The document summarizes the steps taken to design a magazine cover in Photoshop, including: Cropping an image to focus on the model's face, enhancing her eyes by adjusting hue/saturation and color balance. Contrast and brightness were also adjusted. The background was removed and layers were flattened. Text, graphics and cover lines were added to complete the design. Feedback was gathered from classmates to choose the best cover design.

1. First I went to File>Open and selected the image that I wanted
to use for my cover photo.

2. Then once I had selected the image I duplicated the layer so that I
could edit it. This allowed me to keep the original image as it was so
that if I did change my mind, I could easily go back.

3. After that I used the ‘crop tool’ to crop the image so that I focused
mainly on the cover models face and a bit of her torso. This was because
I wanted the image to be a close up so that it attracted the reader’s
attention. Furthermore it meant that I could enhance her eyes and it
would be noticeable as it is close up. Due to the direct eye contact this
addresses a potential customer to pick up the magazine.
Crop Tool

4. Using the ‘Quick selection Tool’ I highlighted the cover
model’s eyes so that I could change the colour of them. As
she suited green eyes I decided to just brighten the green by
going to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation.

5. I altered the saturation by moving the arrow to the right
hand side of the middle bar, the green increased in
colour yet I felt I still wanted it a bit more vibrant.

6. After that I went on Image>Adjustments>Colour Balance so
that the green was more vibrant. I pulled the arrow to the
left hand side on the middle bar labelled ‘magenta – green’.

7. Next I decided to change the contrast and brightness on the image so
that it stood out and made the image look professional. Using the
‘quick selection tool’ I highlighted the area I wanted to change (her
face) and went to image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast.
Quick
Selection
Tool

8. After that I wanted to enhance the cover model’s eyes so using
the ‘burn tool’ I went around her eyes making the outline
darker so that they stood out and looked as if she was wearing
false eyelashes.
Burn tool

9. Then I decided to remove the background so using the ‘Quick
Selection Tool’ I highlighted the cover model apart from the
background and used the tool ‘refine edge’.

10. I selected the smart radius and ticked decontaminate
colours, then I went around the model’s head with the tool. This
allows me to go around the hair and when it cuts the image out it
feathers it, so that the hair isn’t choppy or missing sections.

11. Now on the image there is no background so it allows me to
have any choice of colours I would like.

12. After that I went to Layer>Flatten Image which flattens all
the layers that I have created whilst editing the front cover.

13. I then created a new page called ‘international paper’ and dragged my
image onto it. This will be the magazine cover page for RECENT.

14. So that the background wasn’t just a block colour I added
snowflakes and a heart shape in the bottom right hand corner by
copying and pasting them from a search engine.

15. Next I added the title ‘RECENT’ by going to ‘T’ (text) on the toolbar.
I chose the font to be Impact and changed the colour to pink. I also
added a blue haze around the lettering to add dimension to the title
and make it stand out against the background.

16. I also added cover lines like the month, issue number and price. I
then added the heading of the main article and made it a bright
pink colour to match the title and attract the target audience of
females. In addition I dragged the edited image to the page and
positioned it on the right hand side.

17. Next I added more cover lines to the side of the model ensuring
it did not cover her face as it could distract the reader and
otherwise it would not be a conventional cover page.

18. Finally I inserted an image of a barcode so that the cover
page could be purchased in a shop and looks like a
genuine magazine.

19. I created two cover pages so that I could choose the one that I thought
looked better. In addition to this I asked a group of classmates both boys
and girls to decide to see which appealed to girls and boys more.