by Mark DaGrossa, Director of Creative Services
Hello, I’m Mark DaGrossa, Director of Creative Services for Westchester Publishing Services. To give you some background about myself, I am a Founder/Partner of Folio Designhaus, an award-winning design firm based in Dayton, Ohio, that has been in business for the past 10 years. Prior to opening my business, I worked in various positions within Mazer Corporation’s design department for 20 years. I welcomed the opportunity to join Westchester because the ability to lead a design team that is part of a true full-service solution for publishers was an exciting prospect to me.
I find that the beginning of the year is a great time to recharge your batteries, both mentally and physically, while also planning upcoming projects. To make book production an even more efficient process for you, I’m pleased to share that we’ve further expanded our service offerings. We now offer art, design, and layout for books and related ancillary publications, giving you access to Westchester’s extensive design resources along with the editorial and production services publishers have relied on for 50 years.
What makes Westchester’s Art & Design team different?
Our art and design team has deep experience within the education field as well as the retail/marketing realm. So, what does this mean for your company? It means that we can design your product from cover to cover, utilizing any or all of the following services:
- Cover Design – We create design concepts that convey the message and feeling of the final product, whether you need a look which is very traditional, cutting-edge, whimsical or anything in between.
- Interior Page Design – Whether a textbook, Teachers Guide, or workbook, we know how to design your pages from initial concept or from supplied templates.
- Illustrations – Our illustration resources can provide a large variety of styles for your custom art. We can create line art, realistic art, cartoon styles, or fully commissioned artwork—whatever specific style your project requires.
- Photography – We are able to supply product shots, setup shots, or location shots to achieve the perfect image to accompany your written content.
- Photo Research – We have a highly experienced team of photo researchers who can track down the exact image needed from any stock house, as well as handle rights and permissions. For projects requiring more extensive research or a geography-based image, we can work with historical societies or museums to obtain the required images.
To see examples of the art, design and layout concepts our team is capable of executing on your projects, click the image below:
I will cover topics including design principles, illustrations, stock photography, fonts, and printing in upcoming blog posts. I will also share with you the thought process that shapes how my team creates amazing designs for your products, and point out things which may help make your job just a tad easier.
I welcome the opportunity to communicate with you, so feel free to reach out and ask me any questions you have about art, design, and layout. We look forward to learning about your design requirements and helping you create a finished product that not only excites your customers but is something you and your company can be extremely proud of. I hope that you will keep Westchester Publishing Services in mind when considering design-related aspects for your new projects.
Have a great day!
Mark DaGrossa
