Category Archives: Feature openers

Top Industry Award For Joe Quinn

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Joe Quinn – Political Editor of Scottish PA

Joe Quinn, has picked up a top industry accolade.

The former Scottish political editor of the Press Association who retired last year after almost 35
years with PA, picked up a lifetime achievement honour in The Herald’s Scottish
Politician of the Year 2011 awards.

Speaking about his shorthand skills, which he became well known for, he said: “My shorthand skills
are greatly exaggerated. They used to be quite good, but that was in a more
forgiving era when people spoke more slowly”.

Uclan students note – that’s what shorthand can do for you.

Grazia Photo Shoot

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I was pleasantly surprised to see that Grazia has taken a slightly different approach to the fashion photo shoot in that instead of simply using models posed in whats can sometimes be perceived as some what boring poses on a backdrop that is less than unique they used a young girl to model women’s shoes and showed a women eating Chinese takeaway from the box.

Not to mention a double page spread including a dog as part of the shoot.  One photo even depicts the dog in question trying to rip a pair of shoes being advertised out of the models hands.  Certainly a new direction for a fashion photo shoot.

This unique take on a high end fashion shoot, not only intrigued me but it offered but regained my full attention.  So many fashion shoots are flipped past in magazine pages of magazines, ideally with very little interest invested from the reader, especially considering so much effort went to put the photo shoots together.

This new take on the ‘shoot’ is definitely brilliant in terms on design,with the expectations of the reader subverted with the design and in turn they re-register the readers full attention at the fashion being photographed.

I think this is definitely a new a direction for magazines to think about adopting in some photo shoots in order to regain an interest in the photo shoots they often spend huge amounts of the budget on for each issue.

Design we love – Little White Lies feature opener

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Little White Lies is an independently produced movie magazine with cutting edge editorial content and illustration. Issue 29 was devoted to the film Tetro, and the layout of features and most content was based on a black and white colour scheme and cut outs.

Little White Lies Issue 29 Tetro

Little White Lies Issue 29 Tetro

This is just one example, the simple colour scheme, makes the text stand out dramatically, and the subtle manipulation of a recognisable image is a great way to enthuse the reader and get them thinking.

Little White Lies issue 29 continued

Little White Lies issue 29 feature layout

This idea is followed through into the feature itself, the simple colour scheme makes the feature easy to read. The cut out idea is also carried into the pull out quotes, giving them a lot of emphasis on the page, again enticing the reader to engage with the feature.

Little white lies issue 29 inverted

Little white lies issue 29 inverted

The feature that follows is then inverted to white on black, giving a greater definition between the two pieces, whilst carrying the idea on through the magazine.

Marie Claire and Ballet

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Marie Claire’s new approach fashion feature with the inclusion of  the English National Ballet made for a stunning and interesting page turner.  The January 2011 issue looks at both fashion and ballet in a way that combines elements of the stage and a theatre programme with casting and costumes.

This interesting take on the feature made for breathtaking design elements.

The fairytale concept of Sleeping Beauty, the sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella brings a magical element to the design and production of the feature.  These three levels, of fashion , fairytale and ballet add an exciting and significant twist to what could have been a simple feature about the ballet from both design and content angles.

Instead the feature approaches the subject in a insightful manner with the concept of a childhood fantasy communicated in the design, as well as the effective showcase of talented designers, stylists and photographers.

Truly unique, this photo shoot highlights a sense of avant-garde that would not look out of place within a high-end cultural and artistic magazine, often famed for their exceptional standards in terms of design.  This feature could have solely highlighted ballet, but the design allowed the feature to explore beyond this singular realm into a  world of fashion and fantasy.

Marie Claire have excelled themselves in terms of design, with a collobration that has allowed them to explore new depths of design and the high-end culture of the ballet alongside fashion and style.

Well done Marie Claire, this is design worth praising.

Feature openers: NME Magazine

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This is a fantastic opening spread for the feature on the band Mumford & Sons. Capturing the excitement and atmosphere of the event perfectly, the picture fills the space wonderfully.  The band are in full swing and the crowd are singing along, or atleast smiling, save for the one person positioned to the left of the guitarist! The style of the image fits with the cover of the magazine that the article is featured in. The cover can be seen here: http://ukjournalism.co.uk/magazines/2010/11/24/nme-design-we-love/

Design We Love: Edge Time Extend Feature

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Edge magazine has two regular “post-mortem” features on older videogames: Time Extend, which simply revisits a title, and The Making Of… which takes a more technical look at its development. In the latest issue of Edge (Issue 222, Christmas 2010), Time Extend looks back at Katamari Damacy, a quirky Namco Bandai title involving an alien rolling a boll that picks up household objects that was released in 2004. The game is known for its very Japanese art style and Edge brilliant captures the tone in this beautiful double page spread.

The double page spread. Edge's unusually wide format was difficult to scan.

The double page spread. Edge's unusually wide format was difficult to scan.

Design We Love (Feature) – Wired Magazine

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Look at that and tell me you’re not intrigued enough to want to read the article? This is from an issue of Wired that was guest edited by JJ Abrams and had a ‘mystery’ slant throughout. The moody, grey picture of this monolithic 2001 – A Space Odyssey-esque structure and the carnival ‘roll up roll up’ type font used for the feature title all add up to intrigue that makes you want to read on.

For those sufficiently interested, here’s the wiki page on the Georgia Guidestones

Sugar magazine: Jan 2011: Feature opener

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 This is an interesting feature opener from the January issue of teen magazine Sugar. The feature provides background on the American actress Dakota Fanning, followed by an interview with the starlet.

What I like about this feature opener is the way all the colours tie in together to create a polished and sophisticated finish. The red lipstick of the actress (which looks like it may have been photoshopped in) matches the red font used in the opening quote and the stripey border. I especially like the way the simple black, red and grey lines have been used to create a border around the whole piece. This has been used carefully to marry the image and the text together to make a seamless opener.

As I mentionned in a previous post about teen mag web design Sugar tends to focus on simple and effective design which appeals to the target audience. Sometimes simple can be better and in this case the design has added to the drama of the image on the right. Also the red and black can be linked to the actresses recent role in the Twilight movies which actually helps to promote one of the magazines most popular themes…..vampires!

Favourite Feature Openers

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 This is a collection of some of my favourite feature openers from the magazines I read.

From: The October 2010 issue of Company Magazine. 

I like the design of this interview opener because it has a feeling of mixed media about it. Because the image of Jamie Winstone is in black and white but the background has a pale splash of pink in places gives the impression of chaotic creativity and spontaneity. Something that personally appeals to me a lot.

 From: The October 2010 issue of Company Magazine.

 

I really like the old fashioned feel to the design of this feature opener, it takes its influence from the black and white humorous greetings cards and gets across the subject of the feature in a funny and stylish way.

 From: The special edition SFX magazine, Worlds of Whedon (2010).

 

With this feature opener the designer has tried to give the impression of a scrap book which has been stained with coffee rings and had pictures cellotaped into it. Again I like this design because off the slap-dash approach it tries to create. Among other things it succeeds in adding more character to the piece character of the feature.

From: Issue 38 (2010) of Books Quarterly Magazine.

 

One of the things I like most about Books Quarterly magazine is that for a lot of their features the left page is devoted simply to an image and the text starts on the right page. This gives the image more impact and makes it look more like a piece of art. I think with this feature the black and white photo used is simplistic but effective.

 From: The Novemeber 2010 issue of Grazia Magazine.

 

I picked this feature opener mainly because I thought the image used was very hard-hitting and effective in making the reader stop and think. The article highlights an important issue and just seeing this large photo of someone living underground to such an extent is incredible and the designer was right to let it dominate the page.

From: The October 2010 issue of Company Magazine.

 

As soon as I saw this page in Company I loved it. Yes I do love pink, but there is more to the design of this feature opener than just that. The porcelain look of the model is beautiful and the cluttered effect of the text and other objects in the image does not detract from her expression.

 From: The October 2010 issue of Company Magazine.

A similar feature opener as the one above, I like this because of its effective use of darkness. The clothing of the women in the image and shading in certain places gives a feeling of ‘grimy glamour’. Plus my love of 1950′s fashion and hair doesn’t hurt either!

 

 

From: The November 2010 issue of Elle magazine.

 Simple yet effective: I really like this feature opener and think it is a perfect example of how the simplicity of text can be used to good effect.

 

From: The pilot issue (2010) of Gaz7etta Magazine.

When I reviewed the pilot issue of the new men’s weekly magazine, Gaz7etta, this was the feature I like the most. Turning the page you are greeting with this large black and white image which the standfirst to the left complements by setting the scene,urging the reader to turn the page and read on.

For more about Gaz7etta go to: http://ukjournalism.co.uk/magazines/2010/10/26/gaz7etta/

Design we love: Men’s Running Opener

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Issue one's rules of running

Even with only two issues under its belt, Men’s Running is quickly establishing itself as a quality publication with outstanding design. The superb illustrations really lift the page and keeping the colours linked throughout the pictures, pull out boxes and text pulls the whole spread together.

This is a great example of the thoughtful design that is in place throughout Men’s Running, where each section has its own identity, giving the reader plenty of variety as they read while still managing to tie the publication together as a cohesive whole.

Find out more about Men’s Running at: www.mensrunninguk.co.uk