The Family Issue

This special digital issue of The New Yorker explores what family means today. Visually, it was inspired by children’s book illustration, symbolic abstraction, graphic iconography, and folk art, to emphasize ideas relating to simplicity and universal connection.

A warm palette unifies the art for the issue.

On the landing page the art starts skewed. Upon scroll it ‘straightens up’ cleaning house for the reader.

Sprinkled throughout the issue are playful spots by Rose Wong. I asked Rose to capture moments from family vacations gone horribly awry.

I designed several components for the different types of content featured on the page.

I commissioned artist Jun Cen to create the cover and opening illustrations for The Family Issue. The couch, a quintessential symbol of American family, inspired the opening illustration—showing different configurations of this ineffable arrangement of people.

I made a trailer to promote the issue, animating the spot illustrations for additional whimsy. In addition to creating other assets to promote the issue across social platforms.

Several writers wrote small sidebars about family heirlooms, which were illustrated by Isabel Seliger.