Introducing the Floris Design and Production Team

I’m Richard, one of the Designers here at Floris. It’s my job to work with an editor to take a manuscript and transform it into a finished book, designing the covers and layout, commissioning illustrators and handling the production right up to delivery. I’ll be blogging with the rest of the team and giving you an insight into being a designer at Floris Books.

Working out how an elk-operated Viking spa entrance might function is one of the bonuses of working at a children’s publisher like Floris!

Tell us about your studies and training.
I studied Fine Art at degree level, specialising in drawing and printmaking. Since graduating I’ve done a number of things: illustrated books, helped run an art gallery and managed public arts projects (where amongst other things I designed a fireworks display) – and now I’m a book designer at Floris! Most of my design skills are self-taught but come from plenty of practice and a lifelong love of books and illustration.

Graphics tablet or pen and paper?
A mix of both. Pen and ink first, then digital tidying up.

What’s the best part about working at Floris?
Many things, but getting manuscripts back with queries like “Is this font tomatoey enough?” and working out how a elk-operated Viking spa entrance might function are recent highlights.

What’s the first picture book you remember reading?
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.