Chronicle Books Blog

I’m glad so many magazines have folded.

But don’t get me wrong. The reason I’m happy about having fewer magazines is because the quality of those that remain, and those that have recently launched, is so high. And, now I have more time to treasure their goodness. I do like perusing the online lifestyle magazines that have launched recently – but it’s just that: a peruse. My hands spark into spirit fingers when a beautifully printed magazine arrives in my mailbox, and I make time to savor the quality of the photographs, design, and thoughtful articles.

Look at the goodies that were tucked into my copy of Uppercase, which arrived this week. The “You Are My Sunshine” letterpress print, which totally made my day, was printed by husband-and-wife design team, Allison and Daniel Nadeau of Ink Meets Paper on their 1920s letterpress. Uppercase is a quarterly magazine “for the creative and curious.”

As a maker of books, I appreciate how much effort goes into publishing a magazine. Anthology documents this in its Making the Magazine spread with illustrations by Remilla Arcega. Anthology is a quarterly shelter and lifestyle magazine that launched in 2010. In my free time away from Chronicle, I do freelance editing for Anthology.

Good ideas resonate with me when they’re printed. Sunset‘s monthly garden checklist nudges me into action.

Trends are more powerful in print. House Beautiful‘s March issue inspired me to wear pink this week.

Last year I had heard chatter online about Faythe Levine and Sam Macon’s new documentary The Sign Painter, but it wasn’t until I sat down to read this article in Uppercase that I really digested what it was about and added it to my list of must-see movies.

It’s no wonder I love the feel (literally) of Anthology and Uppercase. Both are printed on handsome, thick paper, which makes the reading experience more akin to a beloved book than a disposable magazine. Both are perfect-bound like a book. Uppercase‘s uncoated stock gives it a toothy and slightly vintage feel – a printing technique Chronicle has used in some of my favorite recent books (Paper + Craft and Tartine Bread, to name just two). The paper even smells special! (Something you won’t say about this blog post.) Anthology has a sophisticated matte lamination, which is perfect for making photographs pop while keeping the pages feeling distinctive.

What other beautiful magazines do you love? I’d like to add to my arsenal of favorites.

Kate Woodrow
Editor

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