Ramble Magazine is an experimental travel magazine focusing on exploring human experience and deeper connections between people and place through the lens of travel and culture. Long and short form journalism, creative nonfiction, photo essays, aesthetic design, and quirky quotes make up the heart of Ramble, presented as a print magazine and website.
Various renditions of this magazine and overall conceptual branding have been in the works (seriously) since 2015, and it is all finally coming together! Everything in this magazine is my own work—design layouts, graphic creations, photography, written word—all painstakingly crafted into one beautiful monster. It is my hope that you see my heart on each page, because it’s all there.
An early version of Ramble, drawing inspiration from Bon Appétit's "Starters" opening.
I drew inspiration from several existing magazine designs, layouts, and creative approaches, including Bon Appétit Magazine by lead designer Alex Tatusian, J U N I P E R Magazine Layout by 46&2 // Visual Alchemy, Elle Traveller Magazine by Isabelle Fischer, and Roads & Kingdoms. I especially admire Roads & Kingdom's approach to travel journalism and design—from their well-designed and naturally intuitive layout of their website, to the forms of their feature stories, and their sensitive methodology of storytelling—and I am mindful of these principles whenever I engage in the creative process and as I reflect on my experiences.
I wish for Ramble to be accessible for all people, so the use of complicated language and complex layouts will not be found within the pages of this magazine. What sets Ramble apart from a lot of other travel-inspired magazines is the focus on experiencing place through people, rather than people as an afterthought or spectacle. And because the aspect of connections is integral to Ramble, my own personal handwriting is sprinkled throughout, acting as the “voice” of narration within my “Rambling Truths” sections and as labels for locations within the Top 20 article.
Creating this magazine as my final thesis project for my Graphic Design, Photography (Fine Arts), and Writing majors gave me space to experiment with publication design and combine elements of fine arts with empathetic writing into a cohesive piece of literature. Ramble Magazine is a 36-page spread with a limited run printing of 20 copies. Hopefully this edition is the first of many! Click through the embed below and visit Blurb to view the project in full.