Interview with Keith at Marion Designs

Interview with Keith at Marion Designs

Keith Saunders is an Atlanta-based photographer and graphic artist. Keith and his company Marion Designs has created a wide range of book covers, magazine ads and corporate advertisements. He has worked for mainstream corporate clients including Cingular wireless, AT&T, Simon & Schuster, Random House Publishing, Kensington publishing, La-Z- Boy furniture and more. Keith has his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from American Intercontinental University, which is a private art school in Atlanta, Georgia.

More information about Marion Designs can be found at www.mariondesigns.com. At Marion Design’s Myspace page www.myspace.com/mariondesigns you can see some of the amazing book covers that Keith Saunders has designed over the years.

Urbania Magazine: How did you get your start in designing book covers?

Keith: I read a lot during my down time. I used to always be in Nubian Bookstore in Southlake Mall, Atlanta GA. The owner Marcus knew that I was a graphic artist, and one day asked me if I ever designed any book covers. At the time I worked for a design firm in North Atlanta, and so I told him that I could design anything. I turned out that an author had asked him earlier if he knew anyone and thought of me. I worked with the author and it took off from there.

Urbania Magazine: What do you think is your largest challenge when designing a new book cover?

Just understanding the project and any ideas that the author has in their head.

Urbania Magazine: How long does a typical book design take you from beginning to end?

Depending on the complexity and all of the elements that are needed for the project. It can take a week to a few weeks. Especially if it involves custom photography. We pride ourselves on doing custom designs. A lot of book cover designs floating around are photos that have been purchased, so the same image purchased for your project could end up on someone else project. We see it a lot in the industry.

Our custom book covers are very comparable in price to other design firms that don’t use custom photography.

Urbania Magazine: What is your favorite part of the book design process? Could you tell us a little about what the process looks like?

When the author says this is exactly what they imagined and more. That’s the best part! I never want a client to take my work on a project without completely being satisfied with the results.

Urbania Magazine: Where do you draw your inspiration when designing a new book cover?

From everything! I may be looking in a magazine, see a photo for inspiration, outside walking around and see something interesting, ie park, flowers, trees, color…

Urbania Magazine: I would like to pick your brain for some design tips. Could you give me a couple of tips for young or new designers who want to design a great book cover?

Just be inspired…Think outside the box! You really have to be an artist to stand apart from others. We see designers that get into the industry because they think it is a cool career, but they don’t have any artistic talent.

Urbania Magazine: What would you say are some definite book cover design mistakes that any designer would want to avoid.

Get the details! Get the details! Push the client to give you as much info about the project upfront to keep from trying to fix it on the back end. It is hard sometimes to pull info from people. Just get as much as you can.

Urbania Magazine: In terms of becoming a great book cover designer what kind of knowledge base or education do you think is most necessary? How crucial do you think a degree program in graphic design or some other aspect of visual arts is to one’s ultimate success as a book cover designer?

It is very crucial!!! You have to know the programs to create a great product. If you don’t know the programs, how can you design at your best?

Urbania Magazine: Any ideas on how young or new graphic artists could gain experience that would be helpful in learning the tricks of the book designing trade?

Just have the love for the industry, truly be an artist and give a 110% to all projects.

Urbania Magazine: I couldn’t help but notice from your website that you are rather versatile and are able to handle graphic design, web design and photography? Do you find that your skill base in these three areas translate to one another?

You have to be able to do a variety of things. It keeps you ahead of your peers and makes you more versatile.

Urbania Magazine: What are your main artistic influences?

People and the environment.