Tyriq Moore
@tyriq.png / website
Pronouns: he/ him/his
Where are you from?: Yonkers, NY
Identity: Black / African American
Languages: English
Where do you currently work at?: Berkley / Penguin Random House as a Junior Designer
One favorite book you've worked on and why?: One favorite book I've worked on was Ascension by Nicholas Binge, a surreal sci-fi set on a tall mountain on a remote island. I love reading sci-fi / fantasy / thrillers, and this book was the perfect mix of the three genres. This project allowed me to be experimental and go all out with cover designs, and I think the final cover design turned out great.
How did you get into design?: I spent most of my high school free time learning to illustrate and creating comics, and I decided that I wanted to go to college for art. At the time I wasn't sure which specific study of art I wanted to do, so I did a combination of animation and graphic design, and eventually ended up loving graphic design. I was particularly interested in designing book covers while in college, with the cover project being my favorite.
What do you like about being a book designer in publishing? : I think the best part about being a book designer is seeing your work lined up in a bookstore and knowing that there will be some impact on everyday people. They say don't judge a book by its cover but I think everyone who buys a book you designed (positively) does just that!
Tell us a surprising fact about you?: I love writing short stories! I like to write whenever I don't feel like designing or illustrating, it flexes my creative muscle in a totally different way.
What did you learn about publishing that you wish you knew before? : There are so many roles and moving parts that goes into creating a book, from all of its marketing to designing the book jacket and its interior spreads, all the way to printing and binding.
What's one goal you have for yourself in this industry?: I would like to eventually work on animated projects / projects in motion - such as an animated book cover!
How do you overcome a creative block?: I take a step back and work on other things to clear my mind from what I'm currently working on, and come back to whatever I'm stuck on with a clear mind and reassess. Coming back to what I'm working on with fresh eyes helps me imagine new ideas instead of trying and struggling to make previous ones work.