Glimpse: Stillness

A peek at how the headline for Pico Iyer's essay came together in the first issue of Mindful magazine.

Photograph by Macduff Everton

Funny how a little shift can make all the difference. The headline for Pico Iyer’s lovely essay on how travel can bring us peace rather than agitation is “Still on the Road.” Pico put us on to his friend Macduff Everton, who supplied lovely photographs from all over the world. When the page was first laid out the headline was all on one line, and the word “still” was not emphasizing peace as it was supposed to.

We were about to give up on the head and then the page designer moved the words “on the road” down a line. “Still” stayed on top and suddenly it said it all about Pico’s message.

The headline also was now the same shape as the roofs of the pagodas on either side, and the roadway in the picture emerged out of the words “on the road.” These are the sort of subtleties we perceive subliminally as we cast our eye on a page. It’s magical.

—Barry Boyce, Editor-in-Chief

For more than just this Glimpse: