Kishan Rajani
kishanrajanidesign.com / @kishanrajanidesign
Pronouns: He/Him
Where are you from? London
Race/Ethnicity: Indian
Languages: I'm versed in include English and Gujarati
Where do you currently work at? Faber & Faber, Senior Designer
How did you get into design? I started out in publishing through a series of internships, producing a cookbook for an independent bookshop/cafe, setting myself up at a little flat in Noida India to intern at HaperCollins, and interning at Oneworld Publications in the UK, during which time they were enjoying a lot of Booker prize success. It was a great way to get a lay of the land, but a long journey!
One favorite book you've designed and why? One of my favourite projects includes Ben Okri's The Famished Roadseries. The process of designing the novels led me through an exploration of some incredible artists from Ghana, Nigeria (Lagos specifically) and many more, giving me a bounty of inspiration to help shape my illustrations for the covers. I really enjoyed this project due to how explorative and playful it was to design for.
What do you like about being a book designer in publishing? In short, the variety. There are so many brilliant, different books that come across our design desks and just as many different ways we can tackle designing for each book. I can get my hands dirty getting the paint out one day, setting up a photography shoot another, or producing a custom type face for a project. You learn to be a bit of a jack of all trades as a book designer and that keeps you on your toes, keeping the enjoyment in learning and exploring along the way.
Favorite book or current read and why? Currently reading Murakami's 1Q84, I love Murakami's work, Kafka on the Shore especially, and I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get around this title, but I'm enjoying it so far.
Tell us a surprising fact about you? Something I don't usually disclose about myself, which is funny/silly considering my profession is that I'm colourblind. I don't let this impede on my design or desire to play with colour however, I hope my work can speak to this.
What did you learn about publishing that you wish you knew before? How truly collaborative publishing is. It takes the voices and experiences of many, to shape not only the design but every process in the creation of a book.
What's one goal you have for yourself in this industry? A goal of mine in the industry is to see more POC individuals in the space to help expand the voice of publishing to one that is more diverse and inclusive. I'm hoping in my own small ways I can help to hold the door open for individuals from culturally ethnic backgrounds and show them that if I can do it, they can do it too!
How do you over come a creative block? Step away . . . give the project some breathing room, and indeed yourself, then come back to it with fresh eyes.