Clara Merle, Graphic Designer, at "J'ai lu" publishing house

Clara Merle graduated from DNMADE Graphisme, specializing in identity design, in 2022, and is now Graphic Designer at "J'ai lu" publishing house. Specializing in cover design for the publishing industry, she takes us behind the scenes of her job.

I imagine and design book covers in consultation with the publishing house's various departments.

I discuss with the editors and product managers to determine the graphic direction to follow in order to propose a cover in keeping with the style of the book. For example,I won't use the same typographic specificities for a well-written book as for a detective story. It's the same for the graphic style: for some covers, a photo might be interesting, while for others an illustration might be more appropriate.

I can design the visuals myself, using visuals from image banks that I modify to integrate them into my composition, but I also sometimes call on illustrators for a very specific brief.

I did my work-study at the Éditions J'ai lu studios. It was such an enriching and exciting experience that I wanted to make it my career.

I find it fascinating to be able to juggle different styles of writing to come up with very different visuals. I can be working on a horror novel from the 70s one day, and on a pop graphic for a series of esoteric books the next. I really enjoy this constant renewal.

©Editions J'ai lu

The editor starts by briefing us on the text, describing the mood, characters or plot of the book, and then shares his ideas with us.

I then move on to the creative process, starting by identifying images that I'll then rework (adding or removing elements, modifying colors, harmonizing different visuals, incorporating typography...). It's like an improvised recipe, specific to each cover.

If I'm not familiar with the subject of the book, I'll do some research to make the text my own. The key in this business is to be curious. The cover has to speak to readers interested in the subject and entice them to buy the book.

The variety of projects! I love being able to juggle different literary genres (novels, biennials, documentaries, romance, etc.). It's a luxury not to be confined to one style, one aesthetic, one type of project.

I also use various manufacturing effects to embellish our covers, such as gilded iron, selective varnishes, bound objects with jasper, pantones and so on.

The J'ai lu studio, guided by our Artistic Director, is constantly seeking to innovate and create attractive covers, and that's what I like so much.

©Editions J'ai lu.

The DN MADE Graphic Design specializing in identity design taught me to be rigorous. It's an important skill in my line of work. I'm in charge of the texts for the 4th covers, so I have to have a sharp eye to make sure that the texts are orthotypographically correct.

If the project is to succeed, the graphic charter and accompanying media must be beyond reproach, both graphically and technically.

The training was also very useful in designing editorial graphic guidelines. I need to create an identity that can be recognized at a glance on the shelf. I therefore apply the graphic research methods I acquired during my studies (typography, color research, recurring patterns...).

©Editions J'ai lu.

These three years at GOBELINS haven't always been restful, but I've grown from them, thanks in particular to the end-of-studies project I was lucky enough to carry out with my best friend.

Together we designed a project for the A24 production studio. It was our best presentation ever. We put all our creativity and soul into the project, which was very well received.

It was a wonderful moment of sharing and exchange , and a fitting end to our studies at GOBELINS. When passion drives projects, you can feel it and it makes all the difference.

©Editions J'ai lu.

Creating is good, but knowing why you're doing it is even better! Being aware that our projects can have value in people's eyes, and perhaps impact them for years to come, is invaluable. Receiving a compliment from an author on the cover of your book is the greatest reward of all!

You also need to remain curious, on the lookout for the latest trends, new creative tools, etc. This is very important if you are to stand out from the crowd and not be left behind.

Finally, take advantage of your studies to broaden your creative horizons and experiment with things that make YOU happy!