UPPERCASE #71

UPPERCASE creates beautiful and inspiring books for the creative and curious. Published since 2009, UPPERCASE has an enthusiastic and loyal readership of designers, illustrators, craftspeople, creative entrepreneurs and paper lovers around the world.

Issue #71

Since UPPERCASE launched in 2009, only one full human figure has appeared on its cover: a quirky little fellow blowing bubbles on the first issue. After that, people were kept off the covers to make them feel more universal, inclusive and open to interpretation.

The themes for each issue often take months to come together, shaped by a mix of long-term planning and happy discoveries along the way. Over the past dozen years, the magazine has matured, and its editor has become more confident about addressing current events while staying true to its editorial and visual voice.

In this time of challenge and change, the editor believes UPPERCASE should be clear about where it stands.

Black Lives Matter.

This issue’s cover artist is Jemma Morris. The editor discovered her cut-paper family portraits on Etsy, and one in particular stood out: five diverse women leaning in and supporting one another. They are faceless but friendly, abstract yet grounded, with a powerful presence.

Morris usually uses commercially available patterned craft papers for her figures’ dresses. For the UPPERCASE cover, the editor wanted to credit everyone whose work helped bring it to life, so several UPPERCASE readers were invited to license their work for the project.