Critique: Designing under a regime and for LBB

I never really knew how Global Journalist worked. I never really looked at the magazine, to be honest, but a requirement for the Advance Design class is to design for this wonderful magazine. It is pretty cool. Journalists from all over the submit pieces and the magazine is distributed throughout 120 different countries. Pretty freaking cool. But there were some problems along the way. The magazine had just been redesigned (kinda) and we were supposed to stick to the VERY strict style rules. Aimee and Jan bargained a little and we got freedom over our headlines and pull-out blurbs — as long as it was in Franklin Gothic. I didn't have too much of a problem with this because that is one of the main fonts the Missourian uses, and there are a ton of weight choices. This was my first draft of the design:





I was assigned the photo feature (Lucky me!) and I messed with the photos a lot. I decided to run the opening photo very large on the first spread because I thought it was gorgeous. It would also elicit more responses, which is what the story is about — using photos to interview people. I used an art head, but kept it to the bottom left of the spread because I didn't want to detract from the photo. As for the second spread, I wanted to used a variety of photos, and because the story was only 500ish words (plus a mini bio, which wasn't added to this draft), I had a lot of freedom. Not much has actually changed from these drafts except my blurb, which we were supposed to have freedom over anyway. I am not exactly pleased with the final (which I will post in a few days), but I guess that's what happens in the real world with real life art directors that want to stifle creativity.



We also turned in our top five logo designs for our up-and-coming country artist, Laura Bell Bundy. (We were given permission to use her name, just not information from our interviews) Anyway, those are my final five up there. I really like the left two, and I designed more for LBB on the right three. All in all, I think it has been a long process for these things. I really hope she likes them! She will be getting at least five from each of the designers. That's at least 80 logos to look at. Pretty insane.

As for what I am working on now...

• Three cover concepts for the 3/25 issue of VOX (remember that magazine?). They are on a couple of rap battlers in town. It should be pretty neat.

• My second/last feature for the 4/1 issue of VOX. It is all about Title IX. I am working with the same editor as before, which is great because Kelsey is awesome, and a write that is the assistant art director for the magazine. It should be a smooth ride, but that doesn't stop me from knocking on the nearest wooden object.

• My multimedia project is also due this weekend. Its a good thing Flash and I are friends now.
  

• I am also coming up with sketches for my new portfolio Web site. I want it to be tighter than the one I made over the summer.

• Last but certainly not least, the Celebrate Summer prototype. I still need to come up with colors and some fonts for Lauren. (I'm working on it, promise!)

OK, so I guess that's it for now. Happy Spring!