25 Comments

Now that is awesome.
Poor Concept
2010-06-01 12:07:24

It is a cool idea, but why did they restrict people to using their design application? Why not open it up completely and let the user submit whatever they want?
Stripeyhorse
2010-06-01 13:14:03

What a great idea! Thanks.
Hillary
2010-06-01 13:17:03

Great example of print on demand and a few days after people claiming Wired's iPad app will be the future of publishing. Maybe not when you can do amazing things like this.
John Instruct
2010-06-01 13:41:54

Yes, it's still better to get a 'real' personalized magazine.
roger
2010-06-01 13:48:00

http://bit.ly/bxwFbd How they'll make it cost effective is beyond me...but it's my job for it to be beyond me. I am amazed
Mareka Carter
2010-06-01 13:56:09

Now that is awesome.
Poor Concept
2010-06-01 14:19:10

Amazing innovation, top work.

I'd imagine they restrict it to their design app to ensure nothing defamatory or offensive appears below their masthead. It would be nice to have an element of user customisation though, just a custom type element or similar to allow users to leave their own mark on the cover.
Rik Moran
2010-06-01 14:25:38

@stripeyhorse "It is a cool idea, but why did they restrict people to using their design application? Why not open it up completely and let the user submit whatever they want?"

The restriction is exactly what makes it possible... It's just a set of scripting rules that generate the c overs for a print on demand system.

While a cool use of the technology, this is actually nothing new, the technology has been around for years to do this. A few years ago one magazine was doing a big story on privacy so they sent all their subscribers magazines where the cover was actually a satellite image of their house/neighbourhood. You'd actually be amazed at how much mail you likely already get that has been customized specifically to you (i.e. inserts with bills/credit cards etc are likely tweaked to be specific to you)
Ryan
2010-06-01 14:39:34

What ever happened to good olde worlde stickers?
To go online, go to a site, use an app, wait for response is not as much fun as applying things 'by hand' for this 'handmade issue'. More like the 'index finger made issue'.
bob
2010-06-01 16:11:33

A little similar to the Beck album cover concept by Big Active a few years back, but great nonetheless!
Ryan
2010-06-01 16:14:18

Ryan: it was Reason magazine who put aerial photos of each subscriber's house on the cover, back in 2004:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/05/business/05reason.html

Plenty of other digitally printed, personalized magazine examples out there, such as Mine, last year's Time Warner experiment in customized content and advertising.
Andrew
2010-06-01 19:56:12

Just did mine. Took me over an hr to decide that actually all I want is a smiley face... aka rotated sausage! Not at all indecisive! Good bit of fun!
Adam
2010-06-02 07:14:20

very good;)
Tanie auta
2010-06-02 09:49:59

That was fun! ... Sure, I would have liked to do a few more things with the app, but I had so much fun that I wrote about it on my design blog! :)
Nancy
2010-06-02 15:14:49

Design your own Wallpaper* cover....... yes I am doing that. OH!!....... use your app - no thanks.

Try again please with open ideas.
chris
2010-06-02 15:29:42

I'm off to design mine now. Can't wait for it to arrive !
Monkeyweb-design
2010-06-02 15:46:54

That was fun! ... Sure, I would have liked to do a few more things with the app, but I had so much fun that I wrote about it on my design blog! :)
Nancy
2010-06-02 15:56:44

I like the idea, had a go and was disappointed. I thought at least you could type your own words in. Doesn't feel like anything I've done rather than put together someone else's shapes etc. A graphic that says "I MADE THIS" makes a bit patronising too. Gee thanks dad, can we stick it on the fridge?
Req
2010-06-02 22:42:40

I did it - i make a design which symbolically speaks about the bp oil crisis.. (i live in new orleans, so it's been on my mind and heart a lot recently)... i'm certainly no professional, but with a little creativity you can use these shapes and letters to say anything you want. i thought it was loads of fun. can't wait to get it in the mail.
Jared Philibert
2010-06-03 22:56:32

Wicked, been in love with Wallpaper for many a moon.
Graphic Design Manchester
2010-06-04 10:21:18

Couldn't resist having a go, here's my effort: http://www.laurabarnard.co.uk/blog/im-on-the-cover-of-wallpaper-magazine.html
I rather enjoyed the restrictions of using the app's shapes and patterns as it's so different to what I'd usually do. My main woe was getting things to line up.
Laura Barnard
2010-06-09 11:12:34

Probably the most interesting thing they've done in a while!
--> Does it seem to anyone else that Wallpaper* has done just about everything that they can do.... I mean, how many more houses-lodged-in-the-side-of-mountains-in-Switzerland can they possibly find?
Anthony Wong
2010-06-09 18:35:07

Graphic Magazine # 12 "Customize" cover had similar concept but different solution. Homehow this one is worst as is a bit overpromise to say "design yours" and only give me limited tools, not total freedom.
eduard xandri
2010-06-10 22:42:00

Wicked, been in love with Wallpaper for many a moon.
yiwu
2010-09-13 12:38:00

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