Out now: Ideas Illustrated

The latest issue of Ideas Illustrated is out, with a new editor, new format and new design. An all-new approach in fact.

Before I go further, I should declare an interest. I’ve worked with the magazine’s publisher, YCN, for quite some time in one way or the other. While I was at John Brown Publishing we helped them launch their annual awards book, and I’ve regularly commissioned illustration from their (excellent) agency. Then most recently I helped them define the brief for the changes to Ideas Illustrated.

But that was a while back, and now the finished magazine has arrived. And it’s rather good, with a far better sense of editorial focus and an improved design by art director Alex Hunting.

Originally launched as much as a showcase for their illustrators as a magazine in its own right, the emphasis has shifted to putting content first. Most stories are accompanied by YCN artist’s work, but the commissioning is freer and the result is a better showcase than before, such as these examples from Dan Woodger (above) and Elin Svensson (below).

The scope of the content is broad, mainly themed around ‘Luck’, but I picked out a couple of stories relating to magazines.

First, Meatpaper editor Sasha Wizany takes a look at the burgeoning food magazine scene (above, with cute hand-drawn representations of front covers from Fire & Knives, Meatpaper and Put A Egg On It by an uncredited artist Charlotte Trounce). Plus they’ve tracked down Monocle creative director Richard Spencer Powell for a rare interview and had him explain his magazine’s anti-iPad app stance (below).

The new magazine feels fuller, better considered and generally more magazine-like, without losing its unique character based on being very illustrated. Recommended.