All Things Magazine Covers and Design (2024)

It’s easy to forget that every published magazine—both digital and print—takes a village. Let’s take a look at what makes an eye-catching cover.

Vogue, Sports Illustrated, Time, National Geographic, Cosmopolitan, People, Food & Wine, Reader’s Digest, the list goes on. . . . What do all of these titles have in common? They’re amongst the most popular, world-renowned magazines, of course!

Writers, designers, contributors, software engineers, editors, fact-checkers, and many others define each issue. For that reason, like any operation, each magazine should have a particular mission, target audience, and style.

Brand recognition is imperative. Once presses can acquire a certain level of notoriety, just a magazine’s title can sell itself. Anyone could guess that Vogue is fashion, Sports Illustrated is athletics, Food & Wine is, well, food and wine.

What’s behind the title, however, is our focus today. Let’s examine the magazine cover! The aforementioned components of a publication—values, audience, and look—all inform magazine cover design.

For you designers out there—novice, expert, and everyone in-between—this tutorial will help establish and clarify your magazine cover concepts.

We’ll explore:

• The history of magazine cover design
• Information to include on your magazine cover
• 15 magazine covers to inspire
• How to make your own magazine cover with Create

Let’s get to it!

The History of Magazine Cover Design

Magazines are (almost) as old as time. While some modern day uses can look like waiting room literature or decoupage material, they’re truly designed for the interested reader.

Magazines can be as journalistic or artistic as you want. So long as each has a concrete concept, work to trust that “if you build it, they will come.”

The first documented published magazine took place in Germany in the 17th century. Specifically, in 1663, “Edifying Monthly Discussions” was published by Johann Rist, a Hamburg poet and theologian, in Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen.

Shortly after, Europe caught on and—as they say—the rest is (literal) history. Once the spark caught fire, countries began targeting the elite and women. In 1731, The Gentleman’s Magazine was published in London, and thus began the diversification of magazine concepts.

Of course, magazines were originally in print and have escalated to both print and digital (but mostly digital) today. By definition, magazines are different from books for multiple reasons.

They:

• Feature various authors
• Host different stories, based upon a central theme
• Are published weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly

What’s true for both magazines and books, however, is the importance of the cover design. Let’s take a look at exactly what to include, regardless of your concept.

Information to Include on Your Magazine Cover

Let’s face it—while the old adage suggests not judging books (or magazines) by their covers, you have every right to! The cover should represent the content within.

To cover all of your bases (ha ha), let’s explore the top four components of a standout magazine cover.

1. Focal images

Of all magazine cover elements, the image should take priority. Magazines are illustrative for a reason! Ask yourself:

• What does this magazine and/or issue represent?
• What image best captures the concept?

If you need some design inspo, Shutterstock’s image library is stacked with millions of options. Simply type in different keywords to provide creative direction.

Know that you’ll have to license the image before use, but once you do, you can edit directly in Create. Then, on the magazine cover itself, you can credit the model, photographer, or source.

Also, within Create, you can access our stock photos living in the Images tab. Same deal—type in your keywords and click to edit! If you do have personal images in mind, simply click Images > Upload in Create and drag-and-drop to place.

Having a central focal point can help you build the rest of the design. Most importantly, you want to make sure your image makes sense. Be intuitive.

For fashion-related magazines, it only makes sense to sport the latest clothing line with a pro model shot. For environmental magazines, pictures of never-before-seen footage will make for a must-have issue.

Whatever your concept, thread it through each design element for cohesion.

2. Critical Text

Within the text category, there are multiple applications. We’ll list them in an order that demonstrates visual hierarchy from top to bottom.

• Nameplate (the stylized banner that identifies the publisher)
• Selling line (identify the purpose of this issue)
• Dateline
• Main image
• Cover lines
• Bar code

Establishing where you have text can help you decide on font styles, placement, colors, and text effects. Work to avoid making a cover that’s too busy—though gossip magazines like Cosmopolitan and People are known for it.

Ultimately, it’ll help to see some design examples (which we’ve got in the next section). Our suggestion? Keep a greater narrative in mind. The nameplate, or publication name, should be stylistically recognizable in every issue, even if the design differs month-to-month.

Here’s the real question to consider: How can you build cohesion while differentiating each issue at once?

Consider pairing two fonts together for visual hierarchy. Show your readers what they should focus on first, second, third, etc. Selected font colors and sizes can also help with this.

Know that each stylistic choice you make, you’re communicating with your audience. What do you want them to know?

Make one decision at a time and let each build on the former. You’ll know when it’s complete based upon how you feel about your design.

Text Layouts + Effects

In addition to pairing fonts and colors, you have oh so many text effects at your disposal in Create. Once you click Text > Add text, you can select among our font layout options, or explore the top toolbar for Image Fills, Shadow & Outline, and the Curved Text Tool.

First-timer? Don’t sweat! You’ll be prompted each step of the way.

These options can further inform visual hierarchy and what to emphasize on the canvas.

3. Background Colors, Textures, Effects

Along with text colors, you’ll want the entire canvas to host particular color schemes, textures, and/or effects. The goal is not to overload, but to learn which assets will best suit your brand. Once you choose a texture or effect, you’ll be prompted to adjust Intensity, Fade, Saturation, Contrast, and the like.

As is necessary for any new pursuit, you might want to research and study other publications to differentiate yourself. Identifying others’ brand colors is a smart place to start.

You might notice that National Geographic is black and yellow. Time is red. Sports Illustrated is dark blue and white, etc.

It takes some time to become a household name, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Like any brand typography or logo, each design choice should be intentional.

If it doesn’t come right away, take a break, meditate, drink some tea, and come back to it. Ease and fun are the names of this game.

If at any point you wish to customize an element with the same color as another element, take advantage of Create’s fabulous Eyedropper Tool!

To use it, simply highlight the layer or element you wish to change. Then, find the Change color tab, select the Eyedropper Tool (next to the hex code box), drag it to the element with your preferred color, then click to set!

4. Shapes and Graphics

Shapes and graphics are convenient ways to carve out text boxes or add dimension to your design. To make a text box, simply click Shapes, select one, drag-and-drop to place. Then, use the Eyedropper Tool to make the shape the same color as the background and Add text to it!

Graphics can add a nice finishing touch—from design accents like lines and borders to whimsy phrases and business icons—you can find whatever you need all in one place.

15 Magazine Covers to Inspire

Onto magazine cover inspo! Since most of the population consists of visual learners, it’s critical to appease the masses. For designers too, it helps to see some examples before jumping into the creative fire.

Let’s take a look at what makes the following magazine covers effective.

1. Holiday Editions

Transport readers with a playfully posed image and a timeless quote. For special editions, make it visually clear why this issue is different. Which elements remain recognizable and which tell folks it’s a holiday edition?

Here, we’ve got a nameplate, Aphrodite. The selling line reads, “Entrepreneur Holiday Issue.” And a classic green and red Christmas color scheme ties everything together.

Offer a sneak peak of limited-time only content and watch what happens!

2. Sharp and Polished

Want to wine and dine your readers? Do so with a clean, geometric look. Scale it back with one accent shape to make a statement. Match it with the same color as the gentleman’s suit (with the Eyedropper Tool!) and done.

Now that’s a slick cover!

Pair your concept with an action shot photo and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

3. Livin’ La Vida Bella

You might be familiar with popular lifestyle magazines like Vanity Fair, Us Weekly, or Southern Living. These genres feature topics like health and fitness, tourism, leisure, fashion, and the like.

Honing in on tourism, this magazine cover is fannnn-cy. The script font, Basteleur Bold, takes on a different look depending on the size. And the green and beige concept just works.

4. Culture Trends

Symbolically, red suggests passion, courage, and love. Keep your concept simple with someone who sports fresh, cultural looks. The dual shaded red is on-point, coupled with an electric green.

In just one photo, readers should have an instant impression of both a model’s personality and the supporting magazine.

5. Moon Mag

Instead of geometric triangles, here we’re working with circle symbolism. The white circle graphic on a dark background provides space for text, all the while mirroring the moon’s shape.

Conceptual mirroring, like art, can keep readers engaged longer.

6. Queen of the Magazine

Covers like this are easily adjustable and can set you up for expedient ops. Every month, use a new look (or model) to inform the cover and you’re set!

Change up some graphics colors and send! Easy peasy.

7. Feature Local News

By all means, swing big if you’re hoping to be the next Entertainment Weekly, but small, local magazines are equally as important.

Highlight a particular artist or musician with a front page feature. Attract locals for events and gigs by becoming the know-all publication in town.

8. Get Trend(z)y

Bring on the funk (and punk!) with a broody look like this one. Notice how the lines are both horizontal and vertical—they hit most every edge of the canvas.

In Create, you can position text accordingly and turn it any which way. Simply hold down the SHIFT key, drag the tallest highlighted blue circle 90°, and click to set!

By covering all visual bases, readers are forced to stay on the page.

9. Concept Breakdown

For a fully immersive experience, consider making your cover feel like any other page inside the magazine. Draw readers in immediately without an obvious cover page.

Plus, who would want to shy away from this endearing Valentino purple?

10. Conceptual Art

These abstract letters force readers to slow down in order to grasp the concept. In a fassssttt-moving culture, it’s sweet to have a counter-message.

Likely, you’ll attract curious, thoughtful folk. For example, they might ask, “What does the word ‘adjective’ have to do with the desert?”

Whatever the connection may be, people will have to read it to find out! Unique covers make for unique content. At the very least, everyone can agree that this magazine should be interesting.

11. The Great Outdoors

Remember those font pairs we mentioned? A magazine cover like this is the perfect place to implement them. The title font is BioRhyme, whereas the dateline and subsequent cover lines are Jost.

Use font colors that won’t get lost in the image, but ones that support the experience you’re showcasing. The mind doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination, which speaks to the power of images.

You will take readers anywhere with the right layout and design choices.

12. Be Hip, Star

The combination of pink, black, and white is a classic color scheme. Make it a mood with a monthly issue celebrating what it means to be “hip.”

Use all the slang and lingo unabashedly with a frame-worthy mag cover!

13. Stay off the Chop’n Block

For every Food Network lover out there—specifically “Chopped” fans—you know that being on the chopping block isn’t a good thing.

Featuring tasty, local eats with an engaging and professional headshot like this one is a sure way to build—and keep—community.

14. Mellow Yellow

Stay wild, flower child! Time-travel back to The Beatles’ era with a Time Machine magazine (concept). Create’s assets make it easy to add all types of tints and hues.

In the Effects tab, simply click Tint under the Paintbox category, or choose a customizable Gradient flair for a two or three-blend hue.

15. Lay Down the Law(dey)

We’ve seen purely pink and lemon yellow designs, but what about putting them both together? You don’t have to be a color wheel expert, but trendy designs come from bold and bright choices.

Explore our color palette suggestions as you go to achieve the outcome you’re looking for.

How to Make Your Own Magazine Cover with Create

Your turn! Of course, all of the above templates are available in Create, where you can easily customize colors, graphics, images, and anything else you see fit. The benefits to using magazine cover templates?

They can:

• Provide layout options
• Offer preselected color schemes
• Make it easy to swap images
• Provide preselected font choices
• Inspire you if blank canvases are daunting

First time magazine designers are welcome to peruse and use our templates at your leisure. If you do prefer to start from scratch, you might consider a blank canvas instead. Here’s what to know. . . .

Magazine covers are sized the same as flyers and posters at 2550 x 3300 px. When selecting your blank canvas, type in these specs, then click Make it!

You can also scroll or search (CTRL or COMMAND + F) for “flyer” or “poster.” They both live under the Formats section. Click to open.

From here, you have free reign to explore and layer the following four steps:

1. Select a background color from the Change color tab—either solids, gradients, textures (from the Textures tab), or images (from the Images tab).
2. Add text to select your font or text layout. Adjust text effects, font pairs, and placement.
3. Play with shapes and graphics for additional text boxes or design elements.
4. When you’re finished, click the red Download button. Select your preferred file type, then click Download again to save to desktop and print. Otherwise, upload to email, website, or social for an instant boost in traffic.

Know that your work forever remains alive in our cloud storage for you to revisit anytime. Especially for recurring publications, cloud storage is super convenient.

When you return, simply click File > Edit a copy if you’d like to keep the OG version for your records. Also, your former creations can help expedite future updates.

That’s it, designers! We’re officially impressed by your motivation to find the perfect look and we want your visions to become reality.

The next step?

Jump into Create and learn which assets will work for you. Whatever you decide, never quit your daydream.

You got this!

License this cover image via Monstar Studio and rururu1111.