Project 1: Magazine illustrations

Due: 2/8 at 11:59pm

Overview

Using design techniques of your choice, create expressive illustrations for a recent (within the past two years) magazine article (sometimes called a “feature”) about a widespread social or environmental problem that is of interest to you. The goal of the project is to prompt you to create unique, self-generated imagery and experiment with different contemporary illustration techniques, which may include analog and digital processes. Another primary goal is to communicate the magazine story visually while developing your signature design voice through use of particular color palettes, lines, treatments, etc. All the illustrations should appear consistent and part of a set, suggestive of a thoughtful and harmonious color palette and well-defined visual sensibility.

Although you are tasked with expressing complex ideas visually, you do not need to necessarily convey information (as a diagram might) or represent the idea in literal visual form. Think abstractly and metaphorically—not just literally.

Articles about topics that are difficult to visualize help you think metaphorically. Avoid articles that already have lots of documentary photography. You can’t compete with a photojournalist. Look for articles that address conceptual social and environmental stories that don’t lend themselves to photographs. These articles need an illustrator to bring the story to life and get the reader’s attention. As Jenny Carless writes, “A well-crafted illustration can illuminate the essence of an idea in a flash.”

On remixing images from creative commons

if you need graphic assets that are available in the public domain (such as archival photographs or textures), you may use these as long as you [1] include in your project .zip file a “works adapted” list with links to image sources and descriptions of each image, and [2] include some original, self-generated imagery in at least 50% of the project as a whole.

Required project components

  • illustration drafts — at least two (or one if it’s complex) due in class on 1/30
  • illustration final versions (see required quantity below) including work files (.ai, .psd etc.) and exported files (.jpg, .pdf etc.)
  • 200-word project statement, written with a portfolio audience in mind (.pages files are not allowed) — see an example project statement here.
  • list of sources – this would include any outside images you used, with links to the original source, and the MLA citation for the article you chose. Include a working link to the article or a photocopy of it.

The number of illustrations you need to complete for this assignment is difficult to estimate since the size of the illustration is not necessarily an indicator of complexity, quality, or effort.

The following is an approximate guide:

  • Complete a minimum of four illustrations roughly filling the size of a minimum of one magazine spread.
  • Below are some ways you could meet this requirement:
above: some sizes for magazine illustrations
above: possible configurations for Project 2

Additional information about sizing: http://www.phillymag.com/media-kit/ad-specs-2/

Some topic ideas

  • Sports ethics issues
  • Eating disorders
  • Youth suicide
  • Voter rights
  • Reproductive health
  • Student debt crisis
  • Addiction
  • Mass incarceration
  • Communities affected by crises such as natural disaster or economic downturn
  • Immigration, genocide, refugee crisis, etc.
  • Filter bubbles, role of social media in shaping public opinion
  • Fitness trackers, big data, and privacy
  • Online harassment
  • Climate change, extinction, sea levels, etc.
  • Sustainability

Be sure to choose a topic of interest and one that you don’t mind researching. In Project 2, we will be using material from these illustrations to make advocacy posters about the same topic.

Audience

The article you choose does not exist in a vacuum, out of context. Understanding the context of the publication and the issue being debated is crucial to gauging your audience and communicating well in a visual medium. You need to read both the magazine and the article closely to ascertain the target audience and make good design choices. You will also need to research the magazine’s demographic as well as research the issue tackled in the article.

David Sumner and Holly Miller write:

“the power of magazines has always been the personal identity that they convey, as well as their color, design, and editorial tone. Magazines are the most intimate form of media because they establish a relationship with their readers unequalled by newspapers, TV, or radio. A magazine becomes a friend—a reflection of the reader’s personal and professional life” (2).

Your illustrations need to participate in the relationship between reader and magazine. While you don’t have to pen yourself into a narrow aesthetic to match the magazine’s brand, it will help you to narrow down your design options if you understand what the audience expects and what would be totally bizarre or out of character for that publication.

Considering the publication, ask:

  • What are the politics (center, left or right leaning)?
  • What is the target demographic? i.e. what do you know about their age, income level, ethnicity, region of the country, education level, gender, religious beliefs, etc.?
  • Is the purpose of the magazine informative, entertainment, self-help, or a mix?

When planning your illustrations, ask yourself the same questions the author probably asked as she/he planned the article:

  • What action, quotes, anecdotes, and angles seem to matter?
  • What makes the story interesting?
  • What descriptive language and imagery allows the reader to experience the story in a memorable way?

Asking these questions will help you focus your illustrations and accomplish the purpose of getting people to click, read, and share the article, especially online.

Examples to discuss in class

For those interested, here is a resource on pricing your illustrations: http://businessofillustration.com/pricing-your-illustration-work/