The challenge
Beautiful words, forgettable pages
The writing was luminous but the layouts were templated — every feature looked the same, and readers skimmed instead of settling in. The editor wanted an issue people would keep, not recycle.
The approach
One visual language per story
We gave each feature its own illustrated motif — seed packets, trail maps, pressed leaves — drawn in a shared palette so the issue feels varied yet whole. Pacing was redesigned around breathing room: full-bleed art, generous margins, pull quotes that earn their space.
Deliverables
What shipped
- Art direction and illustration system for six features
- 96-page layout with print-ready prepress files
- Cover series and newsstand poster kit
“Readers wrote in about the design more than the articles. Stockists reordered twice — the issue simply refused to sit on shelves.”
— Editor, Fern & Field
— Editor, Fern & Field
Related work
Publishing something worth keeping?
Editorial design with illustration, layout and prepress handled.
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