Editorial Magazine
Design through the Decades
An 18-page print magazine that translates Jean-Michel Basquiat’s expressive energy into a clear, production-ready editorial system with strong hierarchy, modular grids, and overall visual cohesion.
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This project reimagines a magazine issue centered on Jean-Michel Basquiat. The goal was to explore his influence through visual storytelling, using layout, grid structure, and typography to support a dynamic narrative. Rather than relying on dense text, the issue uses visual context, annotations, and pacing to guide the reader.
Project Overview
Project Type: Editorial Magazine Design
My Role: Art direction, layout, grid creation, typography, visual storytelling
Goal: Created a visually driven magazine issue that provides context around Basquiat’s work while guiding readers through a layered, expressive narrative.
Editorial Angle & Narrative Approach
The project began with extensive research into Basquiat’s artistic approach, particularly his use of symbolism, color, and contrast. I analyzed how he communicated through layers of meaning and how those layers could be translated into a visual structure. I then studied editorial benchmarks such as Wired, Creative Review, and Wallpaper* magazine to understand pacing, hierarchy, and white space in print design.
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The editorial direction focuses on presenting Basquiat through energy, tension, and layered meaning. Instead of long essays, the magazine employs visual cues, such as his works, annotations, timelines, and details, to aid the reader in interpreting its work. The goal was to create a guided visual narrative that mirrors Basquiat’s expressive language while maintaining editorial clarity.
Content Structure
To build a clear reading flow, I organized the content into six concise sections. Each provides just enough context to support the visuals without interrupting the magazine's rhythm.
Introduction to the Artist: Establishes Basquiat’s background and entry point.
Influences: Highlights graffiti culture, music, diaspora, and early visual references.
Design Principles: Distills recurring visual traits into editorial design guidelines.
Cultural & Social Contexts: situates his work within 1980s NYC and broader cultural tensions.
Influence on Future Movements: Connects his impact to contemporary design and art.
Scholarly Analysis: Adds academic insight through brief callouts and annotations.
Visual Direction
The visual direction balances expressive, raw energy with structured editorial clarity. Colors, textures, and layering draw inspiration from Basquiat’s work, while the overall system maintains restraint to avoid imitation. The direction emphasizes controlled chaos—mirroring his visual language through composition rather than decoration.
Grid & Layout System
The magazine uses a flexible multi-column grid to support dynamic pacing. The grid allows layouts to shift between dense, layered imagery and quiet, expansive white space. This structure keeps the design expressive while ensuring consistency and easy navigation.
Typography & Hierarchy
Typography is minimal and functional, supporting the visuals rather than competing with them. A clean body typeface ensures legibility, while a bold display typeface adds rhythm and emphasis. Hierarchy is simple and intentional—headlines guide, captions clarify, and annotations enhance meaning without overwhelming the page.
Design Iterations
Iteration 1.
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The original design used a very strong red background on both the front and back covers. Although the color was meant to reflect the energy in Basquiat’s work, it became visually overwhelming and made the layout hard to read. The saturation reduced contrast, so the headlines, body text, and even the portrait did not stand out clearly.
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The intensity of the red also competed with Basquiat’s artwork rather than supporting it, creating a sense of clutter rather than a focused, editorial presentation. As a result, the cover felt aggressive instead of balanced and intentional.
Through further iteration, I introduced a more controlled color palette that improved contrast, highlighted the artwork, and created a clearer visual structure. This allowed the design to feel bold while still maintaining a refined tone that better represents Basquiat’s story and the overall direction of the magazine.
Iteration 2.
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In this second iteration, I shifted the direction completely. I used a new portrait of Basquiat and introduced his signature crown, along with intentional layering to echo the emotional depth and expressive style he is known for. This approach helped the front cover feel closer to his visual language and gave the composition more personality and movement.
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Although this version improved on the first, I was still not satisfied with the back cover. It felt too flat and disconnected from the energy of the front. I realized I needed a complementary color that supported the artwork and typography without overpowering the layout. The back cover needed more balance, contrast, and a clearer visual relationship to the front.
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This iteration helped me understand what the design was missing, and it guided the next round of refinements toward a more cohesive and intentional final layout.
Final Version.
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In this second iteration, I shifted the direction completely. I used a new portrait of Basquiat and introduced his signature crown, along with intentional layering to echo the emotional depth and expressive style he is known for. This approach helped the front cover feel closer to his visual language and gave the composition more personality and movement.
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Although this version improved on the first, I was still not satisfied with the back cover. It felt too flat and disconnected from the energy of the front. I realized I needed a complementary color that supported the artwork and typography without overpowering the layout. The back cover needed more balance, contrast, and a clearer visual relationship to the front.
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This iteration helped me understand what the design was missing, and it guided the next round of refinements toward a more cohesive and intentional final layout.
Key Spreads
Across the key spreads, I created tension by balancing Basquiat’s raw expressive energy with a structured editorial system. The tension comes from how space, typography, and hierarchy push against each other.
Space as Tension
I used intentional shifts between dense, image-heavy pages and quiet, open layouts. This contrast mirrors Basquiat’s layered compositions—allowing some spreads to feel chaotic and energetic while others create breathing room. The abrupt transitions build rhythm and drama in the reading experience.
Typographic
Contrast
Typography plays a major role in creating tension. Bold, oversized headlines introduce sharp moments of impact, while body text remains clean and restrained. The contrast in scale and weight reflects Basquiat’s mix of loud statements and small symbolic details.
Hierarchy That Pushes & Pulls
The hierarchy intentionally breaks predictability. On some spreads, type anchors the layout; on others, imagery dominates and type becomes secondary or tucked into negative space. This shifting hierarchy creates visual friction—echoing the push–pull quality in Basquiat’s work.
Controlled Chaos within a Grid
While the grid establishes order, certain images, captions, and annotations break expected column boundaries. These subtle disruptions create a sense of instability and energy without sacrificing readability. It’s a controlled interpretation of Basquiat’s visual tension.
Final Overview
The final result balances clarity and expression. Through grid, type, color, and composition, the magazine guides readers through Basquiat’s world without relying on heavy text. The visual pacing and layout structure create a narrative rhythm that reflects his layered artistic voice.
Reflection
This project deepened my understanding of how structure can enhance, rather than limit, creativity. By designing a flexible editorial system, I learned to use order as a framework for expression. The experience reinforced that good design does not mimic its subject; it interprets it through clarity and intention. Translating chaos into clarity required restraint, empathy, and a strong grasp of visual hierarchy. In future iterations, I would explore extending the project into digital or interactive formats to enrich storytelling through motion and user engagement. Ultimately, this project reminded me that the best design communicates emotion through structure, allowing creativity and strategy to coexist seamlessly. Great design doesn’t imitate its subject; it interprets it with purpose and respect.
