Magazines for graphic designers: The best graphic design publications

What are the best magazines for graphic designers?

Although your designs will come from your inner creativity, you can gain inspiration from numerous places online. Instagram is a great platform for graphic designers to connect with each other, and you might also find cool things worth trying on YouTube.

But sometimes, the best way to gain inspiration is from more traditional forms of media. Fortunately, you’ll find plenty of magazines for designers – and their publishing schedules will vary depending on which ones you choose.

Some of these are only available online, whereas others are in print – and some are a mixture of both.

If you’re interested in discovering the best graphic design publications, you’re in the right place. This article will show you over 10 of our favorites, and you’ll learn about how to find each of them. You’ll also discover what’s covered in each of these and several other things.

What is the no.1 graphic design magazine?

We’ll go into our list of the best graphic design magazines soon, but let’s start by identifying our top choice. If we were to recommend one publication for graphic designers to consume, it would be Graphic Design USA. 

Graphic Design USA is one of the most recognizable publications within the creative sector, having been around for six decades. The magazine’s print version is released six times per year, and you can get a free subscription if you live in the US and are either a creative professional or a graphic designer.

In Graphic Design USA, you’ll find a selection of stories from across the industry. You can discover what different brands are doing to enhance their presence, plus much more. 

If you live outside the US, you can still subscribe to Graphic Design USA – though you’ll need to pay to receive your magazine issues. Pricing depends on where you live; it’s slightly less expensive to subscribe to Graphic Design USA if you live in Canada. 

In addition to the print versions of Graphic Design USA, you can go to the website for all the latest news in the industry. Moreover, if you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you can access issues of the magazine online.

Which magazines do graphic designers read?

While Graphic Design USA is arguably the best design magazine, it’s not your only choice. If you want to assess your other options, consider checking out the publications we’ve listed below.

Creative Review

Whereas Graphic Design USA focuses specifically on graphic design, Creative Review covers a broader scope of topics. In addition to graphic design, you’ll find articles about photography, film and illustration, advertising, and much more.

We are talking about graphic design in this article, though, so let’s stick with that. When reading Creative Review, you’ll find a selection of articles about the latest in the industry – including a selection of items that show what some of the world’s top brands are doing.

On top of that, you’ll find useful articles and insights to help you improve your skills.

Creative Review is a print magazine, but you’ll also find plenty of useful resources online. The publication releases four magazines per year, and with a subscription, you’ll also receive full access to Creative Review’s articles online.

If you don’t get a subscription, you can access a limited number of pieces for free.

Besides its website and print publication, you can gain more useful insights with the Creative Review podcast. Students can receive a discount when subscribing to Creative Review, and you can choose from several paid plans if you’re outside of your studies.

A New Type of Imprint

Scandinavian design has gained significant traction in recent years, and any trip to Stockholm or Copenhagen will look like something straight out of a lifestyle magazine. Graphic designers have also taken inspiration from the north, with many brands adopting more of a minimalist style. 

It was perhaps inevitable that one of the magazines for graphic designers to make this list would be Scandinavian. That entry is A New Type of Imprint, founded in the Norwegian capital Oslo. The magazine ran for 13 issues, with the final one being published in 2018. 

Despite A New Type of Imprint no longer regularly publishing magazines, its old issues are still worth checking out. In the magazine, you’ll find articles about different talking points within the discipline of graphic design – such as fonts and different design styles. 

You will also discover graphic designers making their mark on the world, plus much more. 

The magazine also features beautiful imagery, making you want to stick around and read it from cover to cover. If you want to buy A New Type of Imprint’s past issues, you can head to the LOREM (Not Ipsum) store.

Monocle

One of the best magazines for graphic designers isn’t solely focused on design, but it features visual art heavily throughout its content and branding. Monocle is a hugely popular magazine that releases monthly issues, except December– a joint release with January of the following year. 

Each year, Monocle hosts the Monocle Design Awards. During this, you’ll discover all the big hitters making moves across the space – and it doesn’t just include graphic design. 

You’ll learn about those doing big things with interiors and more, allowing you to gain inspiration from multiple brands and individuals. 

Monocle also focuses on fashion and travel, and its beautifully-designed magazines are great for offering ideas for your own creative pursuits. Moreover, if you’re a freelancer or sell your art, you’ll find inspiration from the numerous interviews with creative entrepreneurs. 

In addition to the monthly magazine, Monocle has a broad selection of books worth checking out. You’ll find travel guides for numerous cities, guides to living well, and much more.

PRINT Magazine

Another of the best graphic arts magazines is PRINT Magazine. 

The magazine was released as a quarterly print magazine until the end of 2017 – but since then, it has taken things completely online. Today, you’ll find a huge variety of resources from the graphic design industry – and it’s a great place to go if you’re looking for fresh ideas. 

If you want daily insights, you can subscribe to The Daily Heller newsletter – which Steve Heller hosts. You can gain further inspiration and discover creative entrepreneurs making moves across the space with the Design Matters podcast, which is on Soundcloud and Apple Podcasts. 

Besides both of those, PRINT Magazine has several resources in multiple categories. These include fine art, color and design, and street art. You can access the broad suite of online content for free whenever you want. 

In addition to resources, PRINT Magazine has a selection of available jobs. So, if you’re looking for your next career move, head over and check the site. 

Design Week

Arguably the best graphic design magazine in the UK is Design Week. You can access the publication’s content online and upload new articles daily. 

Design Week showcases a wide range of stories from the world of graphic design, such as the latest branding stories and how they reflect the companies they represent. 

Design Week also highlights what others within the industry are saying, featuring interviews with some of the sector’s most interesting personalities. You can also participate in fun interactive games, such as quizzes – making the website a perfect place to enjoy your lunch break. 

Design Week covers numerous graphic design topics, such as typography, and different design festivals worldwide. On top of that, you will find a wide range of jobs – allowing you to pick a company and role that suits your career desires.

form

If you’re looking for a unique magazine for graphic designers, and you also happen to understand German, consider reading form. 

The magazine works well as a collector’s item even if you don’t speak German. It has been going since 1905, and today, you can get print issues released every two months.

form offers different tips for graphic design, such as typography. Beyond that, you can also check out plenty of interesting stories from across the sector. Subscription prices vary, and you can get a discount if you’re a student.

In addition to its magazines, form has several other items worth checking out on its online shop. These include hats, hoodies, bags, and more.

Eye on Design

Like A New Type of Imprint, Eye on Design is no longer launching regular issues. However, the six issues that it did publish are worth checking out – and they can help you gain a significant amount of inspiration for your own creative journey. 

Eye on Design features several intriguing essays from graphic designers and other creatives, which will help you get an insight into the minds of others. 

When reading Eye on Design, you’ll also discover the coolest projects in the graphic design space. Moreover, you’ll get posters that you can stick up on your wall. The magazines are also pretty thick, each being over 100 pages long. 

If you want to read Eye on Design’s previous issues, you can decide whether to get one or all of them together. Moreover, you can choose if you’d like to have them delivered to your address or read them online instead. 

Note that you might need to wait longer for your physical copies to arrive if you live outside the US. 

In addition to the physical magazines, you can read several stories on the Eye on Design website. These cover topics like the future of independent media, plus much more.

novum

novum took a new direction in 2021 – but before that, it was arguably the most influential graphic design magazine in the world. The publication had existed for over 90 years and – by the end of its publishing – had over 1,000 issues. 

Today, novum is known as Grafikmagazin; the old version was in German, and so is the new magazine name. 

We include novum on this list because it was so iconic, and you will find plenty of value in the old editions. The magazines have stories from across the graphic design space, and they back up their words with beautifully-designed publications. 

When reading novum, you’ll learn about projects you might not have been aware of. Moreover, you can gain inspiration for other creative fields – such as photography. Even if you don’t speak German, these magazines are visually appealing and make for excellent collectors’ items. 

Grafikmagazin, meanwhile, is available in both digital and print versions. It was published each month between March and June 2022; besides the magazines, you can find plenty of other products worth looking at. One example would be its posters.

Creative Bloq

One of the best graphic design publications is Creative Bloq. The publication has been around since 2012, and since then, it has grown into a leading figure in the art and design space. You will find daily articles on multiple topics, including all of the latest news.

Moreover, you can discover buying guides and how-to pieces.

Besides learning more about the tech you use to bring your creative ideas to life, Creative Bloq also discusses other graphic design-related matters – such as brand logos. And in addition to the various articles you’ll find online, you can subscribe to two magazines: ImagineFX and 3D World.

While Creative Bloq’s articles are free to read, you’ll need to pay if you want to subscribe to the magazines. If you want to network with others in your industry, Creative Bloq also has a selection of events throughout the year.

Communication Arts Magazine

Another magazine for graphic designers that should be on your radar is Communication Arts Magazine. The publication is one of the older entries to our list, having been around since 1959.

You’ll get a new magazine issue every two months, and you can decide whether you want to subscribe for one or two years.

Communication Arts Magazine covers several topics from the world of design, such as shedding light on design brands that readers should consider checking out. On top of that, you’ll learn about different designers and gain insight into the projects they’re working on.

The magazine also features book reviews and columns from prominent figures in the visual arts space. In addition to graphic design, you can discover stories related to photography, illustration, and other fields.

You can decide whether you want to subscribe to the print version of Communication Arts Magazine or whether you’d rather get the digital edition instead. A digital-only subscription is less expensive, but you’ll miss out on the enjoyment of having a physical copy.

Pricing varies for physical copies depending on where you live; it’s less expensive for US and Canadian subscribers.

Disegno

As we edge toward the end of this list of graphics magazines, we’ve got a couple more exciting entries for you to consider. Disegno is one of those, and it offers an intriguing insight into the world of visual arts. 

The publication releases a new magazine issue every quarter, and you can purchase an annual subscription. 

Disegno has two separate publications: The Journal of Design and Design Reviewed. Both are included in your subscription. Besides focusing on graphic design, Disegno also looks at other design forms – such as interiors and furniture. 

As you might expect, you’ll see beautiful imagery included in each magazine. 

In addition to the quarterly magazine, Disegno has two podcasts you can tune into. The first is The Crit, which looks at current affairs within the graphic design space. And the second is the Disegno Podcasts, which focuses more on those that are a part of the Disegno brand.

Kinfolk

If you enjoyed Monocle’s design and tone, you’d probably love Kinfolk magazine as well. The publication launched in 2011 and publishes its content in four languages: English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. If you subscribe to Kinfolk, you’ll receive a new issue every three months.

Kinfolk, like Monocle, doesn’t focus exclusively on graphic design.

The magazine is more within the lifestyle category, but design and beautiful visuals form a significant part of it. You’ll learn more about several cool projects worldwide, and you will likely gain inspiration as you flick through the pages.

The publication interviews all kinds of interesting people, including creative entrepreneurs. When it comes to design, you will find a wide range of conversations with people in your field – giving you an insight into how the industry leaders think.

Besides design, Kinfolk focuses on fashion, travel, music, food, and more. You can get several items alongside the magazines, such as a wide selection of exciting books. For subscriptions, you can choose whether you want a digital or print subscription; the digital one is half the price.

Creative Boom

Another of the best magazines for graphic designers is Creative Boom, an online publication focusing on the greatest minds in the creative industries. Creative Boom focuses mainly on design, but you’ll also find articles about other artistic disciplines – such as photography and publishing. 

On the Creative Boom website, you’ll find plenty of interviews with designers, illustrators, and others. You can also discover the latest news within the design sector, which will help you keep a pulse on the companies you wish to do projects with. 

Creative Boom covers a vast range of topics related to graphic design. Examples include fonts and typography, along with tips to help you as a freelancer or in your career. You can also enjoy the podcast, which involves several inspirational stories and will encourage you to think outside the box.

Eye

Not to be confused with Eye on Design, Eye magazine is another contender for the best design magazine. The publication prides itself on having a beautiful design, and you’ll likely find it an excellent collector’s item once you’ve finished reading the magazine. 

Eye releases new issues around twice yearly, which has been going on since 1990. While Eye magazine doesn’t release new issues frequently, we promise each one is worth the wait. 

You’ll find several interviews worth checking out, and you can discover a broad range of interesting artists. Though Eye magazine focuses mainly on design, it also highlights other visual arts disciplines – such as photography. 

In addition to the physical magazines, you can find several valuable resources on the website’s blog. Moreover, Eye has a newsletter offering insights and other valuable updates.

IDEA Magazine

To round up our list of the best magazines for graphic designers, let’s look at IDEA Magazine. The publication is written in Japanese, but it’s still cool to have it as a collector’s item. IDEA has 400 issues in circulation at the time of writing in February 2023, with the most recent one coming in December 2022. 

IDEA Magazine releases new issues every three months, covering multiple topics. You can learn more about some of Japan’s top graphic designers and discover more about photography, architecture, and several other interesting topics. 

IDEA Magazine is challenging to get if you’re located outside Japan, but it’s worth checking online to see if you can find an international reseller. Alternatively, you should consider getting it if you ever find yourself in Japan for an extended period.

All of the best graphic design magazines

So, there you have it – that’s our list of the best magazines for graphic designers. Whether you’re looking for something that focuses specifically on design or you’re interested in other visual art disciplines, you’ll find something that meets your needs. 

When looking for the best design magazine, you’ll want to consider numerous factors, such as which stories you find the most interesting. On top of that, you should consider how frequently you’d like your publications to be delivered – plus whether you want the digital or physical versions. 

Of course, you’ll also find a wide selection of online publications that provide a wide variety of free content. Have a sift through this list and figure out which ones work the best for you. And while you’re at it, why not consider checking out these gifts for graphic designers?

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