Domini Dragoone

Domini Dragoone – Designer

Book Designer with 25 years experience, using passion and precision to create volumes readers love to spend time with.

Overview

——PLEASE NOTE—— I am currently booked solid, but I will be available to start new design work about ONE MONTH from the current date. If you have a long lead-time, I would absolutely love to speak with you about your needs for your book!!


I am a book cover and interior designer with twenty years of industry experience. I combine a passion for art history and classic elements with professionalism and precision to create books that are a pleasure for a reader to spend time with. In addition to my design talents, I offer my expertise as a publishing consultant to my authors, and act as a resource and production director while we work together. You and your manuscript will be in good hands.


I consider myself an interior design specialist and am adept at any style of book, from novels to technical non-fiction. I have a special interest in wrangling complex and sprawling interiors—no amount of footnotes or formatting is too much! I'm a quick worker, and a great choice for if you need a fast turn-around.


My experience: After spending 10 years as Senior Designer for Perseus Books Group (now Hachette), I transitioned to full time free-lancing about 8 years ago. I would love to bring my talents and expertise to your project! My passion for art, design, and making things with my hands led me to earn a BFA in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art University, where I supplemented my graphic design curriculum with courses including printmaking and calligraphy. Since then, I have worked in publishing, designing book covers and interior pages for over 500 unique titles.

Services
Fiction
Anthologies Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Poetry Short Story Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction
Non-Fiction
Architecture Art Biographies & Memoirs Design History LGBTQ Non-Fiction Photography Travel
Languages
English
Certifications
  • BFA in Graphic Design

Work experience

Self-employed

Aug, 2004 — Present

I specialize in drawing from my deep experience in publishing to help guide new and independent authors from manuscript to published book — I'm adept at working closely with my authors to serve as designer, and also project manager and industry resource.

My freelance work is primarily in publishing: designing book covers from concept to completion, designing book interiors, and all related production work (page layout, interior art management, mechanical prep). I'm also a pro at content architecture for manuals and other info-packed, multi-page documents.

I really enjoy the production side of design work - photo editing and manipulation (Photoshop), complex and detailed page layout (InDesign), working with vector illustrations and logos (Illustrator).

Perseus Books Group

Jan, 2005 — Dec, 2014 (almost 10 years)

At Perseus, I worked on books produced under the Avalon Travel (Moon Handbooks travel guides, Road Trip USA) and Seal Press imprints. Key recent projects included the series re-design of the Moon Handbooks guidebooks, and the complete re-design and interior art overhaul of our Road Trip USA's 6th and 7th editions, as well as layout of all 900+ unique spreads.

Work for both Seal and Avalon included: book cover/full jacket design and mechanical production, interior page design and production on hundreds of books for Seal Press and Moon Handbooks, photo sourcing for covers (trade and travel), interior photo sourcing and coordination (dealing with permissions, copyright issues, stock sites, author submissions, outreach to private organizations), photo editing (re-touching, prep for print production).

I also worked closely with in-house editorial, cartography, marketing, and publicity departments on day-to-day book production; coordinated production needs with our authors (photo and art submissions, design issues); hired, art directed, and managed freelance designers for Seal titles; and worked efficiently with our book printers.

William-Sonoma, Inc.

Jul, 2004 — Dec, 2004 (5 months)

Worked on the Williams-Sonoma Home catalog. Management of all product photography and photo shoot images, file prep for designers, database management, text corrections and other file production, and assisted editors, producers, photographers, marketing, and the buyers on any task needed towards producing the catalog.

Orange Avenue Children's Publishing

Sep, 2002 — May, 2003 (8 months)

Book cover design and production, comp production for new projects, photography for covers and interiors, photo shoot art direction and styling, tech support, photo editing, illustration editing, package design, production for packaging mechanicals. Worked with all of shapes & sizes of books and book-like objects: boxes, trays, inserts, fold-outs, flash cards, etc.

One Heart Press

Sep, 2002 — Jan, 2003 (4 months)

Helped staff and press operators with any task, learned how to operate the press, made photo-polymer plates, learned about letter press paper stock/variances, and all related letter press knowledge.

Primo Angeli:Fitch

Jul, 2000 — Sep, 2001 (about 1 year)

Some packaging design work. Responsible for making comps of new/potential packages for client presentations. Digital photo editing in support of design staff. Responsible for documentation photos of the studio's work, and well as managing and digitizing the existing libraries. Assisted staff with small design and production tasks.

JC Graphics and Printing

Feb, 1999 — Jun, 2000 (over 1 year)

All manner of graphic design and production: logos, post cards, flyers, menus, posters, brochures, etc., for a wide range of clients (large tech companies, restaurant and hotel chains, individual business owners). Learned from the on-site high-volume press operators (offset lithography) about the nuts and bolts of production and making files press-ready.

Domini has 33 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Janice S.

Janice S.

Aug, 2023

Domini was very easy to work with and proposed a variety of cover designs. She kept me apprised with her progress and produced a really sensational cover.
Domini D.
Thanks very much, Janice! It was a pleasure to collaborate with you and I am so pleased that you like your cover :)
Gabe C.

Gabe C.

Jul, 2023

Phenomenal professional and very open and interactive with any feedback. It was she was easy and flexible to work with.
Adrienne D.

Adrienne D.

May, 2022

Domini was AMAZING! I so enjoyed working with her and will definitely hire her for future projects. She did a beautiful job bringing my vision to life. I'm beyond pleased with the finished project. This is a novel I am proud to have in the hands of my readers!
Domini D.
Thanks so much! :) It's been such a pleasure working with you and I look forward to more collaborations to come!
Michael T.

Michael T.

Feb, 2022

Domini did an out-standing designing my book cover. I have received many compliments on her work. She is patient and welcomes input and always responded in a timely manner My next cover will be designed by Domini.
Barbara S.

Barbara S.

Dec, 2021

I knew Domini was the designer for me at the first e-mail. Her response was helpful, honest and detailed. She was an amazing mentor for me in the process of self-publishing. The cover she produced was spot on, clearly reflected the novel within. She estimated the work effectively (both cost & elapsed time) and we even finished early, which allowed me to publish earlier than expected. She i...
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Domini D.
Ah thanks so much! I'm so pleased to hear all of that and I'd love to work with you again in the future (of course).

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