The Soup-to-Nuts Blog

The Soup-to-Nuts Blog

What we’re thinking, reading, and seeing.

A collage of magazine design related images form October Custom Publishing
A collage of magazine design related images form October Custom Publishing
A collage of magazine design related images form October Custom Publishing
A collage of magazine design related images form October Custom Publishing

It's obvious now that great work doesn't require sharing the same physical space with your team

A collage of products by Teenage Engineering
A collage of products by Teenage Engineering
A collage of products by Teenage Engineering
A collage of products by Teenage Engineering

One company that can do no design-wrong (imho) is Teenage Engineering

A collage of magazine covers from the Internet Archive
A collage of magazine covers from the Internet Archive
A collage of magazine covers from the Internet Archive
A collage of magazine covers from the Internet Archive

Be prepared to spend hours doing nothing but looking at this

A collection of multiple images from one photoshoot, by October Custom Publishing
A collection of multiple images from one photoshoot, by October Custom Publishing
A collection of multiple images from one photoshoot, by October Custom Publishing
A collection of multiple images from one photoshoot, by October Custom Publishing

"Well, THAT'S just not realistic. How many pictures are they taking?! What is this nonsense?!?"

A spread from Mishou Magazine, image courtesyt of https://dizzybooks.bigcartel.com
A spread from Mishou Magazine, image courtesyt of https://dizzybooks.bigcartel.com
A spread from Mishou Magazine, image courtesyt of https://dizzybooks.bigcartel.com
A spread from Mishou Magazine, image courtesyt of https://dizzybooks.bigcartel.com

An ALL AGES magazine, highlighting work by artists ages 15 and under

Behind the scenes from a photoshoot at October Custom Publishing's Austin, Texas studio
Behind the scenes from a photoshoot at October Custom Publishing's Austin, Texas studio
Behind the scenes from a photoshoot at October Custom Publishing's Austin, Texas studio
Behind the scenes from a photoshoot at October Custom Publishing's Austin, Texas studio

Yes, that's a pack of toilet paper propping up a fake floor.

New tee shirt graphic collateral for comedian Dave Stone, by October Custom Publishing
New tee shirt graphic collateral for comedian Dave Stone, by October Custom Publishing
New tee shirt graphic collateral for comedian Dave Stone, by October Custom Publishing
New tee shirt graphic collateral for comedian Dave Stone, by October Custom Publishing

Podcasts are the new punk rock, and listening to them while you work is pretty much universally acceptable since Covid-19.

A montage of The Absolute Sound magazine's covers, designed by October Custom Publishing
A montage of The Absolute Sound magazine's covers, designed by October Custom Publishing
A montage of The Absolute Sound magazine's covers, designed by October Custom Publishing
A montage of The Absolute Sound magazine's covers, designed by October Custom Publishing

... a renewed focus on subscription based readers ...

A cropped page from the Green Moon manual from the movie Prospect
A cropped page from the Green Moon manual from the movie Prospect
A cropped page from the Green Moon manual from the movie Prospect
A cropped page from the Green Moon manual from the movie Prospect

It's nice to see print alive and kicking in the future.

A cropped cover from Campo Grafico
A cropped cover from Campo Grafico
A cropped cover from Campo Grafico
A cropped cover from Campo Grafico
November 27, 2023

Published from 1933 to 1939, an Italian style incubator for typography and visual design.

Ac ropped vintage poster
Ac ropped vintage poster
Ac ropped vintage poster
Ac ropped vintage poster

Check out this vintage advertisement archive.

The original Cannonball Run poster next to an unfinished comedy tour poster inspired by it.
The original Cannonball Run poster next to an unfinished comedy tour poster inspired by it.
The original Cannonball Run poster next to an unfinished comedy tour poster inspired by it.
The original Cannonball Run poster next to an unfinished comedy tour poster inspired by it.

The brief was simple - make a comedy tour poster riffing on the original Cannonball Run movie poster.

A BTS shot of a photoshoot by October Custom Publishing for Texas Medicine magazine
A BTS shot of a photoshoot by October Custom Publishing for Texas Medicine magazine
A BTS shot of a photoshoot by October Custom Publishing for Texas Medicine magazine
A BTS shot of a photoshoot by October Custom Publishing for Texas Medicine magazine

Haha, see what I did there. Gettting to produce and shoot in weird places is always fun.

A woman standing with one leg up on a chair, leaning on a guitar, shot by Phil Kline for Tribeza magazine
A woman standing with one leg up on a chair, leaning on a guitar, shot by Phil Kline for Tribeza magazine
A woman standing with one leg up on a chair, leaning on a guitar, shot by Phil Kline for Tribeza magazine
A woman standing with one leg up on a chair, leaning on a guitar, shot by Phil Kline for Tribeza magazine

Sometimes - especially in magazine design and production - you get to work with some kick-ass photography that sees the light of day for a couple of weeks, then disappears forever.

Two advertisements for Audience AV, created by October Custom Publishing
Two advertisements for Audience AV, created by October Custom Publishing
Two advertisements for Audience AV, created by October Custom Publishing
Two advertisements for Audience AV, created by October Custom Publishing

... all subsequent updates and changes we make are small and fairly straightforward, making updating and running the ad much less expensive ....

A collage of hovering art directors
A collage of hovering art directors
A collage of hovering art directors
A collage of hovering art directors

“The title creative director or art director is something you do, not something you are,” she says. “How you make work and what you make is most important. You need to have wide interests in the world, enjoy working with, and be interested in people, and carve out time to actually do something creative. Not just organize people and emails.”

A few magazines from the background of the movie Bladerunner
A few magazines from the background of the movie Bladerunner
A few magazines from the background of the movie Bladerunner
A few magazines from the background of the movie Bladerunner

Take a look at these magazines created as background props for the orignal 1982 movie Bladerunner.

A mixture of two documents showing a magazine map, by October Custom Publishing
A mixture of two documents showing a magazine map, by October Custom Publishing
A mixture of two documents showing a magazine map, by October Custom Publishing
A mixture of two documents showing a magazine map, by October Custom Publishing

9 times out of 10 - the first draft will look like complete garbage.

"The main issue with generative AI art tools is they’re built on the backs of uncredited, unpaid artists whose art is used without consent. Every image you generate only exists because of the artists it’s copying from, even if those works aren’t copyrighted. Some AI evangelists like to claim these tools work “just like the human brain” and that “human artists are inspired by or reference other artists the same way,” but this is untrue for multiple reasons."

Two mockup magazine covers in production, designed by October Custom Publishing
Two mockup magazine covers in production, designed by October Custom Publishing
Two mockup magazine covers in production, designed by October Custom Publishing
Two mockup magazine covers in production, designed by October Custom Publishing

Contrary to popular belief, magazine covers are not created by pressing the "Design a Cover" button.

Various cropped shots of different photosoots by October Custom Publishing
Various cropped shots of different photosoots by October Custom Publishing
Various cropped shots of different photosoots by October Custom Publishing
Various cropped shots of different photosoots by October Custom Publishing

Looking for a rad photography studio near downtown Austin?

A cropped Ukraine infographic
A cropped Ukraine infographic
A cropped Ukraine infographic
A cropped Ukraine infographic

Cool Infographics is an amazing resource for infographic inspiration.

An selection of illustrated covers for The Absolute Sound magazine from the 1970s, 80, and 90s.
An selection of illustrated covers for The Absolute Sound magazine from the 1970s, 80, and 90s.
An selection of illustrated covers for The Absolute Sound magazine from the 1970s, 80, and 90s.
An selection of illustrated covers for The Absolute Sound magazine from the 1970s, 80, and 90s.

Harry Pearson would commission some insane (by today's often boring newsstand standards) artwork for covers.

Samir Husni, Mr Magazine
Samir Husni, Mr Magazine
Samir Husni, Mr Magazine
Samir Husni, Mr Magazine

Samir Husni, known for his long-running blog Mr Magazine, publishes updates on new magazines launches every quarter.

A screengrab of an interactive graphic based on the USS Titan from Star Trek: Picard
A screengrab of an interactive graphic based on the USS Titan from Star Trek: Picard
A screengrab of an interactive graphic based on the USS Titan from Star Trek: Picard
A screengrab of an interactive graphic based on the USS Titan from Star Trek: Picard

Immersive infographic ... and prosper.

A photo of Data from Star Trek next to a hand drawn diagram by October Custom Publishing.
A photo of Data from Star Trek next to a hand drawn diagram by October Custom Publishing.
A photo of Data from Star Trek next to a hand drawn diagram by October Custom Publishing.
A photo of Data from Star Trek next to a hand drawn diagram by October Custom Publishing.

Not being one to back down when someone is so clearly wrong, we were forced to draw the plot points as a diagram for our colleague.

Whisky being poured into a teacup, shot at October Custom Publishing's studio.
Whisky being poured into a teacup, shot at October Custom Publishing's studio.
Whisky being poured into a teacup, shot at October Custom Publishing's studio.
Whisky being poured into a teacup, shot at October Custom Publishing's studio.

Our role was to assist in producing the images he needed to make, and eat the prop pizza afterwards.

Cropped image of an ai generated  magazine cover
Cropped image of an ai generated  magazine cover
Cropped image of an ai generated  magazine cover
Cropped image of an ai generated  magazine cover

"AI gives you the opportunity to create something that you couldn’t have created yourself before. Now anybody with the right mindset, the knowledge, and maybe also the aesthetic, can actually make a fashion magazine, and a little bit of money."

We frequently photograph doctors in their work environments—private practices, offices, on the grounds of medical schools, and even sometimes in their own homes. However, some of the most striking photography has been shot in our own studio in Austin, Texas.

Many people involved in publication production—whether designer or writer—don’t have a great understanding of the importance of kerning. They might not even know what it is. This short online letter spacing game can help you learn what it is, how important it is, and how right or wrong you may have been about it.

Sometimes it can be tough to know where to look for magazine design and page layout inspiration. One great place to find amazing portfolio examples is The Society of Publication Designers Nice Spread section. Here you’ll find regularly updated examples of magazine and newspaper spreads from around the world.

An image of a monitor on a white background.
An image of a monitor on a white background.
An image of a monitor on a white background.
An image of a monitor on a white background.

Cult of Mac recently published this handy guide to the best monitors for your Mac in 2023.

Torquil recently had the opportunity to accompany Matt Wrightsteel on a five day trip to Big Bend State Park, via McDonald Observatory where Matt was working on a project for Alcalde magazine.

Photo courtesy WSJ.
Photo courtesy WSJ.
Photo courtesy WSJ.
Photo courtesy WSJ.

John Warnock, co-founder and CEO of Adobe, died on August 19th, 2023, aged 82.