Context:

What the River Knows has a clear aesthetic inspiration based off the Egyptian setting and time period. Some chapters featured dual POV, which presented an interesting challenge organizationally. My suggestion for offsetting Whit’s sections with partial borders (pictured in the slides) was a good solution because we didn’t have enough space within the required page count to set them apart further.

This title had a Barnes & Noble special edition (pictured above in purple) in addition to the regular Wednesday Books release, so I managed/art directed the pieces for that too (aside from the jacket). The author arranged the portrait art from Alice Blake, while I made it sepia toned and made the layout for the endpapers. Isabel also created the hieroglyphic art with a secret message, which I prepressed, placed, and chose the foil + case color to best highlight. These special vendor projects come up toward the end of the print production schedule for a book, effective communication and idea execution are necessary. Part of a series design and the second book, Where the Library Hides, is releasing Fall 2024.

Tasks:

Case design, endpaper design, typesetting entire book, prepressing and including images created by the author, and keeping series in mind for the future in all my choices.

Skills used:

Art direction, creative project management, inDesign, image prepress, typography, and color theory.

Author: Isabel Ibañez, Cover Designer: Kerri Resnick, Illustrator (for Special Edition Ends): Alice Blake