How To Make Magazine Cover Your Own

 What Should a Magazine Cover Include?

The magazine cover is the most vital component. ‘In fact, most readers will solely judge a magazine by its cover, and may or may not purchase it depending on what the cover looks like. This means that magazine cover design has to be on point.

Here are the different elements a good layout should include.

1) Establish a Masthead

A masthead is essentially the magazine’s brand or logo, usually displayed at the top of the page. The typeface, font size, and placement of the masthead are usually constant, but the colors may change based on the theme.

2) Use One Main Pop of Color

Using an array of bold colors might work for some designs, but in the case of magazine covers, it’s more effective to use one main color. Try a bold red or lime green as the main color with black and white accents for a super attention-getting, refined magazine cover design.

3) Choose a Unique Main Cover Line

Aside from the masthead, the main cover line has the largest font size and will take up about a quarter of the entire cover. This will be the first or second piece of text your reader will see upon glancing at your magazine. Make sure your main cover line is catchy, informative, and aligns with your theme.

4) Choose Appropriate Typography

The typography you choose will have a major impact on your magazine aesthetic. Each font has a unique personality. Serif fonts tend to look luxurious, sophisticated, and aspirational, while sans serif fonts are contemporary, cool, and trendy.

 

Consider your brand’s personality and choose fonts that reflect it. Pairing two or three fonts can also add a next-level aesthetic to your cover.

 

Check out this detailed read on how to combine typefaces. Readability is crucial, so make sure your fonts are clearly legible.

 

5) Sometimes a Simple Layout Is Best

Depending on your magazine topic, you may want to simplify the layout of your cover in order to highlight one or two main elements. For example, if you’re designing a fashion or lifestyle magazine cover, you’ll want to go with a more minimal design to showcase photos. Choose a cover photo that reflects your theme and style against a simple background, or as the background itself. Don’t clutter designs with too much text.

6) Beautiful Photography

A beautiful photograph is indeed worth a thousand words. If you feature a photograph on your magazine cover, it should be high-quality, stunning, and take center stage. Your readers’ eyes should be immediately drawn to it. Any text on the cover should only support the photo, not detract from it. Make sure to select the right font color(s) so that your text is legible and aesthetic against your cover photo.

7) Create a Consistent Style

Your magazine cover should have a consistent theme throughout each design element, which should also be reflected from one page to the next. Take note of the following thematic elements to ensure there is consistency throughout your magazine design: color scheme, shapes and graphics, typography, and formatting styles such as page numbers and running headers.

8) Custom Illustrations

While photography can make for a stunning magazine cover, illustrative color can be next-level. A stylish illustration will most definitely make your magazine cover stand out as contemporary, trendy, and design-forward. This is a unique design approach perfect for genres like arts, technology, architecture, and any even special edition or collector’s edition publications.

9) Design a Bold Cover

Every element of your magazine cover design should cohesively come together in a stylish, bold aesthetic that will make your reader want to pick up your magazine and flip through it. The goal is to stand out on the shelf or news racks. Avoid a safe design. Take risks and go bold.

What Not To Include in Magazine Covers

Now that you have a solid foundation of what elements to include on your magazine cover, let’s go over what you should avoid.

• Avoid Cluttering Your Cover
  This is a given. You don’t want to overcrowd your cover and have your reader spend time deciphering all the information. Keep it legible, clear, and attractive.

• Don’t Include Irrelevant Text or Graphics
  While the content of your magazine may vary, you want to keep a similar theme on the cover to tie it all together. The elements on your cover should connect in a cohesive way.

• Don’t Obscure Text With Images, Colors, or Graphics
  Your magazine cover may include a mixture of different colors, textures, graphics, and fonts. Make sure all text lines are readable and not overshadowed by other elements.

• Don’t Use Images and Artwork that’s Not Yours
  This is a best practice you can apply to every design project. Use only your own images and illustrations to avoid copyright infringement issues.

Creative Magazine Cover Ideas

Check out these magazine cover ideas you can draw inspiration from when creating your own.

Sometimes the bare minimum can make the loudest statement for a magazine cover. A clean, easy-to-read, minimalist design approach can have stunning results. You can focus one element on your cover, such as a striking graphic or a bold color, and structure your minimal design around it.

Modern Magazine Cover

A contemporary magazine cover can include modern typography, sharp images and graphics, and white space around your elements for a refined look. Your end design should look stylish and forward-thinking.

o    Portrait Magazine Cover

 

A portrait magazine cover has one high-quality photograph as the emphasis. Whether it’s a model, a celebrity, or any other subject, the portrait should be strong and connect with the reader on a visual level.

o    Simple Magazine Cover

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Sometimes, the best magazine cover idea is also the simplest. Keep things to a strong focal point, balancing image and copy with a clever use of color and shade.

o    Vibrant Magazine Cover

Wow readers with a vibrant background color like neon orange, lime green, or fiery red. This will make any passerby curious enough to take a second glance and possibly pick up your magazine. This approach is the ultimate attention-getter.

o    Retro Vintage Magazine Cover

 

Depending on your magazine genre, you can design a cool retro vibe for a super unique cover. Feature vintage elements from the older magazines to spark some serious nostalgia.

o    Texture Magazine Cover

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Similar to a vibrant background color, a bold texture can be just as effective in catching your readers’ eyes. Try a lively texture, such as animal prints or other elements in nature that will instantly energize your reader.

o    Travel Magazine Cover

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Perhaps an obvious one, but a travel magazine cover should highlight a particular destination you are featuring inside of your magazine. With a high-quality travel image or illustration, you can instantly transport your reader to your featured destination.

o    Fashion Magazine Cover

Fashion magazine covers almost always feature models versus the clothing or accessories themselves. A beautiful model featuring a designer brand can elevate your cover and attract way more readers. The image should be on-theme, fashionable, and aesthetically pleasing.

o    Artistic Magazine Cover

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Whether it’s a graphic illustration or a Banksy painting, your artistic magazine cover should be creative and imaginative. Your magazine cover idea should connect with readers on an aesthetic and stimulating level.