This document contains screenshots and descriptions of the process of designing a magazine cover in Photoshop. The student experimented with layout, text size, placement of images and text, use of banners and graphics, and layering to emphasize different elements. Tools used included text boxes, shape tools, resizing, and layers. Feedback was incorporated across multiple iterations, such as simplifying the masthead, adjusting quotes and cover lines, and having the main image overlap the title for visual impact. In the end, the student gained proficiency with Photoshop tools and layers for magazine cover design.

1. Print screens of front cover
By Melissa Edwards

2. This is a screenshot of my
masthead, personal statement
and the price and date.
I have named my masthead this
because it shows that indie
stars are on there own and
make it on there own without
any help off producers. The
personal statement is named
this because it suggests that if
you try on your own you could
make it big.
The tools used for this was the
text box, move tool, front size
and colour.

3. In this screenshot I have added
the subheading however the
main one is not big enough.
In order to make the headlines
stand out more, I'm going to
add banners.
The tools I used was the front
and colour tool, move tool and
text box.

4. In this screenshot I have changed
the placing of the personal
statement as it didn't fit with the
main image. I have also made the
main text bigger and more bold. I
have also changed were the writing
will be.
I have used the tools such as move
tool, front size and colour.

5. In this screenshot I have added
in the main image which uses
direct address, I have also
moved the personal statement
above the masthead to create
room for the cover lines.
I have used the tools such as the
move tool, text box, and resized
the writing.
I have also added quotes and
banners to make them stand
out. I have also added a barcode
which I got of the internet.
I used the shape tool to create
banners, text box and move
tool. I also added in colours.

6. In this screenshot I have added
more banners to emphasis the
artists names. I have also made the
date and price smaller.
I have also added writing in the
banner at the bottom however this
needs to improve by adding in
artists names.
I used the shape tool and the resize
tool.

7. In this screen shot I have changed the
size of the masthead so its bigger and
stands out more. I have added
banners and rotated them around to
make it more effective and more like a
music magazine as it looked like a
gossip magazine. I have changed the
colours of the yellow banner to black
and the front to yellow as it was more
effective. I have also made the
exclusive smaller and put it in a
banner and made Mollie bigger and
changed the quote at the bottom as
its more music related. I have also
added in the artists names at the
bottom, and change the colour of
‘plus’ so it stands out more.
I have used tools such as the shape
tool adding more banners, text box,
resized writing, and used the control T
to put the banners on a slant .

8. I have changed the masthead to
‘Indi’ as it is more simple and short.
I have also changed the personal
statement as it needed to be more
relevant to music.
I have also added graphics to follow
the codes and conventions.
I have also changed were the
barcode goes as I have swapped it
around with the graphic.
I have used tools such as the
remove tool, text box, and move
tool.

9. I have changed the ‘win VIP
festival tickets’ around with the
barcode as it fitted with the
codes and conventions. I have
also deleted ‘official top 20
charts’ as it wasn't a cover line. I
have swapped it with ‘the
Artillery’ and ‘The Upper-Hand’
to match up with the cover line
‘best gigs for this month’. I have
also made ‘unlocked hidden
extras inside this issue’ so its
more simple ‘unlocked hidden
interviews’.
The tools i have used is the move
tool and text tool.

10. I have made the masthead
much bigger and moved all
the writing down to fill up the
page.

11. In this screenshot i have made
the main image go over the title,
i did this by selecting the bit i
wanted to cover and copy and
pasted it to make another layer i
then rubbed out the bits i didn't
need and then the title was over
the masthead.

12. Photoshop
When using Photoshop to create my front cover, at first i found it quite difficult
with all the tools but after a while i got used to it.
I used tools such as the text tool, to write all my text. The move tool, to make
sure everything was in the correct position. Shape tool, to make banners and
circles to emphasis some of the cover lines and quotes. I have also used the ctrl
T button with enables you to enlarge images and writing and to stretch them
out.
Also with using all the layers i found it easy to use as i was able to create a new
layer every time a created a new thing and was able to adjust that certain thing
without anything happening with the others. I was also able to use the layers by
copying and pasting apart of the image and creating a new layer and rubbing out
what wasn't necessary and then creating the main image being a little bit over
the masthead for great effect.