The two most prevalent questions I get as a designer are: “How did you get started?” and “How long have you been doing cover design?”. Well, I have been designing book covers since 2010 but, I have been a graphic designer much longer.
I fell in love with computer design in high school and pursued a diploma in all things graphic design. I graduated college with a degree in Electronic Publishing. After graduating, I found myself working for a commercial photography printer as a digital artist. There I dabbled in marketing, touched up photography and became one of the best digital photo restoration artists in the world.
Several years later, we decided I could run my own business doing photo retouching and restoration. That is how Robin Ludwig Design Inc began in 2002. We started by doing business with photo houses and professional photographers. As the photo industry changed our business ventured into advertising design and print brokerage. We focused on our design and printing business for 8 more years before I started designing book covers.
So it began... As an avid reader and book lover I started a review blog. As part of a contest on my blog I offered a free set of business cards. The author that won the contest loved the business card design and asked me to design her cover. I was amazed and terrified. I said I would try and she only had to pay if she was happy with the design. Needless to say, she was thrilled and I am still designing all of her covers to this day. While we still offer commercial design and print, including author swag, designing book covers is my passion and quickly became one of the fastest growing services of our business.
Not only does cover design give me a unique creative outlet, but being a cover designer has presented me with many amazing opportunities. I have spoken at RWA chapters, hosted panels on design, been a keynote speaker at a mini conference, shared discussion tables with best-selling authors, won design awards and have traveled the states to various signings, conventions and engagements. Through our business I have also gotten the privilege to work with several book conventions donating design, creating websites, programs, banners, posters, swag and graphics.
Our business continures to change and grow as technology and industry changes. We continue to work with both indie authors and published authors creating custom book cover designs. We have recently redesigned our website to make it mobile friendly and we have added premade designs to our cover design services. I offer free swag design with printing to authors and still work with conventions as a graphic designer. I can be found a few times throughout the year at various conventions, sometimes as a book lover and sometimes as a featured industry professional. I absolutely love this industry and the authors, bloggers, readers and professionals that call it home.
Thank you to those that have supported my art and muse!
I look forward to many more years of design!
