12 of the best Creative Art and Design magazines from around the world to inspire your own creations.
Finding graphic design inspiration online is not complicated these days. The amount of resources available at the tip of your fingers is impressive and easy to find.
But nothing will ever beat flipping the pages of a magazine. Especially graphic design magazines, which fill our imagination with endless color, shapes and inspiration.
Receiving a graphic design magazine subscription in the mail can be the highlight of the week. Or taking a trip to the bookstore and taking home three of four issues of the best magazines money can buy.
The best way to gain inspiration from graphic design magazines is to read issues printed internationally. Looking at what influential designers are doing overseas will make your creative brain just so happy. Don’t take my word for it, just look at the list below of the best graphic design magazines from around the world that will inspire your own creations.
Most of these magazines have websites with articles to read online, but there’s just something about holding an actual magazine and experiencing the layout design of the pages.
Don’t you think?
Juxtapoz
Juxtapoz Magazine is a quarterly magazine printed in San Francisco California. They publish articles about all aspects of Creative Arts including graphic design, painting, music and street art. Juxtapoz is one of the best selling magazines in the United States and it’s easy to see why! Every issue will have you glued to your seat along with your favorite beverage.
Source: http://shop.juxtapoz.com/jux-206-summer-2018.html
Wallpaper
Wallpaper Magazine is a monthly publication from the United States that has been around for as long as anyone can remember. With the main focus on architecture and interior design, Wallpaper also has articles on graphic design, fashion, and travel. This is one of the favorite design magazines for all sorts of designers.
Source: https://www.wallpaper.com/design/tony-chambers-january-2018-editors-letter
Communication Arts
Communication Arts is a bimonthly publication from the United States. Every issue has a theme, like “illustration”, “typography” or “interactive.” This is the kind of magazine that will sit on your workdesk constantly inspiring you to create new and innovative designs.
Source: https://www.commarts.com/magazines
Eye
Eye Magazine is a quarterly published graphic design journal based in the UK. These magazines are almost like collectible items, full of resources and inspiration. International visual culture is represented on every page.
Source: https://eyemagazine.escosubs.co.uk/store/products,94_115.htm
Disegno Daily
Disegno Daily is another graphic design quarterly from the UK. This magazine has a unique view on graphic design, architecture and fashion. Their cover layout is very unique as are the inside pages. There is no boredom allowed with Disegno.
Source: https://www.disegnodaily.com/journal
Graphic
Graphic Magazine is a different style of design publication from South Korea. The main focus of Graphic is the unusual and not mainstream. Every issue has a theme and they are not that easy to get! There are no international subscriptions available but back issues can be bought online from resellers. Even if they aren’t up to date, they are so unique that it doesn’t even matter.
Source: http://graphicmag.kr/
Novum – World of Graphic Design
Novum has been around for 90 years! Since the 1950’s Novum – World of Graphic Design has been published monthly in Germany. It used to be only in German but is now bilingual in both print and digital. They have features on corporate design, typography, branding and all aspects of graphic design. Definitely a favorite!
Source: https://novum.graphics/en/magazine/about-novum/
IDN
IDN Magazine is a bi-monthly publication based in Hong Kong that ships internationally without a hitch. IDN stands for International Design Community and each issue has a theme. There are in-depth features of very specific design niche topics like infographics and branded stationery. This is the kind of magazine that you would find in any design agency anywhere in the world.
Source: http://www.idnworld.com/mags/v24n5
Slanted
Slanted Magazine is one of the newest design journals around but their fat issues with over 300 pages are quite a visual undertaking. Published twice a year in Germany, every issue has a country based theme. The bilingual issues showcase innovative and upcoming design from each country with in-depth features and stories.
Source: https://www.slanted.de/
A new type of imprint
A New Type of Imprint is another of the newish design magazines that have made a name for themselves. Founded in 2014 by creative agency Anti, ANTOI is published four times a year in Oslo and concentrates mostly on Norwegian and Nordic design culture. The issues sell out fast! But they sometimes do reprints.
Source: http://www.anewtypeofimprint.com/products/volume-twelve
Printed Pages
Printed Pages is the biannual print magazine from It’s Nice That, the already famous online source for all things creative. The UK printed magazine is a collection of all things creative, mostly in the world of design. This is the kind of magazine that can inspire any kind of project, as long as you let your creativity go on a wild ride.
Source: https://www.companyofparrots.com/products/printed-pages-spring-summer-2018
Idea
Idea is a quarterly magazine from Japan that focuses on graphic design and typography. Idea Magazine has been around since the 1950’s and is still going strong. If you are into Japanese design, this is the magazine for you.
