With the demise of Design Week recently (shocking news – that was a quality design publication), and countless other print magazines ceasing to exist, starting your own Magazine right now, seems like insanity. Helen Martin is doing just that; but I have a feeling she’s not crazy at all.
People still like things. Actual, physical, these-pages-smell-real things. It seems there is a new digital, online-only magazine springing up every week, with many long-established magazines trying to embrace digital by creating iPad versions of their current issue. All well and good; but there is a definite shift happening. If people are moving from print to digital, it’s because the print version is not offering them anything the digital version can’t.
Take Amelia’s Magazine for example – when it existed as an illustrious, beautifully printed quarterly (was it?) magazine, with foil blocking, embossing, you name it, everyone loved it, everyone wanted it. Because you can’t replicate that touchy-feely loveliness online. And I think that the online-only version suffers because of this, unfortunately.
Illustration, as a craft, is made for print. Yes, there is an influx of digital, vector, futurised styles out there – but nothing looks better than a crisp, beautifully crafted illustration printed on lovely stock. That’s why I still believe there is a place for the printed magazine. But not as a throw-away, quick read; as something to be kept and cherished. I believe that your Creative Reviews, Digital Arts, etc etc, will all go the digital way of Design Week – and that’s not a bad thing really, once we all have iPads. Everything has it’s place.
Lionheart Magazine then, is bold, and brave to be launching in the current print climate. But take a look at ventures like Newspaper Club – absolutely thriving. Why? People still like holding things. Newspapers may be suffering right now, but they will never completely die. Neither will the magazine, if treated properly.
Lionheart Magazine, in Helen’s own words: “This will be co-ordinated entirely by myself, starting from nothing but the pure and simple faith that it shall be created – and hopefully be read. Maybe even loved? Then stacked somewhere for safe keeping and inspirational viewing for years to come. This is not about the throwaway, this is about you, me and everyone wrapping our arms around what we HAVE, and CAN DO! Blimey, there are so many inspirational people in this world, let’s celebrate them, discuss them and have loads of fun! Life’s FAR TOO SHORT for mulling over the details that confine us.”
Definitely.
I was asked to create an illustration for the launch issue – I don’t want to give too much away because you should BUY it, but here’s a teeny cropped snippet:
Ah. Flowers :D
Lionheart Mag needs help getting printed though, so if you’re so inclined, you can do so here.
