Laura de Grasse – Designer

I am a freelance book designer with sixteen years of experience working with some of the world's largest publishing houses including Palgrave Macmillan, Hodder Education, Orion and Taylor & Francis.

I specialise in designing book covers as well as page layout/typesetting, (and designing marketing materials) and I have worked on an array of both fiction and non fiction titles, (genres including biography, young adult, academic, cookery, children's, true crime and trade). Being dedicated to every project helps me to keep a close working relationship with the editors and authors involved and I feel that good communication is key to produce the best possible design solution.

Full-time, contracted, freelance work with a design company specialising in book publishing design
with an array of clients, (Fiction and Non Fiction titles – Religious, Biography, Young Adult,
Children’s, Integrated, Cookery, Sport, True Crime and Trade). Reporting to the Creative Director,
my role included cover design, page design, typesetting, page layout, (from initial layout through
to print ready artwork) designing plate sections, web banners, picture research, commissioning
designers/illustrators, all whilst working in a fast-moving paced environment. I was also the main
contact should the Creative Director be out of office.

My principle responsibilities included:
• Solely managing eight Education subject lists, (ranging from Medical text books to Key Stage
3 student books) where I was overseeing titles from new cover briefs/designs, text design
completions, through to compiling typespecs.
• Commissioning artwork and working with freelance designers and photographers, whilst
working to keep within allocated budgets, tight schedules and deadlines.
• Reporting to the assistant Design Manager and attending regular design and production
meetings. Liaising closely with Production, Editorial, Marketing and Sales departments.
• Processing invoices and Purchase Order forms. Maintaining project files and archiving
materials/files for published titles.
• I experienced and assisted in art directing photo shoots for the Catering list.
• General assistance in departmental tasks.

My responsibilities and skills included:
• Assisting the Art Director and Managing Art Editor. Initial duties included page layout/
typesetting, picture researching via picture libraries, and image retrieval from previous
projects.
• Creating templates for use on new books and projects.
• Preparing pages for colour repro. This included colour specifying and organising
transparencies, artworks and digital files.
• Liaising with Production, Editorial and I.T departments.
• Prop buying and styling for photoshoots.
• Creating promotional material for the sales department.