Qualifications

1983: Grays School of Art, Aberdeen – Diploma in Design & Crafts (equivalent to a BA Graphic Design)
1984: London College of Printing – Certificate in Advanced Typographic Design (Postgraduate)

Employment

1984 to 1985: Assistant Designer, Pitman Publishing

1985 to 1987: Designer, Faber & Faber
The opportunity to work with one of my design heroes – John McConnell of Pentagram, who was Design Director of Faber & Faber. At that time, designers also worked on the production of their titles, so I gained a lot of knowledge of print techniques, mainly working on fiction and poetry as well as music, art and children’s titles.

1987 to 1988: Assistant Design Manager, Faber & Faber
Working more closely with the Design Manager, Shirley Tucker, and ultimately Acting Manager when she retired, as well as book design responsibilities I managed the co-ordination of design and production of all jackets and covers.

1988 to 1990: Design Manager, Macmillan London & Macmillan Children’s Books
Responsible for the design of all titles over the two lists and an Assistant Designer. Designed and managed the design of all jackets and texts for Macmillan London (trade adult hardbacks and paperbacks – fiction and non-fiction) as well as Macmillan Children’s Books (trade picture books and fiction including classics such as Just William and Alice-in-Wonderland).

1990 to 1992: Design Manager, Methuen Children’s Books
Responsible for the design of all titles and an Assistant Designer. Designed and managed the design of the classic character publishing – Winnie-the-Pooh, Wind in the Willows, Babar and Tintin as well as fiction and picture books.
Helped to implement a DTP system.

1992 to 1996: Design Manager, BBC Children’s Books
Responsible for the design of all titles (approximately 70 per year) as well as publicity and point-of-sale material. Working very closely with the Children’s Books Development Consultant, we built up a substantial character, fiction and non-fiction list. I developed new ways of working more closely with animators to produce better quality book illustrations from animation. I also established an AppleMac DTP system in-house and with freelance authors and designers.

1996 to 1997: Art Director, Levinson Children’s Books
Responsible for design and art direction of all product for this then newly established company, publishing novelty and picture books, mainly for pre-schoolers. I brought in many new and established illustrators to the list; and we had success in selling co-editions in Europe, USA and ANZ. All titles were produced by DTP. I oversaw a studio of 4 designers.
I was a judge for the Association of Illustrators annual Images competition in 1996.

1997 to present: Freelance Designer and Art Director
Working on a wide range of books from pre-school novelty books to museum publications, language learning, poetry, cookery and everything in between.
I am fully conversant with InDesign CS6, Photoshop CS6, Illustrator CS6 and QuarkXPress software.

Cartoon of me from How To Draw Cartoons • Martin Ursell • b small publishing