Mary Woodin has created a standout cover for "The Homesteader's guide to growing herbs".

Mary Woodin has been commissioned to illustrate the cover and internal spots for a book on how to grow and use herbs; The Homesteader’s guide to growing herbs.

Wanting to create a cover that would stand out from the crowd of existing herb books on the market, Mary created detailed colour roughs that could be judged on their thumbnail impact; a good way to shine in a crowded google search. Designer Diana Haas was always on hand to bounce ideas off of.

Always keen to get some first-hand research (and get out in the garden), Mary raided her own herb garden for suitable reference. ” I painted each different herb separately in watercolour and then positioned them in photoshop. This gave flexibility in incorporating the designer’s chosen typeface.”

It’s clear Mary thoroughly enjoyed this project. The free reign given to her with the initial design resulted in many different permutations and approaches, with the final cover being a standout favourite, with it’s bold type, welcoming wildlife and most importantly, exquisitely drawn herbs.