M. EKSTEEN · CPT · 2002 — 2026
Portrait of Marie Eksteen

VOLUME ONE · 2002 — 2026

Marie Eksteen

Design Typesetter & Visual Designer

Twenty‑four years in the page trade. Currently at Maskew Miller Learning, an imprint of Pearson, Cape Town.

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Hello

Senior Design Typesetter.

As a Senior Design Typesetter, I play a key role in overseeing the typesetting and visual presentation of our printed and digital products.

I collaborate closely with visual design, editorial, and production teams to ensure that all content is accurately typeset, aesthetically appealing, and aligned with industry standards and accessibility requirements.

I am responsible for driving innovation in typesetting processes, mentoring junior team members, and optimising workflows to enhance efficiency and quality.

I am a well‑spoken individual who can work independently and as part of a group or team. I use my initiative and take the utmost pride in my work and its presentation.

With me you gain a motivated employee who brings further ideas into your company and likes to face new challenges. Teamwork, creativity and organisation are no problem for me at all.

— M. Eksteen

Career

Twenty‑four years on the page.

  1. Nov 2017 — present

    Visual Designer

    Maskew Miller Learning · Pearson · Cape Town

    Visual design expertise serving the Content Development, Learning Development and Marketing teams — design concepts, sound visual‑communication conventions, and the limitations of different applications, formats and avenues.

    Full responsibilities (read more)
    • In‑house origination of specs, templates and style‑guides for book publishing — print.
    • Creation, testing and sign‑off of CSS for digital content — eBooks, digital asset templates, custom designs.
    • Design, development and maintenance of product brands and brand toolkits; supporting implementation of the Pearson Brand across product and marketing collateral.
    • Guide appropriate font selection and usage across products and platforms.
    • Ensure all design work created in‑house or with external partners meets Pearson Content Creation Standards plus industry and accessibility standards.
    • Image research and artwork commissioning for covers; support the Content Development teams with artist selection, style & medium, brief conceptualisation, storyboarding, and rates guidance.
    • Assist the Visual Design Lead in the briefing, support and coordination of external design partners.
    • Visual design support for UI/UX — collaborate with UX designers, participate in the design and production of MVPs and prototypes, support product maintenance.
    • Support tender and submission initiatives.
    • Circulate design WIP for comment and sign‑off.
  2. May 2008 — 2017

    Owner · Freelance typesetter

    Golden Pear Desktop Publishing · Cape Town

    School‑book typesetting for Oxford University Press, Troupant Publishers, Maskew Miller Longman, Macmillan and Unisa — mostly Johannesburg‑based publishers in the school‑book industry — alongside private authors who wanted to publish their own books. Worked in Adobe CS 5.5: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat. Some graphic design along the way.

  3. 2016 — 2017

    Typesetter · Interaction designer

    Edge Education

    Textbook typesetting for Boston Media House, Boston City Campus and IIE. Designed Santam online‑training interactions and infographics. Captured books for an online‑college CMS; worked in Blackboard for IIE.

  4. Feb — Oct 2013

    Typesetter

    IO Publishing · Cape Town · Contract

    Pre‑press layout on Mac. Heinemann Publishers, Oxford University, Department of Basic Education, Pearson.

  5. Sep 2006 — Apr 2008

    Typesetter · Studio Manager

    Karen Graphics · Pretoria

    Studio manager and DTP operator on Adobe CS3 — InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat and Acrobat Distiller. Ran the business: managing work in and out, layouts, answering telephones. Clients included Macmillan, Maskew Miller Longman, Nasou via Afrika, Unisa Press, Troupant and most of the school‑book publishers. Left because the small studio had no upward path — resigned, moved to Cape Town and started Golden Pear Desktop Publishing.

  6. May 2005 — Aug 2006

    DTP Operator

    Brand New Advertising · Johannesburg

    Repro‑ready layout: posters, adverts, postcards, emailers. RCI, Nissan, Monsanto, Sunday Times, New Holland.

  7. Feb 2002 — Apr 2005

    Typesetter

    A1 Graphics · Pretoria

    Pre‑press layout operator on Apple Mac — InDesign CS, Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand and Acrobat. Clients: Macmillan, Maskew Miller Longman (Midrand and Cape Town branches), Heinemann Publishers, Institute for Security Studies, Africa Institute and Briza Publications. The first chapter.

Practice

A type‑case
of the work.

Endorsed (LinkedIn)

  1. LLayout
  2. IdInDesign
  3. AcAdobe Acrobat
  4. GDGraphic Design
  5. LDLogo Design
  6. Mac
  7. AiIllustrator
  8. TtTypesetting

Publishers & Clients

Pearson Maskew Miller Learning Oxford University Press Macmillan Heinemann Troupant Unisa Nasou via Afrika Boston Media House IIE Marang Education Trust Western Cape Education Department of Basic Education Briza Publications Institute for Security Studies Africa Institute

Tools

  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Jira
  • Mac workflow

Output

  • Books · Publications
  • Textbook covers & layouts
  • Brand toolkits · Visual identity
  • Annual & evaluation reports
  • Newsletters · Flyers · Banners
  • Calendars · Notepads
  • Logos · Business cards
  • Graphics · Illustration
  • ePub / Digital templates

Working manner

  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Imaginative, creative thinker
  • Organised & goal‑oriented
  • Meets ambitious deadlines
  • Adapts to changing priorities
  • Teamplayer
  • Passion for education

Selected works

From textbook spreads
to brand toolkits.

Twenty‑four years of pages — school‑book spreads for Oxford, Macmillan and Heinemann, the corporate report era, and the Pearson / Maskew Miller catalogue of today. Click any plate to enlarge.

Hi‑resolution masters of the typesetting samples are available on request.

Words from colleagues

Two notes,
both from 2010.

Schooling

2002

Damelin

Certificate · Multimedia and Animation

HTML 4 · Photoshop 6 · JavaScript · Flash 5 · Director 8 · 3D Studio Max 3 · Premiere 6 · Sound editing · Character animation.

1997 — 1999

Port Elizabeth Technikon

National Diploma · Travel and Tourism

SAA Ticketing & Fares I · Life Skills · Six‑month practical, Vermont USA.

1987 — 1996

Riebeek College Girls High School

Matriculated

Uitenhage, Eastern Cape.

Let's work together

Make
something
worth
printing.

LinkedIn /in/marieeksteen Email marie.eksteen@gmail.com
Location City of Cape Town · Western Cape · ZA