January 2013 (#209)

We love print. When done right, a physical magazine is a beautiful thing – you can’t beat the feel of the paper; the smell of the ink; the thud of the thing as it hits the table.

And while it’s no secret that many magazine circulations are declining, as this issue’s cover feature attests, many graphic designers are also taking matters into their own hands and creating and launching their own beautiful printed mags into the world.

Not just for the sake of it, but because there’s a burning creative topic that they have to express, and print is the perfect medium to do so. We explore what inspired them to launch their pet projects and how they went about it, and bring you everything you need to know to follow in their footsteps should the fancy take you.

But we’re not biased. We love digital, too – and the notion that designers have to pick sides in this day and age is tired, divisive and just plain wrong. Elsewhere in the mag we flip the coin to explore how designers are pushing the limits of interactivity, with similar independent projects that were born on iPad, and really make the most of the digital medium.

As ever, there’s a handsome line-up of tutorials to craft your creative skills – whether it’s compiling a stylish indent in After Effects, working with fluoro transparency in Illustrator or applying a calendar script in InDesign.

See you next month, where we delve into the world of commercial character design. Until then, enjoy the mag.

Nick Carson Editor