Jasmin Rubero
Pronouns: She/Her
Where are you from? New York City
Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic / Latinx
Languages: English + Spanish
Current Position / Role: Cover Design (Children's), Interior Design (YA and MG Novels), Marketing Design for @kokilabooks social media and Picture Book Designer
One favorite book you've designed and why?: This is the hardest question because so much goes into each book it’s hard to pick one. I’ve learned from all the books I’ve designed and grown as a designer with each book. With that said, from Kokila’s recent pub list, I love the package I put together for Black Girl You Are Atlas. This book is a YA poetry collection by Renée Watson with a full color design in the interior pages featuring fine art collage pieces by fine artist and illustrator Ekua Holmes. Designing with her fine art collection was such a privilege. I used the floral themes that emerged from many of the interior art pieces we’d selected to design the case cover, and kept the palette of the design bright and vibrant to match the overall tone and brilliance of Renée’s poetry. It was fun to design all the components of the package: jacket, case, and interior.
How did you get into design?: I have a BFA in illustration from SVA. My 3rd year into the program I met picture book illustrator, David Soman, he taught a watercolor painting class and a picture book illustration class. I took that picture book class and fell in love with picture books. After that I applied for an internship at Dial Books for Young Readers and learned about the book making process from two talented and supportive art directors: Atha Tenon and Lily Malcom. I interned for 2 years and was hired as their design assistant right after graduation. Then I went back to school for desktop publishing design. My internship lead to a 24 year career at Penguin Random House, about 19 of those years with Dial Books for Young Readers, and 5 years with Kokila, also an imprint of Penguin Random House. I am so grateful that founder, president, and publisher Namrata Tripathi asked me to be part of the Kokila team, and that I get to learn from and work with the brilliant women here.
What do you like about being a book designer in publishing? : Every book comes with its own set of needs, applications, and artistic expression. Even though the process and milestones in book making are the same, every book feels fresh and new. It’s never boring or predictable.
What's one goal you have for yourself in this industry?: I want to continue to grow as a designer, art director, and work to break out more new talented artists in the picture book space. Picture books are a young reader’s introduction to art. It’s important to feature different art styles and have a variety of representation in cultures, race, ethnicity, and backgrounds shown in the books, and on those covers.
How do you overcome a creative block?: When I’m in this situation, I've noticed that I’ve been putting in a lot of hours at work and thinking about deadlines. What has worked for me is taking a day to spend time with art either in a gallery, museum; or at the library/bookstore looking at art books. I also sketch what I see, nothing too polished, just quick drawings. When that isn’t an option, or doesn't work, a very long walk listening to a playlist of songs that shifts my mood.