The two-year-old Coast Life magazine picked up two awards, a silver and a bronze, at the recent provincial newspaper awards where it was judged on both content and design. The awards ceremony was a big night for the magazine's art director, Shelley Ackerman. She not only shared in the glory for Coast Life, summer and fall 2008 issues, she shared in the first place award that went to Aqua, a Saltspring Island publication and yet another of Ackerman's designs.
Clean and friendly. Those are the key concepts in Ackerman's style of work. During her years of experience as a professional publication designer she has re-worked the look of newspapers and wrapped her style around many publications in B.C. Besides Aqua, she is the artistic hand behind two Kootenay periodicals and Whistler, The Magazine, published twice a year. She accomplishes this as part of a team with husband John Snelgrove who is managing editor of Coast Life. Ackerman gives credit to the magazine's writers for the early success of Coast Life, but she said photography and its placement is also essential.
"I keep the advertising laid out in a modular format so it's tidy," she said. "Then you're clear on what's ad and what's editorial. That's important to me."
Good design should not intrude on the stories or ads, Ackerman said. The look must be clean with lots of white space. All the graphic tricks, the subheads and kickers, should pull the reader into the story. Once into the magazine the reader should be able to navigate easily.
The plan seems to work. Kerri Luciani, Coast artist, has been a fan of Coast Life since its inception, and she enjoys its presentation.
"I read every word -I read it cover to cover which I normally do not take the time to do with other magazines," said Luciani.
Coast Life editor and Coast Reporter Associate Publisher Cathie Roy has heard that same kind of feedback from others. Indications are that they keep the magazine around and re-read it, too.
"We saw an opportunity to do more in depth stories about local events or local people," said Roy of Coast Life's goal. "There isn't always the space in the newspaper. We wanted something with a lot of style to it for literate people."
The overall look had to be a fit with this community, making each design element - such as which paper to use - a big decision.
"The matt coated paper is more tasteful, plus being environmentally sound was important to me," said Ackerman.
The publication uses FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper.
Artist Jan Poynter noticed the choice right away.
"Being a printmaker, the smooth substantial feel with the satin finish is very appealing," said Poynter. "I think the ads themselves are of high quality, clean and simple with top quality photos. Although ads are the bread and butter of the magazine business, most publications tend to be cluttered and inconsistent."
Poynter also likes the clean san-serif type face, and the open leading (space between the lines of type) that makes it easy to read.
Morley Baker, Westwind Gallery owner, who has an astute eye for design, says that Coast Life has a professional look, maybe even somewhat understated. It doesn't try too hard, like some magazines do, to look good.
The feedback for the first year of Coast Life was positive; it seemed people liked to see their friends and neighbours in the publication and they liked to learn things about the Coast. The people photos on the cover each issue also help.
"We wanted to make it reflective of the community -not just scenery on the cover - but friendly faces," said Ackerman.
In 2007 Coast Life was awarded gold in the B.C. and Yukon Community Newspaper Association competition. In the second year it took silver and bronze. Third year? See for yourself. Next issue comes out on June 19.
