Hello

Mecob is one of the UK’s leading book cover designers, dedicated to creating excellent book packaging for publishers everywhere. Since 2001, I have been delivering award-winning designs to an inclusive client list of conglomerates, independents and self publishers. Using decades of experience and a wealth of creative contacts, I guide covers from original concept to print in an honest and adaptive way. It’s why my clients keep coming back. I am a mentor, a tutor and a competition judge. My work has been recognised by the D&AD, The British Book Awards, The Academy of British Cover Design and exhibited at the Hay Festival. Whether for a debut or big brand author, I will challenge your brief to make your cover the best it can be. Don’t be shy, get in touch.

mark NEWPICCROP
“Mark finds creative solutions for every style of book that Unbound throws at him. Ask for a bold, ground-breaking, genre-busting jacket and he delivers. Ask for a smart, confident commercial package and you get that, too. The combination of cutting edge design with business instinct is what we all want from an art director, but to do that on time and to budget every damn time, like Mark does – well, that is a rare and precious form of genius.”
John MitchinsonPublisher, Unbound
“A highly creative, resourceful, timely and always-available freelancer.”
Duncan SpillingCreative Director, Little, Brown Book Group
“Mark Ecob is high on my list of great people to work with. I regularly recommend him to other publishers and always get great feedback.”
Donna PayneCreative Director, Apple
“An eminently practical working knowledge of the industry makes Mark one the best designers I’ve ever worked with.”
Andrew FurlowAssociate Publisher, Icon Books
“Mark delivers stunning covers every time, he is a real pleasure to work with.”
Katie RodenPublishing Consultant and co-founder of Fixabook
“Mark is a talented designer with a deep understanding of books and book products. He is also a true gentleman.”
Caroline GorhamProduction Director, Canongate Books
“We were lucky enough to have Mark teach on our undergraduate Graphic Design Programme a few years ago. Saying his input was significant is an understatement.”
Zoe PattersonProgramme Director, Graphic Design, Edinburgh College of Art
“I have worked with many designers over the course of my 20-year publishing career and I can honestly say that Mark Ecob is up there with the best. Not only for his unquestionably superb eye for design but also because of his creative process: he makes the effort to explain his rationale for each cover design, is always open to feedback from all departments and expertly brings his colleagues and authors along with him on the creative journey, making everyone feel seen and heard.”
Gemma DavisSales Director, Unbound

Clients Include

Amazon Publishing • Atlantic Books • Canongate Books • Elliot & Thompson • Faber & Faber • Granta • Guardian Books • HarperCollins • Hachette • Little, Brown Book Group • Marble Arch Press • Oneworld • The Orion Publishing Group • Oxford University Press • Penguin Random House • Quercus, Sandstone Press • Simon & Schuster • St. Martin’s Press • Thames & Hudson • Unbound • Virago • Weidenfeld & Nicolson • Xander Uitgevers • Ian Fleming Publications • ITV • Whitefox • Byline Times

Professional
Experience

Designer, Hodder & Stoughton • Senior Designer, The Orion Publishing Group • Art Director, Canongate Books • Associate Art Director, Unbound.

Featured in

Creative Review • D&AD Annuals 2010/2011/2013 • Design Week • CommArts Annual 2015 • The Casual Optimist • The Bookseller • The Author • Fixabook.com • Byte the Book • Arcangel Images • Bookmachine • Reedsy • Whitefox • The Guardian • Spine Magazine • Literary Hub • We’d Like A Word Podcast 

Awards & Judging

The Academy of British Cover Design: shortlisted for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Cover Art Direction
2025

The British Book Awards:
shortlisted for
Designer of the Year
2022

British Book Design and Production Awards:
Finalist, Trade Illustrated
2024

The Academy of British
Cover Design: shortlisted
for Best Non-Fiction Cover
2022

Association of Illustrators (AOI)
World Illustration Awards
Judge
2022

The BookDesigner.com: Winner, Best Fiction eBook cover design
2018

The Academy of British Cover Design: shortlisted for Best Sci/Fi Fantasy Cover
2018

The Academy of British Cover Design: shortlisted for Best Literary Cover Design
2017

The Academy of British Cover Design: shortlisted for Best Non-Fiction Cover Design
2017

The Academy of British Cover Design Awards, Judge
2016

The Bookseller Industry Awards, Book of the Year Award. CommArts Illustration Annual
2015

Nominated In-Book for D&AD Brand Expression in Print
2013

D&AD Book Design, Jury Foreman
2012

Nominated In-Book for D&AD Book Design
2011

Nominated In-Book for D&AD Book Design
2010

Talks & Events

2025: Impress Festival of Publishing
2024: We’d Like A Word Podcast
2020: Bookmachine, Wednesday Wisdom.
2018: Lounge Books, Expert Q&A.
2017: London Book Fair, Author HQ. Reedsy, Facebook Live.
2016: Ben Galley & Whitefox. Indie Insights, Clays Self Publishing.
2015: Byte the Book. Creative Bath, The Future of Print.
2013: The Bookseller Design Conference.
2010: The Bookseller Design Conference. TalkSpace 01, Edinburgh.
2009: Publishing Scotland.
2007: The Bookseller Design Conference.

Teaching

Bath Spa University • UWE Bristol • Edinburgh College of Art • Glasgow School of Art • The Nottingham Trent University

Mentoring

Whitefox & UAL: London College of Communication, Graduate Futures mentoring Programme 2024-25
The Society of Young Publishers 2021, 2022
Vyki Hendy, Spine Magazine, 2021

Training

Papier
Indesign training and workflow consultation
2022