Illustrada Design Portfolio

A sampling of Paul Nylander’s book designs

Bold, daring book covers are crafted to capture attention.

Meticulously designed interior layouts focus on readability and an immersive experience.

Each unique design combines a personal touch with universal appeal, resonating at first sight and leaving a lasting impression.

Illustrada is crafting books that open our eyes, expand our minds, and enrich our souls.

Dust jacket covered book lying atop book open to interior spread featuring a red autumn scene and a windswept tree.
Student demand inspired this beautiful and functional art + instructional book on painter Kami Mendlik’s method for paintings that radiate light!
Celebrating a decade of artistic excellence, the tenth anniversary edition of the “Isolation” exhibition breathes new life into Paul Nylander’s captivating narratives.
Both covers of the book and a sample interior spread.
A heartfelt anthology of spiritual insights, poems, and reflections by Justin O’Brien—Swami Jaidev Bharati—offering guidance and wisdom for personal growth and self-discovery.
Front cover and sample interior spread
A behind-the-ice look at author Anthony Walsh’s personal story, transformed into a hardcover children’s picture book “Hockey Is for Everybody.”
Cover and interior of the book featuring skateboard art and fun, vibrant, teal patterns
A Lakota children’s story told through the author’s unique skateboard deck art… and a challenging design!
A look at the book cover and an interior spread declaring "Liar, Liar Breaks Out Nationally."
Liar, Liar follows the true story of The Castaways as they quickly rose to stardom with their hit single in the summer of 1965. A complex memoir with images, quotes, and lots of design challenges.
Featuring Zimmerman's painted crane and loon, the book cover and open interior spread are colorful
Following My Spirit Home is a personal journey of Duluth based artist Sam Zimmerman as he rediscovers his Ojibwe heritage.
Bright red title and the almost hidden red canoe feature on this dark YA cover and interior
A red canoe becomes a metaphor on the cover and story of this YA magical realism novel.
"COVID: Book of Days" open revealing a hand written page and black and red image, with additional pages with papyrus and gold shown as well
A meditative response to pandemic isolation, COVID: Book of Days captures fleeting daily expressions through meticulous fine press reproduction of mixed-media collage.
Dark blue front and back cover featuring gold foil, along with an interior page showing an ornate script initial "A."
Creating Fear Less, a book to be illustrated by the reader, we pulled out the stops, with gold foil and white cover printing.
The seven covers of the Nenaboozhoo Series, featuring a variety of colors and styles, and one interior spread showing latercolor birch trees
Preservation of the tribal stories is the goal of this series of Ojibwemowin children's books created for the Red Lake school district.
The "Forever Blooming" cover with it's yellow rose. The closed book is laying on top of another copy open to a chapter page.
Forever Blooming reflects one woman’s journey of healing, growth, and self-acceptance, elevated through thoughtful design.

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