Designing a magazine cover, or even a newsletter cover image can be a daunting task. I recently faced such a task when I was asked to design a cover for Homeschooling Today. The result looked great, as you can see here, but here are some strategies for making the process more fun and less stressful. These methods are useful even if you decide to engage my services to get your job done because they give you an idea of what things I would need to accomplish the job.
Step 1: Creating a Magazine Cover
The first thing to remember is the title. What are you marketing? From here a title is developed if you do not already have one. For this example, Homeschooling Today was already the title of this small group of homeschool moms who wanted to put together a cute mini magazine for their community.
Step 2: Magazine Cover Ideas
Second, choosing the right image is very important. Ask yourself if your publication comes out monthly or quarterly. Homeschooling Today publishes four times a year, so for the February issue, I recommended an image that was bright with reds to help cheer the snowy winter days of Montana. After talking with the two mothers who headed up the magazine, they provided me with a picture of an indoor activity that was fun and educational. The magic show idea was captured and used as the focal point of that month’s issue. Two cute elementary school kids are dressed up in black capes and hats. I Joined it with the idea of creative educational things a show could help children with public speaking, practice, and improving science skills.
Step 3: Magazine Front cover Design additions
The last step was to brainstorm with the mothers what was the most important text to place with their cover image. It was decided that the lead article in this issue would focus on the magic show. Two other articles were also highlighted on the first page, one directed towards high school students and the second aimed at teaching youngsters to read. Also added to the cover was the home-school group’s tag “Practical Homeschooling Tips” and the issue date.
To help dress up the titles I custom-designed some small graphics which followed the theme of the magic show. I made a magic wand, a globe, and a black hat with the bunny ears sticking out of it.
Of course, the cover would not have been complete without a matching background. I took the red concept and blended it with stars and then did some other PhotoShop work to the title to make it appear like it was spotlighted on the kids on the front page.
The first thing that your reader sees is the cover of your magazine or newsletter, so going the extra mile to create an inviting and professional cover can go a long way to attracting more readers and building interest and excitement in your publication.
For digital Graphic ideas please contact me!