Magazine Cover

Part 1 Magazine Tips
1.  Make the reader want to reader want to read your magazine by using emotions. Use a very sad or happy image so the reader wants more information.
2. Make the reader curious.
3. Make the magazine cover interesting, put a picture of something different than a usual cover.
4. Put all of your effort into the cover. This will make it look more appealing.
5. Don't crowd the page with useless words, use catchy or important sentences.

Part 2 Best Covers
1.New York, May 20, Michael Douglas Is Liberace  Formal
2.Bloomberg Businessweek, December 2–8, J Crew: Teaching the World to Dress American Formal
3.The New York Times Magazine, May 19, The Secret Lives of Germs Formal
4. Sports Illustrated, April 22, BOSTON Environmental
5. ESPN The Magazine, September 16, Floyd Mayweather in The Fight Issue Formal
6. The New York Times Magazine, November 24, The Flight Risk  Formal
7. O, The Oprah Magazine, September, Hair! Formal
8. Brides, October/November, Get Inspired! Formal
9. W, December/January, The Art Issue Formal
10. Harper's Bazaar, May, Summer Fashion Issue Formal
11. New York, February 18–25, Spring Fashion Formal
12. The Fader, February/March, Solange Formal
13. Wired, December, Bill Gates Wants You to Fix the World Formal
14. Vanity Fair, October, 100 Years Formal
15. ESPN The Magazine, July 22, Kenneth Faried in The Body Issue Formal
16. GQ, February, Beyoncé Formal
17. Runner's World, December, Get Fit Have Fun Formal

Part 3 My Favorite Cover

Favorite

Photographer: Hannah Whitaker
Designer: Arem Duplessis
"This cover story by Michael Pollen argues that while we have been obsessed with eradicating germs, there are health advantages to being exposed to them. The cover shot by Hannah Whitaker of a baby being licked by a dog makes graphic the prevalence of germs in our everyday lives."

My critique

This cover is a perfect, well timed photo. Since the issue is "Germs" the cover uses a dog's dirty, bacteria filled mouth to show how it could be getting the baby sick. This picture is well done, the exposure is great and the colors of the dog, baby, and grass contrast well with the blue background. This makes the cover popout to people. The picture is well lit and we can see everything clearly. I dont think anything about this cover needs to be changed. 

The portrait is telling us that germs are everywhere around us.

Part 4 Magazines Part II

1. Image based covers

These are covers are popular in gossip, fashion, and life magazines. They usually have formal portraits of celebrities. The celebrity on the cover is the reason people buy the magazine, this is why some issues sell better than others. The person is usually looking at the camera and smiling but sometimes companies will take a different approach and try side angles or taking informal portraits.

2. Illustration based covers

Illustration covers do not use real images. They use hand drawn or computer generated images. They are used to be different or add a comical effect to the cover. Sometimes they are used to make the cover look more modern. Usually the companies that use these covers are independently published and not sold at newsstands.  

3. Type based covers

These cover is rarely used but can be effective if done right. These covers have huge text that takes up the whole page. The words can be powerful when the correct word usage and font is used. Sometimes text covers can have a powerful quote or a symbol in them that has deeper meaning. They can often have sarcasm or very straight-forward language like "Oh My God, We Hit a Little Girl!" by George Louis

 4. Concept based covers

Concept covers are a mix of all three types. They are rare and have strong meaning and symbolism. They have to be easily understood by the reader. Often times, concept covers are funny, witty, or clever. It is often seen in business magazines and independently published magazines. These magazine covers can be risky to publish as they are hard to make well and some readers might not find them appealing. 

The words and photos on a magazine cover should complement each other well. They should relate and have a connection. This is shown well in the magazine cover above.