Christoph Niemann illustrates the New Yorker’s first augmented reality cover

Illustrator Christoph Niemann has created the latest New Yorker cover, the magazine’s first to use augmented reality technology to animate its cover artwork. Christoph’s front and back cover illustrations feature a commuter jumping through the subway doors with a tablet and coffee in hand, in a contrasting black and yellow two-colour scheme. This dynamic snapshot comes to life when viewed through augmented reality app Uncovr, becoming a fully animated cityscape where the subway doors shut and the train travels through New York.

Christoph worked on the artwork with the New Yorker’s art director Françoise Mouly to celebrate the magazine’s Innovators Issue. According to the illustrator, the animated version is embedded with hidden surprise details that viewers can discover by moving and tilting their device. The free app, created for The New Yorker by London studio Nexus Interactive Arts, also allows full-page Qualcomm adverts on the inside covers to become interactive.

Watch the animated covers here: