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Metanoia Magazine

Art Direction | Layout | Print
Breathing life into scientific journalism.

Overview:


Metanoia Magazine is a quarterly print publication that exists at the intersection of science, philosophy, and culture. Its content is broad by nature, but applicable to the complexities of the human condition. Metanoia presents fresh ideas, thought-provoking long-form, and perspective-shifting research that sheds light and helps deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

This magazine is a response to the dry, stuffy science publications that often feel unapproachable or difficult to digest. It's designed to satisfy the question of how might we instead create a more engaging, immersive reading experience that captivates readers and breathes life into scientific journalism.
Timeframe: 11 weeks
Roles: content strategy, layout, art direction, print, photography curation, copywriting, typography
Tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

Recognition:
American Advertising Awards 2020
AAF Seattle, Gold
AAF District XI, Silver
National ADDY Award, Gold

Readership:


The process of creating Metanoia began with months worth of reading. While scouring the internet for scientific literature, I was simultaneously gathering visual inspiration, photography, and artwork that could be used to represent the themes I was finding in my reading. All of this helped me to hone in on a concept for the magazine and craft user personas that might represent the publication’s readership.





Inspiration:


I was inspired by the black & white photography, photomontage, and abstract aesthetic of vintage science journals, but wanted a more contemporary approach that was textural and surreal.

By gathering visual inspiration, layout inspiration, and developing a moodboard, I was able to establish a reference point for the rest of the project. It helped create consistency in tone and aesthetic, and gave me a visual recipe from which to design around.

Objective:


Metanoia was crafted to deliver relevant scientific literature to the curious reader—the questioner­—seeking answers to life’s biggest questions. It aims to combine interesting, long-form editorial with a spacious, immersive reading experience. The magazine's art direction is intended to capture and convey abstract ideas while maintaining balance and rhythm throughout the publication.

Design & Layout:


When it came to design, I tried adhering to three basic rules to achieve the intended aesthetic—utilize white space and lean into minimalism, make sure photography and art direction agree with the subject matter and elevate the narrative, and finally, harness a sense of play while designing. Doing this allowed me to design an interesting, dynamic publication with a visual aesthetic free of constraint and true to its original concept.

In Closing:


By blending carefully curated editorial with creative art direction and an artistic layout, Metanoia Magazine creates a captivating reading experience that engages the audience from cover to cover. The layout is open and airy, allowing indulgent readers the space they need to consume lengthy articles in one sitting. Art, photography, and typography are used both to establish consistency in tone across the whole of the magazine, while also working to distinguish each individual article from one another. The result is a unique and memorable reading experience that engages the audience on a deeper level.
(Please take a moment to click through Metanoia Issue #1 below)