February 2011 Archives

Henry Leutwyler's Neverland Lost

Henry Leutwyler's Neverland Lost

You all know Henry Leutwyler from his celebrated Vogue, Vanity Fair, New York Times Magazine, and Esquire photos. Well, some of my new all-time favorite MICHAEL JACKSON images are on display at the Foley Gallery on West 28th Street in NYC www.foleygallery.com. I revealed my Michael Jackson scrapbooks (circa 1973) in an embarrassing post last year, so you can only imagine how much I now covet one of these photos...

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Cover of the Day, February 28, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 28, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.



The Hollywood Reporter, March 2, 2011, featuring Oscar co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway
Creative Director: Shanti Marlar
Photographer: Bob D'Amico
PUB 46 Merit Winners Announced

PUB 46 Merit Winners Announced

Following up on the Medal Finalists announcement of last Friday, we're happy today to share the officially verified list of Print and Digital Merit winners for PUB 46 today. Official letters, submission information for the PUB 46 Annual, and advance SPD Gala Awards dinner information are in the mail to each of the following lucky winners, and our heartiest congratulations to each of you! Thank you for sharing your 2010 with us.

Follow us after the jump for the full list of titles awarded Merits by the jury of PUB 46...… MORE
Fast News for February 24, 2011

Fast News for February 24, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> Google Books has archived all the issues of SPY, going back to the 1986 launch, here...

>> News from Musical Chairs: Ian Robinson promoted to DD at SPIN; Michael Schnaidt is the new Associate AD at Esquire; Lily Chow is the new Designer at Bon Appetit and more...

>> The business side of The Business you're in: Time Inc CEO Jack Griffin was ousted from the company just shy of the six-month mark last Thursday in a surprisingly candid email to staffers. Coverage from Ad Age, WWDDavid Carr at the Times, and Keith Kelly; Tuesday, Time Inc's new Chief Digital Officer left as well, and isn't expected to be replaced; what it might mean for who's left at the top at Time Inc from Mediaweek...
The Data Viz Challenge: Who Better to Win $5K with Mad Infographics Skills than an SPD Person?

The Data Viz Challenge: Who Better to Win $5K with Mad Infographics Skills than an SPD Person?

We've got infographics on the brain, with the ART+INFO Master Class just two days away, and then, at the same time, it's tax season too. What a collision of events then to find this Data Viz Challenge from Eyebeam and Google, awarding a jury prize of $5,000 to the team (and they encourage teamwork!) that comes up with the best data visualization of how the government actually spends the tax money. We can't imagine there aren't some brilliant ideas for this out there in the SPD community, so get to it and good luck if the ideas strike you! (And don't forget us little guys when you're famous...)
Your Moment of Type Zen #8

Your Moment of Type Zen #8

Lovely and crusty hand-painted lettering graces the roadsides of just about every American town. I was especially taken by the sign for wheelchairs along Route 206 in New Jersey (they used to sell potatoes, and then it was hub cabs).

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Cover of the Day, February 23, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 23, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.


The New Yorker, February 28, 2011
Art Editor: Francoise Mouly
Illustrator: Ian Falconer
Cover of the Day, February 21, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 21, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.



Reader's Digest, March 2011
Art Directors: Dean Abatemarco, Marti Golon
Illustration: Bryan Christie Design
PUB 46 Medal Finalists: Magazine of the Year, Print and Digital

PUB 46 Medal Finalists: Magazine of the Year, Print and Digital

When we called this the Fight of Your Life, we didn't realize that some of the races for Gold and Silver Medals in this year's PUB 46 would be so literal: once again this year, a truly inspiring collection of work comprises the medal finalists, a few times with scoring so competitive that there are ties that can't be broken: Gold and Silver Medals from the following list of Medal Finalists will be announced at the SPD Gala on Friday, May 13th at our favorite, Cipriani's Wall Street, and in some categories, two Silvers or two Golds. On top of that, our most successful Digital competition ever, expanded with more categories including the debut of editorial iPad apps brought us triple the amount of digital entries, and winners, from previous years. Read on for a full list of finalists...
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SPD Presents: ART + INFO Master Class with STEVE DUENES

SPD Presents: ART + INFO Master Class with STEVE DUENES

I don't pretend to be an expert on infographics. In fact, I'm pretty intimidated by all but the ones that have lots of cool spot illustrations (pretty pictures--I get that!), and wish that I could wrap my brain around organizing sometimes-difficult information like a real pro. I believe that it takes a special kind of design thinker to make sense of small bites and facts. Or maybe I just get a whiff of math and head for the hills, which is silly. This stuff is actually fascinating, and, in all seriousness, it's a crucial skill for a designer today.
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Fast News for February 17, 2011

Fast News for February 17, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> Reading the tea leaves: various takes on Tuesday's news about Apple's iTunes subscription service from the glass half-empty points Andrew Losowsky makes at Magtastic Blogsplosion, and PaidContent's counter-point response...

>> TIME debuts a new look ("not a redesign; a facelift") with Friday's edition; Tina Brown's showing an updated version of Newsweek around; Keith Kelly calls it "a sweeping overhaul"...

>> FOLIO:'s annual Eddie and Ozzie winners announced and profiled; remember, SPD PUB 46 Awards winners announced tomorrow! Check the site at noon...
Your Moment of Type Zen #7

Your Moment of Type Zen #7

I've been on a mission to collect religious signage, though I'm careful not to be disrespectful. And, of course, in attempting to be ecumenical as possible, I'm reaching out to all faiths. I will continue to post more, assuming the spirit moves me.

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Cover of the Day, February 16, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 16, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.


Details, March 2010
Creative Director: Rockwell Harwood
Design Director: Nathalie Kirsheh
Photographer: Carter Smith
Fast News for February 15, 2011

Fast News for February 15, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> The March issue of Details debuts a non-celeb cover and introduces a new section focused on health and fitness, called "The Body."

>> A sexier new Town & Country debuts...

>> In iPad app news, free access to 'The Daily' has been extended to February 28th. Have you downloaded this app? Whats your review?

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Sun, Sans and Serifs: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2011

Sun, Sans and Serifs: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2011

Fed up with the gloom of a seemingly endless winter, ready for a blast of sun, sand and serifs (heck this is a design blog after all!)...well this should blow the cobwebs off! Today sees the US release of the 2011 Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Issue....the most successful magazine franchise on earth! We checked in with Creative Director Chris Hercik to see if he could spare some time in his hectic launch schedule to show us some pages and give us some insight into what it takes to put this thing together.
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Cover of the Day, February 14, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 14, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.



People, February 21,2011
Design Director: Andrea Dunham
Director of Photography: Chris Dougherty
Three Questions For Grant Glas, Principal, Invisions Technical Arts

Three Questions For Grant Glas, Principal, Invisions Technical Arts

Even if you have only been half following along with SPD over the past year you have probably noticed that a fellow named Grant Glas has a lot to say about iPads. In fact I can't think of any posts made here having to do with the iPad in which he hasn't commented extensively. His level of engagement aroused our curiosity enough to get in touch with the man and find out what he is working on. We're thinking he must have something cool related to the iPad in the works. Here's what we found out...… MORE
u + me Debuts With a Bang

u + me Debuts With a Bang

Nomad Editions' fifth launch debuts today, u + me, the digital magazine that spotlights just a few of the moments and stories taking the social media world by storm: as Editor Chris Kaye says,
"This is a weekly magazine about social media - an ever-shifting territory that's tough to predict. Put it this way: When we started this in December, Egypt was all about mummies and pyramids."
And so he and Creative Directors Nancy Campbell and Trevett McCandliss worked to come up with a cover that would be "simple but provocative, capturing the irreverance and metaphorical expansion of the culture they're hoping to capture." Check it out here, and get your issue of u + me at the Nomad site.

Must Download App: The Cut

Must Download App: The Cut

New York Magazine quietly launched a sharp new app called The Cut on the Runway late last month. It's a must download! Already live with a print-based app, New York has created an elegant and robust app based on one of their well-know franchises. The App is another great example of reinventing magazine content on a tablet device (see also: EW's Must List)

The Cut app expands their franchise on the iPad by leveraging the strengths of the platform. Users can see collections from New York, London, Paris, Milan, watch videos of shows, browse/search catwalk photos, rate the latest looks, and enjoy up-to-the-minute fashion news. The Cut taps the power of search functionality with "Lookfinder", which allows users to search by clothing type, color, trend, designer, season, and model. They have also integrated Facebook to allow users to share runway looks with friends.
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Fast News for February 10, 2011

Fast News for February 10, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> Obligatory Tablet news: Apple is opening up about the subscription issue for the iPad, while Time Inc. will be selling digital subscriptions for the HP Tablet...

>> Vanessa Holden is leaving the EIC spot at Martha Stewart Living for a job as the SVP of Creative Services at West Elm. She had been CD at Real Simple before moving to MSLO...

>> Get to know an editor, pt 1: WWD's profile of Bloomberg Businessweek EIC Josh Tyrangiel quotes our own GRIDS coverage of the business mag's redesign by CD Richard Turley...

>> Get to know an editor, pt 2: Bon Appetit's new EIC, Adam Rappaport, says he's "a firm believer that if a page doesn't look great, people aren't going to stop to read it. It needs to be a very visually driven magazine..."
See SPOTS. Win.

See SPOTS. Win.

Every art director knows that sometimes the best work you can do in a day is to assign just the right illustrator for that possibly-impossible-to-describe assignment and getting back the perfect solution. "Spot" illustrations may be small in size, but they play an enormous role in the world of editorial design. Measuring no more than 5 x 6 inches, a spot much catch readers' eyes, draw them into a story, and convey complex ideas--often while competing with other visual elements on the page.

SPD is the only organization to honor these hard-working little gems with its annual SPOTS Competition. Chaired this year by Criswell Lappin of Fahrenheit 212 and Matthew Lenning of MAT: Design Company, the SPOTS Competition for the work of 2010 will be judged by a group of outstanding art directors and illustrators who all champion illustration on a daily basis. Read more here about the jury, the books, the party and the glory of winning.

Click here for the entry forms (pdf download) and here for more info, and we'll see your best little gems by March 30th!
Der Moment of Type Zen #6

Der Moment of Type Zen #6

Ever wonder who's using all those Frakturs? The faux-Bavarian town of Leavenworth, Washington, that's who. This past fall, I spent the weekend at an AIGA Seattle retreat in the scenic Cascades, and took a quick tour of the local tourist attraction -- an entire town designed for a permanent Oktoberfest celebration. Enjoy. … MORE
Cover of the Day, February 9, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 9, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.


Middlebury Magazine, Winter 2011
Art Director: Pamela Fogg
Designer: Carey Bass
Photographer: Ron Seymour
Three Questions: At Home with Illustrator Noma Bar

Three Questions: At Home with Illustrator Noma Bar

Norma Bar has been taking the international world of editorial illustration by storm for over ten years. You've seen his strikingly graphic award winning images in publications such as UK Esquire, The Economist, Men's Health, The New York Times, Wallpaper, The Guardian, Time Out London, and Field & Stream to name a few (...seriously the list is endless!), and he's been shown in galleries all over the world from London and New York to Stockholm and Paris. Noma also rakes in commercial work for clients as varied as IBM and the V&A, works as an installation artist, designs books, posters, covers, heck he even famously illustrated the BAFTA brochures for the 2009 awards show! Whether working in print, sculpture or building an installation, Noma's creative philosophy is always the same: "I am after the maximum communication with minimum elements."… MORE
Redesigning Spa

Redesigning Spa

For many of us this season, it's a Winter that can't end fast enough, and those subway ads about "Your Florida Waits" are too cruel. (That can't be just us, can it?) Imagine then getting the mandate to redesign Bonnier's Spa Magazine. AD Donna Reiss has, and shares some of the work, and the behind-the-scenes, with us all here...
Spa is the authority on spa, travel and wellness, and the team behind the magazine, a small group of just five amazing women, are so proud of what we've done.

As Art Director and the only designer on the magazine (yes, I need to say that), Spa is my fourth redesign with Bonnier Corporation. My other previous (and redesigned) loves were Garden Design, Babytalk and American Photo. What made this redesign unique and special was the fact that I was able to take everything I've learned from the past and use that to reapply, rethink and devote a fresh, exciting and new energy into the brand.
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Cover of the Day, February 7, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 7, 2011

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Welcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.



Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine, February 2011
Creative Director: Kevin de Miranda
Senior Associate Art Director: Brody Price 
Associate Art Director: Emily Buxkemper Kimbro

LANDFILL: You'll be surprised by what you find there

LANDFILL: You'll be surprised by what you find there

Have you ever had that feeling that your best work is going to end up in landfill?  Well, now you're going to wish it had.  LANDFILL is a collaborative effort published annually by designer Brian Ponto and eco-printer Greg Barber and is perfect design.
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Working Mother Redesigns

Working Mother Redesigns

Working Mother has been the go-to resource for a generation of moms striving to balance kids and career. Creative Director Ebelinda Antigua has just finished a redesign of the Bonnier title and shares some of the thoughts behind their process...
For the redesign of Working Mother, the overall goal of the creative team was to design a simple and clean magazine to reflect a working mom's life.
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Fast News for February 3, 2011

Fast News for February 3, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> Alex Gonzalez is the new CD at W...

>> Missing an update from the Best! Books! Ever! series? Visit Designers & Books, a new site collecting (so far) 50 designers and their 677 favorite must-reads...

>> Alexandra Pollack is the new PE for the relocated-to-NYC Bon Appetit...
The Daily Launches

The Daily Launches

The Daily, the much rumored iPad app from News Corp., officially launched today. Verizon is sponsoring a 2-week free trial, so you can get in there today and play around with it before the .99 cent weekly subscription kicks in.

News Corp Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch took the stage at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC Wednesday morning to unveil The Daily, thei newspaper designed specifically for the iPad.

Have you downloaded it yet? What's you're review? Let us know what you think. 
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Your Moment of Type Zen #5

Your Moment of Type Zen #5

Italy is incredible. I don't know what else to say. The colors, the light, the food... and of course, the type. I finally got there this past fall, and here's a small sampling of what I wanted to take home with me.… MORE
Cover of the Day, February 2, 2011

Cover of the Day, February 2, 2011

Thumbnail image for COTD_Icon2.jpgWelcome to The SPD Cover of the Day. We'll be posting our favorite covers every Monday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for the best and coolest magazine and newspaper covers, as selected by our stellar group of experts.



Broward Palm Beach New Times, January 22, 2011.
Art Director and Illustrator: Miche Ratto
Buffalo Bills Football Programs, 1960s

Buffalo Bills Football Programs, 1960s

Super Bowl XLV (that's 45) is coming up on Sunday, February 6, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. And while the game's packaging features plenty of slick graphics, logos, and other "branding," we here at the Society of Publication Designers prefer a more old-school approach to sports graphics. Today's football game programs feature high-tech visuals without style or character. In the old, pre-AFL-NFL merger days, each team had bespoke programs, oftentimes illustrated by a local cartoonist or artist, and filled with hometown flavor. Thanks to the Buffalo Sports Museum, a great online collection of sports graphics and memorabilia, we've got a collection of Buffalo Bills football programs from 1961-64, all illustrated by hometown art hero Kevin Weil. You don't have to be a sports fan (or from Western New York) to appreciate the brilliant design and illustration of these collected covers.

(Above): Buffalo Bills vs. N.Y. Titans, September 17, 1961.


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Vanity Fair: The 2011 Hollywood Issue

Vanity Fair: The 2011 Hollywood Issue

Vanity Fair just debuted this year's Hollywood Issue cover. This year's cover was photographed by Norman Jean Roy and features 14 glam party people plus Robert Duvall tending bar. Check out the behind the scene's video at the cover shoot after the jump. 

From left: Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Jennifer Lawrence, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde, Jesse Eisenberg, Mila Kunis, Robert Duvall, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Garrett Hedlund, and Noomi Rapace.
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Fast News for February 1, 2011

Fast News for February 1, 2011

SPD MEDIA MIX is our regular list of publication design, digital, and media news and updates. Please send your links and news items to SPD at mail@spd.org and we'll add them to the Mix.

>> iPad Magazines Need a New Blueprint: they should be free, and be more like media apps and less like PDF readers....

>> MoMA's adding 23 digital typefaces to their permanent collection, a first for the NYC museum; the chosen ones include Verdana, Gotham, OCR-A and more, all on view starting March 2 at the Standard Deviations exhibit opening March 2nd...

>> Hearst closes the deal and now owns ELLE, Woman's Day and other Hachette titles...

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