Got you covered

AS IChemE continues to evolve and grow, the TCE team found ourselves reflecting on what the magazine has meant to members over the years and how it has informed, entertained and developed.

As the graphic designer for this publication I am very much behind the scenes at the Institution but my contribution is a visible one. For 28 years I have shaped readers’ visual experience of The Chemical Engineer. I take a lot of pride in helping to create this tangible and well-regarded member benefit, and as I outlined in the article I wrote for our 1,000th issue: “It’s a rewarding feeling to know that I played a part in creating something that will hopefully interest and inspire readers. I try to make technical subjects look appealing and engaging and convey complex information in attractive ways.”

Reflecting on my time here, I’ve compiled a small collection of covers I’ve enjoyed working on. Covers can be a challenge, searching for appropriate and eyecatching ways to illustrate topics I sometimes don’t fully understand. There’s often a ‘Photoshop challenge’ here and there – such as adding letters on a safe dial, wind turbines on an eyeball, a hardhat on a statue, realistic graffiti, Ikea-style instructions and revolutionary-style beer.

I’m proud of my body of work, often created with little to no brief – aside from reading the article as I lay it out! I am also lucky to have been allowed a lot of creative freedom to make some bold choices – including a recent pink (gasp!) cover that was particularly well received for standing out from other engineering publications.

Our online archive currently goes back to 2004 and we are keen to extend it further. If you have a look through past magazines, or even just peruse the covers after this piece, then yes, I did go through a black/red period!

Alex Revell is production lead at The Chemical Engineer, beginning her time at IChemE as advertising production assistant on issue 642 in 1997