Identity, editorial design and art direction of Bearded Magazine, the UK music magazine founded to support independent artists, regardless of genre or background.
The Publication
Bearded Magazine was founded by publisher and independent music guru, Gareth Main (Fleeing from Pigeons) and distributed throughout the UK in independent record shops and newsagents including WHSmith and Borders.
Bearded Magazine was founded by publisher and independent music guru, Gareth Main (Fleeing from Pigeons) and distributed throughout the UK in independent record shops and newsagents including WHSmith and Borders.
Freedom to Experiment
Through the founders unwavering trust, the freedom was afforded to take an experimental approach to the editorial design and art direction of the magazine. An underlying grid system was developed to offer a platform for consistency and clarity as a counterpoint to the playfulness and expressiveness of the design. The idea underpinning the direction was to try to visually embody the eclectic and unconventional nature of many of the featured artists. With each issue designed, the intention was for the content to be able to speak for itself, without the superficial stylings of much of the mainstream music press at the time.
Through the founders unwavering trust, the freedom was afforded to take an experimental approach to the editorial design and art direction of the magazine. An underlying grid system was developed to offer a platform for consistency and clarity as a counterpoint to the playfulness and expressiveness of the design. The idea underpinning the direction was to try to visually embody the eclectic and unconventional nature of many of the featured artists. With each issue designed, the intention was for the content to be able to speak for itself, without the superficial stylings of much of the mainstream music press at the time.
Cover Art
Cover art on issues shown courtesy of Bob London (top of page), Paul Davis, Zeroten and David Shrigley (directly above).
Cover art on issues shown courtesy of Bob London (top of page), Paul Davis, Zeroten and David Shrigley (directly above).
Collaboration
Over the years the publication has seen so many brilliant, eccentric and downright bizarre illustration contributions from the likes of Kenn Goodall, David Callow, Holly Wales, Bob London, Paul Davis, Zeroten, Emily Robertson, Craig Atkinson, William Edmonds, Mr Bingo, Nous Vous, Aesthetic Apparatus, Luke Best, Jay Taylor, Jeffrey Lewis, Karin Hagen and many more brilliant people. A huge thank you goes out to each and every artist that contributed to Bearded over the years and made it what it was.
Over the years the publication has seen so many brilliant, eccentric and downright bizarre illustration contributions from the likes of Kenn Goodall, David Callow, Holly Wales, Bob London, Paul Davis, Zeroten, Emily Robertson, Craig Atkinson, William Edmonds, Mr Bingo, Nous Vous, Aesthetic Apparatus, Luke Best, Jay Taylor, Jeffrey Lewis, Karin Hagen and many more brilliant people. A huge thank you goes out to each and every artist that contributed to Bearded over the years and made it what it was.
