Digital Imaging (3 of 3): Your Own Design: Magazine Cover Assignment

Assignment Details

For this assignment you will plan and design your own magazine cover. Consider an area of interest when you are deciding what type of magazine cover to design (sports, music, entertainment, etc.).

You must show evidence of planning and include a written part (your rationale) that discusses how you have used the principles of design (refer to your handout):

• Balance/Contrast
• Rhythm/Repetition (Movement/Pattern)
• Emphasis/Alignment
• Unity/Proximity (Proportion)

Your magazine cover must have:

• A title for your magazine
• A dominant image(s)/artwork
• At least 4 different font styles
• At least 10 layers total (including text layers)
• A Barcode (you can click here to make your own barcode. Thanks to Nick D. for finding this.)
• Date and Price (or "free" if applicable)
• Design credit (your name - small print in one of the bottom covers)

You can use your own images, depending on your magazine topic, or you can use copyright friendly or free images.

Refer to the handout you received on the Principles of Design as it includes suggestions for each principle that you can consider when planning your design.

When you have decided on the type of magazine cover you want to design, you should do an online image search for magazines that have a similar design.
Find professional examples that can help you in the design process. 

The final assignment will be shared to your teacher through Google Drive. It should include an image of the design cover as well.

Using Pixlr or Photoshop

You can use the online Pixlr Editor Application for this assignment. If you are using a MacBook Pro you can also use Photoshop which is available on the computer.
If you are using Pixlr Editor, make sure to download as a PXD file (that saves your layers). You can also make an account (use your student email as you should be able to get the full version of Pixlr Editor).
If you are using Photoshop, make sure to save your work and note which MacBook you are using. 

Pixlr and Photoshop allow you to use layers so you can manipulate your text and images and how you position them. It is is important that you manage and name your layers when you start designing your cover.

NOTE: When you create your magazine cover, consider the size 700x900.

Becoming familiar with Pixlr or Photoshop will take a bit of time. There will be times during the design process that you may have to search online to learn (or be reminded) how to do something in Pixlr or Photoshop.

Included across the top section of this blog are some videos that should be helpful when trying to figure out how to use different features in Pixlr. 
Tutorials for Photoshop should be accessible on the MacBook when you open the Photoshop
application. 

Self-Assessment

When you have completed the assignment, use the checklist below to ensure that you have included all the required components. Your teacher may have a handout of this checklist.

1. My cover design includes at least four different font styles.
2. My cover design includes a title, barcode, date and price. 
3. The dominant image/artwork is my own or is copyright friendly or free. 
4. I used at least 10 different text layers in Pixlr when designing my cover (including text layers).
5. My cover shows solid evidence that I have considered and applied the design principles. 
6. I have written a rationale explaining how I used the design principles as they apply to my cover. 
7. I have less than three spelling, sentence structure or other grammatical errors in my rationale.
8. I have included the design cover and my rationale in Google Drive with an assignment title. 
9. I have included credit for the design in small print on the cover (one of the bottom corners)

Examples

Click on image to enlarge (By Eve Pond-2018)

Click on image to enlarge