Fiachra McCarthy - Designer
I'm a book designer, with 15 years experience, specialising in fiction and literary fiction, always up for discussing new projects!
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Overview
I'm a Graphic Designer and Art Director with a wealth of experience in publishing and editorial design. Over fifteen years, I've worked with many leading magazine titles, focusing on combining striking, eye-catching imagery with strong typography to create beautiful, clear layouts. But it's in book design that I've found a true passion and a chance to take on rewarding creative challenges.
I love the collaborative back-and-forth of idea development, for me it's about design bringing a spotlight on what makes the text shine. It's not about copying a template or following a trend - it's about connecting with the client and material to elevate their project.
Over the past few years I've worked with Tramp Press on award winning titles such as Solar Bones and Notes to Self, as well as Gill Books, O'Brien Press, Merrion Press and Blue Moose Books in the UK.
My work was featured in the book "No No No No Yes - Book Design Uncovered" and this year I spoke at the Irish Booksellers Conference, on the importance of great book jacket design.
I'm always excited to connect with people, read great writing and hear about new creative endeavours, so please get in touch and tell me all about your project!
I love the collaborative back-and-forth of idea development, for me it's about design bringing a spotlight on what makes the text shine. It's not about copying a template or following a trend - it's about connecting with the client and material to elevate their project.
Over the past few years I've worked with Tramp Press on award winning titles such as Solar Bones and Notes to Self, as well as Gill Books, O'Brien Press, Merrion Press and Blue Moose Books in the UK.
My work was featured in the book "No No No No Yes - Book Design Uncovered" and this year I spoke at the Irish Booksellers Conference, on the importance of great book jacket design.
I'm always excited to connect with people, read great writing and hear about new creative endeavours, so please get in touch and tell me all about your project!
Services
Languages
English
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Classics
Literary Fiction
Certifications
- Diploma In Visual Communications - Athlone Institue of Technology
Awards
- Magazine Ireland - Design Team Of The Year 2015
Work experience
Graphic Designer
Self-employed
January, 2017
–
Present
(about 6 years)
I'm a full- time self- employed graphic designer, running my own business in Dublin, Ireland.
My desire has been to build as broad a portfolio as possible, with book design as the cornerstone of what I do. To that end, my days tend to involve a lot of designing book covers, reading manuscripts and developing ideas with publishers and authors.
I serve as art director for three magazines, so any time not spent on books sees me focusing on layout for those.
Senior Designer
IMAGE Magazine
July, 2013
–
November, 2016
(over 3 years)
I worked for three years on Ireland's leading lifestyle and fashion magazine. I collaborated with journalists and editors and on laying out text, research beautiful imagery that connected to the piece and compliment this with strong typography for both article and cover headlines. Working to deadline and ensuring files were output correctly and ready to hit the press made me as fast and accurate designer.
Art Director
House and Home Magazine
January, 2010
–
February, 2013
(about 3 years)
For three years I served as Art Director for Ireland's most exciting and cutting edge interior design magazine. Collaborating with editors, writers and photographers to create beautiful spreads and covers, that captured the latest fashions and trends in interior design.
Portfolio (6 selected works)
A Struggle for Fame (Recovered Voices Book 1)
Charlotte Riddell
After the death of her mother and the loss of her family’s fortune, it falls to young Glen Westley to do what she can for herself and her ailing father. Determined to make her own way in the world, she moves from the West of Ireland to London and works tirelessly to succeed as a novelist, despite the limitations her sex and nationality represent. Having struggled so long for fame, it is at las... read more
Minor Monuments
Ian Maleney
"During the final two or three years of his life, I made many surreptitious recordings of John Joe as he sat by the fire. He was in the process of forgetting almost everything he’d ever known. He was fading out of the world and I wanted to record whatever it was he might say before it was too late…"Set around a small family farm on the edge of a bog, a few miles from the river Shannon, Minor M... read more
An astronomer challenges an emperor.A hunter pursues the last dinosaur through a remote rainforest. A young Kerryman emigrates to the Moon to seek his fortune. These fifteen darkly funny stories illuminate a side of Irish literary history that is often overlooked. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the winds of change came rushing in Ireland’s direction. Science and technology would transform eve... read more
The Unforeseen (Recovered Voices Book 4)
Dorothy Macardle
In 1938, Virgilia Wilde, an Irish writer, leaves England to begin a new life in the tranquil setting of Wicklow with her daughter Nan. As strange visions threaten those around her, Virgilia must decide if she can intervene and prevent tragedies to come, or if her worst fears must play out as she helplessly looks on…This follow-up to the critically acclaimed haunted-house novel The Uninvited is... read more
Without a Doubt: An Irish Couple's Journey Through IVF, Adoption and Surrogacy
Fiona Whyte, Seán Malone
Without a Doubt is the compelling and heartfelt story of Fiona Whyte and Seán Malone’s quest to have a family together in Ireland. Their sweeping efforts, first with IVF, then adoption, and finally and successfully through surrogacy with a clinic in India, expose the shortcomings of the current Irish legal system relating to these deeply emotional issues and their heart-breaking human conseque... read more
Jeanne The Woman In Red
B.L, Isabelle
Fiachra has 4 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Fiachra is very friendly and professional, delivers with decent quality. Highly recommend.
Ran Aaron, July 2020
A very clever and creative designer. Well done Fiachra!
Highly recomended
Gary williams Williams, July 2020
Reply from Fiachra McCarthy
Great work, very nice options for the cover, very happy with the final result, always professional and responsive. Thanks!
David Spuler, July 2020
Reply from Fiachra McCarthy
Fiachra's response to my brief made me say yes. He showed both curiosity and insight into what I wanted to achieve from the word go! I felt that he understood the importance of the character and how to best reflect her convictions, life and truth. He offered a variety of samples from which to choose and when I wanted to change a small detail, he changed it promptly and the final result is br...
Read more
Isabelle B.L, June 2020
Reply from Fiachra McCarthy
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