Portfolio
:format(webp)/99designs-contests-attachments/111/111637/attachment_111637866 "This design was a layout proposal and was never published.
Based off of Grimm’s fairy tales, this is a romance between two women that explores the nuances of what happens after “Happily ever after”.
Their names — Rose and Snow — allowed not only to give a symbolic representation of the characters, but also to show the contrasts of what unfolds during the story.
As the plot begins with the arrival of an invitation to the King’s wedding, followed by the court life and the castle’s secrets, this building took also an important place in the entire design.
Since the client wanted the cover to embody dark romance reminiscent of a gothic novel, I decided to use a very dark palette, with high contrasts and grainy textures. This graphic style, and also the only color (Red) present in the design, helped to highlight even more the main element: the rose with the snow.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/49/4928/492880/7efa7930-829e-46f5-a573-f719a90ca8a7.jpg "This new fiction series of Michelle St. James is about experience, it's about sexuality and its boundaries.
The request was to transmit these subjects but in a sophisticated way, for a mature audience.
The red ribbon is the focal point of all the covers, assuming several meanings, from the practices of BDSM to the psychological challenges of the relationships in the story.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/75/7503/750341/99096dd7-f1e8-4f69-837f-77b31e8e5298.jpg "“Die zehn Vorteile des Schleiers”, translated from German as “The ten Advantages of the Veil”, is a collection of seven short stories in the erotica genre telling the adventures of different people, in different countries.
The client requested a design that could reflect the book title with a female face partly covered by a veil, where the eyes, looking straight at the viewer, would become the central point of attention.
The simple typography chosen and the warm red color also helped to create the atmosphere that was intended, making even a better connection with the book genre.
The golden tone given to some texts also added a detail of sophistication to the entire book cover, as well as they helped to alternate the paragraphs that describe each story in the back cover.
As this is the first book in a series, the design was also thought having in mind a consistent graphic line throughout all the future books.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/82/8224/822434/5008a818-a54e-4f2a-a054-d6b40fa0ba03.jpg "This design was created for a short eBook by Iben Martell with two novels in the erotica genre. As it belongs to the same collection of the first book “Die zehn Vorteile des Schleiers” (The ten Advantages of the Veil), it was important to keep a consistent graphic line.
Therefore, it was used the same concept of a face partly covered, where the glance at the viewer becomes the central point of attention. This concept helps to transmit a certain audacity and sensuality, but it is also a mysterious approach by not revealing the main plot of the stories.
The image used was chosen by the author, following the location of one of the novels, set in Central Asia. However, it was completely modified in order to achieve the same dark atmosphere of the first book, as well as a similar color scheme.
The fonts and the golden tones of the typography are a detail of sophistication that had already been applied in the design of the first book cover.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/47/4747/474796/9a8cf575-3c28-407c-b605-cb8e172a069f.jpg "Book 3 of the \"Melanie Hogan Mysteries Series\", which stories always take place within the environment of an hair salon.
This is a mysterious story that takes place in the fall. So, one of the requests from the author was to include the colors of that season.
In this book the main character is moving her best friend into a house next to her own, when they stumble across three gravestones in a hidden area in the back of the shed. This discovery will uncover a shocking family secret.
Another request from the author was to include some hairdresser instruments on the back cover (as in all the books of this series) to make the connection with the main theme.")
:format(webp)/99designs-contests-attachments/109/109469/attachment_109469306 "This design was a layout proposal and was never published. It was created for the 4th thriller of the Edgar Vincent series. As a result, it follows the same graphic style of the previous eBooks.
In this story the detective is ready to take a vacation, after high-stakes situations and near-death experiences. But those wishes are cut short when his past returns to haunt him, in the form of a Russian mobster.
Instead of showing a real scene, I decided to create a representation of the plot in which the story takes place. In the image Edgar Vincent is just ready to enjoy his deserved vacations… when the events of his past come to spoil his plans. That is why he is looking back in the direction of what is a visual representation of Russia.
This idea is also associated with the choice of the color Red. The vibrant tone creates impact and a certain mystery, reinforced by the contrast of intense lights and shadows.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/32/3275/327545/a1df4bb9-376a-4150-9749-7b1b6453d28d.jpg "Dark fantasy book (first one in the Vampire Queen Saga) with a strong horror element, for a mature adult audience.
This is a story about the search for a magic sword, which needed to figure prominently on the cover. The descriptions of the author leaded to a Viking style, with a touch of horror and almost alien feel.
In the design I wanted to transmit that the sword had special characteristics, a unique piece, that would seem almost “alive”.
However it wasn’t easy to decide where the main details should be placed, in order to keep it “usable”, as it were a real sword that is meant to be handled and strong enough to fight a battle.
The eyes in the background and the big red moon helped to give the desired impact.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/65/6577/657787/634ac9ff-acc5-4543-bb1e-afddd48951b8.jpg "This is the second book of the Annalisse Series, a romantic mystery novel.
The design was created following the original vision of the author that already had in mind the inclusion of very specific elements.
The main objective was to lean more on the “mystery” side of the story, which revolves around a murder and disappearance. Therefore, instead of showing the main characters, the design presents some objects that have an important role or that give some clues about the development of the plot.
The roses were one of the details that required a special attention. They couldn’t be too bright or too perfect. So, I made them all different: from the one that is still bright and fresh, to the other that opens its petals, and all the others that start to wilt and die… exactly like the several stages of a life.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/71/7187/718782/975df476-628b-409b-8899-fd5a0853c9be.jpg "This is a novel-drama which main characters are two musicians. Following the story, my approach was to transmit all the main aspects in a symbolic way, giving the right amount of clues, but without revealing too much of the plot.
The subtitle “Only one season for Love” was the starting point. By including the two characters in a field full of flowers, I’m representing that idea of the “season”, the only season that they will have. The dark sky, full of heavy clouds, shows that this isn’t a happy and light story.
The placement of the characters in the design transmits the distance between them that is revealed throughout the story. I’ve placed the pianist near a tree, because this element is a symbol of “rebirth”, of restarting a new life… a new opportunity.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/66/6627/662729/f17db78f-9feb-400e-a716-cc619fd443ae.jpg "This book is about Grayson, a young adult that struggles with drug addiction and his girlfriend, Emily, a recovering alcoholic. Emily takes her sobriety very seriously, while Grayson has not been able to make that commitment yet.
Instead of showing the characters, I decided to go for a more symbolic approach, in order to make it different from the common romance books.
I used the contrast between cold and warm tones to transmit the concept of “choices” that the characters need to make in their lives.
In this design the blue tones represent the sad and numb life of addiction, the struggles and the dramatic consequences… and the yellow/orange tones represent the recovery and the achievement of finally become sober.
Grayson is still struggling in a “cold life”, while Emily has already overcome her battle. The orange flower is Emily that blossoms from branches that seem to be almost dry. While Grayson is still the cold reflex in the water of what can become his future.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/47/4747/474796/28f5f63c-8f1a-4a44-a76d-762168be2c92.jpg "This is the first book of the \"Melanie Hogan Mysteries Series\", which stories always take place within the environment of an hair salon that the main character owns.
Although the author didn't have any specific requirements at the beginning of the process, she had a preference for a \"woodsy look/feel\".
A lot of the action takes place in the small log house on a lake in Minnesota, where the main character lives. The author wanted to show how that home was her sanctuary. So, the chairs on the deck in front of the lake helped to transmit that idea.
There is also a detail in the back cover that appears in all the books of this series — the inclusion of some hairdresser instruments, to better make the connection with the main theme.")
:format(webp)/http://s3.amazonaws.com/projects-files/110/11045/1104502/b3324e2e-ec94-4698-b542-df8260fd89fe.jpg "This book cover was created for a dark fantasy novel — a retelling of the Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, with the Evil Queen as the protagonist.
The request from the author was to include several elements representing the story (the main character, a broken mirror and an apple) but always having the “Gothic style” in mind. This is usually made by creating a darker design, with high contrasts and a “mysterious atmosphere”, almost dramatic.
Therefore, I made the entire cover with a grey color scheme, even if that grey has some soft tones (like a light purple or silver). This also gave the possibility to highlight small details, by being the only spots with a strong color, like the drop of blood in the main title and also the apple.
The font I chose for the title is quite suitable for the dark fantasy genre and its “pointed corners” helped to match the model’s long nails. It gives a mixture of a sophisticated and dramatic feeling, showing that this is not exactly a “sweet romance”.")
About
Hi! My name is Isabel Robalo.
I'm an experienced Designer working mainly in the Publishing Industry:
• Book and eBook Cover Design
• Interior Book Layout/Typesetting
ISA DESIGN® is a registered brand that represents the services I provide.
Enjoy my portfolio and come back whenever you need a Design project. I will be happy to help you.
Country:
Portugal.
Member since:
November 02, 2013
Reviews
"Isabel was as amazing as ever! She is so helpful for people like me whose ‘thing’ is not this technology stuff. She also does such aesthetically beautiful work. Isabel will be my ‘go to’ person for all my book designs in future. Thank you Isabel."
johhVI
reviewed 4 days ago
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"Quick turnaround with top notch quality! Highly recommended."
Anonymous client
reviewed 4 days ago
"Isa has done an outstanding job with the Baby Boomer Trivia book. From start to finish, she went above and beyond, especially with the way she selected and added photos from different platforms. She didn’t just throw in random images, she really curated..."
rezaa.khoshkaj
reviewed 5 days ago
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"Isa’s communication is next-level, always clear, thoughtful, and thorough. She doesn’t just follow instructions, she outlines every detail and possible scenario so you can make well-informed decisions with confidence. That kind of transparency and care ..."
rezaa.khoshkaj
reviewed 21 days ago
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"It’s rare to find someone as exceptional as Isa. Not only is she a brilliant designer with an eye for detail and creativity, but she also approaches every project with the mindset of a project manager — thinking deeply about the objectives, the audience..."
rezaa.khoshkaj
reviewed 21 days ago
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