About
b. 1986, HK.
PrESS & Mentions :
The Designer's Process:
Maria Elias On Enter Title Here
Jacket and case design for ENTER TITLE HERE featured
Casual Optimist—
Book Covers of Note 2016
Jacket design for ENTER TITLE HERE featured
Winner AIGA and Design Observer
50 Books | 50 Covers
Jacket design for Conviction selected
Winner TDC Communication Design 2016
Jacket design for Conviction selected
Book Covers of Note May 2015
Jacket design for Conviction featured
A Book Cover Revealed…
nanowrimo Interview with Maria Elias
and author Kelly Loy Gilbert
New York Times Book Design Review
Superheroes, None of Whom is Batman
Super Powers cover design featured
+ more
Maria grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and has been an art lover since she could hold a crayon. She has a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she studied design, printmaking, and photography. And is also a graduate of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia H.S. magnet art program.
Today Maria is an independent freelance book designer, designing both covers and interiors. Before falling in love with book design, she worked in news and magazine. Maria’s work has been recognized by AIGA 50 Books/50Covers, the Type Directors Club, and the New York Book Show.
She is also a proud member of the LatinX/Latine in publishing community and supports diversity in books. Maria is a fluent Spanish Speaker, and enjoys working on Spanish projects.
In the past, she has held in-house leadership positions at Penguin Random House, Disney Hyperion, and Workman Publishing. Until 2025, Maria was Art Director and co-founder of Rise x Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. Maria developed the branding and logo design and oversaw the design for the imprint.
When she is not designing, Maria blogs about outstanding covers on Book Design Heroines and writes the Some Things Covered column for Spine magazine. She also takes many long walks with her husband, News Art Director Tam Nguyen, their baby Xochi, and their dogs, Bodhi and Ashoka.
Please only contact if you want to hire Maria for cover design projects. No portfolios please.