Unfiltered Magazine - Senior Capstone Project
For my senior capstone, I set out to challenge the unrealistic beauty standards often perpetuated by magazines and digital media. Too often, images are heavily edited, creating harmful expectations that can damage self-esteem — especially for young women.
In response, I created a campaign that celebrated authenticity by featuring unfiltered, real images of women close to me who embody confidence in diverse and genuine ways. This project became both a design exploration and a personal statement, blending visual storytelling with advocacy to encourage self-acceptance and confidence in one’s natural beauty.
Title of The Project
Senior Capstone Project - Unfiltered Magazine
Target Audience
Young women from ages 18–25 of any race, ethnicity, or culture who may need guidance with loving their self-image.
Young women from ages 18–25 of any race, ethnicity, or culture who may need guidance with loving their self-image.
My Role
Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer
Duration of Project
My research for this project started in September 2019 and I started creating my magazine from January 2020–May 2020.
My research for this project started in September 2019 and I started creating my magazine from January 2020–May 2020.
Process
When first starting this project, I had many ideas in mind of what I wanted to create for my senior capstone. I had the idea to use polaroids as a collaging effect, but unsure as to what to do with it. Another idea was to create a magazine for young women about loving your self-image. Then, I decided to put the two ideas together. I found that polaroid images are to be instant and authentic. I used many polaroids of each girl in my magazine portraying their personalities along with the stories I wrote about each of them. In addition, I created a process book of how I was inspired–I cut many images from other magazines and collaged them together. When keeping up with my process book I became even more inspired for my magazine and added the same collage effect to many of the layouts.
When first starting this project, I had many ideas in mind of what I wanted to create for my senior capstone. I had the idea to use polaroids as a collaging effect, but unsure as to what to do with it. Another idea was to create a magazine for young women about loving your self-image. Then, I decided to put the two ideas together. I found that polaroid images are to be instant and authentic. I used many polaroids of each girl in my magazine portraying their personalities along with the stories I wrote about each of them. In addition, I created a process book of how I was inspired–I cut many images from other magazines and collaged them together. When keeping up with my process book I became even more inspired for my magazine and added the same collage effect to many of the layouts.
In addition, the part I struggled the most on when developing "Unfiltered" were the covers. It took many drafts and sketches to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I decided to go with four individual covers for each girl featured in the magazine. I thought it would tie together nicely as you get to read about each and every one of them.
Final Results
Final magazine layout
Final magazine layout