Looking for inspiration for your next design project? Well, you can always ask Google, but how about reading some journals on paper again? Here’s our hit list of inspirational magazines for designers.
Away from the Screen. Inspiring Magazines to Flip Through
Inspiration is everywhere. But sometimes it helps to sit on the couch with a cup of coffee or tea and leaf through magazines. When it comes to graphics, typography, and illustration, there are countless magazines that can help you as a designer.
Find your new source of inspiration with our Top 12 mags. Keep up to date with the latest trends in graphic design, and give yourself a break to get into the right creative mindset.
Eye Magazine – Something for the Eye
This mage is a creative well of fortune. Whether you’re looking for book design, illustration, brand design or even food design, graphic professionals get their money’s worth just as much as design enthusiasts here.
With four issues a year, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the creative content before the next Eye Magazine lands in your mailbox. Interested? The creators present their issues on their Vimeo channel.
Graphic Magazine – German Sobriety
An issue of the German-language graphic magazine is published every two months. Even the cover reveals that less is more here. Objective design and clear typography are omnipresent.
Since 2021, the former editors of Novum magazine have been presenting articles on topics such as graphic design, illustration and photography. The magazine’s target group is mainly designers and students in the creative field.
Communication Arts – Communication as Art
This publication is an institution for creative professionals. Communication Arts has been published since 1959 and is the largest international trade journal for visual communication. The magazine is published every two months with a new issue.
With its minimalist look, the magazine provides information on design, typography, photography, and illustration. Communication Arts was the first major design magazine with its own website in 1995.
Idea Magazine – From Tokyo with Love
There are many inspiring magazines from the West. Every quarter, Idea Magazine gives you a diverse insight into the world of Japanese design. Far away from clichés and available in English and Japanese.
The publication from Japan’s capital celebrates visual communication, graphic design, and typography. Whether as “Aidia” in the original or “Idea” in the English version – here you will find new input for your creativity.
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine – How bizarre
Not just an inspirational magazine, but a network. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is as much a presence on social media as it is on paper. Every quarter, you’ll be treated to contemporary design art.
The magazine showcases the work of emerging and established wearable art artists, photographers, and designers from Australia and around the world.
Beneficial Shock! – Shockingly Inspiring
The Shock comes only once a year. The magazine Beneficial Shock! is dedicated to film art and illustration. The comic-style cover and its issues are dedicated to a topic that is examined from many sides.
Creative and at times humorous, Beneficial Shock! is a publication for film enthusiasts and fans of monothematic magazines. All graphic design – but somehow different.
EYEAH! – Colorful and understandable
This makes learning fun. EYEAH! increases creativity in a colorful comic style and deals with current topics. Nutrition, garbage, or fake news. With worksheets, e-paper or as a magazine, EYEAH! Helps understand the world.
Colorful artwork and illustrations vividly convey socially relevant topics. It’s not just children who learn here. A colorful boost for your creativity.
GraffitiArt – It’s not a Crime
This magazine is bursting with ideas. It’s all about contemporary urban art. Sprayers will have a lot of fun. Interviews, book reviews and exhibition guides are dedicated to the art that surrounds us in urban space.
GraffitiArt is published every two months in French and English. Once a year there is also the Urban Contemporary Art Guide.
Juxtapoz – The juxtaposition of art
Juxtapoz was founded in 1994 in San Francisco, California, as a counter-design to the established art world of New York. Here you will find inspirational material on the topics of street art, graffiti, and illustration.
Juxtapoz deals with representatives of underground art and was meanwhile more widespread than established publications such as Art News or Art in America.
Imagine FX – Digital on paper
For anyone interested in fantasy and science fiction, Imagine FX is a goldmine. From tutorials to interviews and product reviews, everything related to digital art comes together here.
Ideal for your extra dose of nerd knowledge and an exciting look behind the work of digital artists. With 13 issues a year, you’ll need to be prepared for an abundance of content.
3×3 Magazine – illustrated triad
Contemporary illustration is the focus of the 3×3 Magazine. According to its own statement, the magazine wants to archive illustrations, promote the work of illustrators, and encourage the use of illustration in print.
Three issues a year are dedicated to this claim. A valuable archive that has rightly made it into our top 12 inspirational magazines.
Wrap – Simply Beautifully Packaged
Wrap is the magazine for contemporary illustration, art, and creative culture. Here, everything revolves around creative ideas that make things more beautiful. And – what’s very cute – it also comes with wrapping paper illustrations.
Another creative idea is to dedicate products in its store to the artists featured in the magazine. Wrapping paper, notebooks or greeting cards, here art becomes very practical and the magazine a successful packaging.
Gift tip: Inspiring Magazines for Designers
Get a creative boost for your next project with our Top 12 tips. But an issue or subscription from the list is also perfect as a gift idea. Because there’s always an occasion.
Look no further than Mother’s Day. Are you looking for more ideas? Then get inspired by our blog. Here you will find creative gift ideas for mom’s next best gift.
Have fun leafing through the mags. Wishing you heaps of inspiration!
