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At Work with Coralie Bickford-Smith

The illustrator behind the wildly popular Penguin Classics clothbound series
byZoe Norvell
Views: 171
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Industry Insights

At Work with Coralie Bickford-Smith

The illustrator behind the wildly popular Penguin Classics clothbound series
byZoe Norvell
Views: 171
Industry Insights

Coralie Bickford-Smith is an award-winning designer at Penguin Random House in the UK. In 2008 she developed the highly acclaimed series, Penguin Clothbound Classics. She has also published three books of her own: The Worm and The Bird (2017), The Fox and The Star (2015), and The Song of The Tree (2020).

In the videos below, Coralie walks you through her attic studio, talks about her process, and gives tips on how to improve your own illustration skills.

Produced by Penguin Books UK.
Produced by Penguin Platform

The Creative Review Podcast interviews Coralie

Below is an interview she gave in 2020 with Creative Review in the UK. Creative Review is a bi-monthly print magazine and website that has been bringing the creative community together since 1980.

“With all this success, you might think Bickford-Smith’s career has been a dream. Yet in her conversation with CR’s editor Eliza Williams on the podcast she also discusses the difficulties she had finding her way into being a designer, and other challenges – including a dread of public speaking – that she has had to overcome along the way.”

–Creative Review, 2020
Picture of Zoe Norvell

Zoe Norvell

Zoe has been in the publishing world since 2011 and currently lives in Washington, DC.

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Only a carefully curated group of designers are given access to the creative briefs posted on the INABC Jobs Board. This system ensures that clients receive top-notch, focused proposals from professionals whose talents have been vetted. 

All designers who will be bidding on your cover design have applied to receive job notifications and have been approved by the INABC admin team. Our approved designers:

  • Are professional book cover designers, not simply generalist graphic designers.
  • Have been working in the industry for a minimum of 3 years, usually more.
  • Must demonstrate a contemporary aesthetic, creating work that feels current and relevant to today’s book design market. We seek professionals who stay informed on industry trends while pushing boundaries with innovative, forward-thinking designs. Our designers know that our clients are not looking for designs that feel “dated.”
  • Work on multiple book cover projects in any given month
  • Are committed to delivering high-quality, original designs tailored to each client’s unique vision. 
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  • Do NOT use AI-generated imagery in their commercial work.
  • Have accessible online portfolios showcasing book cover work that are easy for anyone to review.
  • Have extensive experience working with self-publishing authors AND commercial presses.
  • Are available and excited to receive these weekly briefs.

If you are contacted by a designer that doesn’t align with the requirements described above, we ask that you please contact the INABC admin team at ineedabookcover.assistant@gmail.com.

Designer Disclaimer

INABC is not a full-service design agency. It’s a curated directory that helps you connect directly with talented freelance designers. Each designer handles their own pricing, process, and contracts. We encourage you to communicate clearly with your chosen designer and to review their portfolio carefully to make sure they’re a good fit for your project. Designers and authors are expected to draft, negotiate, and sign their own contracts to ensure that expectations, deliverables, and rights are clearly outlined before any work begins.

While we do our best to curate a talented community, INABC is not involved in the collaborations that follow and we cannot guarantee the outcome of individual projects with specific designers. If you run into an issue with a designer that you find from using INABC, we are open to learning about your experience, but ultimately, INABC will not be involved in any specific disputes. For more information, visit the For Authors page and read our Terms & Conditions.
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