Experienced Book Designer to Prep Picture Book for Print

I’m looking for an experienced book designer or illustrator with a strong background in print layout and production to prepare my finished children’s picture book for printing.

The book is a gentle, poetic story for young children, featuring nature-inspired illustrations. All text and images are finalised and will be provided as high-resolution JPEG or PNG files. I need someone to professionally arrange everything into a print-ready file that meets the exact requirements for Mixam.co.uk’s children’s hardcover books (see Mixam’s guidelines here: https://mixam.co.uk/support/hardcoversetup. You can download the template from the website).

I would like you to:

Create the full book layout ( roughly 20 pages) following Mixam’s specifications.

Design and format the cover, spine, and back according to Mixam’s hardcover template.

Ensure all pages include proper bleed, margins, and safe zones.

Provide a print-ready PDF/X file and any source files (InDesign, Illustrator, or similar).

Adjust layout and typography slightly if needed to improve visual balance and flow.

Confirm colour settings (CMYK) and resolution for professional print quality.

The project is primarily intended for Mixam.co.uk, but I’m open to your suggestions if you believe another printer or format would be better suited for the design or cost.

Deliverables:

Complete 20-page book layout (interior + cover)

Print-ready PDF compliant with Mixam specifications

Editable source files (InDesign or Illustrator preferred)

Ideal Skills:

Experience preparing print-ready files for Mixam, Blurb, or IngramSpark

Proficiency in Adobe InDesign / Illustrator / Affinity Publisher

Familiarity with bleed, spine, and binding setup for hardcover books

Understanding of children’s book layout and visual storytelling

Timeline:

Flexible, but ideally within 1–2 weeks once files are provided.