In the past year I have seen a shift in the publications I keep up to date with.
I grew up subscribing to mainstream magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper's Bazaar etc...
I now read Dazed & Confused, i-D, Love, and PAPER Magazine. This is not only because the content I am interested in has changed, the design of the magazine is now also a huge factor in why I buy it.
Since I started studying design in college I am begining to understand the design process involved in print media. When I look at a magazine I see the content, but also how it is being communicated.
In this blog post I want to take a closer look at PAPER Magazine, in particular its most recent summer issue. I feel that this publication combines visual culture and revolutionary design to create a truly unique magazine.
What immediately caught my eye about this issue is that the cover doesn't have any headlines. It focuses solely on communicating a strong colour theme and a graphic image. These features are followed through into the contents page which are primarily devoted to introducing the message of this specific issue.
What draws me to PAPER Magazine the most is the incredible layouts. It is completely unconventional when compared to other magazines on the market. None of the content is symmetrical or set to a specific grid; the placement is collage like. This spread illustrates these qualities with overlapping images and varied typography making the magazine incredibly striking!
Although this spread is carrying the same article as the one above, they
are visually very different. I like how the designer varies the body text from one column to
sometimes even four, I think it adds to the unrestricted layout.
Colour plays a huge part in the design of PAPER. I think it is what makes this magazine so unique - and so visually impacting. The graphic images paired with the bold orange text is communicating a strong visual identity for the magazine.
Here the designer is purposely cropping the images to create a visually impacting spread. There is no body text, and it is not needed as the images act as a visual diary.
I love that the content of PAPER is incorporated into the design.
This spread is composed solely of images which are carrying the colour theme and visual style of
the magazine through the issue.
Here is some examples of other pages within this particular issue. The use of typography, cropping text and images make it look like a design or photography journal. This indicates how PAPER's identity is based around its design.
I find the design of PAPER Magazine to be really informative and inspiring. I want to design magazines like this in the future; where the design is just as communicating as the content. I find it really exciting that publications are beginning to push boundaries in editorial design!
Thank you,
Hannah
