One of the things I love about the magazine industry is the power of a well-designed cover. Over the years I’ve shared some the very best, and some that never should have happened. Whether it covers politics, sports, social or environmental issues or where to go on holiday, the cover sets the tone and grabs the eye. The best, like Harvard Business Review’s brilliant throwback cover or the iconic covers from 9/11, tell powerful stories with minimal words.
Great design of any kind rarely operates in a vacuum. And while the finished piece might look like magic, good cover design can be learned. I ran across this design course, Magazine Design Start to Finish: The Cover from John McWade on LinkedIn and wanted to share.
From the course description:
“Join John McWade as he takes you step by step through the process of magazine cover design to create designs that are attractive, logical, consistent, and appropriate. John begins by providing insights on the importance of type, as type serves as your cover’s “visible voice.” Next, he demonstrates how to gather your influences, design for a specific cover size and shape, and use different fonts for your cover’s nameplate. John then shows a variety of layout options, including full bleeds, partial bleeds, and open space.”
McWade is a graphic designer, instructor and author who founded Before & After magazine in 1990, dedicated to teaching graphic design to desktop publishers. He continues to teach and inspire through his courses and books. His emphasis is on simple beauty, clarity, and understanding design as “an essential form of communication.”
If you’re looking to improve your design chops, especially around magazine covers, this looks like a great option.
[…] art and science of a good magazine cover has always been important to the magazine industry. Good covers jump out at the newsstand, and […]