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All images in this post are used with the permission of Interweave.
Interweave was kind enough to send me a preview copy of a really interesting digital-publishing adventure they’re launching. It’s called Quilting Arts In Stitches, and they’re calling it an eMag.
I’m all about innovations in publishing (I may have mentioned this at some point), so I was excited to check this project out. Here are some of my impressions…
First, delivery is different than you might expect. This is not a PDF download. It’s a software application that you download and install on your computer. And it’s pretty good-sized, at over 300 MB. It takes a little time to get it up and running.
An article with an embedded video tutorial.
…Not that this should freak you out! Because this eMag is a very different animal from your usual online magazine. There are videos embedded in each article. There are downloadable tutorials tucked in. There are photo galleries with zoom capability. There’s an embedded search engine. So there’s a ton of content-value here.
All in all, the eMag contains a full hour of assorted video content, ten articles with seven full tutorials, one studio tour, nine artist profiles, four downloadable PDF projects, and five “reader challenge” creativity prompts. And it’s all presented with a beautiful user interface that lets you skip to any point in the content, page or scroll, and zoom in and out on any page.
So far, so cool.
An artist gallery. That slider bar on the right lets you zoom in on each image.
Here’s why I think Interweave has really made this idea sing – the content of Quilting Arts In Stitches is deeply focused. The quilting techniques presented here will appeal to art quilting aficionados – they’re all on the advanced side. This is awesome, because how many times have you paid for pages in your books and magazines that cover basic techniques you already know?
(Not to mention, you can get basic techniques for free online anywhere these days – which is one reason so many print magazines have had trouble. But the more advanced stuff, because it’s more challenging, still has value.)
If I’m an art quilter, this hybrid magazine/software product is something I can revisit again and again as I learn and practice the techniques. I think Interweave has very smartly focused the eMag heavily on how-to material, because that tends to have a long “shelf life.”
The retail price point may seem high at first – $14.97. But, when you consider that full hour of video, and compare it to the price of your average craft DVD, we’re definitely in the ballpark. Also, remember that this eMag has no ads in it. When you buy a print magazine, much of the production cost is subsidized by ad revenues. So this is a whole new pricing model – and it can’t fairly be compared to print.
Click on any artist’s picture, and it opens a full bio window.
I think this is an awesome and meaningful step into Magazines 2.0, and I totally applaud Interweave for taking this bold step into new-media content delivery.
If you want to score a copy, you can do it at the Interweave online store. Oh – and keep an eye out for future eMags covering knitting, fiber arts, and jewelry-making. Mmmmmm…
this is really cool. is it readable on a nook, kindle, ipad, or other kind of e-reader?
Hi, Jennifer – I don't believe so, since it's a piece of software you have to install.
Looks like this emag takes good advantage of the technology and goes beyond the usual PDF. I'm tempted to get it and I don't even sew!
what a great idea to include videos with it :) looks like a great step forward that more mags should try to do (if I still quilted I would def. look into getting this)
I bought this emag adn after downloading it, simply added the software to my computer that came with the magazine and bingo, I was reading it. I love it! The whole concept is very cool and it's really 100 times better than a pdf.
Unfortunately I'm not into quilting, but I find this whole concept incredibly exciting. I hope you'll be looking at the upcoming eMags as well.
thanks for a great review. I saw about this mag somewhere and didn't get the idea but now I all for it and have a huge craving for this mag. I love tutorial videos that I can watch and re watch many times to be inspired and learn by!
Diane! Thank you for reviewing this new web product! I MUST have a copy! Fantastic concept and you know how much I love to “art quilt”! I am ordering one right now!
Wow! Way to be innovative – I like it!
I have already bought this emag and find it fabulous. I'm particularly wrapt in clicking on to mini DVD instructions. I'm running from computer to machine. I really recommend it to any quilter, and in particular those interested in art quilting. When is the next mag coming out?!!
Jenny, Australia
Yaaay, I'm so glad you're enjoying it, Jenny! My Mom got one, too, and she's also having fun with it.
I'm not sure exactly when Interweave plans to release its next eMag, but their press page mentions “summer and early fall 2010.”
I bought this e-book and it was a requirement to download Zinio to operate it. This caused any number of problems for my computer, including having to get professional help to un-install it. I really would like to have this book but has anyone else had this problem and how did you solve it?
Christine – have you contacted Interweave for some help? There could be a huge number of factors contributing to your issues – some caused by the software and some even having to do with your computer. Probably best to talk with them.