Front Cover Evaluation
Research
I have learned over the past units, and through my research on magazine covers and layouts, that most covers contain at least four coverlines, a headline, sometimes a lure, and they always have a UPC (Universal Price Code) either on the front or on the back of the magazine. Most magazine covers use photographs as main cover images, with the coverlines and masthead overlayed on top. The coverlines are usually placed either side of the image, which is usually a photo of a celebrity or model, the reason they are placed on each side of the cover, is to make sure that the models face isn't covered. This was an issue I had to address, because the image I had chosen was a portrait photo, we had to constantly re-adjust the coverlines to make sure the models face wasn't covered. I have followed most codes and conventions by including a masthead, coverlines and a UPC on the front. Whereas most magazines have usually four coverlines at the least, mine has three, I could've used four but I thought that it would've made the cover look a little cramped and full. I wanted my cover to have kind of a Vogue magazine feel, and so because of this I have used mostly sans-serif fonts that are very legible, because this is what Vogue magazine tends to use for their coverlines, Vogue magazine has a serif font as their masthead - but I decided to use a fancy script font instead, this is what really defines my own preferences on this front cover as my cover is more elegant that a Vogue cover, but it still retains the simplicity that Vogue excudes.
My Opinion:
I'm very satisfied with the outcome on this front cover spread, I think it looks clean, simple, minimalistic, unique but professional. I think that if I personally saw this on a magazine stand it would really stand out to me, because most magazines are quite colorful, whereas my outcome would draw attention to itself by breaking the codes and conventions, and being all in monochromatic tones.
Pros:
The pros of this cover are that it's simple and easy to read, it's graceful because there isn't too much contrast between the image and the text, the coverlines are very legible, and can be seen from a distance, the photo isn't too bold, and because of this the focus is very much on the text and not the image. The photo is of a high quality and it looks quite high-class. The header is also quite legible from a short distance, meaning that it'd be easy to spot upon a shelf.
Cons:
The cons of this cover would have to be that the date line is a little hidden beneath the header, as the text colour blends in with the celebrities hair, another con could actually be that it's actually TOO simple. Another con is that the woman in the photograph isn't looking at the viewer, so some people might not feel as welcome to buy it because of the mode of address that is displayed.
Improvements:
I personally don't think that anything really needs improving, I really enjoyed working on this cover. Although if I had to pick a couple of things that I would probably change if I were to re-create it, it would have to be that fact that there isn't a very direct mode of address, and although I personally like the photograph, a more direct mode of address would've been more effective. Another thing I'd improve would be the number of coverlines, as although I personally wanted a simpler look than most magazines, in reality on most magazines (even Vogue) there are more coverlines. Another thing I personally need to improve on when it comes to the course overall is annotation, I need to remember to annotate as I'm doing my work, instead of trying to think back a remember what I've done, this will speed up my progress very effectively, and make it a lot easier to evaluate my work, as I've found that when I'm annotating I'll be looking at screenshots and not know what they are referencing to.