This document outlines the development process for a magazine cover design through 6 drafts. The initial draft was influenced by existing film magazines and used a conventional layout. Further drafts experimented with fonts, refined the design layout, and improved image selection and color palette. The final cover features a black and white image overlayed with color, along with minor text and design adjustments to create a clean, modern look conforming to magazine conventions.

1. Development - Magazine cover
drafting - final piece
Matt Goring

2. Draft 1
This is a rather basic first draft that I drew
up for what my magazine cover could look
like. The layout was heavily influenced by
“Total Film” and “Empire” movie
magazines. This also means that it shares a
conventional layout to other film magazines
on the market. I have decided to use a
specialist lens as well to capture the photo
for the cover. I will use a 50mm because it
captures high depth of field images whilst
maintaining one element or person in high
clarity. I have also chosen to use my original
title for the cover because the other names
were not as relevant and when I asked a
couple of friends they preferred this name
over the other 3 or 4. This is a rough layout
and thus will change as the cover is
developed but this is basically how I want
my magazine cover to look.

3. Draft 2
This is my second draft and combines
both digital and physical components,
in the forms of a print image and hand
drawing. The image is one of potential
cover images, however after viewing it
in this layout it will not work because it
has a too steep of an angle. Apart from
this the layout is similar which means
it obeys to mass market convections of
how a movie magazine should be laid
out.

4. Draft 3
This was my first full computer draft
and as you can see it is really rough.
This was when I first began
experimenting with fonts from
“DaFont.com” and I didn’t really know
what exactly I was looking for. I liked
the style that fonts created but the
combination didn’t work so I needed to
refine them down to create a better
collection. This poster also has a border
which was discarded after this draft.
The layout however still fits the
conventional structure and the image I
have chosen work perfectly. The
colours are a bit drab and dull and
there is no real connection to the
trailer, for instance the actual film
trailer text font for “Vendetta.”

5. Draft4&5
There is a massive jump form draft 3 to draft 4. (on the
left) I completely reworked the design and refined the
fonts down to a set that looked clean and modern. The
whole structure looks less cluttered, however still
provides the audience with a wide variety of simple
and easy to read information.
There are only minor changes from draft 3 to 4, for
instance: The poster at the bottom has been changed
to my version; fonts have been adjusted across the
page; some text has been changed to better fit the year
the trailer is coming out in and colours have been made
clearer and easier to see etc.

6. Draft 6
Final cover
This is my final copy of my magazine
cover. It features a new version of the
image which combines a black and
white copy with a coloured version. The
coloured version is laid over the top of
the B&W one and then is aligned to be
equal. Then the transparency is adjusted
to create a de-saturated/ B&W image. A
few minor changes have been made as
well, for instance: The barcode has been
replaced with a new one; the font under
the plus has been re-coloured and
placed onto another line; the text at the
top has been changed; the colour of
“Picture” has been changed from black
to red and the word “FREE” has been
made clearer etc.