Simple Wonders Magazine
The Project
For a semester project, I created my own travel and adventure magazine. I took inspiration from an existing magazine called Sidetracked and designed a photo-based publication. I debated for weeks on what name best fit the tone of my magazine. Simple Wonders. I felt it embodied the idea I was trying to portray of taking time to appreciate the little things in life and finding joy wherever you are. Additionally, I liked the idea of the title being a play on the seven wonders of the world.
The Goal
One goal I had for Simple Wonders was to highlight natural beauty through a photo-based design. When looking at the magazine as a whole, it gives a sense of unity to the publication.
Unlike other magazines, I didn’t want it to be cluttered with ads and text. I wanted the feeling of a coffee table photo book, rather than a true magazine. The goal for advertisements was to be able to use product placement only, so as not to ruin the serenity and unity of the publication. My aim was to create pages that were heavily photo-based and presented a visual adventure that pulls the reader in. I feel like I planned out the spreads in a way that logically guides readers through the journey.
The Flatplan
I started developing a flat plan for my magazine early on in the process, establishing a consistent blueprint for each place.
I wanted the magazine to flow logically, so I chose to feature three countries in each issue. Within those countries, I provided articles that gave overviews on each destination, a suggestion for volunteer work to be done, a story on the food, and lastly a feature on one person’s journey and how it changed them or their perspective.
