Editorial Illustration Case Study: Conceptual Artwork for New Scientist Magazine

My final artwork for a New Scientist brief set during the Editorial Illustrator's Playbook course by Inkygoodness

I have been part of Inkygoodness' Editorial Illustrator's Playbook course over the last six weeks. While I've written for all kinds of incredible titles, such as New Scientist, The Telegraph, CNN, New Statesman, and so on, I am now hoping to move departments so to speak and work in editorial illustration.

Engaging readers through conceptual editorial illustration requires metaphorical thinking and visual storytelling. So, to train my brain, I took this course which has been fantastic.

We took on two briefs, submitting work at various stages, which looked like: three sketches, two colour roughs, then final artwork (202.6mm x 141.9mm).

About New Scientist

New Scientist is a science-focused magazine based in London. This editorial brief required a "vibrant, thought-provoking landscape illustration to accompany the article: How to Nurture the Right Mindset for Living to 100".

We were asked to create a conceptual illustration offering a "new perspective on longevity and show how science, mindset and habits intertwine".

The Three Sketches

The article stated that studies linking social connectivity with longevity found a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships.

I wanted to show a family with strong ties, who exude closeness and so I decided to place them on a crane, a symbol of longevity. This evoked a joyous and energetic scene depicting vitality and a positive health span.

The article put community and social connection as crucial to human longevity. At one point the writer says that close relationships positively affect our hormones, our immune systems and even how our genes are expressed.

After much thought I decided to use this idea of the maypole, which is a traditional event that brings the entire community together, young and old. I decided that I could make the author's point visually by making the ribbons from DNA.

Often maypoles have something on the top; this one has a heart, for health, and a 100 to indicate this goal age, pointing back to the story.

This sketch picks up on the point on how "men who have more positive social relationships and are more involved with the community during midlife have a lower risk of depression and better cognition in late life".

I also wanted to marry this sentiment with the idea that "just being near people calms the body in important ways".

By placing a fit-looking elderly father next to his grown-up son and his daughter while absorbed in a healthy community activity such as gardening, I felt I could show how this fires off neurons and enhances cognitive wellness. The roots of the plants visually emulate these neurons and pathways. I chose chrysanthemums as they symbolise longevity.

Two Colour Roughs

I received feedback from the course hosts. Sketches 2 and 3 were considered the strongest and I decided to go with sketch 2.

We decided to go with the vibrant, more modern palette in the first image rather than the vintage-inspired palette shown in the second image.

Final Artwork

While creating the final editorial illustration I had to overcome a few problems. The first was the mess that the ribbons created meeting at the top of the maypole. The second was injecting more energy into the characters - I wanted joy to jump off the page, the energy that sparks with social connection. A third concern was the DNA itself. Straight ribbons weren't working, but they had to look loose and ribbon-like - and I didn't want to outline these in ink - while presenting as DNA and not blocking any of the characters.

Another consideration was how to create a background knowing that for online publication I wanted a piece that would grab the reader, so I wasn't thinking about a box shape, but a way of making each individual stand out.

As I was working in Procreate, I can show some of the stages I went through and how I solved the problems through this 30-second video.

30-second process video from Procreate

I realised during this process how much I enjoyed working through these problems so that the concept worked but was also visually optimised for the reader.

Here is the final result - you can also view the artwork in the work section of my website here:

The final artwork for the New Scientist brief

If you’re an art director, picture editor or magazine publisher looking for conceptual editorial illustration, I’m available for editorial commissions and magazine illustration projects. Please reach out here - I can't wait to work with you.