Studio Brief 02 - Possible ideas for publication construction

The book "Art directors handbook of professional magazine design classic techniques and inspirational approaches" comments on areas of refining a magazine's cover design in order to help it stand out. Due to the experimental nature of my intended publication design, this would be appropriate in exploring. 

One method it suggests is through the use of cutouts. Flaunt Magazine makes use of cut outs within their designs to help it stand out from the crowd. There may be gaps in the page where you can catch a glimpse of the woman's face from the page below. With each issue they come up with new variations to add to the visual game of hide and seek which definitely enhances the viewing experience for the reader. These cut outs however are only limited to the cover and front page and the conventional rectangular form of the magazine is stagnant. In some ways this method of helping the magazine stand out is similar to that of DEAR magazine as mentioned in a previous blog post. In terms of my own publication design, this technique can be applicable to Raf Simons 2002 collection where there was the overriding visual of masked men. 

The page could be composed in such a way that resembles the mask where the cut out would reveal the page underneath. By doing so it  unveils the chaotic, energetic and provocative nature of the collection which occured a year after 9/11. 

The publication's form factor can also be experimented with. For example in NEST magazine, the issues normal rectangular edges are broken up by irregular curves. The rounded corners of Designers Digest are purposely done to fit in with his playful typographic experiments. This irregular form factor can also be seen in WERK magazine's issue based on 80's designer, Martine Bedin.

There is a temptation to alter the publications form factor however, from these three example, they are all done within context of the publication's content. If done purely on a visual level, the alteration may feel out of place or unnecessary. This technique should be considered if the overall reading experience will be enhanced or infer intrigue from the reader. 
 
Not only is the form factor an area to experiment with, but the type of stock as well. Reflective surfaces, holograms, transparent paper, indentations and gloss could be a effective way to complement a certain idea within the publication. Effects made based on visual effect may be striking on first glance but make no lasting impact. 

In the college's NEST, an interesting foil is used for the mast head which ties in with the overall visual aesthetic of the publication.

Avenue magazine poses as an interesting take on how the content of a magazine is pieced together. Instead of a traditional single publication. Avenue breaks up their content into smaller samples that can be easier to read in a sitting. This was stemmed from the idea that people tend to leaf through magazines and start reading when their eye catches their attention. Avenue magazine is essentially a box that contains the magazine as well as different samples and supplement. This idea helps the advertiser promote their product without obstructing the reader's access to the magazine itself. 

Another aspect to consider which would probably have gone overlooked is the page number design. The page numbers are the most basic functional component of the magazine that allows the reader to find their way around the content. To save confusion and to keep things simple, the numbers can be places at the bottom of each page, either on the outside or in the middle. Much like previous ways in which to enrich the reading experience, if there is going to be experimentations done, it would be preferable to relate the design to the content.