Creativity & Genre

            The level of creativity when embarking upon a new endeavor in a field ripe with choices is very important. Dr. Ron Beghetto, an internationally recognized expert on creative thought and action in educational settings, stated in an interview he thinks it is “important to recognize that creative behavior is risky behavior. This is because we are not sure how our creative actions will turn out or how our creative efforts will be experienced by others.” Creativity is a funny thing. Somethings you will find to be very creative while others don’t see the same thing as you because they don’t have your creativity. There are so many people out there who have had the same idea as you, but no one has the same level of creativity as you. Everyone is different when it comes to creativity.  

A lot of times getting creative ideas can be difficult. This is the part where you need some sort of motivation, you’re all out of ideas. A group of architects were all gathered, and they were asked to draw a house in 7 seconds. All the architects drew about the same house, a nice little square with door in the middle and a triangle roof. In addition to the architects, a naïve expert was brought in. Naïve experts won't solve the problem for you, but they will ask the embarrassing questions that you are too proud to ask and they will start throwing out ideas. This naïve expert gave out the motivation that was needed for the architects to create a better, more professional looking house. Getting a pair of fresh eyes, or someone who has no idea what you’re doing to look at your problem or project and give you advice or ideas can be the greatest motivation of all. 

For my project, I plan on doing a cooking magazine. I was tasked with researching different cooking/food magazines and I had to analyze the contents within and describe what I would want to do the same or what I want to do differently. I then did research on the creators of these magazines and see what makes them who they are. In my research I found two magazines, Food & Wine and Food Network Magazine. Hunter Lewis is the Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine. Prior to that he was the editor-in-chief of Cooking Light, executive editor of Southern Living, food editor of Bon Appétit, and kitchen director of Saveur. Previously, he cooked under Jonathan Waxman in Sonoma County, California, and at Barbuto in New York City. Hunter Lewis has major experience in the realm of cooking and producing magazines. He knows what will appeal to the public and what will catch our eye. I would love to be able to emulate the simplicity of the magazine. The magazine is very professional looking while looking clean and simple at the same time. There is just enough information to intrigue you to pick up and feel like a chef. The masthead on the magazines are usually big, bold, and either red, black, white, or gold. The typography is simple by having the coverlines stay within a two-color range and by staying mostly the same size. The main image is usually a delicious looking dish right in the center of the cover. The coverlines entice you to pick up the magazine and purchase. They convince you that you can make “foolproof steaks” and “next-level juices” just by simply having the words on the cover. Maile Carpenter is the founding editor-in-chief of Food Network Magazine, a joint venture between Hearst Magazines and Food Network. The magazine launched in 2008 and quickly became the best-selling food title on newsstands. Prior to joining Hearst, Carpenter was the executive editor of Every Day with Rachael Ray. Maile Carpenter has created and launched three of the best-selling food and lifestyle magazines in the US. She expanded the brand to include best-selling cookbooks and magazines, including the new Big, Fun Kids Cookbook. I like how this magazine includes recipes that famous actors use in their lives. It makes you feel you’re part of a celebrity when you eat the same dish they make. Personally, I feel like the cover is a little crowded with coverlines. The masthead of this article is small and sits in the top left-hand corner. The font of the text on the cover seems to switch back and forth between a standard normal font to a cursive like font. The font color rotates between usually two or three different colors. The main image is usually a top-down picture of a certain dish that is being advertised. On the top of the magazine, they tell you what celebrity recipes are inside the magazine. 

I have been around food all my life. My father works at the breakfast and lunch restaurant First Watch. He has worked there since before I was born. At home, my father is always making us breakfast, and sometimes breakfast for dinner, using recipes from his work. It is the best breakfast food I have ever had. When I am creating this magazine, I will be able to share with others the great taste of amazing fluffy pancakes and sizzling bacon.