Quarter Out was born from a final project while in school, but this is a magazine I would daydream about and creating it was an absolute labour of love.

My aim with Quarter Out was to create a world of its own by pulling elements from the surf and skate world. I started by first researching other magazines that covered the topics in Quarter Out and using them to influence the issue’s mood board. I looked at skate, surf, photography, music, and travel magazines. Each one of them followed expectations within the publishing world. Each had a unique look but developed a similar layout for the covers.

Since the cover sets the stage for everything between the pages, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to set Quarter Out apart.

I decided to subvert expectations by orienting the cover photo horizontally, allowing it to bleed to the back cover. I was looking to break with the idea that the publication’s name had to be clear near the top, so I looked to postmodernism and Dadaism for inspiration. The result produced a sliced name that was still clear from multiple inclusions, but most of all, the cover stood out as intended.

Typically, magazines will have a central focus and strictly adhere to that subject.

Growing up, I knew first-hand that just because you skated didn’t mean you weren’t interested in music or art. Often, these worlds went hand in hand, creating a unique culture. A friend could pick up a camera and start shooting others as they grind a rail at the skate parks, and consequently, they would find that they have a passion for art. They had a symbiotic relationship; each year, the skaters would get better, and so would the photographer, turning a hobby into a profession. After all, everyone comes from somewhere, and we all have stories to tell. Quarter Out aims to tell those stories.

I wanted the magazine to include the artists that were out there following the adrenaline junkies.

The photographers were captivated by riding waves or lying between jumps just to snag that perfect shot. That is why, during development, I pulled influences from big-name surf and skate brands like Volcom, Vans, and Billabong and my life in Ormond Beach, Florida, working in a surf shop as a teenager.

I wanted each feature article to feel unique but fit together seamlessly.

The plan for the interior magazine was to create a clear template for each article. Each feature would have a unique title page but similar margins on the following pages they shared. The idea was to use asymmetrical design within a symmetrical repeating layout, building a repetition.

I wanted the six pages of the main feature to look like a picture gallery with the images and copy fitting together like a continuous feed till the end.

The "Lorem Ipsum" designs: These are some of the abandoned designs to the feature articles in this issue that were explored as possible approaches.

Black Salt is one of the band names I use when I create fake album art to share online. On the last page of this spread, you can see one of my covers.

The goal of the design was to create a magazine that felt elevated yet accessible and well, cool.

Through careful curation of images, typography, and colour, I believe the goals of this issue of Quarter Out and a unique aesthetic were achieved.

Quarter Out