Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Barney.
Hi Rebecca, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for art and design truly began in high school, after a trip to Italy. That one trip propelled me to study art history through college, where I graduated with a BA in Art History (sprinkled with the philosophy classes) and a certificate in Medieval Studies.
After graduating college, I moved back to San Diego and started working at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library where a co-worker and good friend encouraged me to study graphic design and I’m so glad I did! I have been doing freelance on and off since then (about 12 years now!) and it wasn’t until 4 years ago that I started to specialize in book cover design when a friend asked me to create a cover for her self-published book. Now, most of my work is cover design for self-published authors and it is so fun and such an honor to bring to life someone’s story.
For a while I didn’t really know how my interest in cover design came up in my life but as I’ve reflected, I’ve realized it’s always been there in the background. I loved reading as a kid, I got REALLY into scrapbooking for a bit (oh the ’90s), studied illuminated manuscripts in college, worked in a library making booklets for art shows and now I’m here creating covers. It took me almost 40 years to find my passion for cover design, but so glad I did!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like anything worth doing, it’s been a journey. I loved what I studied in college but had no idea how I would translate it to an actual job.
When I was doing graphic design early on, it was in between the duties of motherhood, so it was really inconsistent. For a long time I felt like I was on the cusp of the career I wanted but I didn’t quite have the time to pursue it properly and that was hard. There has been A LOT of self-doubt (imposter syndrome is so real) and so many times I’ve thought, “maybe I should just stop” but that drive to create and make things by hand just wouldn’t go away. I knew I needed to have a creative outlet, if anything just to feel like me, especially in the throes of motherhood. Now that all my children are in school full time, I’ve had more time to devote to cover design and it has been so wonderful. It’s still a balancing act, but it feels a little more equal than it did before and I think that has improved my life as a designer and a mother.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Book Cover Designer and Illustrator and I mainly work with self-published authors in the women’s memoir and romantic comedy genres. Once an author has written their book, they will come to me and I create the design for their digital and physical book. I love working with these authors and helping them make their dream a reality. The thing I love most, is that every project is different. It feels a bit like a puzzle to take someone’s words and translate that into a visual story. I love the challenge of coming up with an idea, figuring out the layout and how all the pieces are going to fit together and then presenting it to the client. I think what sets me apart is I have a good eye for layout and balance. I think since I’m a designer first and illustrator second, I intuitively understand how things should fit and work together on the page. You don’t want your title and imagery competing with each other, it should feel like a cohesive piece and I think that helps my designs standout from the crowd.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think luck is always there in the background of our lives. If I hadn’t walked by the library in La Jolla one day and offered to volunteer, I wouldn’t have met my friend who told me about the graphic design program. Or if my parents said no to my trip to Italy in high school, would I have found may way toward art and design? Maybe, maybe not. I think we have to recognize these lucky chances as opportunities and grab on and move forward. I’m so grateful for the small moments I said yes that has helped me get to where I am today in my life and career and I’m excited for the future and what is to come next.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.barneydesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barneydesign
Image Credits
Headshot was taken by Amanda Scheid and the additional photos were taken by me, Rebecca Barney.
