It's strange to deconstruct and consider our lives through the lens of media. In how certain visuals have imprinted on our memories. There are surely some dark tales in that direction. But, for better or worse, there have been so many key visual medias in our lives that for extended periods became as familiar and consistent to us as any close relationship.
For me, one of the largest visual medias in my life growing up was naturally books.
I was constantly surrounded by them: From my own collection, to those held in my school and local libraries, to those my friends and family read.
But it's not the pages and pages of printed words that I remember. Or for you either, probably.
Outside of the the visual and emotional hallucinations experienced, the most prominent thing I remember is the cover. How I carried it for a part of my life, in hand, in bag; saw it in my room, in family living spaces, in the grip of others; on posters, on TV, even on T-Shirts.
Our memories are filled with designs created by others. Literally everything constructed has had some kind of artistic input; and discovering who's behind the media has become a delightful game for me.
Maybe it's nostalgia. Maybe it's professional curosity. Eitherway, I think it's important we are aware of who coloured our childhood and left such strong impressions on our memories.
So, who better to start with than someone you probably don't know, but whose work you'd recognise literally anywhere.
Who the hell is Gail Doobinin?
No idea. Personally, that is. They remain a mystery to this day. But, professionally?
Well, you may know them as—
The designer of The Twilight Saga. Yep.
This designer who is a ghost online, with a website so sparse even their Contact Page simply states "a graphic designer and art director specialising in book covers", is responsible for a series of designs that have sold over 160 MILLION copies worldwide and have been resold and translated into 49 languages. It's honestly a travesty that no one knows their name. For real, there's more on Roger Hagadone, the saga's LA photographer; though even they've dropped off grid in the past year.
I searched and searched for more on this mysterious designer but all I found was equally sparse breadcrumbs.
I discovered they're partially responsible for the hire of Kirk Benshoff at LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS, where Kirk subsequently met his wife. You may recognise his covers: SHADOW AND BONE the graphic novel, DEMON IN THE WOOD, and the picture book THE ASTRONAUT WHO PAINTED THE MOON. He's currently Creative Director for First Second, Macmillan's Children Publishing Group's graphic novel subsidiary.
I found that in 2014 she left Little, Brown Books for Young Readers leading to this delightful exchange between Kathy and Cat from the illustrator representation firm, C.A. Tugeau Agency (Now the CAT Agency, run by her daughter).
I did find a random 2012 article that referenced an equally random 2011 blog post about Gail that seemed so promising that I spent forever searching for it through the Wayback machine, only to discover very little. But it did provide a gold headline at least.
It is REMARKABLE that, as Button Pushing Monkey calls them, one of the "most influential literature cover art designers of all time" is practically a shade in their own online legacy. I'd expect at least one online lecturer and maybe an interview or two. Surely there was opportunities for publicity. To cash in. I understand the internet was a very different place (a much warmer place, arguably) in this "time". But still. I am intrigued.
From the stand point that she was allegedly a respected Art Director at Little, Brown Book for Young Readers for YEARS, it is ODD that I can't find boo. Not even footnote in their history.
But this does lead us to this. . .
Not a One Trick Pony
I would understand if Gail was an "overnight success" story. A designer who worked in a team that, through collaborative efforts and their position, got their name attached to the breakout Twilight Saga; that they saw no similar success proceeding, or prior.
But that just isn't the case.
In fact, it was this singular discovery that set me down this rabbit hole to start with:
Uh huh, Gail designed not just the original book covers of Maximum Ride, but also the rebrand! Meaning, they not only had a hand in THE trending series of my teen years, but also, arguably, my pre-teens!
Seriously, Maximum Ride—despite its cool off in later years (and some questionable plotlines from Final Warning)—has a star power you shouldn't scoff at.
James Patterson is regarded as one of the most successful authors in history with over 425 million books sold over the past four decades, according to Forbes. In comparison, Stephen King has sold only 350 million books—though there is a discussion to be had on credibility and critical acclaim between the two, but moving on.
While I can't find more recent statistics from this decade, Variety reported the Maximum Ride series had sold over 30 million copies in 2014. If it continued with similar sales of 3.4 million a year, even with a slump, that would bring it to around 50 million sales today.
For perspective, Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle is considered an international fantasy sensation with its 40 million copies sold, Divergent Series by Veronica Roth has similar sales, Shadowhunter Chronicles ahead at 50 million plus. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, on the other hand, to this day has sold less than Maximum Ride back in 2014 with only 22 million.
Further, as Art Director at Little Brown Books for Young Readers for an unknown duration up to January 2014, Gail also had a hand in MANY of the books that filled the shelves around us just in general. They, or at least their team, worked with many familiar authors including Holly Black, Ally Carter, Jackson Pearce, and Darren Shan.
It is a very respectable and swoon-worthy CV. So why aren't we more aware of this designer?
Where in the world is Gail now?
Obviously, I have no idea.
I really hope Gail Doobinin is listed in textbooks as part of the design canon for their contribution and that their biography becomes better accessible.
I can understand wanting privacy and setting strong boundaries between professional and personal lifestyle. But, from an academic standpoint, it is vital we understand how such influential designs came about. It only becomes more important as the world changes and, unfortunately, creativity is further invalidated and pushed to the side despite its essentiality.
I have enquired on Gail's site for a response, but given it was late and my strange-ness was probably a little higher than professional, I'm not too hopeful for a response. Fingers crossed, but no expectations. If they do reply, I will of course post an update.
If you're reading this Gail, hope you're well, and thanks for being such an influential part of my younger years.
ABOUT DESIGN BY DAYNA
Dayna is an Australian creative, working globally, to assist freelancers and brands to enable their visual storytelling and practices. From Netflix Documentaries and Best Selling Authors to international and small businesses, Dayna has provided design and creative solutions across a range of mediums. She now focusses on creating striking illustrated book covers but is open to anything. Give her a challenge! Enquire now to bring your creative narrative vision to life.
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