Magazine Cover

Composition

arrangement of text and visual elements. What goes where? 

 

Tableau

Front Cover of a Magazine 

Lines

Vertical, Horizonal, Diagonal- Curved vs Straight 

Rule of Thirds 

 Dividing the magazine cover in three parts can be horizontal or vertical. 

Central Framing

the main subject usually right in the centre. 

Negative Space =

 Absence of elements 

Cartoon/Illustration 

Animated features 

Graphic Design/ Computer Generated Imagery 

 In the place of regular photography more of a perfection, too be good to be true aspect. 

Editorial Photography/Tableau =

visual storytelling that accompanies an article or conveys a creative concept rather than selling a product 

Action Photography

 Action frozen in place 

Mixed Mediums

 Imagery/color/font --> a different range 

 

Focal Point 

where eyes lands first 

Emphasis 

Something that stands out, requiring the attention of the reader – clear hierarchy and contrast 

Emphasis vs focal point 

Foreground

What is in the front, catches reader’s eyes first. 

Background

Behind the Foreground, elements not in main focus. 

High Aperture

 Nothing is fuzzy, everting in focus, clear photography (Not Fuzzy)  

Low Aperture 

 background not clear, whilst main subject is, in order to add depth, emphasis and not add distracting features in the back. (Background Fuzzy) 

 

Extreme Close U

Able to see closer details 

 

Close Up =

Less than extreme, but still quite close – just face, adds emotional connection.  

 

Medium 

Balances person with background, knees up or waist up 

 

Long

Whole body showing 

Extreme Long

Subject is far from camera, isolating impact 

Low Angle =

 Camera is below the subject eye level, adds a feeling of inferiority.  

Eye Level

 Equality, on the same level as the subjects eyes 

High Angle

Above the subject, reader is more dominant 

Symmetry

 balance, stability - mirroring elements. 

 

Asymmetry

Different visual weight, not as balanced or formal 

Scale and Proportion 

Making some elements larger for hierarchy and different emphasis. 

 

Movement

how the eye moves 

Minimalism

More core elements, nothing excess 

Maximalism

A  lot of elements, extra 

 

Color Symbolism: 

 What does it mean? 

Analog Colors

Close on the Color Wheel 

 

Complementary

Opposite on Color Wheel

Triadic and Split Complementary = 

Uses three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel, forming a perfect triangle. 

Cool vs

Warm Colors 

Pastel vs

Saturated Colors 

Tertiarary

 hues made by mixing one primary color with one adjacent secondary color on the color wheel 

 

Natural Light 

Light from the sun, more raw  

Artificial Light =

Man made light sources – can be seen as fake or not a part of nature 

Low Key =

minimalist design and specific lighting style 

 High Key =

use bright, even lighting and predominantly white or light backgrounds to create a clean, modern, and energetic aesthetic, minimal shadows deliberately 

Shadows for accent or emphasis: 

Accent =

 

to create depth 

Emphasis =

to draw focus on a subject

Contrast:

Colors, Light, Size/Shape/Patterns 

Serif =

 

Has decorative elements at the end 

Sans Serif =

traditional, time font no decorative elements 

 Decorative

to capture eye, entertaining 

Flat =

No design or 3D effect 

 

Bevelled =

slanted edges and shadows for 3D effects 

Shadowed Font

 

Has shadows 

Hierarchy =

 

Visual order, what to look at first, adding empahsis 

Titles / Subtitles =

 

text 

Alignment and Composition Spacing =  

How the magazine looks in terms of the structure it follows, effect 

Text Minimalism vs Text Maximalism 

Text Minimalism =

 

Less Text, exact 

Text Maximalism =

More text, extra 

Proximity =

 

closing to each other? 

Overlapping =

What overlaps what 

Opacity =  

How transparent something is on the cover – layering/fading

Positive Space

the main subject, focal point, or filled a