JB - Magazine Design and Layout Lesson

Eighty percent of consumer magazines' newsstand sales are determined by what is shown on the cover. With a set space of 8 by 11 inches, it is important to consider how you are going to draw in the eye of the reader and make your 

magazine stand out. Look at this example from LIFE.  This magazine chronicles the first moon landing of Apollo 11 astronauts. The cover features a picture of Buzz Aldrin, taken by fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong.    

The cover of a magazine also helps to brand the magazine and reflect its content. For example, magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Time reinforce their brand by maintaining the consistency of the overall layout and feel.  

The magazine cover helps to communicate style. It engages the reader to take a closer look.  Pixelated images or badly formatted text on a magazine cover may suggest to the reader that the interior content is poor or sloppy. Covers that use simple colors may seem dull and unexciting. A well-designed cover assures the reader that what they are going to read is of high quality of both content and delivery.  

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