The Outsider Magazine
The Outsider Magazine is the Intuit: Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art's annual publication. Starting in 2015, the magazine was made accessible to Intuit members and patrons in both digital and print form, allowing for a more widespread reception. The magazine provides in-depth coverage of exhibitions, programs and special events happening at Intuit as well as discoveries and news from the outsider and self-taught art genres.
Timeline
8 weeks
Industry
Arts; Publication
Platform
N/A
Year
2020
Stack
Scope
Research, Visual Design, Typography
About the Project
The team at Intuit reached out to me with their desire to re-design Intuit's annual publication, The Outsider, from its previous design (which can be viewed here) to better represent the museum, and the vision and story of Outsider Art . The concern was that their previous design was too rigid and impersonal which did not truly represent Intuit's goals to be the most accessible museum in Chicago and the most premiere Outsider Art museum in the world. Their goal is to convey their uniqueness and accessibility (physically and demographically).
First two initial book maps exploring The Outsider's new layout and structure.
The process began by deeply immersing myself in the art itself, analyzing each piece's form, color, and story. I collaborated closely with Intuit's team to understand their desire for a less rigid, more emotionally engaging design. Through iterative sketches, layout experiments, and typographic explorations, I created a flexible grid system that allowed each article’s design to align with the personality of the artwork featured.
Spreads from Alison Amick's article on Lonnie Holley, Intuit and Outsider Art.
vARIOUS PAGES FROM THE PUBLICATION
From the Inside Out
For the redesign of The Outsider, the goal was to create a publication that truly mirrored the energy and accessibility of Intuit and the raw, expressive nature of Outsider Art. This responsive layout brought an authentic, tactile feel to the publication, where each page seemed to break free from the constraints of traditional magazine structures, inviting readers into a direct, intimate experience with Outsider Art. The final result was a visually dynamic magazine that felt as unique and accessible as Intuit’s mission, letting each piece resonate while reinforcing Intuit’s position as a leading institution in Outsider Art.
