One of the things I appreciate most about working for a magazine is that you are constantly discovering new things, then have the great opportunity teach others about what you have learned. When we found out that a local family owned a mallet that once belonged to Abraham Lincoln (then loaned it to the Indiana State Museum), it was an easy decision to write the artifact’s story and feature it on the cover.

I carefully edited one of the photos provided by the museum, then added a mix of typography and my own hand-drawn elements and lettering, going with a tricky “white-on-white” concept for the nameplate.