The Impact of Magazine Type

IMPACT magazine TYPE

The of

by Emma Holmes

The Impact of Magazine Type

The Impact of Magazine Type

What

impact

does

magazine

type have on today’s magazine consumers?

Editorial designers create an identity for a magazine, they are the architects for page structures, typographic creation and entertainers in the world of visual communication. Whether it be for an aesthetic purpose or functional, they create a style or statement and deliver a personality with each issue printed.

The Impact of Magazine Type

rebellious sexual values

O

ne could argue that

the design wasn’t particularly

broke all the rules of page

magazines with their

interesting or appealing, people

layout and grid layout and so

identities are no longer

bought the product because

was very much illegible but an

a magazine but a brand that

of what it stood for and the

innovator in magazine design.

readers buy into, such as a style,

rebellious sexual values of the

As stated by Andy Cowles,

a culture and a belonging.

message FCUK. In relation to

art director of Rolling Stone

FCUK the clothing brand by

magazines another example is

Magazine on the subject of Ray

French Connection is a good

Ray Gun Magazine by David

Gun and The Face magazine: ›

example of this as although

Carson, published in 1992, which

The Impact of Magazine Type

“

Those kind of magazines are not consumer magazines in the strictest sense. They are niche titles for people with an interest beyond the content: like a fashion magazine, but where the fashion is the very nature of print and ink.

�

(AndyCowles interview, Jeremy Leslie, pg.10).

The Impact of Magazine Type

W

hat is it exactly that

Jeremy Leslie pg. 78). In addition

competitors on the shop shelf,

dictates the identity

to the text and image choice,

thus capturing the attention

of each magazine?

the magazine logo is created

of a particular gender, socio

What identifiable differences

from a stencil font giving the

status, sexuality, or political view

can there be? All magazines

magazine a militant tongue in

of the reader also known as

have their own unique

cheek identity (see appendix

the core target audient. Type

characteristics and this can

1). From these given identities

more so than any other element

be seen in the paradigmatic

using type and design it could

in magazine design is what

choice of images and content,

be argued that the masthead

creates associations for the

chosen to make a particular

is the most important part of

person who reads and chooses

statement. For example

the magazine uniqueness, as

to read literature that consumes

Sleazenation by Scott King in

this is essentially how each

and moulds their own personal

2001, which experimented with

magazine is differentiated

ideas, influences and identities.

direct messages to the reader

from the next. On viewing

The interpellation of language

for example “Now even more

newsagents shelves your eyes

used for headlines delivered

superficial, over one hundred

search through the hundreds

using particular fonts, styles,

pages of hype and lies” (Issue

of periodicals that lie next to

structures, construction and

Sept 2001, Jeremy Leslie pg.

one another, homing in on that

deconstruction of letterforms

79) cast across the cover,

masthead or logo you recognise

are perhaps what creates a

images of a sexual woman

and know you want. This is why

relationship with the reader

with a speech bubble quoting

designers choose a divergent

and makes them desire the

“Oh Anarchy!” (Issue Feb 2001,

type, size and style from its

creation that they buy into. ■

The masthead is the most important part of the magazine uniqueness.

Image by Scott King http://www.scottking.co.uk/images/sleaze_9.jpg (September 2001)

The Impact of Magazine Type

The Impact of Magazine Type

A

with letters

The Impact of Magazine Type

V

isual communication and the frameworks of typography can

be traced back to before

15,000 - 10,000 BC

pre-printing days, as far as

Cave paintings at Lascaux.

15,000 – 10,000 BC with the cave paintings at Lascaux.

(Meggs, 2006, pg.5). Many countries around the globe have some form or picture carvings, drawings and paintings from prehistoric days when man communicated with one another in this way using substances found on their home grounds such as charcoal.

These paintings were probably created for means of survival

2100BC

and not art. The Cuneiform

Cuneiform tablets.

tablets from 2100BC are a good example as they were used to list expenditures of grain and animals. They also demonstrate how writing techniques had a need for speed by altering the stylus tip shape from a point to a triangle tip, thus being pushed › The Impact of Magazine Type

into rather than dragged

with Chinese calligraphy

through the clay. (Meggs,

and the discovery of printing

2006, pg.7). The Egyptians

techniques around 1000AD,

also demonstrated early

which stormed a revolution

manuscripts and the evolution

for learning and literature in

2700 - 400 BC

of their hieroglyphs can be

Chinese life. It wasn’t until

The development of Egyptian

recognised through from 2700

more than five hundred years

hieroglyphs, hieratic scripts

– 400BC in studying hieroglyph,

later that Johann Gutenberg

and demotic scripts.

hieroglyphic manuscripts,

brought movable type to the

hieratic scripts and demotic

west and we welcomed a similar

scripts, where pictures can be

academic culture and lust for

seen to be simplified and evolve

learning. (Meggs, 2006, pg.35). ›

c 2000 BC

into lines (Meggs, 2006, pg.2-

Cretan pictographs

3, 13). Early western alphabets

c 1000 BC

were also being developed

Greek alphabet and Phoenician

around these times and can be

writing methods

traced back to around 2000BC

c 850 BC

with the Cretan pictographs

Aramaic alphabet

(Phaistos Disk, remains undated), the early Greek alphabet, the Phoenician way of writing and

1000 AD

the boustrophedon methods Discovery of printing techniques

C1000BC, and the Aramaic alphabet used throughout the east C850BC. (Meggs, 2006, pg.19, 22) There was also of course the Asian contribution The Impact of Magazine Type

M

any books and manuscripts before movable

type arrived were hand written and illustrated, which are now classed as works of art alone, but Europe was in need of mass production and a quicker method of producing printed material, also re-usable type was desperately sought after. The first printed typographic book produced was the forty-two line Bible, which is suspected to have originally been a forty-line Bible but Gutenberg increased the lines for economy.

The type throughout the book was reflective of German calligraphers of that day and it is possible that Peter Schoeffer c 1455 AD

(1425 – 1502), Gutenberg’s

Forty-two line Bible by

foreman, designer and

Gutenberg and Fust

illuminator, could have been involved in the development and therefore could have been the first typeface designer. › The Impact of Magazine Type

Gutenberg’s story was that Johann Fust, his apprentice sued Gutenberg before the Bible was finished as he owed Fust a considerable amount of money to which Fust won favour of the courts and took all Gutenbergs printing equipment and works in progress, from

Peter Schoeffer

which he continued for himself

(1425 – 1502),

and his new partner Schoeffer,

Gutenberg’s

1468 AD

(Gutenbergs other apprentice).

foreman, designer

Gutenberg dies

(Meggs, 2006, pg.69-77)

and illuminator,

1470 AD

With the spread of printing

could have been

Jensons Roman Type

knowledge, more and more

involved in the

literature could be produced

development and

and a revolution of typography

therefore could

designers began. The letter,

have been the first

which was once merely a

typeface designer.

pictogram carving on the walls of a cave or perhaps a symbol from which it had derived, was now being designed, studied, and transformed into a style incorporating measurements, structure, and finishing techniques by true craftsmen. › The Impact of Magazine Type

The nineteenth century, the industrial revolution and the demand for mass-communication gave birth to some of Britain’s most famous type designers, such as William Caslon (1781 – 1869), Robert Thorne (d 1820), and Vincent Figgins (1766 – 1844), of whom all owned printing presses and altered type format in their own right. Thorne created the 1803 AD

first fat-face type in 1803, Figgins

First fat-face typeface by Thorne

with his first Egyptian type in

1815 AD

1815 and Caslon was the first

First Egyptian typeface by Figgins

to create a sans-serif type in

1816 AD

1816 (Meggs, 2006, pg.62-63,

First sans-serif typeface by Caslon

117, 123, 135, 136). The spawn of new typefaces meant that print and design decisions could be made with regards to page structure and emphasis could be made on important words, plus the kerning and leading could all be taken into consideration, thus creating cluster or space, dependant upon the aesthetic purpose of the publication. ■ The Impact of Magazine Type

My

TIT

says

who

I am.

The Impact of Magazine Type

TLE T

he first magazines looked like books

and Daniel Defoe

was the man who created the

first English magazine called The

Review, in 1704. Its audience being members of the same

social variety that soon came to depend on the regularity of its point of view. The structure of Review

was an innovator in

British editorial design using

four small pages, dense print,

few illustrations (except some

engraved borders and lettering) and most of the compelling

force contained in the sarcasm of the text (http://www.well. com/~art/maghist02. html accessed 02/11/2007).› The Impact of Magazine Type

S

till these concepts can be found in today’s publishing

industry. Through design and content, magazines have had a massive impact on society in documenting fashions, political movements, music and even social stature to an extent. As technology has advanced over the centuries and especially with the invention of photography more style and creativity have been incorporated into the production of magazines. ›

The Impact of Magazine Type

The magazine seems to play a sister role to the newspaper except they are produced on either weekly, monthly, or even bi-monthly basis. They first came about in the nineteenth century when printing firms had the technology to produce large press runs at affordable costs. Harper and Brothers, a printing firm in America were amongst one of the first printers to demonstrate this in 1850, by producing one of the first periodicals called Harpers New Monthly Magazine, which consisted of English fiction and illustrations, there then came Harpers Weekly in 1857 and Harpers Bazar for women in 1867. The magazines became a great way for budding new artists and illustrators to demonstrate their work as well as providing regular news feeds, which society came to depend upon and look forward to the next issue. Much like the standard newspaper, but with the extra effort of art and illustration, consideration of typography, and better quality paper stock, the magazine was a little more luxurious to its sister the newspaper. › The Impact of Magazine Type

“Broady’s main contribution to this youth-culture magazine was to break with traditional methods of type construction and establish it as a versatile, malleable design element that was barely distinguishable from imagery and could act as a vehicle for meaning.”

M

(Yolanda Zappaterra, 2007, pg161, 166).

agazines are

overthrowing oppression. Neville

malleable design element that

created for

Brody in the 1981 demonstrated

was barely distinguishable from

different reasons

exactly this principle with

imagery and could act as a

whether that be informative,

The Face magazine by

vehicle for meaning.” (Yolanda

specialised, a fanzine, or a

reverting back to the Russian

Zappaterra, 2007, pg161, 166).

microzine, they all attract

Constructivists 1930s style,

The masthead as a visual reflects

a different audience and

covering his pages in sans serif

what was inside The Face.

typography plays a large

type, geometrical shapes and

Tall narrow sans serif font with

role in this. Understanding

structures, which were perfect

positive kerning, creating space

why designers choose

for the readership he was aiming

between each letter. A futuristic

various typographic styles or

to grasp the attention of.

approach and rebellious attack

a particular structures and

“This was visual culture

on the letters, the A replaced

fonts can often be associated

affiliated to political rebellion”

by a triangle thus very much

with past influences or art

“Broady’s main contribution

“in your face” and expressive

movements such as the

to this youth-culture magazine

grasping the attention of all and

Bauhaus. This too can be a

was to break with traditional

mimicking youth-culture of that

representation of a social

methods of type construction

day, forcing you to notice the

movement and perhaps an

and establish it as a versatile,

post-punk culture of society. ›

The Impact of Magazine Type

Image by Yolanda Zappaterra, 2007, pg 166 The Impact of Magazine Type

I

n 1965 a revolutionary

for women. Harri Peccinotti, art

magazine was launched

director and Dennis Hackett

that employed pioneering

editor, worked together to

designers called Nova (1965

create a magazine that was

– 75 & re-launched 2000 - 01).

groundbreaking both socially

Reverting back to old styles

and structurally. Even after 1969

and structure, which other

when Peccinotti’s predecessor

designers were trying to move

David Hillman began work with

away from due to fear of the

Nova, the intense social, sexual

reader becoming bored. Large

and political upheaval of the

blocks of text, shapes, and tones

era was mirrored in Nova’s

filled double page spreads,

content, yet the elegance and

appearing rather elegant and

appearance of the magazine

demanding the attention of the

still has feminine qualities,

reader. Nova was an explosive

especially the masthead. The

confrontational magazine for its

semiotics of the Nova masthead

time, sort of a mans magazine

conveys images of the female

Image by Yolanda Zappaterra, 2007, pg 177

Nova was an explosive confrontational magazine for its time, sort of a mans magazine for women.

The Impact of Magazine Type

figure with its bulbous serifs and exaggerated rounded terminals, oval counters and bold weight. These gorgeous

D

avid Carson as mentioned previously was

too a pioneer in magazine

letters like to express themselves

design. His most famous work

and this is exactly what Novas

was on Rag Gun magazine.

content and body copy did.

With a background of skate

The kerning is also quite tight

and surf and no design training

so that the letters touch one

Carsons art direction was a

another, which I find gives off

visual experimentation that

an image of a rounded shapely

created expression between

sophisticated woman perhaps

the photography and type.

who would say something of

The subject matter of the

the sort “do I look fat in this,”

magazine being alternative

when really she knows she

Rock and so this expressive

already looks great, and so

type was well suited to

says it just for the attention.

the style of the magazine but functionally inept. ›

Image below by Yolanda Zappaterra, 2007, pg 168

The Impact of Magazine Type

i-D

I

n 1980 i-D magazine (a wink and a smile) followed a similar route to that of

Neville Brody and The Face.

Both produced in the same

A wink and a

era, editorial designer Terry

smile is a clever

Jones was too one of the most

interpretation

influential designers of today.

of the symbolic

Again i-D was born into the punk

representation

era as was The Face, mostly

of the magazine

focussing on the fashion world.

and what it stands

Tapping into the street culture

for culturally.

and individual style constantly re-inventing itself to encourage creativity. Once a 40 page tatty 3 stapled magazine, now a glossy innovator for anti-fashion magazines. I-D utilises it space and creates a connection between content and design. This then becomes more appealing for readers and grasps their attention for longer as does the layering of type to make it less readable.

The i-D masthead, a wink and a smile is a clever interpretation

The Impact of Magazine Type

Image below by Emma Holmes (Nov 2007 Issue)

of the symbolic representation

specifically for this purpose.

“For each issue of

of the magazine and what

There are many negative

LEMON, we create

it stands for culturally, again

opinions circulated on web

a specific theme, a

with inspiration from Dadaists.

forums regarding this typeface

limited colour palette

being used commercially, but

and an equally

as a masthead, it was perfect

limited set of fonts,

for era, style and attitude of the

and then we really

magazine. Tilted italic letters

go to town in an

mixed with perfectly round

attempt to support

counters are an abstract mix but

the theme. Many

beautifully created for the logo.

of our pages play

Lemon and Gum are Sister

out like storyboards

magazines, Lemon influenced by

from a film, and

nother striking

Avant Garde (see appendix 2),

we like there to be

magazine that

and adopted the typeface for

continuity across the

shocked and wowed

its own headlines but modified

pages of the entire

people of the mid-sixties was

some of the characters to

magazine. Film is

Avant Garde by Ralph Ginzburg.

create sharps angles and edges.

a big influence on

Notorious for its nudity and

Lemons target audience being

LEMON in particular,

rough language, the magazine

the more glamorous as oppose

and we see ourselves

logo needed to represent the

to Gum, which is very much all

as directors in terms

cultural shift and erotic era of

about fun, and pop orientated.

of how we work to tie

the swinging sixties. Ginzburg

“Our editorial design

everything together

collaborated with Herb

approach is based on our

into one unique

Lubalin to produce a logo for

desire to create what we call

vision.”

the magazine, Avant Garde

“experiences in print,” a viable

being the typeface created

antidote to online media”

A

See appendix 2 ›

The Impact of Magazine Type

T

here will always be progression within design, print and

finishing techniques. Magazines will follow fashions or perhaps be innovators and create their own style. The Cube magazine is a good example of this although it is not for sale and Georgio Di Mitri the creator, only gives copies to

“

print was Who said

DEAD?” (Charlotte Rivers, 2006 pg.9)

close friends, so it is not widely published and is a collectable.

His concepts are random and follow no guidelines other than whatever images his friends

have also created clones of

they have their own unique

have sent to him to incorporate

themselves on the web, which

selling point, which is what

into the magazine. His ideas

takes away the long lasting

attracts the readers. They

are open and his basis for

hard evidence of progression in

hold quality and status and

the magazine is “be true to

printing techniques and stylised

together with the content and

yourself” (see appendix 4), thus

pages. So the elaborately

use of language and images

his issues are all different from

produced magazines created

they are produced specifically

one another, progressing with

in today’s society become

for core target markets. The

styles, ideas and experiments.

collectables for the magazine

masthead being the identity

ith use of

fanatic. These specialised

that delivers the immediate

the internet,

magazines with their own little

initial message and what the

magazines

forte are in no competition as

reader associates with. ■

W

The Impact of Magazine Type

References

Bibliography

Internet Sites

Andy Cowles, Leslie, Jeremy,

Leslie, Jeremy, 2003, magCulture,

Avant Garde Magazine http://the-

2003, magCulture, New

New magazine design, Laurence

forum.com/ephemera/avant.

magazine design, Laurence King

King Publishing, London, UK.

htm accessed 14/11/2007

Publishing, London, UK, pg.10 Lupton, Ellen, 2004, Thinking with

Heller, Steven, 04 August 2004, Crimes

Issue Feb 2001, Leslie, Jeremy,

Type, A critical guide for designers,

Against Typography http://www.aiga.

2003, magCulture, New magazine

writers, editors & students, Princeton

org/content.cfm/crimes-against-

design, Laurence King Publishing,

Architectural Press, New York, USA

typography accessed 14/11/2007

London, UK. pg 78.

Meggs. B, Phillip, and Purvis.

http://www.internetcampus.org/frtv/

Issue Sept 2001, Leslie, Jeremy,

2006, W. Alston, Meggs’ History of

mag1.htm accessed 02/11/2007

2003, magCulture, New

Graphic Design, Fourth Edition, Jon

magazine design, Laurence King

Wiley & Sons, Inc, New Jersey.

Publishing, London, UK. pg 79

http://www.well.com/~art/maghist02. html accessed 02/11/2007

Rivers, Charlotte, 2006, mag-art, Meggs. B, Phillip, and Purvis. 2006,

Innovation in Magazine Design,

White, Alex W, Alex White on Herb

W. Alston, Meggs’ History of Graphic

Rotovision SA, Hove, UK.

Lubalin’s Avant Garde http://www.

Design, Fourth Edition, Jon Wiley & Sons,

graphic-design.com/Type/Avant/

Inc, New Jersey. pg. 2-3, 13, 5-7, 19-

Zappaterra, Yolanda, 2007,

22, 35 62-63, 69-77, 117, 123, 135, 136

Editorial Design, Lawrence King

Avant2.html accessed 14/11/2007

Publishing, London, UK. http://www.well.com/~art/maghist02. html accessed 02/11/2007 Rivers, Charlotte, 2006, mag-art, Innovation in Magazine Design, Rotovision SA, Hove, UK. Pg.9 Zappaterra, Yolanda, 2007, Editorial Design, Lawrence King Publishing, London, UK, pg161, 166

The Impact of Magazine Type

Appendix 1,

Is there a particular structure

obvious reasons! So it’s all worked

you follow for each issue?

out quite well in the end, even though we didn’t follow your

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 - Sleaznation

Would you say that Lemon / Gum

typical journalistic career route.

Magazine carries a message to its

Q: Hi Scott,

readers, if so what would it be?

3) You worked on the Truth Campaign, no? Are you a

I was just wondering if would be able

Are there particular fonts that

to let me know what font you used

you use to express this deeper

for Sleazenations logo? I’ve trawled

aspect of the Magazine?

smoker? Any funny stories?

the net and have a couple of books, but I don’t seem to be able to find it.

such--just a deadly product that

Would you say that people like

kills a third of the people who

to collect or buy magazines

use it as directed. Can we get

to show off a particular status

a product recall?! The tobacco

scottking986@btinternet.

about themselves, like a personal

industry is a crazy one. Needless

com (past Creative Director)

accessory or a culture they

to say, I don’t smoke. Working

like to belong or buy in to?

on the Truth campaign was fun,

A: From: SCOTT KING -

Unfortunately, no funny stories as

Hi Emma - I can’t remember what the original font was, but we made it into

though, and we really tried to

A: Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007

use humor to make our points. I came up with a singing cowboy,

a stencil font ....Pat may be able to tell you, his email address is -@-.com

From: Kevin Grady - GUM & LEMON

Trachea Man, who sings through

kevin@lemonland.net (Editor in chief

his tracheotomy hole. Yeee-haw!

and Creative Director)

Appendix 2,

Oct 25, 2007 - LEMON and GUM

Q: Dear Kevin Grady and Colin Metcalf,

how did the idea to take ‘Big

questions. Please let us know if

Tobacco’ head on come about?

you need more information.

Who gave the major push?

How is creativity encouraged

1) What is it exactly that you do?

My partner and I, Colin Metcalf,

within the organization?

Truth was one of the initiatives

be great. I also have read that

are both graphic designers. We just

initiated by the American Legacy

Lemon magazine was influenced

launched www.GradyandMetcalf.

Foundation, which is funded by a

by Avant Garde magazine. If you

com. On LEMON and GUM, I’m

huge settlement agreement with the

could shed a little more light on

the editor-in-chief and creative

tobacco industry. So, ironically, the

this it would also be appreciated.

director, and Colin is the executive

tobacco industry has been made

editor and creative director.

to fund Truth! You can bet that they LOVE that. Two ad agencies,

When was Lemon / Gum 2) Tell me about your background,

Arnold Worldwide and Crispin

where did you go to school? What

Porter Bogusky, were selected to

What inspiration lies

was your major? How did that help

share the account and have been

behind each issue?

you in your current position? Is a

the masterminds behind Truth.

specialized degree needed?

I worked as the design director

Magazine started and why?

best ad campaigns being run…But,

did that answers some of your

If you could answer for both Lemon and Gum magazine, that would

4) In our view that is one of the

Here is a previous interview we

on Truth while I was at Arnold.

Colin and I both went to (and met at) the University of Colorado

5) Now tell me about Lemon

at Boulder and we majored in

Mag and Gum… Give me the

journalism. Neither of us actually

idea behind the magazine.

have any training in design-we’re basically self-taught. The

The Impact of Magazine Type

GUM is an elaborate, occasional

journalism background has been

boxed publication that covers

a big help with our magazines for

art, design, popular culture, social

issues and whatever else grabs

There are very few, if any,

experience when they read our

us (bigfoot, anyone?). It’s kind of

mainstream magazines out there

publications--something they can’t

like a piñata, filled with goodies:

that go to the lengths we go to

get online. In the future, we feel

trading cards, comics, bubble gum,

in order to make a distinctive

that most magazines will either be

etc. LEMON covers similar ground-

magazine. LEMON and GUM are

online or will be distributed digitally

-”Pop Culture with a Twist”--but

incredibly time-consuming to

on “e-paper,” technology which

has a more sophisticated aesthetic

produce. For example, our new issue

will allow editorial content to be

and a more traditional magazine

of LEMON, a Stanley Kubrick tribute,

displayed on an easy to hold and

format. The aesthetic of LEMON is

has an article in it in which we

carry substrate (e-paper is to books

a kind of a mash up between 60s

recreated the computer panels from

and magazines what the iPod is to

and 70s Pop and 21st century hyper

2001: A Space Odyssey in order to

CDs). The only magazines which

culture. With both, we’ve attempted

run a single article in a memorable

won’t be distributed in this manner,

to create singular publications

format. Most magazines would never

many believe, will be elaborately

which don’t disappoint once you

go to such trouble--nor could they

produced special projects like

get beyond the fancy cover.

and be on time and on budget.

LEMON and GUM. (There’s a great new book out on the subject

6) How is Lemon distributed?

However, there are many similar

called “The Last Magazine” which

Do you distribute solely to

publications--at least in terms

covers this in more detail.)

specialty booksellers?

of their intentions--that are independently produced. They’re

out there, they’re just hard to find!

a specific theme, a limited color

they handle that side of things

I just bought a couple of copies

palette and an equally limited set

for us. We’re distributed at many

of FANTASTIC MAN, a European

of fonts, and then we really go to

specialty booksellers, but LEMON

Men’s lifestyle magazine, and

town in an attempt to support the

is also sold at large chains such

it’s extremely well done.

theme. Many of our pages play

as Borders and Barnes & Noble. In fact, our second issue of LEMON

out like story boards from a film,

One of our other favorites is an old

and we like there to be continuity

was a “Borders Recommends”

magazine called AVANT GARDE,

across the pages of the entire

title the month it came out.

which was published many years

magazine. Film is a big influence

ago by the late Ralph Ginsberg.

on LEMON in particular, and we

7) What is the main demographic

AVANT GARDE has been a big

see ourselves as directors in terms

you guys look for? Who is

influence on the format of LEMON.

of how we work to tie everything

your magazine aimed at?

together into one unique vision.

For each issue of LEMON, we create

We have a distributor, Disticor, and

9) Here’s the true heart of the

At the risk of sounding selfish, we

interview, please take a moment

create our magazines for ourselves.

to develop and detail your

Most magazines are basically organized around the promotion

We do lots of client work, and

editorial design theory. Anything

of whatever is current in film, TV,

in client work someone else is

and Everything can and should

music and fashion--it’s all very

ultimately in charge. GUM and

be included here. Theories,

promotional. With GUM and LEMON,

LEMON are really both artistic,

practices, thoughts, common

subjects are selected in part

expressive ventures for us, and

mistakes, etc. Some sample points

because they connect with either

we haven’t deliberately set out

to touch on: What is good page

our theme or our general outlook/

out to try to reach one particular

layout? Photography and the

aesthetic. The subjects become

demographic. That said, it tends

interplay with text. Font Selection

to be younger designers and

and Sizing. Margins and Borders.

“hipsters” (for lack of a better word!) who seem to appreciate

Our editorial design approach

what we’re doing more than

is based on our desire to create

other demographic groups.

what we call “experiences in print,” a viable antidote to online

8) Are there any other magazines

media. We like our readers to feel

out there doing something similar?

that they’ve been treated to a

Which are your favorites and why?

cohesive, thought-provoking, tactile The Impact of Magazine Type

pieces in a cohesive whole.

a lot of magazines seem driven by other desires—like selling ads, or scrambling to come up with stories to use as filler—this really feels like a labor of love.”

One of the ways we go about creating a flow throughout the

Like its debut publication, this second issue of LEMON is driven by its

magazines is to do away with many

creators’ commitment to breaking through most magazines’ formulaic

of the conventions of magazine

standards. “A lot of magazines feel like, ‘Here’s how a typical magazine

design. Like page numbers,

spread behaves,’ with big photo, a headline that’s kind of a pun, and

for instance! For more on our

then your body copy,” says Grady. “There are a lot of great magazines

approach, here’s a short article on

that do that very well. But as a designer, that doesn’t interest me.”

LEMON by Tiffany Meyers that ran in STEP INSIDE DESIGN magazine:

Rather than a series of separate elements that happen to be bound together in one book, LEMON is a continuous experience. In its design,

Designers Kevin Grady and Colin

Grady and Metcalf consciously remove mechanisms that would otherwise

Metcalf launched their newest

separate one element from the other. There’s a conspicuous deficiency

publishing venture, LEMON,

in page numbers, for instance, and every spread maintains a limited

because they wanted a more

palette of golds, blacks, and reds. The wholly intentional result is that

newsstand-friendly publication

it can be unclear when one article ends and another begins.

than their previous endeavor, the elaborate, award-winning boxed

Continuity also stems from the magazine’s treatment of themes. Mainstream

publication, GUM. Not that the

magazines—also fans of the “Focus Issue”—might offer a handful of articles

upstart publishers sold their souls in

about Theme X but otherwise conduct business as usual. This issue of LEMON

the process. The magazine features

presents its “Espionage” theme as part of the publication’s texture—literally:

four advertisers per twice-yearly

A subtly raised, spot-varnished pattern on the cover features mock national

issue, contrary to garden-variety

crests of feuding cold-war countries. Inside, the idioms of international

glossies that have readers sifting

intrigue—from Sagmeister posing as Bond to a comic strip interview with indie

through a haystack of ads to find

band Sonic Youth that reads like an FBI interrogation—infiltrate every page.

the needle of content therein.

Of late, the partners have been entertaining new business models (LEMON could

Earlier this year, judge Robynne

become an annual with a higher newsstand price), but this operation will likely

Raye, co-founder of Modern Dog

never be shaped by ROI concerns. “This is much more personal,” says Grady.

Design Co. in Seattle, was browsing

“It would probably be easier if it we could say, ‘Okay, let’s throw some pages

a bookstore when LEMON caught

together and get this out the door.’ But for us, LEMON is more like making art.”

her eye. That first issue’s art, music, and fashion coverage offered

10) Much is said about the current state of print publishing. Where do you think

her more in the way of creative

the industry is headed? What about the rise of digital media formats? What do

inspiration than the nearby section

you think of the proposed transition where some magazines and newspapers

of graphic design magazines, which

become completely digital? Is this where you see the industry headed? Do you

have grown a little too familiar for

ever see a complete phasing out of print publications? Obviously there is a

her tastes. LEMON, she says, is the

certain aesthetic that is a byproduct of the tangible nature of print publications,

kind of magazine she’s likely to

is that something that can that be reproduced online? Why or Why not?

collect. “You get the sense that the people who put this together are

See above: the future will likely be e-paper and the net! We’re happy

really part of the culture they’re

for most written communications to go digital--it just makes more sense

covering,” says Raye. “Whereas

and is better for the environment. That said, we think there will always be a place for more tactile, elaborate, paper-based publications. Such publications will be the exception, we believe, and not the rule. Kind of like a special, expensive meal as opposed to take-out or fast food.

The Impact of Magazine Type

Appendix 3,

Appendix 4,

25 Oct 2007 - i-D Magazine

25 Oct 2007 - CUBE Magazine

Q: Dear Dominique or Angelo, When

From: giorgio de mitri - giorgio@

was i-D Magazine started and why?

sartoria.com (editor and art director)

What inspiration lies

Q: Dear Giorgio De Mitr

behind each issue?

Is there a particular structure you follow for each issue?

When was Cube started and why?

A: CUBE as it is now (bookzne format) started in 1998. As a

Would you say that i-D Magazine carries a message to its readers, if so what would it be?

magazine started in 1990.

Q: What inspiration lies behind each issue?

Are there particular fonts that you use to express this deeper aspect of the Magazine?

A: Personal experiences Q: Is there a particular structure

Do you aim to attract a particular readership with effective use of typography?

you follow for each issue?

A: Random, all the images and the stories come from friends

Would you say that people like to collect or buy magazines

Q: Would you say that Cube

to show off a particular status

magazine carries a message to its

about themselves, like a personal

readers, if so what would it be?

accessory or a culture they like to belong or buy in to?

A: From: Dominique Fenn dominique.

A: Be true to yourself Q: Are there particular fonts

fenn@i-dmagazine.co.uk

that you use to express this deeper aspect of Cube?

Hi Emma,

Thank you for your email and interest in i-D. I have attached a media pack which

A: We’ve been using several and we’ll continue to do so

Q: Would you say that people like

I hope will go some way in

to collect or buy magazines

answering your questions.

to show off a particular status about themselves, like a personal

www.i-dmagazine.com will also be

accessory or a culture they

able to answer your questions.

like to belong or buy in to?

I have sent you the latest issue - you

A: No idea, I do buy magazines

will see that the layout has changed

because of their contents

from previous issues. We have been working over the last couple

CUBE is a not for sale publication

of months to change it, obviously

that I print in a very limited edition.

keeping the same i-D style.

I share it with my personal friends.

The Impact of Magazine Type

The Impact of Magazine Type

The Impact of Magazine Type

Editorial designers create an identity for a magazine, they are the architects for page structures, typographic creation and ÂŁ2 GBP $3.9 USD â‚Ź2.64 EURO

entertainers in the world of visual communication. Whether it be for an aesthetic purpose or functional, they create a style or statement and deliver a personality with each issue printed. An essay on the impact type has on magazine consumers today by Emma Holmes.

The Impact of Magazine Type