Meet the ABDA Emerging Designers of the Year: Vanessa Masci
In the lead-up to the 2020 Australian Book Designers Association (ABDA) awards, Books+Publishing spoke to the two shortlisted nominees for Emerging Designer of the Year. In this second and final instalment we talk to freelance designer Vanessa Masci, who is currently based on Victoria’s Surf Coast.
How did you get into book design and where have you worked?
Considering book design as a profession began when I studied book binding while undertaking my university degree. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I eventually landed my dream job at the time—as a junior magazine designer for Hardie Grant Media.
Some time after, a relocation to London found me working for a beautiful boutique design studio called Praline, a part of the creative team at YNAP Group (Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter), and as a designer for publisher Quadrille. It was then that my full-time career in books began.
Upon returning to Melbourne, I was welcomed with open arms by Hardie Grant Books, where I contributed in-house for a short while before deciding to move towards full-time freelance in early 2019.
Which of your book covers are you most proud of and why?
A cover that initially comes to mind is Only in Tokyo by chef Michael Ryan and photographer Luke Burgess (Hardie Grant). To me, a cover is particularly special when it tells a story, which I feel this does successfully. The composition lures readers to peer into the window of local Japanese life and the wrap of the image onto the back further enhances this exploration.
What’s your favourite book cover from the past few years? Why do you think this cover works so well?
Not strictly a book, the covers of Lunch Lady by Lara Burke and Louise Bannister are such a joy to experience. They perfectly capture the playfulness, cheekiness and nostalgia that is the essence of the brand.
Which book design elements do you think are currently being overused? And what would you like to see more of?
Popularity of style occurs when something speaks to a certain market rather well so if a design uses such elements and is successfully able to deliver a message, I’m all for it! I’ve always had a keen appreciation for beautifully set typography so more of that is always welcome on my bookshelf!
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned on the job?
How to put aside my personal preferences and deliver a design that fulfills the brief in an intentional and well-considered manner.
Where would you like to be in five (or 10, or 20) years’ time? And what do you hope the industry will look like then?
I’m unsure of what the future may look like but I do hope to merge my two worlds of work, design and somatics. That is, working across titles or creating integrated experiences within the field of wellness that evoke insight, inspiration and creative expression.
As for the industry, I hope that print media continues to be cherished and treasured by many, and that it evolves in a way that is ethical for the environment and sustainable for creatives.
The 68th ABDA Awards will be broadcast online via live stream at 6.30 pm on Thursday, 20 August.
Category: Features
