A good magazine cover needs to accomplish four things:
1. Identify the personality of the magazine.
2. Attract the target audience
3. Lure the reader into the magazine
4. Establish a visual identity (consistent use of format)
Part 1: Research
1) Create a folder and label it "Inspiration Images".
2) In this folder collect 3 magazine covers that contain Photoshop elements that you want to incorporate in your magazine cover.
For Example:
-You like the gradient/background in a cover.
-The model appears in front/or behind the magazine's title.
-You like the way the cover has a collage of photos (tabloid)
-The cover uses snapshots of photos in its design
-Shapes are used to display text
-You want to try a similar colour scheme
-The possibilities are endless!
3) In an Open Office document, paste the 3 cover images and explain which element you incorporated into your magazine and how.
Part 2: Your Cover
1) Title
You need to come up with a title for your magazine. The title needs to build on our graphic design font project and display the subject matter through it. hint: use text masking, layer masking, brushes, and effects to create something original.
2) Images
If photos are used on your cover they need to be clear and sharp. E.g. Photos are not stretched or distorted to fit the page. Photos are good quality and not pixelated (fuzzy).
Images need to have harmony-meaning they all make sense as a whole. They share a colour scheme, and image quality. (E.g. you don't have a cartoon next a real photo for no reason). Pick a style for the cover and stick to it throughout!
3) Content
Writing that appears on the cover is displayed in an eye pleasing manner and is easy to read.
Vary the size and weight of the fonts, the colours, and the text paths. (Less important information will be smaller in size than the title of your magazine.) See examples of text variations below.
TIP: Use shapes (circles, square banners) to write text on. Try writing in white over coloured shapes. Ensure that the text is easily read! Check out the use of shapes and white text below:
The SHAPES on all of these covers are made in Photoshop.
> Select the shape tool
> Go into the shape tool's menu at the top
> Select all element shapes (From here chose a shape)
> Change the shape's colour using the paint bucket
> Add effects to them like plastic glass to get the 3-D button-like effect on the shape in the Christina Aguilera cover. (Drag and drop the effect on the layer containing only the shape.)
THINK ABOUT COLOUR !!!
If you have a large photo on your cover use the eyedropper to select colours from that image for your fonts! Your entire cover must have a well thought out and unified colour scheme.
4) Format (Shape and Size)
> Open a new blank photoshop file
> Click on the preset drop down menu
> Select International Paper
> Click on the size drop down menu
> Select A4
PART 3: Creating a Series
Your next job is to create a second cover from a different magazine genre.
**If your first cover is about Video Games, then you need to go outside of Electronics for the next one.
Example Genres:
Travel
Geography
Nature
Gardening
Interior Design
Fashion
Automotive
Music
Cooking
Art
Animals
Electronics
Step 1) Research the magazine genre and collect three sample covers.
Put those photos in your file folder.
Step 2) Start your covers.
Remember** All of the expectations from the previous project still apply!
Step 3) Create an open office page with ideas you have taken. You need 3 photos/3 ideas for each cover. 6 Inspirations total.
Your Goal:
All the covers must use different layouts, styles, fonts, colour schemes, effects, filters.
E.g. vary the positioning of the Title, images, and text through layering choices!
View the 3M rubric here
View the 4M rubric here
Where do I start??
Follow this link to see a breakdown of elements in every magazine
http://www.magforum.com/cover_secrets.htm
Class Exemplars
Created by ASM 3M student Colin Ellis
Created by ASM 4M student Lauren Ferriss
Created by ASM 4M student Emily Will
Created by ASM 4M student Bryan Pickle
ASM 4M Magazine/Yearbook Cover Rubric Name:
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CRITERIA
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LEVEL 4 (8-10)
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LEVEL 3 (7-7.5)
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LEVEL 2 (6-6.5)
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LEVEL R-1 (0-5.5)
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|
Components (Knowledge/Understanding)
- font, title, images, and content reflect assignment criteria
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/10
/10
/10
/10
/10
|
- Student demonstrates thorough understanding of content
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- Student demonstrates considerable understanding of content
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- Student demonstrates some understanding of content
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- Student demonstrates limited understanding of content
|
|
Use of Planning Skills (Thinking)
- use of the design process
- evidence themes are well thought out
- use of class time
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/10 /10
/10
/10
/10
|
- Uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness
|
- Uses planning skills with
considerable effectiveness
|
- Uses planning skills with
some degree of effectiveness
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- Uses planning skills with a limited degree of effectiveness
|
|
Expression and organization of ideas
and understandings in art forms
(Communication)
- finished product reflects creativity/balance /unified concept
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/10 /10
/10
/10
/10
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- Expresses and organizes ideas
and understandings with a high
degree of effectiveness
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- Expresses and organizes ideas
and understandings with a considerable degree of effectiveness
|
- Expresses and organizes ideas
and understandings with some degree of effectiveness
|
- Expresses and organizes ideas
and understandings with a limited degree of effectiveness
|
|
Transfer of knowledge and skills to new contexts (Application)
- researched inspiration images
- implemented techniques
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/10
/10
/10
/10
/10
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- Transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts
with a high degree of effectiveness
|
- Transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts
with considerable effectiveness
|
- Transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts
with some effectiveness
|
- Transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts
with limited effectiveness
|
|
Strengths:
Improvements:
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