Magazine Front Cover Conventions

Left third - This is the left third of a magazine cover and it is importnant for sales in shops where the magazine is not shown by full frontage. The title must be noticeable in a display of competitors. The start of masthead is vital here and short coverlines are needed to be snappy and easy to read.

Masthead - The main title that has to be kept in the top left corner and dominate the overall text.

Images - Images are important for a front cover, it is important that that is the main center focus. offensive images should not be used and they should all be appropriate and you must have consent from the person that is modelling in the photo on the front cover.

Colour Scheme - You should keep your use of colour to a minimum, using the same colours throughout to show professionalism. By making the magazine too colourful, it makes it look tacky and over the top instead of neat and proffessional.

Splash - This a term for the front cover as a whole.

Vocabulary - This is just the text used in an article. It is really important that no offensive language or taboo is used throughout the magazine, this can be taken the wrong way and affect the sale of a magazine. It is good if you are able to use a wide range of vocabulary in an article.

Skyline - The line that is above the masthead, giving people information about the contents of the magazine.

Credit - Who the article was written by. A credit to the writer.

Bardcode - This is found on the back of the magazine and used to scan the price in shops.

Date Line - the date the magazine was out for sale in shops, this is also used so the public can keep up to date with the magazine.

The Brief

Preliminary excercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, cover featuring a photograph of a student in medium close up appropriately laid-out text and masthead. Additionally you must produce a mock up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.