Pique Magazine is grim, dark and nuanced, full of stories about addiction, mystery and death. The bold layouts and edgy typography capture a young adult audience with fantasies of a more adrenaline fueled life. The cover of the magazine earned a silver award in Graphis’s New Talent 2025 category. Process for this work is included below the mockups.
PIQUE PROCESS
Banner/Logo Exploration
Hand-drawn sketches | Digital Iterations
Cover Exploration
I began the cover process with image research, looking for gritty striking visuals representative of the issue’s subject matter. Throughout my iterations I explored how different treatments of the banner in combination with imagery could set the tone of the cover.
Final Cover
The chrome banner texture paired well with the face behind glass photograph. This iteration felt like it matched the tone and had the most visual interest of the three. I then produced the final layout with inspiration from symmetrical liquor packaging.
Feature #1 Opening Spread
I began this spread with thumbnail sketches. This spread needed to embody the dark, provocative nature of the article.
This project became challenging when I began looking for the right photography. This led me to plan a custom photo shot complete with fake blood and steering wheel.
Final Layout
This project became challenging when I began looking for the right photography. This led me to plan a custom photo shot complete with fake blood and steering wheel.
Feature #2 Opening Spread
The article this feature spread is for is about the cold insidious nature of social media addiction. In the sketches I explored the concept by combining items associated with addiction and technology.
After moving forward with two of the comps, I found that the imagery I composited worked well but needed a more refined type treatment.
Final Layout
The broken glass type I created paired perfectly with the concept and added much needed visual contrast to the layout.
