I used a software named Adobe InDesign to create my cover page. It is very helpful for creating text and image based

designs through very sensitive and efficient tools.

Designing My Cover

Page

MASTHEADIn heavy block type.Try Roboto Bold.

PHOTOFull bleed image of the band in the street, retouched in Photoshop.

CONTENTSA list of the main features inside, all in upper case Roboto.

TAGLINESays: ‘The Quintessential Electronic Music Magazine’

BARCODE AND PRICE INFOMake this white against the background image.

HOOK LINEName of band in white upper case Roboto with a pull-out quote from the article under it.

Drawn Plan of Front Cover

I began with a blank indesign document template.

I placed my edited image in the document so it fitted the margins.

I then drew text boxes in which I placed the masthead letters XLR in ROBOTO BLACK font

coloured white.

I then added the strapline of my magazine in a smaller version of the font beneath the masthead.

I then added the kicker at the bottom left hand side of my cover page in two fonts; one of which

was a similar size to the masthead.

I then added the cover lines in a smaller font in the bottom right hand corner as this is the last

place the reader would read.

I then aligned these different text boxes together to create a cleaner and more organised design.

Then I generated a barcode on a barcode generating website.

I then added this barcode into the page, surrounding it with text informing the date, issue

and price in the UK and US.

I then made final touches aligning these texts.

Finished front cover first draft.

MASTHEAD“The name of the magazine is good but this doesn’t really look like a proper magazine masthead. Consider making it more like a logotype.”

IMAGE“Really like this. The photograph has the right attitude for a music magazine. It feels like a captured moment, so you’re intrigued by the story and want to know what the band are about. The composition is strong - one person facing you, one in profile.”COLOUR”The tones are subdued which makes the colour palette throughout very distinctive. Stay with this approach because it helps to differentiate the magazine.”

TAGLINE“Quintessential sounds too pretentious for the editorial that follows. Just say what the publication is about.”

ISSUE, PRICE, BARCODE”What I like here is the way you’ve followed the right angle of the page and aligned them with the height of the logo. Is the type a bit too small to read?”

TYPOGRAPHY”Why have you pushed all the type into the corners? Don’t be afraid to use the main body of the cover - you’re trying to hook me into buying the magazine not create a perfect work of art. The font works well: sans serif implies that the magazine has got integrity and is newsworthy. No nonsense.”

SHOUT LINES”Not enough hooks and the one you have is trying too hard. It’s no longer shocking to see a swear word on a cover, particularly one with ast*r*sks. Give me more reasons to pick it up and turn inside.”

SUMMARY“The overall cover effect is strong but do more to draw me in - I’m buying this magazine to be entertained, not educated.”

FEEDBACK ON FRONT COVER

I used the feedback I received from my first draft and the techniques I learnt on InDesign to create my final front cover image.