RECLAIM Magazine
Print Concept Uncovering the Art of Reclaimed Materials
Partners
Jesse Rivera (Principal Photography)
Jenny Jones (Writer)
Deborah Bishop (Writer)
Kaleb Coberly (Writer)
My Role
Branding
Art Direction
Content Strategy
Copy Writing
Print Layout
Client
Independent Project
Challenge
Conceptualize a new brand for a magazine publication, identify the audience and approach for this market, collect or produce all content, including relevant advertisements, and design the complete magazine layout.
Problem
When I moved to Seattle for school, I was sad to see so much trash discarded on Broadway. But when I took my first camping trip out to the Olympic Peninsula and found litter there rampant, I was shocked. Coming from the midwest, I had always imagined the PNW as the land of the environmentalists, making waves and saving the planet.
Solution
I spent the summer of 2014, seeking out local artists working with reclaimed and upcycled materials. Inquiries at Second Use and Ballard Reuse introduced me to incredible thinkers and makers. Highlighting fine art, high-end consumer products and DIY projects, their stories inspire readers to reconsider what we perceive as “waste.”
Brand Statement
RECLAIM Magazine uncovers the opportunities in the material we already have.
Brand Pillars
Honest
One-on-one interviews get to the heart of the art, revealing the artists’ mission and process. Articles are objective but purposeful, seeking to educate and inspire readers. Candid portrait photography captures the artist at work or engaged in conversation. Clean, organized layouts and straight-forward sans- and slab-serif type reinforce an honest approach to all content.
Directional
RECLAIM encourages us to rethink our concept of waste and recycling for a more sustainable future. Wanting the magazine to demonstrate progress and forward movement, I designed the masthead to extend off the ends of the page. These leading lines continue through the pages and transform as they progress.
Makerly
Ultimately, RECLAIM is about people who can see past the trash heap to possibility. These are inventors, opportunists, and creative masterminds. They have adopted not only an art style, but a way of life, and invite us into their homes or studios to take a closer look. Photography shows not only the final product, but also the process: the work benches, drop cloths, and tools.
Rich
RECLAIM articles expose materials with alternating wide angles and extreme close-up photography, for holistic and detailed views of the work. Looking closely, readers can see the incredible quality that lies beneath the surface of what would have otherwise laid waste.
Feature Spreads
Process
Defining the Audience
RECLAIM Magazine would be positioned in the market as a national publication, focusing on local artists from a specific region in each monthly issue. I identified my target user group as men and women in their mid 20s to late 50s. They are college-educated with an interest in art and design, frugal and eco-conscious. To help define my design direction and which advertisements would be relevant to these readers, etc. I mapped out mood boards for two personas.
Moodboarding
With a clear idea of my audience and brand pillars, I selected type, colors and photo styles to support the voice and tone of the overall magazine. It also became necessary to moodboard voice/tone for individual articles, to capture a unique perspective on each story.
Sketching the Masthead
The voice of the masthead needed to support the brand pillars. I honed in on “Makerly,” attempting to create linked or linking lines to create the letterforms. Chunky serifs reminded me of the notches and grooves in cabinetry. These serifs later inspired me to extend them off the page, creating a literal continuity from the masthead into the magazine.
