Grids: April 2010 Archives

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.

… MORE

Runner's World Takes On BIGFOOT

New Work 04.29.10 posted by The Editors

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.

… MORE

Three Questions for Matthew Bates, DD at Backpacker

04.28.10 posted by Jeremy LaCroix

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.

… MORE

Black and white covers of The New Yorker

Appreciation 04.28.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

… MORE

No Makeup, No Retouching? No, Really?

Controversy 04.26.10 posted by Josh Klenert

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

Bloomberg Businessweek Redesign

Redesigns 04.26.10 posted by Josh Klenert

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

The redesign has been making the rounds in the media world: New York magazine has a good redesign wrap-up while Fortune and New York Times have posted great insight into the merger between the two news resources.

… MORE

National Magazine Awards winners

Awards 04.26.10 posted by Robert Newman

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:

* Best Design: Wired (for the third year in a row!). Creative director: Scott Dadich, design director: Wyatt Mitchell.

* Best Overall Photography: Vanity Fair. Photo director: Susan White, design director: David Harris.

* Photo portfolio:The New Yorker, December 7, 2009, for "Portraits of Power," photographed by Platon. Photo editor: Elisabeth Biondi.

* Photojournalism: National Geographic, May 2009, for "Shattered Somalia," photographed by Pascal Maitre. Director of photography: David Griffin.

Pictured above: A bunch of editors and two art directors show off their National Magazine Award "Ellies." Wired design director Wyatt Mitchell, center, in red pants and white shoes. To his left (that's your right) is Wired creative director Scott Dadich. Photograph by Steve Friedman.

SPD GALA 45: Final Day to RSVP

45 04.23.10 posted by The Editors

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.)

Register for SPD 45th ANNUAL AWARDS GALA, May 7, 2010 in New York,
NY on Eventbrite

… MORE

Holy Eyjafjallajokull !

Photography 04.22.10 posted by Catherine Talese

I've been working with an amazing photographer in Iceland, SigurÃ°ur 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

Covers 04.22.10 posted by Linda Rubes

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

Love 04.22.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

(Above): Ramparts, April 1970. Art director: Jerelle Kraus; illustrator: Jerelle Kraus. This was one of the very first magazine covers with an environmental activist image. It was published to coincide with the first Earth Day.

More information on current Earth Day activities here.

This story was co-produced by Linda Rubes.

… MORE

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

Appreciation 04.21.10 posted by Andrea Dunham

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...

Photography 04.21.10 posted by Greg Pond

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.
… MORE

Rare Specimen No. 8
Beauty Solutions

45 04.21.10 posted by Nancy Stamatopoulos

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

New Work 04.20.10 posted by The Editors

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...

… MORE

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

Adobe 04.20.10 posted by The Editors

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...

… MORE

Rare Specimen No. 7
Megan Caponetto

45 04.20.10 posted by Brandon Kavulla

"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

Student Photo Competition 04.19.10 posted by Catherine Talese

"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

Alternative Weeklies 04.19.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

(Above): November 18, 2009, illustration by Ivylise Simones. "Sometimes you can really amaze yourself with the things you can do when you are confronted with so many limitations."

… MORE

Must Have App: EW's Must List

New+Notable 04.15.10 posted by Josh Klenert

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.

In the app if you like an item on the List, you can view related videos or read related articles within a few clicks. Users can sort items by the traditional EW color coding system (great nod to the print brand!), and there are plenty of contextual commerce links via iTunes. Plus, make you're own Must List by setting your favorites--which uses some nice interactions like tap-and-drag. Like the print version, the Must List is a fun, fast read with great spot illustrations.

Have you had a chance to play with it? What do you think? Lets us know.

… MORE

The 2010 Fortune 500 Cover

Covers 04.15.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

You can see the complete run of Fortune 500 covers from 1956-present here, with brilliant designs by Leo Lionni, Walter Allner, and more.

Related stories:
The Fortune 500 Cover Legacy
New Look for Fortune
Nai Lee Lum's Fortune International Covers

This entry was authored by Linda Rubes.

… MORE

Incredible Archive of the Day

Inspiration 04.14.10 posted by Gail Anderson

"Memory of the Netherlands" is an exhaustive archive of hundreds of thousands of Dutch images. I don't know who put this together, but that's one tired intern.

… MORE

The Glee cover of TV Guide magazine

Redesigns 04.14.10 posted by Robert Newman

"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.

I was part of the design team that helped revamp the look of TV Guide (that team also included James Reyman, and Katherine Dillon and Kate Thompson of DillonThompson). But we had nothing to do with this amazing cover and feature story, which was the creation of Fiorentino, Streiber, design director Gloria Pantell, and the editors and photo crew of the magazine.

This is just one of a series of remarkable photographic images that Fiorentino has directed for TV Guide magazine over the past year.

Cast of Glee, left to right: Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Jenna Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, and Jane Lynch.

… MORE

Bruce Jay Friedman book covers

illustration 04.13.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

Cover design for The Dick, pictured left, is by Robert Scudellari.

The Fortune 500 cover legacy

Appreciation 04.13.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

First published in 1956, over the years the Fortune 500 has inspired some brilliant covers by legendary Fortune art directors such as Leo Lionni and Walter Allner. Here are 10 of our favorites.

(Above): July 1961. Art director: Leo Lionni; designer: Walter Allner. This cover is an actual chart of the Fortune 500 companies by revenues. Each division in the large circle is five companies. The small circle on top is the key. Dark red indicates companies that had over $5 billion in sales, yellow equals over $2 billion, etc. (Granular chart info courtesy of Linda Eckstein, former graphics editor of Fortune).

This post was written and produced by Linda Rubes, former associate art director of Fortune.

… MORE

PopSci: Back to the Future

Technology 04.12.10 posted by Josh Klenert

Remember Popular Science as the "What's New" magazine? PopSci has written the book on new technology for over 80 years. Now with their new app for iPad the pub is not only covering new tech, but they are making it. The reviews here on SPD.org for Popular Science + have been pretty positive, and even Steve Jobs digs it (video after the jump).

All this PopSci talk got us thinking about how they've covered cutting edge tech in the past. Here are 16 devices & technologies we can't live without, and how they were introduced on the cover of PopSci...

… MORE

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

45 04.08.10 posted by Andrea Dunham

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

Appreciation 04.08.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

Sadly, there's no central archive of the entire run of TV Guide covers. But there is this wonderful Flickr page, run by fan and collector Jim Ellwanger, that collects over 350 of the greatest covers from the 1950s-2004. And there's also TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide, a book that collects every cover from 1953 to 2005, when the magazine abandoned its digest size to become a full-size magazine.

(Above): November 29, 1975, Tony Curtis of McCoy, illustration by Bernard Fuchs.

… MORE

"The Cipriani's Experience"

45 04.08.10 posted by Casey Tierney

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

Websites 04.07.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

If you know of other neat online displays, please post them in the comments section and we'll add them on.

Thanks to Jeremy Lacroix for the research.

… MORE

Rolled up magazine self defense

Tips and Tricks 04.07.10 posted by Robert Newman

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."

Thanks to Jeremy Lacroix for the video link.

Related story:

iPad: What's Your Review?

What you'll get from the Master Class.

Master Class 04.07.10 posted by The Editors

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

Covers 04.07.10 posted by Robert Newman

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

Life Outside of Work 04.06.10 posted by Nathalie Kirsheh

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!
… MORE

The Greatest Hits of Saul Bass

Appreciation 04.06.10 posted by Robert Newman

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

Appreciation 04.05.10 posted by The Editors

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...
… MORE

The 7 1/2 Steps to Successful Infographics

Infographics 04.05.10 posted by Robert Newman

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?

New+Notable 04.04.10 posted by Josh Klenert

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.

Its not a perfect device--there's a lot it does not do. It is a great one to consume content--its definitely a sofa-based device. While I found it a little uncomfortable trying to type a long email on your lap, I did find the iPad to be very easy to lean back with to surf and read with in the living room (anyone tested bathroom reading with it yet?).

… MORE

Rolling Stone: Deja vu?

Covers 04.02.10 posted by Josh Klenert

Just me?

Rolling Stone, April 15, 2010; featuring the cast of Glee;

photograph by Mark Seliger.

… MORE

The History of the Paper Clip

Stop Work! 04.02.10 posted by Robert Newman

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

Appreciation 04.01.10 posted by Patrick Mitchell

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

Old School 04.01.10 posted by Robert Newman

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.

This story was co-produced by Linda Rubes.

Above: GQ, April 2011, featuring Derek Jeter.

Design Director: Fred Woodward, Photograph by Terry Richardson.

… MORE

April 2010 Archives

« March 2010 | Archives | May 2010 »