Welcome to Jennifer Barry Design
With a background in both design and publishing, we offer our clients an uncommon set of skills. As a veteran graphic designer and art director, principal Jennifer Barry knows what makes a book visually compelling and has a winning record of creating illustrated books with impact. But as a former publisher, she can also guide clients on editorial matters that few designers address: concept development and viability, market analysis, content, and structure.
Some clients need design or editorial help only. For others, we provide a full book-packaging service, shepherding their idea through the publishing process. As a book packager, we coordinate and manage every aspect of production, from editing to design, photography, and printing. For our book-packaging clients, Jennifer Barry Design is a one-stop shop.
Over the years, our work has garnered numerous professional awards, including the Literary Marketplace Publishing Designer of the Year; IACP Cookbook of the Year and James Beard cookbook awards; Independent Publisher awards, and book and print design awards from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Communication Arts, Print, and Graphis magazines, and the Art Directors Clubs of Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
Book Design
Our office specializes in design for fine illustrated books and custom publishing projects. Clients include publishers, photographers, authors, and businesses who appreciate a creative and painstaking approach. We help clients clarify and realize their book vision, using their materials when available and commissioning other visual assets (such as photography, illustration, calligraphy, or maps) as needed. We provide art direction, oversee photo shoots, advise on budgeting, and deliver an original design executed at the highest professional level. Our design clients receive the benefit of Jennifer Barry's background as a publisher; she can alert them to pitfalls and suggest opportunities that make for a smoother and more rewarding publishing experience.
Graphic Design
We have experience in all areas of communication graphics, including brand and logo development, marketing brochures and catalogs, product packaging, and print advertising. Many of our book-design clients engage us to design their marketing materials as well.
Jennifer Barry (far right) art directing a cookbook with photographer Leslie Sophia Lindell. Photo by Kim Thompson Steele
Book Packaging
A book packager assists businesses or individuals who have a viable book idea but lack the expertise, publishing contacts, creative vision, or desire to manage the publishing effort themselves. Publishing houses also turn to packagers such as Jennifer Barry Design when they lack the internal resources to execute a project.
A successful illustrated book requires input from many people with highly specialized skills. Our clients benefit from a large network of publishing and design-world contacts and our ability to assemble a team of qualified professionals for each project.
As an accomplished illustrated-book packager, we can help you put your idea in the most suitable frame. Every project has unique needs, and we have broad expertise in the following areas:
Editorial Consultation
• Market analysis: Insight into publishing trends
• Concept analysis: Is your idea viable in today’s marketplace?
• Concept development: How to make your idea more compelling and consumer-friendly
• Editorial team selection and management: Hiring of writer, editor, copy editor, proofreader, and indexer
• Project presentation: Introducing your project to prospective publishers when appropriate
Art Direction
• Graphic design
• Photo team selection and management; engaging photographers and stylists; photo-shoot planning and supervision; photo editing
• Illustration: Gathering archival materials; commissioning new visual imagery such as line art and maps
Project Management
• Coordination and supervision of all outside subcontractors and their tasks
• Scheduling tasks and monitoring deadlines
• Communication liaison between client, subcontractors, and vendors
• Budget oversight
Manufacturing Coordination
• Production scheduling and monitoring
• Soliciting and negotiating printing bids from trusted domestic and international vendors
• Review of proofs and press checks
Project Consulting
For clients at any stage of the publishing process, we offer hourly design and publishing consultation. In a consulting role, we can help you determine whether your book project is publishable or what would make it more so; provide an overview of the publishing process for illustrated books; discuss budgeting, scheduling, and manufacturing parameters; and assist you in identifying key steps in creating the book you envision.