It’s an age-old question, but one I still hear in various forms. For designers and creatives immersed in their craft, the answer is obvious. Or is it? Perhaps the question has been buried by years of work. It’s not always obvious to a business why anyone should care to make their content visually appealing. Isn’t the content itself enough? This question is particularly difficult to answer when asked by someone who has a budget in their hands. Who looks at the bottom line, aiming for cost reduction. Aren’t these invoices from the designer an obvious excess? I still struggle with these thoughts. And, while I certainly hold the view that beauty in itself is an invaluable asset, I’m well aware of the balance between form and function. Content should convey a message in a manner that resonates with the viewer. In my work, I often aim for less, helping the readers understand the text without any unnecessary friction. Why do you think someone should pay for design?

I saw this old street sign in Kristinestad, Finland, today. The area is bilingual, with both Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking inhabitants. And the history shows even a Russian influence. This trilingual street sign with a very broad character set shows a good understanding of all the nuances among sign painters and printers back then.

Summers always seem to be both very calm and very busy for me. I finally have some time to catch up on projects that have been on hold for months, and then realise the amount of work that has to be done. I'm starting to typeset a book of collected poems this week. They are very simple in form, which makes it both easy and quite difficult to get right. What are you working on this summer?

Sketching out some beer labels. Fun, but I always remind myself that I'm no illustrator :-) What are you working on?

Your report is ready to be published. But there’s one small thing you can add to get it noticed. Things move slowly, then quickly. The project you’ve been working on for two years now needs to be put out there, its results shared with the world. Finally, the time has come: the paper is to be published! But it was supposed to be available, like, yesterday. You’ve been tinkering with the text document. Changed the headlines, moved some footnotes around. Rewritten the introduction 12 times. Started adding in some colours. It looks alright, but could do with some touch-up. Alas, there’s no time for design. I understand. We can’t start designing this 80-page report now and put it on the website in an hour. We’ll make sure to plan for design work next time. However, here’s what a publication designer can do in a very short time: Wrap your document in an appealing cover. You’ll export your document as it is, but the designer can make a 1, 2, or 4-page cover that envelops the document, turning it from bland to striking. This way, the work will get noticed. It will invite readers into the text and create a mood for the work. The cover can then be used in social media posts, shared in e-mails, put on posters and shared anywhere. It’s simple, quick and very effective. Cover design is not mere decoration; it’s an invitation to the reader that will be well worth the investment. If you’re looking to elevate your next report or paper with an appealing cover, let’s talk