Evi O and the Future of Book Design

written by Dhanurendra Pandji

An email reply landed on my phone. About two days after I sent my interview request to Evi O, she responded with notable enthusiasm. Evi O is the founder of Evi-O Studio, an artist, and a designer with over 15 years of experience in the industry, having won multiple awards. This year, she will serve as one of the judges for the 2025 D&AD Awards—one of the world’s most prestigious design and advertising competitions—in the Book Design category. She will be joined by other renowned names such as Johanna Neurath, Sonja Haller, Billy Kiosoglou, Hikari Machiguchi, Yanrong Pan, and Katrina Papanagiotou. Her role in co-founding the Australian Book Designers' Association in 2014 and her induction as an active member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale in 2023 further solidify her status as a key figure in the global design landscape. With an exuberant tone in her message, she expressed her willingness to share her creative process with Grafis Masa Kini.

“There is something about book making that suits my curious and obsessive nature,” explained the Sydney-based designer. Born in Surabaya in 1986, Evi O grew up with an innate curiosity for art and design. At 17, she had the opportunity to study design in Sydney, Australia—a decision that paved the way for her career in the creative world. At the University of Technology, Sydney, she explored various aspects of visual design, including digital media, animation, and photography. However, book design remained her primary passion.

After graduating in 2008, Evi embarked on her professional journey after short stints at various design studios and advertising agencies. A significant opportunity came when she secured a part-time role at Penguin Books Australia, which eventually turned into an eight-year tenure at the publishing house. There, she gained comprehensive experience in commercial book production. However, in 2016, the global merger of Penguin and Random House led to corporate restructuring, resulting in the closure of her division. At 30, she felt a strong urge to build something of her own. This was the birth of Evi-O Studio (EOS), founded to bring fresh perspectives to the publishing industry. Seven years later, EOS has grown into an influential book design studio.

Evi’s success in the creative industry has earned her numerous accolades, including the invitation to judge the D&AD Awards. “This was a role that was long-delayed. I was supposed to judge D&AD in 2020, the year the whole world changed,” she reflected. Due to the pandemic, her role was postponed for five years. As a judge, she identifies three key elements that make a book design award-worthy: first, the overall design solution in the book’s context; second, the designer’s attention to detail and problem-solving on a micro level; and third, the tactile experience of the book itself. Additionally, having experience in both commercial and independent publishing is a bonus. While not all books are designed as commercial products, those that successfully engage their audience hold greater value. She further raised a thought-provoking question that often arises in judging discussions: “Can a design piece be free of its capitalist context and be treated as a form of artistic expression? Let's discuss.”

As a designer and artist, Evi has a distinctive style. Her work tends to feature abstract, minimalist forms with flat geometric elements and harmonious color palettes. However, despite their minimalist appearance, her creative process is highly intricate. She always begins with extensive research and problem-solving before translating ideas into visuals. To her, good design is not just about aesthetics—it must also function well and carry depth of meaning. This philosophy extends to book design. Before starting a project, she thoroughly absorbs the book’s content and creates a creative brief for herself. Once the concept is fully developed, the design execution flows naturally. Even though her graphics appear simple, Evi ensures her designs are layered and interactive. “It's a fine balance to form both beauty and function when utilising graphic reduction, I always make sure the package is still layered,” she explained. “But if I reflect on it, reduced graphics present opportunities for interpretative interactions with the audience, which perhaps is what makes a piece appealing.”

In designing books, Evi has learned from some of the best commercial book designers she encountered at Penguin Books, such as Irma Boom, Peter Mendelsund, Jenny Grigg, Mark Gowing, Sandy Cull, David Pearson, Suzanne Dean, Jon Gray, and Tadanori Yokoo. However, she revealed that she draws most of her inspiration from outside the book design industry. “I tend to gravitate away from the book design industry and would say nature, art, music, and fashion provide innovative sources of inspiration and influences, visually and philosophically,” she shared.

Each book design project presents unique challenges—whether in terms of scale, commercial aspects, or collaboration with various stakeholders such as publishers, authors, editors, and booksellers. The biggest challenge, according to Evi, is “ensure that everyone's combined vision is represented correctly in the final package.” Some of EOS’s most memorable projects include Cao Fei: My City is Yours, the Japaneasy series, and Seeing Stars. These books cover vastly different subjects. For instance, in Cao Fei: My City is Yours, Evi successfully translated the artistic experiments of Beijing-based artist Cao Fei, who explores the deep relationship between China and Australia, blurring print and digital design behaviors. In the Japaneasy series, she channeled her and the cookbook author’s admiration towards various Japanese cultures, adding pop culture and traditional narratives through illustrations alongside recipes. Meanwhile, Seeing Stars  - a zodiac series - is a commercially successful and influential attempt at redefining what a paranormal publishing genre looks like for today’s generation. Each of these projects solved design challenges with unique and innovative solutions.

With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Evi acknowledges that while the golden age of print books has passed, there remains a longing for the tactile experience that only physical books can provide, especially among younger generations. “There is something very instinctive and tangible when you interact with information in the form of a book,” she said. Jokingly, she added, “It works your brain in a certain way only dinosaur humans understand.” In today’s digital era, these ‘dinosaur humans’ recognize the stark difference between turning a book’s pages and scrolling through a phone screen. To her, the power of physical books lies in their ability to immerse readers in a world more profoundly. However, Evi refuses to fall into empty nostalgia. She acknowledges that the internet and digital advancements have influenced contemporary book design and formats, making them more layered and complex. “A fun challenge for contemporary book designers is to be aware of both experiences and forge a futuristic path of a very grounded, traditional form. Book forms are fascinating,” she emphasized.

For young designers aspiring to enter the book design industry, Evi offers three essential principles. First, master the technical aspects—understand the history of book design, grid principles, and how to simplify complexity into effective forms. Second, learn how to express the author’s vision rather than just imposing personal style. This involves sensitivity to typography, layout, composition, and content design. Lastly, understand the context in which a book will exist. Who is the audience? How will they interact with the design?

As the industry evolves, one thing remains certain: books will always hold their own unique allure, as long as designers continue to bring them to life with creativity and sharp vision.