This month’s Stack magazine is a complete juxtaposition to the previous loud and often chaotic prints from previous months. This one is a publication that I probably would have picked off a shelf myself – it has a slower pace to it and a clean composition with nothing to distract from the copy or imagery.
Although this magazine doesn’t have the same playful aesthetic as others or occupy a similar cultural space, this one is more idiosyncratic. It fills its pages with stories about nature and the environment. I think the fact that it is isn’t particularly political or spiritual works well as it provides the audience with a sense of escapism to the stark headlines surrounding this issue/topic.
I enjoyed reading some of the longer articles as they were often poetic and had a quiet and soft tone of voice, revealing what it means to love in a particular time and place.
The overall publication reminds me of an English countryside, embracing the timeless nature and British identity. The negative space around the page elements infers the open land that surrounds us and the idealistic view of the outdoors which has a calming effect.
Some of the pages have no imagery to support them; however the spreads are balanced by subtle illustration which is something that I hope to take forward into third year. The drawings, although simple, really help to visualise the text and summarise the key discussion points. They are beautifully embedded which also adds to the flow of the publication. I intend to use this magazine, alongside a couple of others that I purchased recently to use as templates for layout in my final visual report.
Each chapter heading has a dedicated block-colour page. This colour palette is continued throughout the section and reflected in the illustrations / photographs that, within a particular chapter, all have the same artistic style. The different styles of art create a subtle divide between the chapters.
Rachel
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