If you are creating a magazine it is easy to spend a large amount of time on drafting and editing the main articles and getting the general written content together. One of the most important features in attracting a customer's attention to a publication is the cover. Graphic designers can embody the values of the magazine in a visual form that reflects the target audience's interests.
The following guide gives some practical advice on designing magazine covers.
Magazine Logo Design
One of the most important parts of the design for the cover is the logo or masthead as it is often known. An eye catching logo should reflect the image of your magazine and if designed well will attract readers to your magazine cover.
The logo is traditionally positioned at the top of the cover so that the viewer's attention is immediately drawn to it. A good logo should be original in design whilst remaining clear enough to read. Many new magazines will use or adapt a classic font and impose it over a colourful backdrop to make a new design.
When designing a logo the visibility is another factor to take into account. If your magazine is displayed at the front of the stand viewers will be able to see it in full view from a distance. However if it is stacked behind other magazines on a stand viewers will only be able to see the header containing the logo.
Spacing on a Magazine Cover
When arranging the layout of your cover there are several simple rules to stick to improve your design. The spacing and positioning of text and images is an important factor as less can be more when designing your cover.
When arranging text it is recommended that you work in columns to make the text easy to read. Avoid filling to the edge of the page as this will make the design look cluttered and take attention from the focal points of the images. Ideally a margin of roughly a third of an inch should be used which can continue the central image or backdrop but without text to make the image cluttered.
Magazine Cover Lettering
When designing a cover the typeface and font are considerable factors to take into account. The font and style of lettering if used well can help to give readers an impression of the style of the magazine.
When choosing fonts it's recommended to stick to one main font for the bulk of the text. You can add a bit of variety by using alternate fonts for headers and different subsections. However it's advised to keep these to a minimum to avoid confusing the reader. Using too many fonts may also make it difficult for the reader to differentiate between the main body of text and advertisements placed amongst articles.