Book Design: Ribbon Girls

Designing a book for the teen and pre-teen age group is both exciting and incredibly daunting. Although I was a crafty teenager at one time, I can’t rely solely on my own version of what is liked and disliked. Lately I’ve been immersing myself in popular teen culture. I know there’s not just one style that suits all, but it’s good to know what’s happening out there (especially when I’ve looked past the teenage hype for so many years).

Maryellen Kim wrote a new book called Ribbon Girls—Wind, Weave, Twist & Tie about creating fun projects from ribbons. My inner teen-girl-crafter heart exploded with joy! What’s not to like about ribbons? The projects appeal to teens of many interests and skill levels ranging from cool accessories to wear, to room decorations, to gifts for family and friends.

The cover proved to be a perfect example of finding the middle ground for combining teen style while staying true to the author’s vision. I originally approached the cover design from my own love for the tactile nature of ribbons. There are so many colors and textures while still having the uniformity of a ribbon. I proposed big contrast and bold textures for the design, feeling Ribbon Girls could be presented a little edgy. After discussing the cover with the author, the concept was not quite what she had in mind. By giving the ribbons a bit more of an organized look and using softer colors, we kept the variety of ribbons while staying true to the author’s style. I love the result! It was a perfect design direction for the projects in the book.