Refreshing D&Q’s Online Experience
Drawn & Quarterly is an internationally respected independent publisher based in Montreal, known for its literary comics and graphic novels. While their work remained vibrant, their website had grown difficult to navigate and no longer reflected the clarity or visual richness of their catalog. I led a complete redesign that focused on usability, content structure, and showcasing the artwork that defines their brand. The project led to improvements in:
Information clarity
A simplified structure makes books, authors, and events easier to browse.
Visual cohesion
Flexible templates and consistent UI create a more unified experience.
User engagement
Updated navigation and search features help users explore more content with less friction.
Objective
Redesign the front-end experience to feel modern, cohesive, and aligned with the publisher’s creative identity without disrupting the existing WordPress backend or legacy content structure. A key priority was giving the artwork itself more space to shine.
Content Audit and Discovery
I began with a full audit of the site’s content and architecture, noting how key pages, categories, and archives had grown disconnected over time. I also met with the client to understand their goals, content priorities, and visual preferences. They shared references, which I expanded on through research into comparable publishing and editorial sites.
Wireframing and Structure
Once the new structure was defined, I created wireframes to align with the client before moving into visual design. The new layout introduced clearer content groupings, consistent blocks, and more visual hierarchy, helping guide users through the depth of the site without overwhelming them.
Solution
I designed a modern, editorially styled interface with flexible layouts and clear navigation. Books and authors were brought to the forefront, and artwork was given dedicated space across landing pages and listings.
To support a more discoverable experience, I added scoped search fields on all key pages. While the global site search remains broad and less structured, these section-level search tools give users a more focused way to find what they were looking for.
Typography, spacing, and content blocks were standardized into a clear system, allowing for flexibility while maintaining consistency. Mobile adaptation was handled separately by the development team but built on top of the desktop design I delivered.
Search bar on the Books page with live suggestions enabled. Users can search by title, author, or ISBN, with matching results appearing in a dropdown before submitting the query.
Results
The redesigned website offers a more intuitive and engaging experience for visitors. Navigation is clearer, visuals are more prominent, and content is easier to browse and manage. The new structure helps longtime fans and new readers discover the depth of Drawn & Quarterly’s catalog, while honoring the voice, tone, and visual richness that defines the brand.
