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Got bored and tried to make a front cover for an off-road magazine.

I

iMacBoy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 24, 2009
363
0
I am no pro at this, it's just a little thing i decided to do when i was bored, i do quite like graphics, but i am only 14 years old.

Tell me what you think and how i could change it, i don't mind criticism, but no stupid comments.

Here it is;

(BTW random theme, did offroad because i quite like ATV's but the information isn't real etc..)

Here is version (1) and this has a smooth title and a banner at the bottom.

123abnr.png


Here is version (2) and this is a rougher title and a different banner.

faolde.png


Thanks!
 
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What sort of software do you have?

I think the cover is fine. I'm assuming the goal is to get practice in design and possible save some stuff for a portfolio?


Some notes for a more realistic cover:

-The magazine logo (at least the white part) is getting lost in the white area of the photo. One of the more important points on cover design is that the logo stands out and is easy to read.

To fix this, you could darken the photo there slightly or clone some dirt in right behind the logo. Or, you could put the whole logo in a transparent box to set the logo off from the photo.

-The subhead is pretty close to the magazine logo. Most times this is further away from the logo. Maybe try a different font for this as well, most of the time the logo and the rest of the text is not the same font.

-Most magazines have either a UPC box with Date and Pricing info for retail or a white box for ink jetting address information. I would add the retail UPC and pricing info to make it look more realistic.

-When magazines have contests on the cover, they generally have something like "see page 15 for details" and not a web address link.
 
btbrossard said:
What sort of software do you have?

I think the cover is fine. I'm assuming the goal is to get practice in design and possible save some stuff for a portfolio?


Some notes for a more realistic cover:

-The magazine logo (at least the white part) is getting lost in the white area of the photo. One of the more important points on cover design is that the logo stands out and is easy to read.

To fix this, you could darken the photo there slightly or clone some dirt in right behind the logo. Or, you could put the whole logo in a transparent box to set the logo off from the photo.

-The subhead is pretty close to the magazine logo. Most times this is further away from the logo. Maybe try a different font for this as well, most of the time the logo and the rest of the text is not the same font.

-Most magazines have either a UPC box with Date and Pricing info for retail or a white box for ink jetting address information. I would add the retail UPC and pricing info to make it look more realistic.

-When magazines have contests on the cover, they generally have something like "see page 15 for details" and not a web address link.
Click to expand...


Thanks, and the logo/title give me a lot of hassle whilst i was making this to be honest, trying to place the text to avoid the head of the rider was more challenging that it seemed. Thanks i will go and change some of the things you have said and re-upload.

I have Uploaded a new version, with a darkened out background behind the main title, and see page ... at the bottom, thanks.

open to any criticism or help anyone has for me?
 
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- Put a fake barcode in
- Get rid of the bottom and put that information on the sides of the atv rider
- Add more headlines and make the feature article the biggest, for example, why is that particular ATV rider on the cover? Make up a cover story from it or something.
- Get rid of "NEW" and make the magazine title bigger
- Rough up the logo, it's too clean for an ATV magazine. Either that or make it stand out a little more, it's kinda flat where it is especially with the white.
 
Thanks everyone, and TC400 I used Photoshop CS4.

I will take everyones points in and get round to editing it and doing what you have told me soon.

@jbyun04 Excuse me if i'm wrong but don't bar codes usually go on the back? Or actually it may vary. And also the reason i have 'NEW' there is because there is some text that was on the picture origionally that i didnt want there so i just used that to hide it :eek:. Also i will add more of a shadow on.

OP EDITED

I have added the original version and a second version, on the newer version i have added a rougher title and played around with the bottom area.
 
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Looks good apart from the shadowing on the bottom banners etc. Try doing them solid
 
The govt. office that administers barcodes has specific requirements for location choices on the space.

Get rid of the 'New' graphic.

Size the typeface so the 'FREESTYLE' fills the space horizontally (this is a good choice, looks solid btw).

The photo is well placed and masked. Adjust as needed with enlarged title type.

Don't put corporate logo's on your cover. Not unless you want to piss off every other competing advertiser you have. The nature of motorsports means the cover photos will be filled with them anyway.

Keep the bottom clean. The burst needs sprucing up, too big with too small points.

The 'Natalie Wins...' Bigger Type, Narrower column... and only reference a single page.

And I would bring more color into it. The smaller orange on brown type text gets lost. I like it in the title. Remember, your trying to standout on a newsstand.
 
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