The document summarizes key design elements of magazine covers. It discusses how the main image is used to represent the main feature and often takes up most of the cover. It also describes how magazine mastheads are iconic and recognizable. Additional elements like cover lines, buzz words, and information strips are discussed in terms of how they provide more details but don't detract from the main image. Pricing and issue information is typically placed discreetly at the bottom corner.

1. By Bethany, Dom, Emily & Phoebe

2.  The image is used to represent the main feature of
magazine quite often if it is an actor or character they
stare right at reader to use direct address and involve
the audience, it normally takes up the majority of the
cover suggesting that it is the most important part of
the magazine. If the image shows a character, rather
than an actor- such as Iron Man instead of Robert
Downey Jr- this implies than the feature will be focused
more on the film itself than the stars. Whereas if the
image shows the actor this suggests it would be the
other way round.

3.  Often big, bold and iconic styles of text are used for the
mast head that are recognisable for that certain
magazine giving it an iconic style that stands out on the
shelf, for example; Empire magazine has red text and
Film white. However there could be different styles
used for special editions to represent what the edition
is about- such as text made out of a white blue light to
represent the light in Iron Mans chest- which implies
that the content is exclusive and impressive.

4.  Often uses capital letters to show importance and
emphasises the most important part of the magazine
(i.e. The main feature film). Also the colour scheme
often matches the rest of the cover to create continuity.
However it can also highlight a certain area of the
image through the use of colour, like on the Twilight
Empire cover where they picked out the yellow in the
characters eyes and had the main cover line in that
colour.

5.  Usually smaller than the main cover line the cover lines
can often give a little more information to the reader
about the main story hoping to interest the audience in
the story. It’s normally quite short and snappy so that it
catches the audience attention but doesn’t not overload
the audience with too much information or overcrowd
the cover with text making it loose it’s overall effect.

6.  These are used to add extra ‘wow factor’ to the
magazine and to make the reader more interested in
cover and show that it contains a wide range of content
other than the main feature so that the magazine
appeals to a wider audience than just fans of the main
feature film. They are usually near the top or bottom of
the page so that they don’t detract attention from the
main image but in bright colours so that they are still
noticed and stand out.

7.  Used to bring in reader that little extra words such as
exclusive, Free, special edition, included, plus, and
amazing are examples of buzz words we noticed. They
are used to excite the audience and make them want to
buy the magazine with all its amazing exclusives. They
are often in brighter colour to the rest of the text. For
example the special Iron man 2 edition of Empire
magazine the buzz words are in blue when most of the
other text is white. This makes it stand out more on the
page at emphasises how great the magazine is.

8.  Normally situated at the top of the magazine. This
separates the information from the main feature of the
magazine, for example on the Twilight issue of Empire
magazine information about other films is above the
mast head in the form of a strip. This shows that it
covers a wider range of content and it can highlight
different objects that are received with the magazine,
such as posters of free gifts. The colours often match
the house style shown throughout the image in order to
create continuity.

9.  Usually situated at the bottom corner of the screen so
can be scanned easily when purchased. This also
means that it is kept out of the way to prevent it from
ruining the overall effect of the magazine cover, as it is
important information that must be displayed, but it
does not match the rest of the image portrayed.