Research & Analysis on different element of a typical magazine cover page

The anatomy of a magazine cover breaks a magazine cover into different elements which help us to understand a cover design easily. So, according to definition, a magazine cover conveys in a brief manner that what the magazine is all about. It is the first thing the audience will get to see before knowing the contents of the inside. A popular saying says “there is no such thing as a good magazine with a bad cover”. This indicates the significance that a magazine cover design hold. The catchy cover is the one that enticed the consumers to purchase magazine in most of the cases because of the curiosity to read what is inside. It is a key element to boost the sales as it strike the imagery of the buyer. If done right it could make the the buyers hand up and they buy it. To make the cover design stand out, the editor make assure that each of the elements of cover is placed rightly. Now we will discuss about them.

Masthead

It is the title of the magazine which size is visibly bigger on the magazine cover. This tells about the name of the publication. This can be eye catching for the readers so it's fonts and style need to be professional. Making it bold can help readers to view it easily. Masthead can catch people attention and make them remember the style of the text for a while.

Issue and dateline

This shows the date, month, year, and the issue number of the magazine publication. This is important because it help the readers to know how old the magazine is. It might include the price of the magazine sometimes.

Main image

The main image of a magazine cover is representative illustration of content included in magazine. It convey the message of the entire magazine. Big magazine producers use popular celebrities or use a visually appealing image that triggers emotion.

Supporting cover lines

This includes topics that too revolve around the same theme or different subject. When it comes to placing them on the magazine’s cover, the key is balance. Try to make them clear, short, and concise. Also, go for a more subtle font and choose a smaller size to avoid distracting the reader from the main attractions.

Bar code

This is mainly made by printing house that you are working with. Barcode might also include the price of the magazine. When designing a magazine, try to leave a little space for the bar code in some part of the corner area.

Lead article

This element of the magazine mainly focuses on the main issue of the magazine it tells the theme or the topic of the whole magazine in short brief manner. This element facilitate the buyer by giving the important before spending their money on the magazine cover. This element is significant because the buyer could gain curiosity of their favorite actor, food, or their interests by only reading this element.