Preliminary Exercise: Magazine Cover

We've started to learn how to work on Photoshop, a software we will later be using to create our final magazine cover. Despite not being very tech savvy, I'm getting the hang of it. After a class lecture in which our teacher showed us some of the basic functions we would need, we were tasked with designing our own magazine cover. Already having picked the picture I wanted to use for my cover picture, I set to work.

I started by creating a new file of the size I wanted my magazine cover to be, 8x11.5

Then I opened the picture I had chosen from my photo shoot for the preliminary magazine cover, in attempts to adjust it into my file so it could act as the cover picture.

To merge the new file and the picture, I used the move tool and dragged the picture onto the new file.

The picture, however, was too big and not in the proportions I needed due to it's high resolution. To adjust the picture into the size I needed I used the transformation tool and while holding shift (so its proportion ratio isn't ruined) adjusted it's size. I also used the move tool to help adjust the newly resized picture onto the new file.

I then set to work on my masthead. After pondering over what to name my magazine for quite some time, I decided to name it 'Ambition', to showcase the youth's spirit. I chose a serfic and sharp font to match the imagery of the famous saying,"Ambition is a double edged sword." The colour I chose was a deliberate cool colour, as to neutralise the sharp image to keep in check with the high school feeling of the magazine.

Having finished designing and positioning my masthead, I got to work on my first cover line. For this I chose the most anticipated topic discussed at this time of the year also making it the selling line of the magazine. With my own High Achievers Ceremony coming up, I decided the main cover line should be 'Student of the Year'. I decided to pick a transparent picture with this title and adjust it onto my file by dragging the open file onto it. I decided to use alliteration in the description of the main cover line as to increase the rhythmic feeling of the magazine.Working with the already established colour palette, I changed 'success', a hook word, to red as to increase it's prominence on the page. I  also increased it's font size fractionally for this purpose. I decided to capitalise the first letter of every word so it would standout more. I decided to place the main cover line on the right side where that would be the only cover line placed hence more attention grabbing.

For my next cover line, I wanted a subject that the masses could relate to and hence I chose 'The Perfect 'SAT' Score' since all teenagers have to go through the process of giving this standardised test and help for it is always much appreciated which would end up acting as a feature which really grabs the attention of passer bys. In accordance to the colour scheme I kept most of it grey but coloured the'SAT' in mustard shade of yellow, the colour and and font resembling the actual SAT logo.

For my third cover line I decided to introduce an element of causality which appeals to teenagers and won't make them feel like they're feeling another study guide, hence 'Hittin' the Books'. It goes perfectly with the theme of the magazine but doesn't feel forced, For prominence I coloured 'Hittin' and 'Books' red. I also coloured the '5' in the description for emphasis. The numerical against a mass of words stands out which is why i decided to use it. The rest of the cover line, in accordance to the colour scheme is grey.

Next I decided to design a puff to make my cover even more attention grabbing. For the puff I decided to use a colour outside the colour scheme so it would stand out (green). I chose a circle as the shape of the puff as I didn't want the puff to oppose the calmness of the magazine cover. I also decided to give it a white outline on the inside by testing out the stroke tool so it would stand prominent against the cover picture.

What could be more exciting to the magazine's target audience, students, but books. This is why I decided my puff would boast a discount at Lahore's most popular bookstore, Readings. I decided to use numbers for the percentage once more so it would stand out against the words surrounding it. I also increased it's font so it would be eye catching. I decided to use Readings' logo since it would be widely recognisable. I decided to use a non transparent version so the log would stand out against the white background.

After I adjusted the writing onto my puff and was satisfied with how it looked, I moved onto something which is crucial for every magazine to sell. A bar code!

However, I felt my magazine cover was a little scattered. Then genius struck me and I remembered how the Q magazine cover I analysed had used lines to divide the cover lines. Inspired by this, I used the rectangle tool to create a thick line the colour of the puff to organise my cover lines.

And now for the end result...

I hope to hone my Photoshop skills and do even better in my final magazine task.