Redesigns
02.01.13
Texas Monthly: TJ Tucker's tour of the redesign. Part 2
Last fall everyone's favorite regional mag Texas Monthly underwent a total redesign under the creative direction of TJ Tucker and his team. Seven issues in TJ Tucker gives us some highlights. In part one we got a look at some of the FOB and typographic details. In this second part we get some insight into their feature well and learn what's next for Tucker and his teamOn with tour of your departments...what's next?Tucker:REPORTER SECTION
Lede: A column featuring alternating viewpoints from the left to the right, on issues of political, cultural, and historical importance.
Lookout: Designed to give a quick sense of what people will be--and should be--talking about in the month ahead.
Chat: A monthly newsmaker interview.
Critter: A full page comic illustration (really an interview) about a Texas animal written and illustrated by the hugely funny Matthew Diffee.
Columns: Religion, Sports, Business, Screens, Music, Books...etc.
Critter: A full page comic illustration (really an interview) about a Texas animal written and illustrated by the hugely funny Matthew Diffee.
Columns: Religion, Sports, Business, Screens, Music, Books...etc.
TX Journal: A literary snapshot of a corner of the state, and it's inhabitants that usually goes unnoticed.
The Dining Guide: A new look for the old dining guide.
The Texanist: Fine Texas advice from associate editor David Courtney.
BACK OF BOOK
The Texanist: Fine Texas advice from associate editor David Courtney.
FEATURESTucker: The feature well really hasn't changed all that much. We aimed to keep the energy and voice of the previous design but moved it forward with the introduction of the new margins, folios, and typographic additions.
So how are the readers of the "national magazine of Texas" responding to the new look?Tucker: It's been mixed of course. Some readers think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, while others hate it with a passion. The funny thing is, that a lot of the negative responses refer to elements from the old design that we tossed, and I can clearly remember when those elements came under harsh fire with the last redesign. Most people don't like change. They want that familiar old friend in the mailbox or newsstand each month. I don't want our readers to get used to this redesign too quick. It needs to have a shelf life and get more exciting in reader's eyes as time passes.
What's up next for TM and your crew, getting some sleep finally?Tucker: Not yet, we've been hard at work on the web redesign which launches TODAY and as ever we have some pretty ambitious plans for 2013 when we'll be celebrating 40 incredible years
Creative Director: T. J. Tucker
Art Director: Brian Johnson
Photography Editor: Leslie Baldwin
Deputy Art Director: Andi Beierman
Art Assistant: Nicki Longoria
