Magazines Part II (Part 4)

Cover Types

1. Image Based- Image based covers are the most common approach to cover designs. There is usually a person, or multiple people, on the cover. The person on the cover ends up selling the issue, so the person is usually a celebrity. The usual way that a person is portrayed on a cover is looking at the camera and smiling. Some magazine covers are different in the way that the person or celebrity is not looking at the camera, is not smiling, or both. The images does not have to be a person, for example,  a travel magazine could use a landscape photo for their cover.

2. Illustration Based- Illustration based covers were the only way to design a cover at the very beginning of publishing until the mid 1930's. Today, the illustrations are used to portray something in a funny way, or something in a not ordinary way. Not a lot of the magazines still use illustrated covers, although those that are illustrated are most likely computer generated. Those who do are not reliant on newspaper stand sales and are free standing magazine companies.

3. Type Based- Type based covers are rare, but are more common than an illustrated cover. Type based covers are used to communicate something striking and leaves more of an impact on the reader. Sometimes it is easier to get a point across using just words, not relying on a picture to help communicate an entire story. The type based cover has started to gain popularity as modern calligraphy gains popularity.

4. Concept Based- This can be a mix of image based, illustration based and type based covers. It is best used to convey something striking or shocking. This is a rare cover type, but is used for business magazines and independent magazines. The problem with this type is that it might not be discernible or understandable by anyone. 

The saying that an image speaks a thousand words is true in this regard. An image helps to communicate the idea and the topic. Words help to communicate details that an image cannot. Words can also be art, such as in the type based covers with calligraphy. The importance of the relationship between words and images on a cover is important because they help to balance each other out while still giving enough information to draw attention.