Jonathan Hällmayer

Jonathan Hällmayer – Designer

Expert book designer driven by a profound love for literature. I’ll bring your stories to life. Let’s do this.

Overview

FULLY BOOKED until the end of 2025. New projects start in 2026!

CUSTOM BOOK COVER AND INTERIOR DESIGN FOR EPUB/AMAZON KDP/DIGITAL/PRINT

✋ Hi there, I’m Jonathan! I have been working as a professional designer for more than 15 years. After studying communication design in Munich and receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in London I started my freelancing business and haven’t looked back since.

I am currently based in Munich and am fluent in both 🇬🇧 English and 🇩🇪 German. I was born in Buenos Aires, so I speak some 🇦🇷 Spanish as well.

As an accomplished editorial designer, I understand the intricate dance between bold typography, minimal design principles, and colourful vibrant imagery that results in visually stunning and immersive reading experiences. Whether you’re an established author or a debut writer with a small budget, I tailor my designs to match the tone and essence of your narrative, ensuring that every page resonates with your unique voice. From captivating and colourful minimalistic cover designs to meticulously crafted layouts optimised for readability, I offer a blend of creativity and expertise.

Let me transform your manuscript into an exceptional piece that captivates readers and leaves an indelible mark. Your story deserves nothing less than the best presentation, and I'm here to make that a reality.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

SERVICES

Cover and spread design (front cover, spine, back cover) for fiction and non-fiction books / Digital and print files for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark / eBook and reflowable ePub for Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo / Paperback, Hardback, Hardcover novels using minimal design principles / Minimalistic, simple, clean and colorful illustrations and modern geometric infographics / Marketing material for your website and social media / Technical support for self-publishers & first-time authors

HOW I WORK

🔎 Analysis – I read the manuscript and exchange ideas with the author

✍️ Ideation & Creation – I develop a creative vision and a design concept

💻 Delivery – I combine creativity and precision for the optimal result

FAQs

What is the typical turnaround for a project? → It depends on the complexity of the project, but usually about 2-4 weeks.

Will you read the book before designing the cover? → I usually try to read all or most of the work I design for, but a clear and concise briefing is just as important.

Can I post draft versions of the designs to seek opinions? → You can, but I would advise against it. A design-by-committee approach is almost always detrimental to a cover.

Do I own the rights to the cover and interior page design? → Yes! I do reserve the right to include any design in my portfolio, website and social media accounts for advertising purposes, though.

Do you use AI to create the cover art? → I might use generative AI to assist in the creative process, but the designs are always a combination of different techniques and, at the end of the day, human-made.

Services
Non-Fiction
Architecture Art Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Dystopian Space Opera
Languages
English
Certifications
  • BA Graphic Design, Middlesex University London
  • Communication Designer, Blocherer Schule München

Work experience

Self-employed

Apr, 2022 — Present
As Creative Director, I create cover and interior designs for several print products, including books, magazines and brochures for a wide range of clients. Relevant projects include “Everything Is A Choice”, editorial design for a property focused on sustainability and ecological self-reliance, and “Tegernseer Tal” Magazine, a bi-yearly magazine that centres around local culture and stories from the region.

Soul Markenagentur

Jun, 2018 — Apr, 2019 (10 months)

Manufaktur Design München

Jan, 2015 — Jun, 2018 (over 3 years)
During my time as Managing Partner at Manufaktur Design München, I oversaw a great deal of editorial design projects, including “Die Kochgarage – Das Kochbuch”, an extraordinary cookbook aimed at experimental cooks, and “It’s not so bad!”, a large-format gallery newspaper for a renowned modern art house.

Self-employed

Jan, 2005 — Jan, 2014 (about 9 years)
As a freelance Communication Designer, I got my start working on a few select editorial design projects where I extended my knowledge of paper and finishing techniques.

h2agentur

Jan, 2003 — Jan, 2004 (about 1 year)

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
Shattered Bonds

Britney Farr

In a land ruled by violence and greed, survival means staying useful—or invisible. Ruth survived the ruthless Sicarium army by keeping her head down and obeying orders. Now, at last, she can t... read more
Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
HomeAdrift

Soheil Mirchi

How far can you go before the silence breaks you? Commander Solene Ellis has left Earth behind forever. Now she drifts through the void aboard the colony ship Nia Kvara, watching over 100,000 ... read more
Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Sons of Man

Phillip Lawrence

Fifteen years ago, the Newborn Initiative seized control of the world, vowing to replace "Oldborns" with genetically "improved" humans. Brue Carnell—a pitiless technocrat—orchestrates this tra... read more
Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Stars Gods Wolves: Book One: Carrion (Stars, Gods, Wolves 1)

Kirshtein, Dan

Cherry and Stone Publishing

Cover Design Illustration
Made with Reedsy
Stars Gods Wolves: Book Two: Pilgrim (Stars, Gods, Wolves 2)

Kirshtein, Dan

Cherry and Stone Publishing

Cover Design Illustration
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
The Runaways: A Sci-Fi Thriller

Bourdy, Adrian

Adrian Bourdy

Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
The Earth to the Skies: A Novel of Dreams and Music

Morales, Dr Raffaello

Fidelio

Typography Book Interior Design
Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Exploration of Space

Donohue, Gerard

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
The Infinite Loop – Epoch I: ReGenesis

Cooley, J DeVere

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Luton Unveiled

Heaton, Eddie

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Clouds to the Soul

Will, Sandra

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Zeropoint

S, Seven

Seven S.

Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Look Up: A 30-Day Path to Digital Minimalism and Real Life Maximalism

Ketcham Crooks, Jennie

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
The Criminal Law

Hewson, Mark

Independently published

Cover Design Book Interior Design Production Management
Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design Production Management

Jonathan has 24 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Benjamin W.

Benjamin W.

Oct, 2025

Jonathan was great to work with from beginning to end. Communication was always clear and easy, and I felt supported throughout the whole process. He designed gorgeous covers for all four books in my series and also took care of the interior design, which turned out beautifully. My schedule chan...
Read more
david C.

david C.

Sep, 2025

Thank you Jonathan for some really exciting ideas. The final cover is a knockout - I love it! Your process from beginning to end, has been readable and reliable and I have felt a part of the journey all of the way.
Jonathan H.
That's really great to hear, thank you! It was a pleasure working with you.
Sandra W.

Sandra W.

Sep, 2025

I've worked with Jonathan twice, and I am always amazed and super happy with the results. The book covers look great - he provided exactly what I was hoping for. This specific projet was to create a cover for the second book in my debut series - Jonathan made sure both covers look perfect next to...
Read more
Jonathan H.
Thank you so much, Sandra. It's been amazing working with you again!
Britney F.

Britney F.

Aug, 2025

I really enjoyed working with Jonathan, he gave multiple options of covers and worked with my ideas and vision to hone in on the perfect book cover for my novel.
Jonathan H.
Thank you so much, Britney! It’s been really great working with you.
Adrian B.

Adrian B.

Aug, 2025

Perfect as always
Jonathan H.
Thank you again!

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Most recent contributions

How did you learn to design book covers?

My journey in editorial design began early. As the designer—and later editor-in-chief—of our school journal, I developed my first grid systems, experimented with various typographic styles, and gained a deep understanding of visual hierarchy and the art of balancing text and imagery. It was also ...
Read more

How do you keep track of your income and expenses as a freelancer?

I’ve been using an agency software called MOCO (which includes time tracking and invoicing, among other things) for many years. I highly recommend it to both freelancers and design agencies.

Which time tracking tools do you use, if any?

I’ve been using an agency software called MOCO (which includes time tracking and invoicing, among other things) for many years. I highly recommend it to both freelancers and design agencies.

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