The document summarizes the steps taken to design the front cover of a magazine. The designer added a cropped photo as the background to feature the model's face and cultivate a star image. Text was then added using various tools, including the title partially obscured by the image for brand recognition. Additional text elements like bylines and coverlines were positioned following industry conventions to highlight bands and grab readers' attention. The final design emphasized certain elements through effects and placement to promote sales.

1. Front cover production
(with screengrabs)

2. First of all, I added a photo to the background. I cropped the
image and zoomed in a lot in order to ensure that my
models face dominates the page, in order to cultivate a star
(Dyer). Because of the background being minimal, I was
able to use my full photo, without having to use the eraser
tool. During this process I also edited the saturation, and
brightness. I felt that this would fit the theme of other indie
magazines that have inspired me, and it also makes the
image more aesthetically pleasing, and thus easier to sell.

3. Then I added the title using the text t00l. I did
use the eraser tool here, in order to cut the text
away so that the image partially obscures it.
For this I was inspired by NME issues that did
this, as it demonstrates strength in brand
identity – the title can be partially concealed
and still remain recognisable.

4. Then, using the text tool, I added a byline, a
vital convention of magazines.

5. I then added the coverline, which was ‘Julia J’
I did this using the text tool and also the
rectangle tool, placing the rectangle behind
in order to reinforce the models presence in
the magazine.

6. I then added text for the magazine, and placed it where I have
seen other professional magazines do so. The colour of it
matches the title. I added effects to the coverlines so that it has
an outline of black, in order to make them appear prominent
in comparison to the background. I chose to position ‘Catfish’
at the top as they are a prominent band in the indie genre, and
thus the audience will notice this and buy my magazine.

7. I then added a black box behind ‘catfish’ using
the rectangle to further emphasise this point.

8. I used google to find a plus sign and then added
this beneath the ‘catfish’ coverline. This
separates the coverlines slightly so that
Catfish appears more important, also to
emphasise my previous point.

9. Finally, I added a rectangle behind the barcode so
that my text would stand out using the rectangle
tool. I also added text including the date, price,
issue number and website of my magazine onto
the front cover, using the text tool.

10. Final Product: