Jamie

I read somewhere that you can find some great design in magazines that appeal to a smaller or more specific readership. So, ever since, I've flicked through every magazine I've come across in search of inspiration. It's not always convenient though - standing in Sainsbury's perusing Marie Claire gets me some funny looks.

I didn't find anything in Marie Claire, but I did in Jamie Oliver's magazine 'Jamie'. Could I be right in thinking it's the only magazine ever to have been given a first name as its title? Hmmm.

The way the dots on the masthead are allowed to be sliced off by the top of the page is a nice touch – you probably couldn't do this with whole letters but it's a good idea that you can call upon if ever the ascenders/descenders/dots in a word are getting in the way or using too much space.

The magazine is given a minimal look for the longer articles and then a more scatty layout for pages with lots of little bits of information. I say scatty but I know from experience that getting something to look scatty without looking as if it's just been thrown down is among the tougher jobs in magazine layouts.

Colour is abundant on most pages - maybe to emulate the hodgepodge of hues found in your average dish – and lots of the typography/illustration is rough-and-ready and has a hand-drawn look (reflecting the emphasis on using your hands while you're cooking). Ben Mounsey contributed to the issue featured below.