Today I had the privilege of attending a lecture given by a man with a passion for magazine making, persevering the physical form in an ever technologically advancing world. John L. Walters is the editor of the world renowned Eye Magazine, a graphic design journal comprising of stunning and remarkable images accompanied by thought provoking words.
He spoke to us in detail about Issue 87: Food special, which first springs haute cuisine and high end food blogs to mind, but it's a lot better than that. This issue covers topics from the stamped logos on heroin 'baggies' referencing pop culture and escapism to Spanish meat packaging featuring cartoon animals meeting their demise with a butchers knife. This issue is a lot more food for thought than the latest food trend taking over your Instagram feed.
As I'm a student, meeting people who are already successful in the industry in an insightful and invaluable experience for me. To learn about the process of how a magazine is made was an absolute pleasure to hear direct from a successful editor himself. He tells us about his appreciation for having a physical magazine in your hand, to which he does not compromise on the quality, keeping the paper thick and ink vivid, it allows for the artwork to be presented how it was intended and in context. With which I wholeheartedly agree it should be, and is very refreshing to hear as an illustrator. As personally I feel images on screens can become somewhat of a commodity, we spend so much time transfixed on our phones and laptops it's hard for something to stick out and resonate with us.
I managed to get the chance to pick his brain a little and find a little more about what he looks for in his contributors, I was happy to hear that he accepts work from anyone with talent, you don't need to be famous or credited to get in Eye Magazine, you just have to have to be good.
When looking for content he has an eye for the unusual an interesting, seeking out contributors who have a deep pool of knowledge and are passionate about their subject. I think this makes the magazine more personal, it isn't about elitism or celebrity, it's about people who share a common interest, whether they are creators or avid observers. So if you want your curiosity quenched and your knowledge expanded I would definitely recommend Eye Magazine
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