Devin Watson

Devin Watson - Designer

Baltimore

Award winning designer/illustrator with over 12 years exp. working with the top publishers. I have covered thousands of books in all genres.

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Overview

Hi, I am Devin. I have designed hundreds of award winning covers for literary fiction, history, music, humor, food, science fiction, mystery, thriller, sports, reference and horror. And every other cross genre in between.

And I love books!
I have worked in a range of styles switching often between fiction and nonfiction titles.

I have both knowledge and ability to design in a wide range of styles appropriate to the time period or style of the novel/work of non-fiction. My abilities as an illustrator also extend my capacity to design for a wide range of genres.

I find a copasetic relationship with the authors ideas, and create striking covers that not only communicates the authors ideas but also make the cover attention grabbing and ultimately something people will want to pick up and read (and of course buy).

Most notable projects include Best Selling Authors:

Ernest Cline Armada
Sylvain Neuvel Themis Files
Tom Sweterlitsch Gone World
Mur Lafferty Six Wakes
Zachary Mason Void Star
Ken Liu Invisible Planets
Paul M. Levitt Stalin's Barber
Norman Van Aken No Experience Necessary

Please contact me for more work examples catered to your specific project!
Languages
English
Fiction
Action & Adventure
Fantasy
Literary Fiction
Science Fiction
Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
History
Music

Awards

  • Washington Book Design Awards 2009
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2010
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2011
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2012
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2014
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2015
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2017
  • Washington Book Design Awards 2018
  • Baltimore Advertising Awards 2015
  • Baltimore Advertising Awards 2016
  • Baltimore Advertising Awards 2018

Work experience

Designer/Owner

Self-employed
February, 2019 – Present (about 4 years)

Book Designer

Senior Designer Art Director

HZDG
January, 2016 – February, 2018 (about 2 years)

Senior Designer Art Director

Senior Designer Art Director

Siquis Limited
June, 2014 – January, 2016 (over 1 year)

Senior Designer Art Director

Senior Designer Art Director

Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
November, 2008 – June, 2014 (over 5 years)

Senior Designer Art Director

The Last Train Robber: The Life and Times of Willis Newton

W.C. Jameson

One of the most colorful parts of American History is the time of train robberies and the daring outlaws who undertook them in the period covering from just after the Civil War to 1924. For decades, the railroads were the principal transporters of payrolls, gold and silver, bonds, and passengers who often carried large sums of money as well as valuable jewelry. For the creative outlaw, trains ... read more

One of the most colorful parts of American History is the time of train robberies and the daring outlaws who undertook them in the period covering from just after the Civil War to 1924. For decades, the railroads were the principal transporters of payrolls, gold and silver, bonds, and passengers who often carried large sums of money as well as valuable jewelry. For the creative outlaw, trains ... read more

Stalin's Barber: A Novel

Paul M. Levitt

Avraham Bahar leaves debt-ridden and depressed Albania to seek a better life in, ironically, Stalinist Russia. A professional barber, he curries favor with the Communist regime, ultimately being invited to become Stalin’s personal barber at the Kremlin, where he is entitled to live in a government house with other Soviet dignitaries. In the intrigue that follows, Avraham, now known as Razan, i... read more

Avraham Bahar leaves debt-ridden and depressed Albania to seek a better life in, ironically, Stalinist Russia. A professional barber, he curries favor with the Communist regime, ultimately being invited to become Stalin’s personal barber at the Kremlin, where he is entitled to live in a government house with other Soviet dignitaries. In the intrigue that follows, Avraham, now known as Razan, i... read more

Ethics into Action

Peter Singer

More than twenty years after its publication, Peter Singer's Ethics into Action continues to inspire new generations of activists through its portrayal of Henry Spira and the animal rights movement. With a new preface from the author, this edition celebrates the continued importance of social movements and provides a path towards furthering changes in our world.Singer, one of the world's most ... read more

More than twenty years after its publication, Peter Singer's Ethics into Action continues to inspire new generations of activists through its portrayal of Henry Spira and the animal rights movement. With a new preface from the author, this edition celebrates the continued importance of social movements and provides a path towards furthering changes in our world.Singer, one of the world's most ... read more

Mr. Las Vegas Has a Bad Knee: and Other Tales of the People, Places, and Peculiarities of the Modern American Southwest

Martin J. Smith

For more than thirty years, journalist and author Martin J. Smith has traveled the American West, chasing offbeat stories that often are bizarre, always compelling, and at times profound. His journey through that oft-idealized and misunderstood landscape has made him a witness to some of the West’s most interesting places, people, and events, from his Valentine’s Day at Nevada’s Mustang Ranch ... read more

For more than thirty years, journalist and author Martin J. Smith has traveled the American West, chasing offbeat stories that often are bizarre, always compelling, and at times profound. His journey through that oft-idealized and misunderstood landscape has made him a witness to some of the West’s most interesting places, people, and events, from his Valentine’s Day at Nevada’s Mustang Ranch ... read more

The U.S. Army Zombie Combat Files: From the Lost Archives of the Undead

Department of the Army

The shocking undead discovery of a military historianZombies remain popular – from The Walking Dead to Ash vs. Evil Dead, they just won’t go awayA gifty, zombie collector’s itemAuthentic military design with 150 illustrations Unearthed from a dusty Army archive, here are portions of two draft manuals instructing soldiers on how to confront . . . ZOMBIES! Now declassified, these files offer a g... read more

The shocking undead discovery of a military historianZombies remain popular – from The Walking Dead to Ash vs. Evil Dead, they just won’t go awayA gifty, zombie collector’s itemAuthentic military design with 150 illustrations Unearthed from a dusty Army archive, here are portions of two draft manuals instructing soldiers on how to confront . . . ZOMBIES! Now declassified, these files offer a g... read more

Stan Lee: The Man behind Marvel

Bob Batchelor

The Amazing Spider-Man. The Incredible Hulk. The Invincible Iron Man. Black Panther. These are just a few of the iconic superheroes to emerge from the mind of Stan Lee. From the mean streets of Depression-era New York City to recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Lee’s life has been almost as remarkable as the thrilling adventures he spun for decades. From millions of comic books fans of th... read more

The Amazing Spider-Man. The Incredible Hulk. The Invincible Iron Man. Black Panther. These are just a few of the iconic superheroes to emerge from the mind of Stan Lee. From the mean streets of Depression-era New York City to recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Lee’s life has been almost as remarkable as the thrilling adventures he spun for decades. From millions of comic books fans of th... read more

The Denouncer: A Novel

Paul M. Levitt

Denunciation became so commonplace under Stalin that people regarded it as their patriotic duty to spy on others and even expose members of their own family. The original Bolsheviks, for reasons of ideological purity, put great store in transparency. But under Stalin, transparency evolved into a state of constant surveillance. In the late 1930s, a young man named Sasha Parsky kills two soldier... read more

Denunciation became so commonplace under Stalin that people regarded it as their patriotic duty to spy on others and even expose members of their own family. The original Bolsheviks, for reasons of ideological purity, put great store in transparency. But under Stalin, transparency evolved into a state of constant surveillance. In the late 1930s, a young man named Sasha Parsky kills two soldier... read more

The Official U.S. Army Survival Handbook

Department of the Army, Matt Larsen

Whether in a temperate, tropical, arctic, or subarctic region, you might find yourself alone in a remote area with little or no personal gear. This thoroughly revised new edition of the classic U.S. Army Survival Handbook provides the information you need to survive. Widely recognized as the finest single source on the subject, it is standard issue for U.S. Special Operations Forces and pilots... read more

Whether in a temperate, tropical, arctic, or subarctic region, you might find yourself alone in a remote area with little or no personal gear. This thoroughly revised new edition of the classic U.S. Army Survival Handbook provides the information you need to survive. Widely recognized as the finest single source on the subject, it is standard issue for U.S. Special Operations Forces and pilots... read more

Sci-Fi Scenes and Monster Dreams: 16 Comedy Scenes for Student Actors

Jan Peterson Ewen

16 scenes for two to six (or more) players5-10 minutes in lengthStudent actors will love playing a wide variety of characters:· Comical monsters· Socially awkward robots· Powerful wizards· Courageous superheroes· Mad scientists· Charismatic talking dogs· Adventurous space explorers· And many more!These hilarious scenes include spoofs of popular movies, television shows, and books, as well as o... read more

16 scenes for two to six (or more) players5-10 minutes in lengthStudent actors will love playing a wide variety of characters:· Comical monsters· Socially awkward robots· Powerful wizards· Courageous superheroes· Mad scientists· Charismatic talking dogs· Adventurous space explorers· And many more!These hilarious scenes include spoofs of popular movies, television shows, and books, as well as o... read more

The Baseball Book of Why: The Answers to Questions You've Always Wondered about from America's National Pastime

John McCollister

Why do we sometimes refer to a left-handed pitcher as a “southpaw?” Why are major league pitchers normally limited to 100 pitches per game? Why was Jack Roosevelt Robinson the first African-American ever to play as part of an official lineup for a team in Major League Baseball? Why is a baseball field sometimes referred to as a diamond?This book provides over 100 questions and detailed answers... read more

Why do we sometimes refer to a left-handed pitcher as a “southpaw?” Why are major league pitchers normally limited to 100 pitches per game? Why was Jack Roosevelt Robinson the first African-American ever to play as part of an official lineup for a team in Major League Baseball? Why is a baseball field sometimes referred to as a diamond?This book provides over 100 questions and detailed answers... read more

The Wilderness Idiot: Lessons from an Accidental Adventurer

Ted Alvarez

The path to an adventurous life seems straightforward: Crush at an outdoor sport; amass a legion of followers who drool at your hero shots on Instagram; host TED talks exhorting people to live their best life, brah. But there is another way: the way of the Wilderness Idiot. Author Ted Alvarez built a career and an outdoor lifestyle by simply not being smart enough to say no to things that will... read more

The path to an adventurous life seems straightforward: Crush at an outdoor sport; amass a legion of followers who drool at your hero shots on Instagram; host TED talks exhorting people to live their best life, brah. But there is another way: the way of the Wilderness Idiot. Author Ted Alvarez built a career and an outdoor lifestyle by simply not being smart enough to say no to things that will... read more

Gelato Fiasco: Recipes and Stories from America's Best Gelato Makers

Joshua Davis, Bruno Tropeano

Joshua Davis and Bruno Tropeano, two guys right out of college, felt that something was amiss. People in Maine created some of the best of everything in the world — higher education, ships, television doctors, winter boots. But the gelato of which they dreamt could not be found here in Maine, or anywhere else in the United States. Josh and Bruno sensed both a responsibility and an opportunity ... read more

Joshua Davis and Bruno Tropeano, two guys right out of college, felt that something was amiss. People in Maine created some of the best of everything in the world — higher education, ships, television doctors, winter boots. But the gelato of which they dreamt could not be found here in Maine, or anywhere else in the United States. Josh and Bruno sensed both a responsibility and an opportunity ... read more

Swim, Bike, Bonk: Confessions of a Reluctant Triathlete

Will McGough

Just as George Plimpton had his proverbial cup of coffee in the NFL as the un-recruited and certainly unwanted fourth-string quarterback for the Detroit Lions, so, too, did Will McGough immerse himself in a sport he had no business trying. Like Plimpton, whose football folly turned into the bestselling Paper Lion, travel and outdoor writer McGough writes of his participation in, around, and ov... read more

Just as George Plimpton had his proverbial cup of coffee in the NFL as the un-recruited and certainly unwanted fourth-string quarterback for the Detroit Lions, so, too, did Will McGough immerse himself in a sport he had no business trying. Like Plimpton, whose football folly turned into the bestselling Paper Lion, travel and outdoor writer McGough writes of his participation in, around, and ov... read more

The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery

Ronald Chase

On November 12, 1971, Bernard Patterson, a much decorated Vietnam War hero turned real-life version of Don Quixote, Butch Cassidy, and Robin Hood all rolled into one, robbed the Northern National Bank in Mars Hill, Maine. He escaped with $110,000; at the time, the largest bank robbery in the history of the state. A tunnel rat and paratrooper in Vietnam who rose to the rank of sergeant, he was ... read more

On November 12, 1971, Bernard Patterson, a much decorated Vietnam War hero turned real-life version of Don Quixote, Butch Cassidy, and Robin Hood all rolled into one, robbed the Northern National Bank in Mars Hill, Maine. He escaped with $110,000; at the time, the largest bank robbery in the history of the state. A tunnel rat and paratrooper in Vietnam who rose to the rank of sergeant, he was ... read more

The Moses Virus: A Novel

Jack Hyland

Modern-day Rome: Two American archaeologists suddenly die in an underground passageway in the Roman Forum leading to the buried rooms of Emperor Nero's Golden Palace. The Italian authorities conclude the deaths were caused by a devastating and highly contagious virus. Tom Stewart, an NYU forensic archaeologist who was present when the deaths occurred, becomes entangled in the race to find the ... read more

Modern-day Rome: Two American archaeologists suddenly die in an underground passageway in the Roman Forum leading to the buried rooms of Emperor Nero's Golden Palace. The Italian authorities conclude the deaths were caused by a devastating and highly contagious virus. Tom Stewart, an NYU forensic archaeologist who was present when the deaths occurred, becomes entangled in the race to find the ... read more

Steaming into a Victorian Future: A Steampunk Anthology

Anne

This collection of essays explores the social and cultural aspects of steampunk, examining the various manifestations of this multifaceted genre, in order to better understand the steampunk subculture and its effect on-and interrelationship with-popular culture and the wider society.

This collection of essays explores the social and cultural aspects of steampunk, examining the various manifestations of this multifaceted genre, in order to better understand the steampunk subculture and its effect on-and interrelationship with-popular culture and the wider society.

Temple Stream: A Rural Odyssey

Bill Roorbach

Great blue herons, yellow birches, damselflies, and beavers are among the talismans by which Bill Roorbach uncovers a natural universe along the stream that runs by his house in Farmington, Maine. Populated by an oddball cast of characters to whom Roorbach ("The Professor") and his family might always be considered outsiders, this book chronicles one man's determined effort—occasionally with h... read more

Great blue herons, yellow birches, damselflies, and beavers are among the talismans by which Bill Roorbach uncovers a natural universe along the stream that runs by his house in Farmington, Maine. Populated by an oddball cast of characters to whom Roorbach ("The Professor") and his family might always be considered outsiders, this book chronicles one man's determined effort—occasionally with h... read more

No Experience Necessary: The Culinary Odyssey of Chef Norman Van Aken

Norman Van Aken

No Experience Necessary is Chef Norman Van Aken's joyride of a memoir. In it he spans twenty-plus years and nearly as many jobs - including the fateful job advertisement in the local paper for a short-order cook with "no experience necessary." Long considered a culinary renegade and a pioneering chef, Van Aken is an American original who chopped and charred, sweated and seared his way to cooki... read more

No Experience Necessary is Chef Norman Van Aken's joyride of a memoir. In it he spans twenty-plus years and nearly as many jobs - including the fateful job advertisement in the local paper for a short-order cook with "no experience necessary." Long considered a culinary renegade and a pioneering chef, Van Aken is an American original who chopped and charred, sweated and seared his way to cooki... read more

Devin has 4 reviews

Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality

Joe Graber
Devin was an absolute pleasure to work with! Exceptional quality work, great communication, and very dependable ... Perhaps most importantly, Devin possesses a personal touch - he listened to my thoughts on the cover design, took the time to understand my book, was willing to educate me on the cover design process, and was flexible when I ran into a few personal health challenges that kept me f...
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Joe Graber, August 2021


Mike Yarbrough
Devin knocked it out of the park! He was very quick with communication and was very open to ideas and changes, even the small things. Highly recommend!

Mike Yarbrough, July 2021


Drew Ross
Creative collaboration can be a daunting thing when you are dealing with a labor of love like a book and it's cover. Devin's talent, professionalism, and genuine desire to create great work was off the chart. He listened to my initial thoughts, gave me incredible options, and responded to every message throughout a smooth process. I couldn't be happier with his work and attention to detail. He ...
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Drew Ross, March 2021


Sue Arroyo
Devin was such a pleasure to work with, and he really picked up the book's strengths and my creative ideas for the cover. I will 100% be working with him again in the future.

Sue Arroyo, February 2020

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