3pm-4pm - (Members Room)
Non Figg is an illustrator at Usborne publishing, where she has worked as a key designer for more than 28 years. She often illustrates books with photographs, the process for which involves using glue, cardboard and paint! However, she primarily designs on her computer using Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator.
Designing Covers for Charco Press (A Lecture)
Presented by Pablo Font, designer for Charco Press
This session is ideal for all those interested in design or who are interested in knowing what it is like to work as a freelance designer in the industry. Pablo Font is responsible for creating all of the cover designs for independent press Charco Press featured in their 2017 category. This session will cover what skills are needed to be a freelance designer as well as discussing the demands of the job. It will also detail the process of designing for an independent publisher as well as exploring the benefits of working in this area of the industry. This is a talk not to be missed!
5pm-6pm - (Meeting Room 2)
Pablo Font has over fifteen years of experience in the design industry. He has, over the years, designed covers for a large variety of different independent publishers, and has more recently been responsible for producing the gorgeous designs found on many of the titles published by independent publisher Charco Press, including Fish Soup by Margarita Garcia Robayo (2018) and The President’s Room by Ricardo Romero (2017). He is a true expert in his field.