As a designer of 15+ years, anytime I see something in print, I immediately and subconsciously evaluate the layout, colors, typography and imagery (some of y’all may relate). I don’t even know I am doing it sometimes. And the things that draw me in the most are magazines. I am compulsive about buying them and, I am sad to say, I am drawn in by the pictures and the interesting layouts, before I look at what the issue is actually about. So, as more and more magazines are moving from print to a joint print/online execution, and some even to online only, I find myself disappointed in the beauty of it all. Gone are the lovely full-page photographs of a living room, rock star or a great pork loin recipe. Now you have tiny images and 20 pages of print crammed onto the home page of the online version.
I know that functionality and access to information have taken the forefront, but do we have to lose beauty of design as well? Part of the experience of reading a magazine is the flipping of pages, immersing yourself in another person’s story or a dream house you will never have, being able to pull the idea of a story by just reading the display-font–sized callouts. Now, I have to dig for what story I am interested in by scrolling down a list of articles in a clinical sort of way, like I am ordering an ink cartridge for my printer.
What are especially disappointing are some of the design magazines’ websites. These are the ones I would expect to infuse more aesthetic in their Web pages, but they’re more like a link portal with no structure or hierarchy and with very little visual interest to draw you in. Also, there is no design consistency between the print and the online versions except the logo and maybe one of the fonts. I want to feel that same excitement as when I first open the magazine (or at least get to the first feature, past all the advertising in the front).
But I have discovered some exceptions. Here are a few sites that I find not only functional, but beautifully designed as well.
Time (it feels like Time Magazine)
Now, with the advent of interactive magazines (like the IKEA catalog), we have the opportunity to come closer to that print experience online. I hope more and more publishers start to look at this option in the future. Take a look at ourbrochure that we put together pretty easily.
I would even be willing to pay a small subscription fee to have access to all that extra visual interest in the digital experience and maybe get an occasional print version combining the best of 4 issues. This would at least allow for advertisers to get more placement opportunities.
So, as time goes on, I do hope the digital experience does catch up in aesthetics to the printed one. But for now, I will just have to try and keep the stacks of issues all over my den floor under control.
Side note: Concerning advertising — I know they are trying to keep their print sales up, but the print and magazines industries have now resorted to placing ads about buying print instead of going online. For now, I think it will work.
