Happy Medium Magazine is Binghamton University's student-run, nonpartisan political magazine dedicated to fostering thoughtful discussion on national and global issues. As Layout Designer, I balanced the publication's established visual identity with fresh design approaches, contributing to more than five 40-page print magazines.
Goal / Brief
My role included designing article layouts, researching imagery, creating illustrations, and preparing each publication for print. Working across multiple editions allowed me to adapt the magazine's visual language to different themes while maintaining a cohesive identity.
For the Decades edition, I drew inspiration from the evolution of graphic design throughout history, tailoring each article's layout to reflect a different era. For Valley Unveiled—the first magazine created for Chenango Valley High School in collaboration with Happy Medium—I developed the visual identity from the ground up. For the Innovation edition, I created layouts and supporting visuals that reflected a wide range of political issues during an election year.
Challenges
Each issue required a unique visual approach while still feeling like part of the same publication. Balancing consistency with experimentation challenged me to adapt my design style to a variety of topics, audiences, and themes.
What I'm Proud Of
I'm particularly proud of the range of work produced across multiple editions. The opportunity to design long-form editorial layouts, create original illustrations, and develop unique visual identities for different themes strengthened my skills in publication design and visual storytelling.
Credits
Role: Layout Designer
Organization: Happy Medium Magazine
