The N Scale

CLIENT TYPE: CONCEPT PROJECT

INDUSTRY: HOBBY + ENTHUSIAST PUBLISHING

DELIVERABLES: MAGAZINE DESIGN, EDITORIAL LAYOUT, GRID SYSTEM

YEAR: 2022

The N Scale is a concept fanzine designed for a niche but passionate audience — model railroad enthusiasts who work specifically in N scale. The editorial challenge was giving a highly technical hobby publication enough visual structure to be taken seriously, without losing the approachable, community-driven tone that defines fanzine culture.

All locomotive photography was provided by N scale enthusiast Thomas Mozden, whose work anchors the gallery section.

  • Open magazine spread showing the Table of Contents for The N Scale Spring 2022 issue. The left page lists articles under three sections — Learning, Features, and a center photograph of two blue Pan Am Railways MEC locomotives reflected in still water
  • Open magazine spread from The N Scale Spring 2022 issue showing the opening pages of the "Model Railroad Layout Design" article. The left page features a full-bleed photograph of a forest railway track receding into the distance, credited to Enric Cr
  • Open magazine spread continuing the Model Railroad Layout Design article. The left page features a photograph of a Kato brand Chicago Area Metra commuter train model set in a detailed urban scene, followed by body text covering locale, era, season, a
  • Full-bleed open magazine spread featuring a dramatic close-up photograph of a Santa Fe locomotive passing through a black steel truss bridge, with a painted mountain backdrop of snow-capped peaks and evergreen trees visible behind the bridge structur
  • Open magazine spread showing the gallery section opener titled "Realistic N Scale Trains." The left page features a dark slate-blue background with the section title in white and an italic introductory caption. The right page displays a single large
  • Open magazine spread from the Realistic N Scale Trains gallery. The left page features two stacked photographs: a BC Rail locomotive weathered with dry-brushed oil paint, and a Santa Fe C44-9W locomotive with faded colors and a hand-drawn graffiti de
  • Open magazine spread from the Realistic N Scale Trains gallery. The left page features a photograph of a former Norfolk Southern black locomotive next to an intermodal stack train in a yard setting. The right page shows three stacked horizontal photo
  • Open magazine spread showing the "Weathering Special" article titled "Weather Rolling Stock with Powdered Pastels" by Jeff Wilson. The left page features the article opener with a drop cap introduction and body text covering preparation and powder se
  • Open magazine spread from the "In the Spotlight" feature showing the continuation of a hobbyist interview. The left page includes body text, a green pull quote box, and a process photograph of hands using a ballpoint pen along the side of a freight c

Grid system — A twelve-column grid was established from the start to accommodate the full range of content types — running text, pull quotes, how-to diagrams, and full-bleed photography — without the layout feeling improvised from section to section.

Type hierarchy — Font sizing was calibrated directly against the grid, ensuring that body copy, section headers, and pull quotes each occupy a distinct register that the reader can navigate intuitively across forty-plus pages.

Color coding — Red-edged pages were designated exclusively for how-to content, giving the publication a functional navigation system built into the design itself rather than relying on section headers alone.

Image sequencing — The gallery section was designed around a specific photographic quality: model railroads shot at angles that make them indistinguishable from the real thing. Layout decisions were made to let that illusion land — generous page space, minimal interruption.

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