Today we have something special: Writer, blogger and art history major Vienna Kim from St. Andrews, Scotland, wrote an article about how you can start your own publication. Some weeks ago she contacted us with the proposal to interview us and publish the interview on her website. We, in return got her lovely written article that you can read below.

So be inspired and maybe after reading you start your own project that was in your mind all the time. ☆

5 TIPS TO KICK OFF YOUR ARTS/FASHION PUBLICATION

You love art, you love fashion, and writing is probably already a passion of yours. In a parallel universe, you are living the dream and putting these interests together in the form of your own beautiful magazine. Creating your own publication doesn’t have to be restricted to your list of “some days” or “if onlys”, however. Though it can be difficult to know where to kick off when planning an arts or fashion magazine, here are a few pointers to get you started.

SPECIFY YOUR NICHE

Every successful publication has a specific niche, genre, and target audience. It is important to identify these when planning out what your publication will look like. Compare the art blogs ARTNews and COLOSSAL, for example. Both specialise in what is going on in the art world today, but ARTNews focuses a lot more on the art market and large art events around the world, while COLOSSAL highlights fascinating contemporary breakthroughs in art that happen on a smaller, more relevant scale. Of course, each publication appeals to a different type of person. When planning your publication, ask yourself: What do you want to say? Who do you want to read your magazine? All art is good art, but what do you want to zoom in on?

LEARN SOME GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGN

Even if you’re not the hands-on “artsy” type, and you already signed up a friend to cover the graphics of your publication for you, it’s important to be aware of what a tasteful layout and aesthetic for your magazine looks like. This is your publication and your vision, and you know what kind of vibe you wish to portray through it. Very often, you will have to make aesthetic decisions, and in these situations, it’s best to be familiar with the programs (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and fundamental rules of good graphic design.

GET SOCIAL

We’re in the digital age. Get Facebook, get Instagram, and get awareness of your publication out there. Make sure you pick and choose which social platforms you want to use, as you want enough to cover a wider audience, but not too much to the point where you can’t keep track of them all. Find out which social media platforms your target audience is using, and get on it.

PRINT PROFESSIONALLY

This tip comes directly from the lovely Lia & Zebra from Grunge’n’Art themselves. We’ve already talked about how important graphic design is for the aesthetics of your magazine. The final product is what’s most important, however, and if your design is great, your content is great, but the print is grainy and the binding is falling apart, you cannot have a successful publication.

STAY INSPIRED

There will absolutely be moments when you feel totally discouraged by your work and the progress of your magazine. The best thing to do in these situations is to surround yourself with inspiration and encouragement. Follow blogs and accounts of similar publications, such as Grunge n’ Art. Seeing someone else get it done and be successful doesn’t have to be competition—think of it as visualising your goal!

There is no age limit to when you can get up and start your own business. The tools that are provided to us today through our digital age means that anyone can learn to start up that online shop, begin blogging, or publish an arts or fashion magazine! So take these tips to heart, plan accordingly, and begin something today.

∙ words by Vienna Kim, images by Grunge’n’Art ∙

We thank Vienna a lot for her writing and you should definitely visit her WEBSITE.

Moreover, you can read the interview that she did with us HERE.

Also you can find Vienna here:

• Instagram
• Tumblr

☆ Thank you! ☆