April 2010 Archives

SPD 47: Members' Choice Entries

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Psychology Today: Serendipity

Creative Director Ed Levine shares some of the behind-the-scenes work that went into putting together Psychology Today's newest issue on luck, serendipity, lust, obsession... you know. All those everyday things it's so easy to talk about.

The focus at Psychology Today is on human behavior and helping readers to live healthier, happier lives. Many of the feature stories can be very  abstract dealing with topics that do not exist in the physical, observable world but our inner lives.

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Runner's World Takes On BIGFOOT

It's not uncommon for so many in SPD: how should we tackle a story, a package, we've done before? Something we do ALL THE TIME, and yet, keep it fresh? Runner's World DD Kory Kennedy shares a solution from the magazine's recent weight-loss package:

Here at Runner's World, we give our readers a lot of service. A LOT. It's what the people want and lucky for us, they want it over and over again each month. This is a great thing for the health of our newsstand sales and circulation, but for a 3-mile-max-running, design-director-creative-type with a desire to try all 31 flavors, it can get a little "Groundhog Day" around here.

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Three Questions for Matthew Bates, DD at Backpacker

You're one of the only Editorial Creatives I'm aware of who directs both the print and digital versions of the brand. If that wasn't tough enough I understand you have a small staff of only three?  How do you juggle all of this, it must be overwhelming. Are you working 24 hours a day?

It can be pretty busy around here at times. I am fortunate though to have a great staff.

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Black and white covers of The New Yorker

This week's cover of The New Yorker by illustrator Bruce Eric Kaplan reminded me of how much I love straight-up black and white magazine covers. And it got us wondering how many other covers of The New Yorker were run totally in black and white (and grey....no color). Kaplan himself has done four others in all black and white, and there are a bunch of others as well, running all the way back to 1925.

This story was co-produced by Linda Rubes.


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No Makeup, No Retouching? No, Really?

No disrespect to J. Simps, but who does Marie Claire think their fooling with their "No makeup, No retouching" headline.… MORE

Bloomberg Businessweek Redesign

The new Bloomberg Businessweek redesign has hit the newsstands this week. Have you had a chance to see it? … MORE

National Magazine Awards winners

The annual National Magazine Awards were presented on April 22 at Alice Tully Hall in NYC. Here's a list of the magazines and people who won the visual categories:

SPD GALA 45: Final Day to RSVP

Today is the deadline to RSVP for SPD's fabulous 45th Anniversary Gala. Need a copy of that gorgeous invite and RSVP card? Download them here. Or just click the button below to do it all so easily online. Either way, you'll be ready to celebrate the best of 2009 with the best of 2010, and have the most memorable night yet. (Not to mention, the wonder that is celebrating at our beloved Cip's.)
 
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Holy Eyjafjallajokull !

I've been working with an amazing photographer in Iceland, Sigurður Stefnisson, and hounding him for a final invoice, when today he touched base with these images from the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajokull...… MORE

Jaime Hernandez Village Voice cover

New Village Voice art director John Dixon scores bigtime with cover art by noted Love and Rockets graphic novelist Jaime Hernandez, who was in town last week signing copies of his coffee-table book The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival. Read the interview with Hernandez here, and get a free copy for your collection from one of the many kiosks around the city.… MORE

Happy Earth Day! The Greatest Environmental Magazine Covers

April 22 is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which was first held in 1970. Earth Day was conceived and organized by Wisconsin US Senator Gaylord Nelson. We've collected 11 of the greatest Earth Day and environmental action magazine covers, from 1970-present.… MORE

Rare Specimen No.9: Don't Run In Socks

I just loves me some good old school illustration gorgeousness. And there's no other illustrator who makes my toes curl quite like Milton Glaser. Therefore, I found myself sifting through my classical record albums over the weekend (silence those guffaws, please) and I came across this lil' honey of an illustration job that Glaser did, back in the 70's (fact checking that). You all know he'd done a whole bunch of lovely album covers, and I knew I had one, I just had to hunt it down. After that, I skittered across the hardwood floor in my socks to a book shelf where I'd stashed an old book Glaser did the cover art for, that I'd bought for a buck at a neighbor's tag sale a year ago. Grabbed it, and then limped over to another bookshelf (acquired sudden back spasm during that prior sock-on-wood move) and … MORE

A Friend Writes...

photo above: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, Paris (1932)

Dear Grids,

I went to MoMA this week to check out Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century, the terrific new retrospective of the work of the late, great French photographer who pioneered street photography as an art form.

Have you been yet? If not, run don't walk. The galleries were packed with half the populations of France, Spain, and Italy (what's with all the European tourists in April by the way?) but don't let that put you off.
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Rare Specimen No. 8
Beauty Solutions

Stephen Sullivan, freelance photographer, was a guest speaker at SPD's March [Design] Madness. He told us he was the "go-to guy," the "trouble shooter," always called in when they need a pinch hitter who works best under duress. Imagine: the celebrity with only 10 minutes to spare, or the store space that's still under construction but had to become some beautiful backdrop, or the 37 stills to shoot in an 8 hour day...… MORE

American Cowboy

Backpacker's Design Director, Matthew Bates, shares some highlights from sister mag (and new HQ fave!) American Cowboy:

This past fall I had the opportunity to, temporarily, trade in my hiking boots and work on the redesign of our sister publication, American Cowboy. I collaborated with AC's amazing one-woman art department, Art Director Eva Young, and now that there has been a couple of issues out the door, we wanted to share couple pages...

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Hey Members! Fuel your creativity, check your inbox, save 15%

It wasn't too long ago we received an e-mail at HQ that went something like this:

This may look, sound and read like a testimonial and it sure is! I have six work stations in my studio that we're upgrading to Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Standard. The price of each upgrade is $499. With six work stations that's a lot of money! Because I'm a member of SPD, Adobe has given me a 15% discount which saved the studio $450. That's almost the cost of one complete package. (And it is, in fact, the cost of THREE SPD MEMBERSHIPS!--Ed.) There are very few instances in these tough times and in this weak economy that one is given real value and treated well without additional extra costs or hidden fees added on to a simple purchase. I appreciate the professional  programs and networking that SPD offers me and now SPD, with the support of Adobe, just...

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Rare Specimen No. 7
Megan Caponetto

"We're going to need to call Megan for this."

That comes up often here at Men's Health, as it did at Best Life whenever brainstorming sessions produced a potentially cool (crazy?) idea...that we had no idea how on God's green Earth it could be done...and we knew Megan would make it a much better idea than we could have ever imagined. You know the saying: "You get what you put in front of the camera"? Megan always seems to put genius in front of it. Enjoy some samples after the jump you may or may not have seen! (And yep...that's her in the film sowing her wild...corn)...… MORE

Virtue & Vice Student Photography Competition Winners

"Fabulous", "solid", "haunting", are words our judges used in describing some of the winning photographs in SPD's second annual student photography competition. We agree and are very impressed with all the entries from students around the world. … MORE

The Village Voice covers of Ivylise Simones

Ivylise Simones was the art director of The Village Voice from January 2008-January 2010. She did over 100 covers in that time, many of them self-illustrated (Simones estimates that she created a third of the covers herself). The low budgets, quick production schedule, and Simones's own street smart design style helped to create a look that was brash, graphic, funny, provocative, and immediate. She used bold photography and strong original illustration to give the covers a unique sense of power and imagination. Here are 11 of the best Ivylise Simones covers from The Village Voice. … MORE

Must Have App: EW's Must List

One of the best apps from a magazine to date is Entertainment Weekly's Must List. It excels where others have stumbled: it does not try to be a "multi-media" magazine. The Must List, like their web site, expands on a concept born in print, but utilizes its unique platform.… MORE

The 2010 Fortune 500 Cover

The new issue of the Fortune 500 hits the streets on Friday, April 16. Art directed by John Korpics, it features a sparkling cover by illustrator Daniel Pelavin. We love the retro feel of this one. Pelavin's hand-drawn letterforms harken back to the great Fortune 500 covers of the 50s and 60s. Pelavin has a great behind-the-scenes how-I-did-it explanation of the cover up on his Drawger blogsite. There are lots of cool sketches, and a nifty series of iterations of the 5 showing how it evolved from looking too much like an S.… MORE

Incredible Archive of the Day

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The Glee cover of TV Guide magazine

"They brought more energy and enthusiasm than we ever could have imagined" is how TV Guide magazine director of photography Rose Fiorentino described their recent cover shoot with the cast of Glee. The latest issue, which also debuts the magazine's new redesign, features this brilliant cover image by photographer Art Streiber. Using an upcoming Glee episode (April 20) as inspiration, Fiorentino and her crew dressed the various stars of the show in iconic Madonna outfits. … MORE

Bruce Jay Friedman book covers

Illustrator Drew Friedman has published a collection of 15 covers from books written by his father, author Bruce Jay Friedman. They range back to the early 60s, and include cool illustrations by Saul Steinberg, Victor Juhasz, and Christoph Niemann, among others, as well as some smart, creative cover designs. 

The Fortune 500 cover legacy

The 2010 edition of the Fortune 500 issue will hit newsstands later this week. We don't care whether Wal-mart is #1 again; what we want to know is what creative director John Korpics will do with his first cover of the Fortune 500, the magazine's most celebrated franchise.… MORE

PopSci: Back to the Future

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Happy 20th Birthday Entertainment Weekly. The Covers, Part 2

February 16th marked the 20th anniversary of the publication date of the first issue of Entertainment Weekly. We're continuing our six-part, year-long celebration with a look at the EW covers of the magazine's second design director, Robert Newman (that's me!). Here are a dozen covers from the classic years 1994-1996.… MORE

Rare Specimen No 6
Folks who act on their stupid, brilliant weed-infused day dreams

Once I hit the beaches of Mexico, I'll finally possess the time required to fully obsess over the mad genius of this precious little paperback limited edition of If Drawings Were Photographs by Rob Matthews and Tom Edwards. A gentle little sparkle of a collaboration described in the front page only as "Tom gave drawings to Rob and Rob tried to make them into photographs", my #225/500 edition arrived in the mail from the UK today and has since consumed me with thoughts of how I can quit my job and just pursue all my absurdist fantasy art projects and make thoughtful little books documenting each and every one of them.  But I just took a peek at my dormant 401k and snapped right back into tightly kerning the words FLAT ABS FAST for the 2 millionth time, right... where... I... belong. Sigh. … MORE

Classic TV Guide covers

For the past three months I've been working with an expert team on a redesign project for TV Guide. The issue featuring the new look of the mag will drop the week of April 12. One of the best parts of the project was digging back into the magazine's rich visual history. Since it launched in 1953, TV Guide has had a long series of spectacular covers. In the 60s and 70s the magazine used a regular stable of illustrators, including Richard Amsel, Al Hirschfeld, Bob Peak, Ronald Searle, and Jack Davis, to create highly engaging and artful covers. They also used occasional guest artists like Andy Warhol, Romare Bearden, and Salvador Dali.… MORE

"The Cipriani's Experience"

Deb Bishop and I, along with a few Pub 45 pals, wandered down south yesterday for a tasting at Cipriani's Wall Street in preparation for the Gala. We blocked out an hour from our schedules and expected to sample a few bites back in a sweaty kitchen where we'd make decision like, "Chicken or beef?" We were oh so wrong. We arrived and were promptly escorted to a private dining room with lovely place settings for us, chilled Bellinis waiting (part of "the Cipriani's experience" we're told) and each adorned with 6 varietals of wine to consider.  A parade of delicious plates ensued, each dish more amazing than the one before. And 2 1/2 hours later (sorry, Real Simple!) we found ourselves stuffed, sated and, well, a bit sauced. But also convinced that choosing Chips (as we now call it) for this year's Gala may just be the best decision we made all year.

The menu choices will remain a surprise but we hope you'll join us May 7th so you too can get "the Cipriani's Experience"...SPD style! You should RSVP HERE.

photography by David Prince

Wonderwall: Our current favorite portfolio display

Wonderwall is a Japanese interior design firm with the coolest, sleekest display of their work. Their interior and product design portfolio is displayed in a series of boxes. When you roll your curser over each box it pulses and bulges and twists, making an elegant little popping sound. Words can't describe just how well Wonderwall exhibits their work, but it offers much inspiration for both print and digital design.… MORE

Rolled up magazine self defense

Yes, we all know that the new iPad is the future of magazines. But can an iPad protect you from an attacker in close quarters? Watch this video as Professor Ronald Duncan demonstrates the effectiveness of a rolled up magazine in disabling an attacker. As the Professor says, "bear in mind that the bone structure can be damaged, and death can result from a lethal blow with the blunt ends of a rolled up magazine."

What you'll get from the Master Class.

Just a few days left to register for the Master Class--are you debating still? Wondering how your work, and your work life, will be better on Monday the 19th after you attend the TypIDentity Master Class on Saturday, the 17th? Here are 8 great reasons this is perfect for you: … MORE

Hot Rod magazine: The cover archive

Someday all magazines will have easily accessible cover archives for art directors to luxuriate in, archives where the covers are organized, well-displayed, and available for easy downloading.  We recommend the Hot Rod magazine cover archive as a model for people to follow. It's simple, easy, and complete. In addition to the full archive, 1948-present, Hot Rod has a poll for readers to select their favorite covers, and even a cover that was lost at the printer and never made it to the newsstand. Great logos, cool cars, powerful engines, sweaty headlines...'nuff said!

More Fun, More Often... 04.13.2010

It's finally Spring, and all are gearing up for the big night (Gala 45!) on May 7th. However, the fun doesn't start there, folks. Join your More Fun, More Often crew for an evening of good times with some tasty beverages courtesy of Ty Ku* at the brand-spankin' new venue, Veranda. Pass the word along to your fellow photographers, illustrators, stylists and even ahem... editors. I'll be there with dancing shoes on.

SPD Members: FREE w/ RSVP (need to renew? you can do that here)
Not a member (yet)? Advance RSVP: $15 // At the door: $20 ...or just join now and get in free to this and all of our More Fun, More Often events!

RSVP and get on the list after the jump...

*Special Thanks to our  Members' Outreach committee member, Todd Weinberger for hooking us up with our awesome sponsor: Ty Ku!
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The Greatest Hits of Saul Bass

If you ever wanted a quick, one-stop spot to see the greatest hits of Saul Bass, now you can, courtesy of Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of the Verve. Ashcroft has a cool website that collects all of his favorite obsessions, including a tribute to designer-supreme Bass. You'll find a dozen posters, his greatest corporate logos, and six of his most masterful movie titles, including Vertigo, North By Northwest, and of course, The Man With the Golden Arm. When you're done with the Bass goodies, you'll probably enjoy the rest of Ashcroft's Brain Page, which includes visual tributes to Steve McQueen, the art of Blue Note Records, and much more. And of course, there's lots of music, too.

Celebrating 'On Language'
Part 2

In 2005 The New York Times Magazine began showcasing a different artist's interpretation of each week's 'On Language' column. Five years and well over two hundred contributors later, the space has become a weekly showcase for contemporary typography. On Thursday, April 22nd, the The New York Times Magazine opens the exhibition of these works, "Wordplay: The lettering of 'On Language.'" Last week we featured a few of the selected pieces from 2005-2007 that are part of the show; after the jump, some of the highlights from 2008 on...
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The 7 1/2 Steps to Successful Infographics

Infographics maven Sarah Slobin has a great new advice article about the preparation and care of infographics. Slobin has cooked up graphic brilliance at The New York Times, Fortune, and now the Wall Street Journal, so she knows her stuff. The 7 1/2 Steps to Successful Infographics is a fun, step-by-step guide, filled with good learning and smart advice. Sample quote: "You may want your data to tell a certain story, or think that it tells a certain story, but you must respect what the numbers actually say." And when you're done reading, you can cruise on over to Slobin's website and see some nifty infographic examples of what she's talking about.

iPad: What's Your Review?

At first you notice the small things: how fast it really is; how the logo on the back helps you hold it with one hand; how intuitive it is to use. After playing with the iPad for a few days now, dissing it for being a big iPod touch is like dissing a convertible because the roof folds down. … MORE

Rolling Stone: Deja vu?

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The History of the Paper Clip

The Early Office Museum website has a smart and fun infographic chart on the History of the Paper Clip. Office supplies obsessives will be happy to see that the chart focuses on the golden age of paper clip design, 1867-1936. Apparently there has been little advancement in the paper clip world since the mid-30s. When you're done looking at paper clips, you may want to view other goodies from the museum, including loving displays on pencil sharpeners, typewriters, adding machines, and pens and accessories.

A Fine Thanks

Last week I attended what I thought was going to be a retrospective exhibit of 10 years of editorial and design excellence at Metropolis magazine. As a relatively new New Yorker, and a long-time fan of the magazine's creative director, Criswell Lappin, I was excited to be invited to such a distinguished affair.… MORE

Great Baseball Magazine Covers

April 4 is Major League Baseball's opening day, with the World Champion New York Yankees playing the always dangerous Boston Red Sox at 8p in Fenway Park. The New York Mets open the following day, with a home game against the Florida Marlins. We've dug deep into our archives to present some great baseball magazine covers to celebrate the start of the season.… MORE