How do you find your inspiration? Instead of me talking about every single thing I use to inspire myself, I’m going to focus in on 2 quarterly subscriptions I signed up for this year: The Mohawk Maker Quarterly (FREE) and Uppercase Magazine (Quarterly Subscription).

This isn’t so much a review of the publications, but more so just me trying to help promote 2 awesome things you should consider adding to your inspiration trunk. Okay, maybe that is just a review, but I’m no expert on magazines, I’m just telling you why I like these and if you’re like me, you probably will too.

With all these internet resources for project inspiration like Pinterest or Instagram, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of endless scrolling. Coming up for air, it’s good to know that there are still some hard copy paper publications out there to hold on to. Keep reading to see what’s so great about them, and how you can get some of your own.

Uppercase Magazine

I had been thinking about subscribing to an art magazine for a while, but wasn’t sure where to start. Then, one day at work I stumbled upon Uppercase. It was the cover and the paper it was printed on that first attracted me. After flipping through the pages, I decided to investigate the magazine further when I got home.

At the time I was still contemplating subscribing since I wasn’t in the mood to spend money, so when I first got on the website, I clicked “Free” on their menu, and ended up signing up for their emails. Later on when I received one of their emails offering a discount to start a subscription, I was hooked. I’m so happy that I did sign up!

Why is Uppercase so cool? Let me break it down for you in a few bullet points.

• The magazine is printed on QUALITY paper. Okay, that may seem like a weird thing to geek about, but after you hold this magazine in your hands, you’ll wonder what cheap material People magazine runs theirs on. I have also recently worked at a print shop, so paper has become a new thing for me.
• The content has substance. It’s not about any celebrity gossip or quick movie reviews or non-stop pages of ads, it’s got substance! The articles are all very informative, and shine light on all sorts of artists and the many different crafts that they do. I find these to be great sources of inspiration. Just learning about what others are doing with different mediums sparks my creative juices. Sometimes just interviews with the artists are refreshing because you get to read their thought process and absorb it into your own creative flow. Each issue also has a new theme that they focus on, so it’s never the same thing twice! Sometimes you even get little reader-submitted goodies too.
• The makers are passionate about the magazine and what they do. There’s just something about an artist who has found their “thing” and gets to work everyday with it that is so admirable. I really enjoy reading the editor’s welcome letters and about her own creative journey. Her social media is a great way for one to peek into her life. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think it’s so cool to see an editor so close to her work.

Mohawk Maker Quarterly

It’s one of those best kept secrets that I have no shame in sharing! One day at work someone from Mohawk came down to tell us about their papers. Some of you must be thinking “oh paper, *yawn”, but really you should be thinking “OH HELL YA PAPER!”. The paper that you choose can really make or break your print project. If you don’t understand the difference between 20# paper and 300gsm, then you have a lot to learn.

One of the things that stood out during her presentation was this Maker Quarterly that they publish roughly every 3 months. In short, it’s a cool way for them to promote their paper and to feature the artists who use their paper for their projects.

What can you gain from Mohawk Maker Quarterly? Here’s the skinny:

• It is 100% FREE What?? Did I just say “free”? Yup. You read that correctly. If there’s anything I like more than sales, it’s free. This publication is all yours for the price of nothing! Now there’s really no excuse to not subscribe right now, now is there?
• Free artwork and paper samples. If a company is going to promote their product, then of course they’re going to put their best foot forward. You’ll sometimes get free art prints with your copy of the publication and there’s great digital printing and offset printing that makes it into this publication. I received a free letterpress print in my most recent copy! If you’re curious about the paper it’s printed on, they tell you right on the back of the issue. Talk about great marketing!
• The articles and the materials work together. For each issue, there is a new theme. Together the paper and the articles work together to help you understand the theme in a new way. This further pushes the significance of obtaining a hard copy for yourself.

So, where can I sign up for these?

Uppercase
If you’re not in the market to buy a subscription just yet, take a peek at their back issues to see if it’s something you would like to own yourself. When you’re finally ready to take that leap, head on over here to subscribe. Also note that the subscription is in CAN dollars, so for anyone in the US, it is a bargain! Or you can be like me and subscribe to FREE weekly inspirations first. One thing is for sure, you will not regret your subscription one bit.

Mohawk Maker Quarterly
If you’re not signing up for free, then what are you doing??
Here’s where you can sign up for the Mohawk Maker Quarterly.

Happy Inspiration Shopping!