Magazine Spotlight – Eight by Eight

Cover Illustration by Nigel Buchanan

[This post is part of a series by this week’s Guest Editor Robert Newman. More info here.]

Eight by Eight is a new soccer publication (that’s football if you live outside the USA), whose motto is “The Magazine the Beautiful Game Deserves.” It was launched in 2013 by the publishing team of Robert Priest (editor) and Grace Lee (creative director), who as Priest + Grace have been responsible for the design and creative direction of a host of top magazines. The magazine is bright, bold, and filled with engaging design and page after page of spectacular illustrations.

I haven’t been to a soccer match since watching the old Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League circa 1978, and I usually only follow the games every four years when the World Cup comes around. Fortunately, the Cup is being held this year in Brazil, and with its obsessive passion for the game, Eight by Eight is as engaging as a broadcast by the great soccer commentator Ray Hudson. (One of my favorite Hudson comments: “That defense is more stretched out than spandex on Miami Beach.”)

Illustration is an essential part of Eight by Eight, from its cover to the many full pages inside, it dominates the pages of the magazine like Barcelona star Lionel Messi slicing through a pack of defenders. Each issue (there have been two so far) has been an illustrative delight, filled with a rich diversity of styles. In addition to story artwork there are also a good number of illustrated graphics and charts. Eight by Eight comes with lush production values and nice paper and cover stock. It’s simply one of the best illustration showcases in the business.

Stay tuned for the Eight by Eight special World Cup edition, coming later in the Spring. Meanwhile, you can download their Brazil 2014 World Cup bracket poster, or buy a copy here.