Draft Versions - Cover Page

This is my first draft version of my cover page. I asked several of my fellow pupils to comment on the cover and suggest what I could do to improve it. 


Draft 1

Number 1

The white background is quite bland, it works well in terms of making the text stand out. However, it is not very attractive, adding some colour would make the cover more vibrant. I really like the image that has been used. The model is looking straight at the reader, which engages the reader to pick the magazine up. The text behind the model is ok but I think that it should be brought to the front. I also think that the the 'lil Frenzy' and the 'Forgive Me' should be in a different font, in its current form, it does not pull me in. I do like how the 'R' is the other way round, which is something that I have seen used by some rappers. Overall, I think that the layout of the magazine is very good and close to professional. I think that with a few adjustments, the cover would be even closer to a hip/hop magazine. 

Number 2

I like the overall layout of the cover page. I like how the key image is looking straight towards the audience, which draws the audience in. The masthead is eye-catching to the audience and works well as a hip/hop masthead. The lures around the edge of the key image would look better in front of the model, the lures are slightly hard to read behind the model. The 'lil Frenzy' and 'Forgive me' is quite dull and does not encourage the audience to read the magazine. I think that the white background should also change, as it is boring and will discourage the audience from picking the magazine up. A glow or shadow would make the background more attractive or intriguing to the audience. 

Number 3

I think that the overall layout of the magazine is close to a hip/hop magazine and matches many of the codes and conventions. I think that the lures should be in front of the key image and the headings could be slightly larger, to make them stand out more to the audience. I think that the dead space above the headings, could be replaced with more lures, or the lures could be moved up and enlarged. I like how the key image is looking towards the audience, I think that this encourages the audience to pick the magazine up and read it. The artists name could be a different font, I feel that it is quite dull and would be more attractive if the font changed. Overall, I like the layout and if the changes were made, the cover would be very attractive and would be an effective hip/hop cover page. 

What changes I intend to do  

After evaluating each of the comments, I have decided that there are several alterations that need to be made in order to create a better and more effective cover. The name of the existing artist above the masthead needs to be changed to be the same font style as the style of the lures. The white background needs to be altered. At the moment, it is dull and not very intriguing for the audience. I will add a shadow or glow to the background, to make it more attractive to the audience. The lures are going to be be moved up, to replace the dead space. The headings and lures will be made larger, so that they are easier for the audience to read and see. The 'Lil Frenzy' and 'Forgive me' should be changed to make them more vibrant or intriguing to the audience. They need to be more attractive, to encourage the audience to pick the magazine up in the first place. The key image is slightly overexposed, in Photoshop, I will darken it,  to make it less overwhelming for the audience.