So i got to thinking and I think that there is more to publication design than simply designing. I think that a lot of what makes publication design successful is creating clever lies and illusions. It is trying to take something that is so ordinary and make it somehow appealing through skillful truth bending.
Magazines promise easy new ways to lose weight. An ad on TV could show you the latest iPod, in this commercial the iPod only plays 10 more songs, but look how much fun those silhouettes are having dancing around the screen!
The truth is, when you open that magazine you are going to see different exercises or a healthy meal to eat. Eating right and exercise is not a new concept, and yet with clever writing and the right pictures somehow it is. Just check out www.menshealth.com. This site is full of clever titles and promising pictures. Of course, I know that if I bench press two hours a day I could get a bigger chest, I know that if I am not a complete ass and take showers (with the right products of course) I could get the woman of my dreams! Point is this magazine (website) is so nicely put together, and easy to use that it makes me want to get it even though the articles are pretty much interchangeable.
IPod is still just an MP3. MP3s were around before the iPod. The design that goes into the look of the brand is so beautiful that iPod has managed to dominate the entire market. I should know, I work at Best Buy and plenty of people have no idea that an iPod is the same thing as a regular old MP3 (not really though, iPods are kickass).
Publication design seems like it is going to be a blast just because you need to find ways to make the old feel new, the boring seem interesting. In my humble opinion if you can design the perfect lie you can design the perfect publication.
4 comments:
So I have to critique your blog design, and I have to say that I feel you aren't fully utilizing this "Frankenblog" aesthetic. Aside from your title, which seems a bit hasitly put together, you haven't really touched anything else. You should look up a bunch of old movie posters and stuff and see how you could incorporate it into your blog design.
Here's the link to the SWF header instructions I was telling you about:
http://technojuice.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-get-flash-header-my-first.html
FrankenWolf - I like the new header. It seems to have more personality with the nice cut and past digital look. I like the Green/black Color pallet. The type size seems to differ on my screen from the two post. But you still have my Top-gun vote.
Keith you have no idea how much it means to me. You are my TGBBF (top gun best friends forever.)
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