The document describes the process of designing a magazine cover in Photoshop. Key steps included: 1) Placing the cover image and masthead, then experimenting with colors for the masthead that coordinated with the cover image. 2) Using selection tools to place the cover image behind the masthead. 3) Adding the magazine title and additional text elements like the artist's name and pull quote, experimenting with fonts and layout. 4) Refining elements and changing the cover image to a higher quality photo when issues were noticed. Additional typical magazine elements like graphics, banners, and barcode were also added.

1. Cover
Layout and
Photoshop

2. Flat plan vs Final

3. To start off the magazine I first placed
my final shot and positioned it to
where I wanted it. I then proceeded
to add my masthead in the top left
hand corner of the screen. I did this
as it follows the conventions and
houses style of music magazines such
as ‘Q’ and ‘XXL’. I then placed a
black banner on the top of the cover.
I originally wanted the colour of my masthead/logo to be
red. But then I noticed there was no red within my cover
image. So I then decided to experiment with different
colours. I first picked out the dark blue from the jean
jacket. I also did another experiment by focusing on the
grey in the interior of the clothing. I placed the logo
next to the final image and I felt that the red was the
one that worked the best. I felt that if I had used the
blue there would have been too much of the colour. I
also was against the grey because it made the magazine
look a bit dull. Something I didn't want an R&B magazine
to come across as. I later decided to Photoshop the lips
of the model red to help make my magazine more cohesive.

4. I wanted to have my model in my cover image behind my
masthead. This is because I had this idea within my
flat plan, which followed with positive reviews from
my target audience. As well as the fact that I wanted
my cover image to stand out to the audience.
I first made a duplicate of my background, on the copy
of the background I then selected the magic wand
tool. Using the tool I selected the white background
and then pressed the delete key on my keyboard. This
got rid of all the white from the image. I then
dragged the copy layer above my masthead layer so the
image would be on top of it.
Magic Wand tool

5. I continued to add writing to my banner of my cover. The words I used
were ‘THE UK’S GREATEST R&B MUSIC MAGAZINE’ I was inspired from ‘Q’
magazine. I experimented with different fonts to see what worked. To
create the banner I used the shape tool from the tool bar to make a
long rectangle I then filled it in black. The text I used was within
Photoshop making it easier for me to try out different fonts.
As I progressed into creating my front cover I got rid of the banner
because I realised that I was looking at conventions of a more
contemporary music magazine. I then went back to look at my research
on R&B magazines and I noticed very little covers used banners.

6. In the centre of the magazine I had the name of the artist in
capitals. The name was then split into half. I did this by
making two separate layers of the name. The first layer was the
top half of the name and the second was the bottom half of the
name. I then used my arrow keys to move the layer away from
each other until there was a big enough gap to fit more text
in. On the name I used bevel and emboss to make the name stand
out, I also made it match the colour of the masthead to make
the magazine more cohesive. To do this I selected colour
overlay option and selected the colour I wanted.
Within the gap I used the text option on Photoshop and typed the
words ‘THE NEW QUEEN OF R&B’, I scrolled through the font
options within Photoshop and selected the one that was the most
similar to the Masthead, I did this so there was more cohesion
within the cover. This followed the layout of my flat plan.

7. Here you can see that I
changed the cover
image. I did this
because I found that
when I zoomed into the
photo it was slightly
blurry. I then found
that the picture was
slightly out of focus.
I then selected
another image from my
test shots and
continued to work with
that. The image is
very similar to the
previous one, this one
being more focused and
higher quality.
I wanted to place my Pull quote near the name of the
artist, I did this so the audience can see that it is
from the artist and not some random text. I looked
at where I could place the text. I first placed it in
one line underneath the artists name. I chose not to
do this as it looked over crowded and it was not
standing out against the black shirt. I then chose to
have the words within three lines. This makes the
words easier to read and more spaced out.

8. I then started to add cover lines and a
graphic within my work. To add a
graphic I copied and pasted a plus sign
shape onto Photoshop. Using the magic
wand tool I selected the background of
the image and then deleted it leaving
me with just the graphic. I did not
have a graphic within my flat plan.
While creating my front cover I found
that large amounts of R&B magazines
have graphics which are ‘plus’ symbols.
So I added one into my work to conform
to the stereotype of an R&B music
magazine.
Another feature of an R&B magazine which I
chose to include was the banner of
words at the top of the magazine. I
also coloured the name ‘Chris Brown’
red. I did this so it shows the
audience what other artists would be
included in the magazine as it stand
out against the other black text. The
red also helps make the cover more
cohesive.
I placed my cover lines to the right of
the cover so the magazine would not
look empty. I also made sure that it
did not cover my models face when I was
finished.

9. I added a barcode and a Quick scan code. For this magazine I created my own
code by using the site http://www.qrstuff.com//. I created a website
name for my music magazine and from there the website generated my own
code for my magazine. I then saved the code and then pasted it onto
Photoshop. I then used the transform option to manipulate the size of
the code. I also had a barcode for my magazine. On top of the barcode I
added a website address, price tag and a date. I added this to it
because I found that a majority of music magazines have this convention
within the covers. I placed the two at the bottom right hand corner of
the cover. I didn't make them too big so it doesn't distract the readers
from the cover image and cover lines.

10. I added ‘April 2016’ on my cover. I did this by clicking
the text tool in the side bar, I then used the
transform option to make the words smaller. I
positioned the words underneath my masthead. I made it
big enough to read but not too big to make it
distracting.
I chose to add a date, as it shows what addition the
magazine is as well as the fact almost everyone music
magazine has this feature. So I added one to my cover
to make it as genuine as possible.