Simona De Leo

Simona De Leo – Designer

I craft timeless illustrations that pause the noise, evoke emotion and speak directly to your book’s audience.

Overview

With several years of experience in the creative industry, I create book covers that do more than look beautiful, they feel meaningful.

My goal is simple: to create art that captures attention, sets the tone, and connects deeply with your readers before they even open the book.

With a unique blend of hand-made textures and digital techniques, my style is modern with a nostalgic soul, evoking feeling, curiosity, and a sense of story.

Clients choose me not just for the final artwork but also for the creative journey we take together. From our first call to the final illustration, I make the process easy, inspiring, and collaborative.

I’m here to help you create a cover that feels like a collectable piece of art, something you'd want to frame.

I especially love working on contemporary fiction and inspiring stories.

Non-fiction about wine, food, and Italian and Mediterranean culture.

Everything related to the arts: dance, music, wellness and wellbeing, theatre, travelling and discovering the beauty of nature and cities around the world.

Clients include: Oxford University Press / Pearson Education / Popshot magazine, Mindful Magazine / Il Corriere della Sera / Isabella & Us Magazine

Mental Health Legal Centre / Imagine Learning / Bedrock Learning / Beer52

REVIEWS

"The illustrations were designed to help simplify complex ideas and calm the user in a potentially stressful situation. Simona responded to the illustration brief with great care, sensitivity and thought. We discussed feedback with her as she developed the initial sketches and refined these as the project evolved. We were impressed by Simona’s professional and open approach to the project and highly recommend her". [Sam Lovrich]

"Simona can interpret complex briefs and requirements quickly, and to their fullest, going beyond with that ‘something extra’, creative and delightful touch. Simona was an absolute delight to work with. She has a lovely sense of humour and personality, a keen eye for detail, is graceful under pressure, and has a wonderful work ethic". [Joanne White]

Services
Fiction
Classics Contemporary Fiction
Non-Fiction
Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits Health & Wellbeing Self-Help & Self-Improvement Travel
Languages
English
Awards
  • The Big draw Award
Certifications
  • BA degree, comics and illustration. Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, Italy
  • CPD Graphic Design, London College of Contemporary Arts, London
  • MA Degree, Communication Design: Illustration. Kingston University, London

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2016 — Present
For 9 years, I have been working for a wide range of clients, both private individuals and publishing houses, magazines, and small businesses. I specialise in emotionally rich illustrations that do more than decorate; they invite people into your story, whether it’s a book cover, an editorial piece, a poster or an ad campaign. Every project I create adds depth, emotion, and new value to the final product. Clients include: Oxford University Press, Pearson Education, Popshot magazine, Mindful Magazine, Il Corriere della Sera, Beer52, Popshot magazine, Wicked Weather Watch, Bedrock Learning, ImagineLearning, Fig Leaf Group, TROVE, Mental Health Legal Centre ...

Imagine Learning

Sep, 2023 — Present
Working alongside the design team and editors on a series of illustrative books for Primary and Middle Schools. ▪ Edit and re-purpose existing illustrations and assets for print, digital and animation ▪ Adhere to style-guide requirements and apply consistency across the series ▪ Typesetting, Quality control and layout amends ▪ Design review: Make sure the style is in place at all times

Fig Leaf Group

Mar, 2022 — Apr, 2022 (29 days)
As an illustrator at Fig Leaf Group, I was responsible for creating, with efficiency and consistency, unique illustrations for award-winning Primary textbooks and workbook series, from full scenes to single items, in both colour and grayscale, in Adobe Illustrator (.ai) format. Working confidently with InDesign and having solid knowledge of the print process, I could ensure perfect layouts and final digital delivery ready for print.

Portfolio

Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Reflect: Oxford Reading Level 9: The Best Brother

Llewellyn, Claire

Oxford University Press

Cover Design Illustration

Simona has 1 review

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Davinder C.

Davinder C.

Dec, 2025

Pinned
Simona has truly blown me away with her illustrations. I didn’t fully know what I was looking for, yet she somehow created a beautiful book cover that felt absolutely perfect. I was so impressed with her work that I chose to include internal illustrations as well — and once again, she delivered ...
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Most recent contributions

How did you transition into book design, and what key skills helped you along the way?

When I started studying illustration, my teacher said something that I’ve never forgotten. Even now, 15 years later, I still repeat it to myself every time I begin a new project: illustration shouldn’t just represent the text, it should add something more to the story. It needs to show what’s hid...
Read more

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