Magazine+Cover

Magazine Cover Tina Lee

__ **Step 1. Research and Questions** __

Q: What do both of the covers have in common? They both have bright and huge title of the magazine on the top of the cover. The texts and title on each cover are the same colour as well. The UPC codes are both on the left bottom of the cover.

Q: What is the main story in that issue and how does it relate to the image on the cover? The main story in Life magazine is "How we came to America", and the image on the cover has two travelers sitting on a bench looking exhausted. The image might suggest that the two travelers have immigrated to America through a long trip and overcame various difficulties. The main story in Vogue magazine is "Fashion & travel special", therefore the image on the cover is a model posing in front of a surfboard on a beach. The image gives reader an idea of enjoying vacation while stay fashioned traveling.

Q: What design principles are evident in the cover image? Explain Depth of field and balance are evident in the cover image of Life magazine. The depth of field is presented as the top of the image and behind the people is blurred out. Balance is presented by two people sitting side by side on the bench, dividing the picture in half, and having one person on each side of the image. Rule of thirds, balance, and element relationship are evident in the cover image of Vogue magazine. The horizon lies on the one-third line of the picture, giving the sky a portion of two-thirds, and presents rule of thirds in the picture. The subject or model divides the picture in half, which allows the text to be placed on either side of the model, by using balance in design principles. Element relationship exists as the model stands in front of the surfboard and touching it with her elbow.

**The Evolution of the Magazine Cover **

Q: What were some charateristics of early magazine covers? When early magazine covers started to exist, they mimicked formal book covers, which only had banner, volume number, publication data, and a symbolic picture representing the vision of the magazine. No UPC code nor website existed at that time. No price was labeled on the cover as well. Little tag-line or cover blurbs were used for decoration purpose.

Q: What are some characteristics of the poster cover? Poster cover accents the importance of conveying the overall mood of the magazine of the particular issue, rather than presenting only the magazine's logo. Texts on the cover is less, but the banner still is present. Limited information is shown on the cover, and often time there is only volume number, date, or a small cover line.

Q: What is the purpose of cover lines? Cover lines summarizes the article topics covered in the magazine. They also help to attract readers' attention with interesting tag lines.

Q: What is an "integrated" cover? An integrated cover combines texts and poster cover together to make picture and texts support each other, so that the picture depicts the theme of the magazine, and the texts or cover lines highlights the related topic surrounding the theme covered in the magazine.

Q: How can the placement of cover lines effect the overall design of a cover? Cover lines may block the cover picture and defeat the purpose of it supporting the picture. However, cover lines' placement should focus reader's eyes onto the picture without being distracted. The text colour and font of the cover lines help create the atmosphere of the magazine as well.

**Describe the following styles of cover lines:**

Outside the box: Placing cover lines and picture in separate areas. The text would be outside of picture. Inside the box: Placing cover lines in the picture, having the picture to share space with cover lines. Columns: Having a separated vertical text column on the cover for cover lines only. Zones: Placing the cover lines, logo, and picture in separate zones on the cover. This could be done by framing the zones with lines. Banners and Corners: Placing banners near the corner of the cover in an angle. Banners are used to grab readers' attention. Unplanned and Planned Spaces: Placing cover lines in spaces left either accidentally or purposely by the photographer/illustrator.

http://longleaf.net/coverlines/ http://longleaf.net/coverlines/postercovers/index.html http://longleaf.net/coverlines/integratedcover.html http://longleaf.net/coverlines/wherelines.html
 * References: **

__ My Magazine Cover __