OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01 - NEST Issue 10 Magazine Design

Although NEST provided me with the opportunity to experiment with a new design for the format of the magazine, there were many constrictions in place that required compromise. Many of these constraints were due to economic and practical printing factors.

Previous editions of the magazine had been printed in B5 format, and changing the size of the issue would make the most obvious transition from past Editor to present. However as the magazine would be printed at Pressision Print and Finishers in Leeds, as with all previous issue, the print finish would involve offset printing. It is more economical (both money and paper wise) to print B5 spreads when using offset printing as all of the spreads can be engraved across only two print plates. Therefore I chose to again use the B5 format for this issue.

Using a different bind would also change the existing qualities of the magazine, however after discussions with Pressision it became obvious that a saddle stitch was the cheapest way of binding a publications, compared to perfect binding, coptic binding or thermal tape binding.

Looking at previous issue of NEST, the existing design was minimal, allowing the selected works to become the focal point of each spread. To allow for minimal intrusion on the spreads, the only design features on the spread would be printed on the right hand pages only. Features to be included were a single odd page number on the outer edge, a 'NEST' tagline printed vertically again on the outer edge, and the name of the individual who had submitted the work at the top of the page. The typeface used for the copy throughout the magazine was Eurostile, as it provided a contrast from the standardised typefaces used in previous issues.

Grid spread

For this issue I felt that the content would be better contextually represented if the design of the magazine also adhered to the theme of Focus. Therefore the spreads would feature a liberal use of white negative space, framing each of the works and ensuring the images stand out individually, as well as working collectively as a series.

Once submissions for issue 10 had been selected, they were put into the grid. In total, the magazine consisted of 32 printed printed pages. A selection of the spreads are shown below:

One major featured that was changed for this issue was the cover. Previous issue had included a half cover featuring a foiled NEST logo, bound with the saddle stitch. As the bulk of the magazine's design had remained the same it was important to me to be able to have a distinct feature of this new issue. Multiple options were discussed with Pressision, including a plastic dust jacket and a shrink wrap packaging. However the final cover took the form of a belly band. The belly band would again featured a foiled logo, but would remain unbound so that it could be removed from the publication. It would be folded and attached at the back of the magazine. After discussions with Pressision over stock choices, it was decided that a translucent G.F Smith stock would be used, as it would allow the image behind it to be partially seen, creating an 'out-of-focus' appearance around the centre of the magazine, contrasting with the theme of the issue and the layout of the content inside.

Mock-up of belly band (front)

Mock-up of belly band (back)

OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01 - Hannah Waldron Talk

A talk by multi-disciplinary artist Hannah Waldron in which she presented examples of her work and detailed her journey through projects and moving from illustration-based works into textiles and fabric.

Speaking about her work, Waldron highlighted the use of a square motif, which features heavily throughout both her illustration and textiles pieces. Of squares, Waldron stated that they do no conform to linear readings, have no beginning or end, and can therefore be used in an infinite number of ways. After undertaking a course in illustration Waldron began to explore the textile industry,  discovering that cloth can be a multicultural platform that can be used as art and furniture as well as for clothes.

Speaking about her personal approach to projects Waldron challenged us to move quicker, think of ideas faster and action them faster - ultimately failing or succeeding with a greater passion for the project regardless of the outcome. She suggested that an effective method of tackling each and every brief was to write a personal manifesto. To prevent getting lost in the work a manifesto can create clear personal guidelines to bring a person back to what they consider important and valuable, and well as what they believe in and what their work should represent.