We know that today everything is online, all-things digital are the hype, and creative inspiration is only a click away. But still, we do not give up on print. Not just yet. And we think neither should you. Why? Because there are some incredible, influential, inspiring print magazines out there, and missing out on them would be such a shame.
So, we have put together a list of top 10 graphic design magazines from around the globe, and we present it to you here. All you need to do is choose your favorite publications (if you have not done that before), go to the nearest bookstore or a newsstand, and start reading.
You can, of course, order issues online as well, and then – the next time your print order arrives at your doorstep, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy while turning those pages.
There is no such feeling as a freshly printed journal paper under your fingertips, would you agree?
Now, what do you say, are you ready for some quality time spent reading graphic design magazines?
We surely hope you are.
Here follows the list.
Eye (London, UK)
Anyone who is interested in informative, creative, and critical writings about graphic design, should never miss an issue of the Eye magazine. It is a quarterly printed journal about international design scene, published since 1990, and made for professional designers, students, and enthusiasts who just happen to love diving into the insights of visual culture. Columns include book design, branding, critical thought, design history, illustration, information design, typography, and new media, just to name a few. Eye magazine is available in all premium design bookstores in the UK or it can be ordered online. For each issue, there is an official Vimeo page named Eye before you buy, for a sneak peeks inside the magazine.
Communication Arts (California, USA)
Advertising, interactive design, photography, illustration, and typography are all different sections of the Communication Arts publication. This magazine is a go-to source when it comes to graphic design inspiration for everyone involved in visual communication. It is truly a popular, and it is much more than only a magazine.
The Communication Arts was founded by Richard Coyne and Robert Blanchard in 1959, and it is a three-generation family-run business committed to inspiring all visual communicators. In addition, the Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation was established in 1990 to increase diversity in visual communications. The Foundation currently funds 17 programs managed by educational institutions and non-profit trade organizations, and the Communication Arts organizes different annual competitions as well.
Graphic (Seoul, South Korea)
The first issue of the Graphic magazine was published in 2007 in Seoul. Until its 8th issue it was only in the Korean language, but since the issue No. 9 it has been published in both Korean and English, and it is currently being circulated in South Korea and Europe, with expectations of extending its area of influence to countries in North America and beyond.
The focus of the Graphic magazine is on the trends of graphic design, but not the mainstream ones. It rather describes alternatives and creative phenomena, with its characteristic in-depth approach to one specific theme per issue.
It is an independent publication without the financial help of sponsors, advertisements, or governmental organizations. Therefore, it delivers much more of high-quality design journalism, coming from creative, independent, and emancipated writers and editorial team.
novum – World of Graphic Design (Munich, Germany)
Every issue of the premium monthly magazine named novum – World of Graphic Design features the best in contemporary graphic design, illustration, photography, corporate design, and typography, and also spotlights new talents in the field. For over 90 years novum has been providing an inspiring bilingual mixture of international graphic design and advertising.
Inside each issue, there is a separate section called novum plus, which pays a close attention to a specific graphic design area, such as print design, illustration, and typography, among others. In this additional section, every aspect of the theme is covered by technical experts, clients and designers, which makes this whole publication a truly collectible design item, and a relevant source of reference.
The issue for March 2018 recently came out and it is all covered in gold, using a specific new kind of a printing technique. There is no special occasion for that, editors just decided to tackle a bit of luxury out of the graphic design stories. And why not? It looks astonishing, don’t you think?
HOW + Print (Florida, USA)
The Print magazine is a well-known graphic design publication founded way back in 1940. Print focuses on broad perspectives on visual culture today, covering everything from publication design to interactive work, motion graphics, corporate branding, exhibitions, illustration, and socially conscious design. Many established experts contribute regularly to this publication, covering latest trends, and sharing their opinions on the significance of design in today’s world.
HOW magazine is a publication within the same business group as the Print. HOW started out as a print-only version in 1985 and has been evolving into a design education platform ever since. Its mission is to provide essential business information, cutting-edge technology tips, and influencers’ profiles. It is an award-winning magazine that nowadays comes along with organizing design competitions, HOW University’s online design courses, and publishing design books.
Please note: We have some bad news here. Print and HOW magazines have recently announced that they have suspended their print publications, and they will no longer accept orders for these titles. However, you can still order some of the special issues, and you can always go through their digital archives to find an enormous amount of quality articles. The last printed issue of Print magazine was Winter 2017, and the last one of HOW will be the Spring 2018 issue.
IdN (Hong Kong)
IdN magazine is published in Hong Kong, but with the English translations for every article. Inside of it, you can find everything about motion graphics, product design, publications, book design, and other fields of graphic creative practice. The name IdN is an abbreviation of International Designer’s Network, as this publication strive on to be an international publication for creative people on a mission to amplify and unify the design community. It is bold. It is different. And we highly recommend it.
komma-Magazine (Mannheim, Germany)
The komma-Magazine was born out of the platform for student work of the Faculty of Design at the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim. But even if it is a student publication, edited by student-editors with the constant change of writers, it is a magazine of extremely high-quality texts, unique themes, and guest works from various designers. It is also a place for publishing Bachelor and Master theses, so it becomes the field of graphic design theory as well. The publication is free of charge, and if you are among designers, agencies and creative bureaus enlisted on their mailing list, they will get the copy of every issue shipped to you as soon as it gets out.
A New Type of Imprint (Oslo, Norway)
A New Type of Imprint is a magazine and project curating creative culture and graphic design. It was founded by the Oslo-based agency Anti in 2014, and today represents the print publication, web magazine, curating, consulting, and production services for collaborators across all platforms. As the editors of this magazine say, they believe in great stories and brilliant design, and they celebrate the creative community currently working in Norway, as well as Norwegian designers working overseas.
HOLO magazine (Toronto, Canada)
More than 200 pages of personal encounters with leading designers, practitioners, creative studio profiles from around the world, and analysis from prominent experts from the art and design niche, makes each issue of the HOLO magazine a thorough record of trends and paradigms, mixing long-form journalism with striking photography in premium print. HOLO is published by the Creative Applications Network and represents the biannual kaleidoscopic mixture of the emerging trajectories in contemporary art, science, and technology, as the HOLO editors like to emphasize. As they say, it is all about designing and prototyping fantastical futures that enroll before our eyes.
IDEA (Tokyo, Japan)
IDEA magazine was first published in 1953 in Tokyo. Ever since, it comes out as a quarterly publication that focuses on visual communication, graphic design, and typography. It brings some serious issues to the table, as it tries to represent all design perspectives that co-exist in Japan. Every text in IDEA magazine is published both in Japanese and English, and the magazine is available for the overseas annual subscription.
We hope you found your favorites. Which ones do you like the most? Are there any other graphic design magazines that you love to read? Which ones? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below the article.
