The making of I Am Not Mute by Sonya Shatalova

Coming up with ideas for the cover.

The art director chooses the megaphone but suggests to move it over the mouth instead of eyes.

Choosing the illustration style and showing the cover sketch to the client.

The client likes the cover. Turning to the illustrator.

The illustrator uses the approved sketch to draw a portrait of Sonya.

Everyone likes the portrait. Giving Sonya a bullhorn made of paper.

The client asks to search for a better shape of the bullhorn.

Trying different variants. Also slightly changing Sonya’s eyes per the client’s request.

The endpaper should be beautiful and touching, but also more cheerful. At the chief typesetter’s suggestion, going with apples.

Drawing apples in watercolor, cutting them out, scanning and placing on blue background.

Typesetting the text matter. Coming up with styles for main sections, placing the author’s watercolors on half titles.

Trying to add some color.

Keeping a single color to mark each section’s headers.

Typesetting the cover.

Considering using handwriting for the title of the book, but typed text wins.

Designing the back cover.

The design with the ship wins. The illustrator draws the ship and the background.

Polishing the details.