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Magazine Cover and Magazine Mania

What catches your attention when you look at the cover of a magazine? Is it the headline, the graphics or both? As part of your Visual Arts and Language Arts grade, **each student** is responsible for creating a magazine cover. This cover can be used for you Magazine Mania project too.

The first step in creating your magazine cover is to take a photo or create a piece of art that is eye-catching and that will appeal your target audience. (Of course, you will want it to be the standard magazine cover size.) Keep in mind that you should be applying your knowledge of the elements and principles of design - we will review these in art class.

Your headline/magazine name should reflect what your magazine is all about. You will also want it to attract your target audience - who may be tweens, teenagers or adults!!! So, use a name that would appeal to your audience. For your magazine name, try some different fonts to see which fits best with your graphics/illustrations and your theme. You may also try different colours, size of font, etc.

Once you have planned these two main features, have a look at how you wish to arrange everything on the page; this is called the layout. You will want to create a layout that is attractive to the viewer, where the headline stands out, the photo/illustration covers most/all of the page, and other text and text features do not distract from the headline and photo/illustration.

Other key features that you will need to include on your cover include: the date, volume/issue, price, and bar code - we’re aiming for a professional look here!

You may also include other mini images with photo captions, or simply captions - to give the reader "a crumb of the great cookies" inside!! Enjoy!!!

Here's the rubric which will be used to grade your finished magazine cover. 1. Your hook is clear and concise and immediately attracts the reader's attention and target audience (headline, graphics, etc.). 1 2 3 4 ﻿ 2. Layout and space is effective (minimal blank space, headline in large font, graphic size is appropriate, etc.) 1 2 3 4 ﻿ 3. Full cover, including the photo or illustration are effective, and utilize the principles and elements of design. 1 2 3 4 ﻿ 4. Standard features are included (name of magazine, date, volume/issue, price, ﻿ etc.) 1 2 3 4 ﻿ 5. Visual presentation: professional look, care taken in producing finished product. 1 2 3 4 6. Word usage: text included is aimed toward target audience. 1 2 3 4

If you need some help with a magazine layout, check out http://bighugelabs.com/magazine.php. You will need to have all of your information ready to go because you cannot save it and go back and edit it later. You will have to start your magazine cover over again if you go off of the internet or away from the site before finishing.