Leesfragment: Typo Mag. Typography in Magazines

Deze week in de etalage van het Nieuwscentrum: Typo Mag. Typography in Magazines van Laura Meseguer. 'Every magazine is searching for a way to be different and attract a particular audience, and that is presented in a specific way through a format, photographs, a type of paper, a journalistic style, all parts of a whole, linked by typography. So we could say that typography has become one of the main differentiating elements, not only in design but also in topics.' Vanavond beeld en tekst over twee tijdschriften: Emigre Magazine en Kasino.

Bestel uw exemplaar of Emigre No. 70 of het laatste nummer van Kasino. Of een van de andere besproken tijdschriften.

This is the first book in a new series of typography books conceived as a source of inspiration for designers who use typography as one of the main resources in their projects, from both an expressive as a communication viewpoint.
This first volume is dedicated to the use of typography in magazines. TypoMag analyses excellence in the use of typography 29 magazines from around the world and on a variety of topics. Detailed typographic solutions as used in these magazines are clearly explained and shown through numerous illustrations.
TypoMag analyses magazines such as Monocle, The New York Times Magazine, Carl’s Cars, Nico, Wired UK, Mark, Elephant and many more. It also includes resources for books and blogs on magazine design.

Laura Meseguer is a graphic and typographic designer from Barcelona. Her work has been published in many international design magazines and she is a member of the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI).

Emigre

Editor / Director: Rudy VanderLans
City / Country: Berkeley, California / USA
Founded in: 1984
Art Direction / Graphic Design: Rudy VanderLans
Dimensions: variable
Number of pages: Variable
Language: English
Periodicity: it is not published anymore
Website: www.emigre.com

Emigre defines itself as simply as possible, as a graphic design magazine. Published in English from 1984 until 2005, with a quarterly circulation, despite its irregularity, its director and designer Rudy VanderLans has a great influence in the design and creation of the publication. His philosophy could be expressed by the idea of starting from scratch in the publication of each number. With regards to size and paper, the magazine is continuously changing.
The first 63 issues were published and distributed by Emigre Inc. The following issues, up to a total of 69, were co-published and distributed by Princeton Architectural Press, New York.
One of its clearly distinctive elements is the use of typefaces created exclusively by them, not only because they consider that they are the best, but because they are the magazine’s identity mark. The typography has experienced numerous changes throughout the history of the magazine, where “writer type” was the first font used because it was all that the publication could afford financially at that time. With the introduction of Macintosh in the computer world in 1984 they began to produce their first low-resolution fonts. After the arrival of high resolution and the development of the appropriate software they carried on with the production of their own fonts. Thanks to the popularity and recognition achieved by such creations, they used Emigre magazine as a platform for testing and launching these fonts. Emigre sustains the magazine on the creation of typefaces.
Despite the use of images or photographs on many of their covers, their use is not considered essential. Not seeing the need to include any other visual element on the cover, these are dedicated to fonts, given that it is a magazine about different fonts.
Given that the magazine format is larger than usual, it is not easily found where one would normally expect to find graphic design magazines. Although the majority of its sales have always been through subscription, the fact that it is a different size, and needs more space because of it, has favoured it in the sense that having a designated space just for Emigre has given it extra publicity in certain sales outlets.
The magazine can be seen among the permanent design exhibits of the San Francisco Modern Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum in New York, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York and the London Design Museum. Emigre and Ginko Press have just published number 70 of the magazine: a number to remember, where its 25th anniversary is commemorated. It is a book with a total of 512 pages, which includes the best of a quarter of a century of Emigre magazine.

Kasino

Director: Pekka Toivonen
Editor: Jonathan Mander
Photography: Jussi Puikkonen
Production: Antti Routto
Country: Finland
Founded in: 2005
Art Direction / Graphic Design: Pekka Toivonen
Dimensions: 210 x 297 mm (A4)
Number of pages: 124
Language: English
Periodicity: it is not published anymore
Website: www.wearekasino.com

Kasino A4 is probably the gloomiest magazine that can be found on sale. Published in English, this magazine, from Finland, is something very personal for its creators. Its origins date back to 2005, when they set out to create the gloomiest magazine possible, taking this state of gloom so characteristic of the Finnish mentality as their starting point. This could be said to be the real philosophy of the magazine, this gloomy look that they wish to highlight. They dare to say, that if Kasino A4 were not a magazine, it might possibly be a terror theme park. Starting from this perspective or with this idea, their intention, without a doubt, is to explore the world. The key words that may define the magazine are: intimate, authentic and uncompromising. It also gives us a sharp view, speaks for itself and delights us with a human touch which is so evident in its design and content. In a world of chaos and frenzy, this ingenious publication is presented like delicious food cooked on a low heat, where every morsel of inspiration is worth savouring because it may make you laugh or cry.
With an original team of three, Kasino A4 has increased the number of participants, but thinks it is important to maintain a small team to maintain the intimate atmosphere and the immediacy of the magazine. The magazine was founded by a photographer, a graphic designer and a writer who decided to form a team to join their talents in just one media: a magazine.
The creation of Kasino A4 comes from the sharing of ideas. After a few months in which ideas, inspiration and energy come together, the magazine is produced in a month. Four people and a group of eight permanent reliable contributors achieved all this.

With regards to the external aspect of the magazine, the result of factors such as typography, layout and image is of relevant importance. In general, we can find a broad extensive use of images that makes Kasino A4 consider itself to be very photographic, but a strict layout and well chosen typography does the rest in making the space designed for content and images. Everything is done in a global way in the magazine, with no different departments separating content from design.
Something that makes Kasino A4 a magazine with a special design is the fact that it is in black and white and uses a specific paper for which they are known that has been part of its popularity. Someone even once said that Kasino A4 is the magazine that smells the best! The size of the publication is A4, not only because it is the most typical but also because they consider it to be the best size design that exists on the market.
Garamond is the font chosen by Kasino A4 for texts and Folio for additions. In their opinion it is a well-designed font that makes the artistic director’s job very easy. In their opinion Garamond is perfect. With no foreseeable changes in this aspect, their intention is to leave the entire design just as it is.
Unlike the inside of the magazine, the cover of Kasino A4 has no images. This is something which is deliberate and done with the intention of making it stand-out from all other available publications. They consider that this is the best way to be different and attract the attention of the potential magazine buyers. With no fear of not being seen, their motto is “if people don’t find us, we will find them.” The decision to distribute it internationally was a very important step in the projection of the magazine. Another was their first exhibition in August 2006. With the title “330 Prints, 80 moments and a magazine – The full story”, the exhibition was able to adapt their concept to a completely different media.
The magazine contents are limited to those topics which, in their opinion make up a good magazine: people, thoughts, style and lots of fun. The secret to the success of the publication is their non-commitment, which leads many creators to turn to it in search of new ideas which Kasino A4 offers in an independent way.