Well, we hope you are anyway! Regardless, I’d like to welcome you to the first edition of Arrows & Icons Magazine. As cliché as it may be, our first article will serve as a somewhat necessary introduction to the magazine – we’ll talk about how we came to be where we are, and where we hope to go from here.

My name is Ryan, I’m the creator and editor here at A&I. This site has been sort of a pet project of mine – among many – for some time. It was hatched out of a need to better connect with the EGD community, and from there became a desire to better facilitate community and connections for EGD professionals online.

WHERE ARE WE?

First and foremost it is an online magazine covering Environmental Graphic Design, Signage & Wayfinding, Information Design, and all interrelated fields and professions. Issues will be published monthly, with each publication containing a handful of articles on topics relating to environmental graphic design. Some issues will have a common theme that all (or most) articles will relate to; others will be more general information. Yes, it is technically a blog, but the structure and articles are meant to more closely resemble a traditional magazine.

PURPOSE

The purpose of A&I is to be a resource for amateurs and professionals alike, appealing to those who are interested in environmental graphic design, studying it in school, or practicing out in the world. It will be a source of information on many topics relating to environmental graphic design; an educational outlet for readers to come and learn more about the field as well as for seasoned professionals to share their wisdom and experience with others.

It is also meant to build community within and around the environmental graphic design profession, a place where readers are encouraged to connect, interact, and share ideas and discussion about the field.

Finally, it is meant to further promote the role of environmental graphic design in today’s world, as a multidisciplinary field of design and a fulfilling career opportunity. In doing so we hope to demonstrate and communicate the value of design to our clients and our community.

OPPORTUNITIES

In the next few months we will be rolling out numerous user contribution opportunities. We hope to primarily provide a platform for discussion and interaction with others involved in environmental graphic design, however there will be many other ways to get involved as well.

As the magazine grows, we will certainly be looking for others to contribute articles and ideas. Be it a one time thing or on a regular basis, it’s important for others to share their ideas and experiences with the community, and we hope this will quickly become a collaboration of individuals, businesses and organizations. We all have great ideas and interesting things to share, and I certainly don’t want to be the sole voice of this magazine!

There will also be some advertising opportunities in the near future. Areas in the sidebar have been set aside for some banner advertising for organizations who wish to support us in that way. We are also in the process of assembling a firm directory; please contact me if you are interested in having your information listed. When the magazine gains more visitors and readers we will also roll out a Classified section and a job board for companies to advertise their services or post an open position, both for a minimal monthly fee.

In an effort to retain the integrity of the magazine, any advertising opportunities will be limited only to businesses and organizations that relate to the field, and will be coordinated in such a way as to not distract from the magazine’s content and discussion. More information can be found on the Advertise page.

LOOKING FORWARD

With all that said, our goal is for this magazine to become a valuable resource to readers, professionals and the design community, something of value that they will come back to again and again. Perhaps an even loftier goal is for A&I to be a stepping stone towards building a more cohesive online community within the profession; a place to hear learn and share, and a platform to facilitate discussion and collaboration.

CONSTANT CONVERSION

On a final note, this site and this magazine will be continually evolving to meet the needs and desires of readers. At any time please email us your feedback! Are there things that you like, things that you don’t like, article suggestions or folks that would like to be involved? Let us know and help us build a better community.