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Review my new magazine cover please

CrackedButter

CrackedButter

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2003
3,221
0
51st State of America
I'm doing some design work in my Media Studies course, i would like people's input on the front cover i have designed, your comments will be included in my coursework so please be truthful and tell me how it looks.

Thanks, also, you may have seen a few of these images on the net, i do apologise in advance if they are yours, i needed material for the project and will dispose of them once i have finished, i'm not trying to rip off anybody with their designs and i'm not claiming to have created them either.

THE 2 IMAGES ARE NOT MINE

MacFuture.jpg
 
Re: Review my new magazine cover please

Originally posted by CrackedButter
I'm doing some design work in my Media Studies course, i would like people's input on the front cover i have designed, your comments will be included in my coursework so please be truthful and tell me how it looks.

Thanks, also, you may have seen a few of these images on the net, i do apologise in advance if they are yours, i needed material for the project and will dispose of them once i have finished, i'm not trying to rip off anybody with their designs and i'm not claiming to have created them either.

THE 2 IMAGES ARE NOT MINE

MacFuture.jpg
Click to expand...

pretty cool, but the "MacFuture" looks bad ans the "latest news" part needs to be moved down
 
Not to step on your toes, but (you said to be honest) I don't like the way you've done your text windows. Doesn't look like true vector. What app are you using? Looks a lot like it was done in AppleWorks. Keep working on it and you will be a famous and rich designer, capable of performing saintly miracles. Or not. :)

Dan
 
Arrgghh, why did you quote my post, it loads so slow on my modem!

Anyway, yeah i am using Appleworks, i'm not able to use anything else other than a 30 day trial of Freehand MX i have lying around.

Computer_Phreak: Good point and i will move it.

alset: how should i improve the text windows?

Opinions are opinions btw, i'm not going to be unhappy, as long as i get feedback i can improve it, its worse when i get NO feedback.
 
The page looks more like an ad in a zine rather than a front cover. Don't listen to me though, I just do graphic design for a living. ;)
 
You think the lack of tools in Appleworks is making my front cover look a little basic?
Some more detail could be added i think as well.

Anybody know if freehand mx is any good or any better?
 
your mag name would be more visible on the stand, if placed horizontallly, remember there will be other magazines in front of it.

the type family does not convey the "future"
concept

usually you might want to take advantage of the space on the top edge of the cover to put the mag´s slogan or the latest news...

there is not a theme of the issue in big bold copy,
the "18 pages of hot reviews" copy
could be this theme but is in very small size.


a few ideas.
i hope it helps
 
In all honesty:
-bad choice in color
-bad cropping
-bad choice of type
-and an overall bad layout
sorry, but the end result looks very cheap.
 
Re: Review my new magazine cover please

Originally posted by CrackedButter
I'm doing some design work in my Media Studies course, i would like people's input on the front cover i have designed, your comments will be included in my coursework so please be truthful and tell me how it looks.

Thanks, also, you may have seen a few of these images on the net, i do apologise in advance if they are yours, i needed material for the project and will dispose of them once i have finished, i'm not trying to rip off anybody with their designs and i'm not claiming to have created them either.

THE 2 IMAGES ARE NOT MINE
Click to expand...

DO NOT APOLIGIZE. ASK THE ARTIST PERMISSION TO USE THEIR IMAGES FOR YOUR OWN WORK BEFOREHAND, EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST A STUDENT. MOST ARTISTS DO NOT WANT THEIR WORK BEING USED THIS WAY.
 
Verace said "more is more and Less is less" My tutors always told me that Less is more.

Choice of colour and font is not so good, By that I mean it looks kinda cheesy and cheap. You should look at a book call "Grid System" ( I think thats what it called of the top of my head). Its a design layout book. You're in England right? Goto Magma Book shop in Covent Garden, look under the graphic design section. Lots of books on Layout and design. Check them out might be able to help. My exgirlfriend was a graphic designer thats where she got her references from. Try not to look at the shelves for ideas, you'll just end up as another parody. Hope this helps. I use to be a student as well.;) Good luck with your projects, and dont be afraid to experiment because in reality Clients SUCK!!!
 
Re: Re: Review my new magazine cover please

Originally posted by totalr0xx0r
DO NOT APOLIGIZE. ASK THE ARTIST PERMISSION TO USE THEIR IMAGES FOR YOUR OWN WORK BEFOREHAND, EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST A STUDENT. MOST ARTISTS DO NOT WANT THEIR WORK BEING USED THIS WAY.
Click to expand...

2 Points, one don't shout, there is no need, 2 you assume i know the artists and i have their email address.

@Everybody else, keep it coming thanks for input, even the real negative stuff, its all good. ;)

I really should implement some sort of colour scheme i'll accept that, plus i'm not liking the whiteness with the hiBook laptop.
 
You should definately have one picture as the cover and then have one or two small ones, but not two pictures that divide the cover up. Like if you make the iMac thing the main cover but add a solid background it wont be drawing all the attention but yet it wll stand out. Then add the iBook thing in a bordered window, but make it smaller. Make sure the text is readable and clear.
The box with the contents is looks really good though!
 
I agree with the color scheme comments - it really needs work. You can do a bunch of searches online to find out about color combos or theory, but try this one out and see what you come up with. Working with just the colors gives you a much better idea on what you'll end up with than just arbitrarily choosing something.

Good luck,

D

http://www.colorcombo.com/
 
1 word... TYPOGRAPHY.
do some research on this subject. It's like milk, "it does a body good". I don't want to be mean, but the ho-hum application of stock design elements (gradients, liquify, fonts) seem uninspired. I agree with a previous post about it seeming more like an interior 'zine ad than a cover.

Keep working at it, though. You'll get it.
 
my opinion...

there is no real masthead here...text going up the side the way u have it there does not hold much strength...people need to know what the name of the publication is easily...

the listing of articles is pretty weak...take a look at other magazine covers and see how specific keywords are highlighted & larger than the rest...as well as different colors...

the iBook images are too animated looking...white backgrounds on a cover are not that interesting...

what is this exactly for?
 
This work is for my media studies coursework, this part where you guys tell me how much its stinks will actually get me marks anyway since its proof i am performing research and amending/ fixing elements of my design.

I was told i could post my designs on the net and take revies on it, i'll be getting extra merit for it.

The whole class has to design a front cover and a contents page, i'm doing the contents page tonight.
 
Originally posted by CrackedButter
This work is for my media studies coursework, this part where you guys tell me how much its stinks will actually get me marks anyway since its proof i am performing research and amending/ fixing elements of my design.
Click to expand...

think of it as "creative criticism" ;)

seriously...there is something going there...but I feel it needs to be explored much more...
 
first, congrats on your new course of study. print may be one of the few "safe" areas for a designer to work in right now. ok, well your title font is all wrong. it doesn't represent the message or subject correctly. there is nothing futuristic about it and it's rather outdated. also, laying it sideways like that just doesn't work for a number of reasons. learning these new apps can be fun and empowering but try to keep in mind that less is always more when dealing with layout. and as someone else stated, the text is pixelated and not suitable for print. there are alot of clashing colors. a good idea would be to pick up a book on color theory and complementaries. also, using rounded boxes with square boxes isn't always the best idea. it can be done but you must know what you are doing. the other really obvious thing is the lack of a grid system being used. this is EXTREMELY important and you'll see when you enter the field that all print publications are laid out using some type of grid. it is a science in itslef and worthy of as much study as your main course work. i can suggest a few excellent books to help you understand the principles and uses of the grid and how it relates to design in everything around us. beyond that, keep at it and don't be discouraged. and remember that once you know how to use the software there are 3 things you should work very hard to master; Typography, Color, and The Grid. once you have these areas licked you can allow your own creativity to come through and you'll be able to express yourself while still sticking to "the rules". the result will be information delivered in a clear and intuitive manner, and hopefully a fat paycheck for you! here are some links. enjoy! here is a list of must-have books:
http://www.turntablelab.com/openballistics/openballistics6.html

and a link to another must-read:
http://www.rotovision.com/description.asp?bookid=1418
 
A few comments:
Main title doesnt work sideways and the font doesnt fit the feel of the document.

The "latest news" font also doesnt work.
I agree with the other comments concerning the colouring.
Use of rounded corner text boxes overlaying a white square just doesnt look right.
main iMac image looks stretched.
Use of a Grid structure would really help.
You actually have a typo "Latest" not "Lastest".

Apologies for the vagueness of response ("doesnt fit the feel", doesnt look right") but graphic design, albeit based within a logical structure, is at heart an emotional science. Anyway, you have a good draft version to build on, best of luck in your endeavours!
Vanilla
 
Re: Re: Re: Review my new magazine cover please

Originally posted by CrackedButter
2 Points, one don't shout, there is no need, 2 you assume i know the artists and i have their email address.

@Everybody else, keep it coming thanks for input, even the real negative stuff, its all good. ;)

I really should implement some sort of colour scheme i'll accept that, plus i'm not liking the whiteness with the hiBook laptop.
Click to expand...

umm i have seen those pics on that on a site, i will see if i can find it again
 
typography, typography, typography.

Play with type size and scale more. All your type seems to be about the same size. Playing with type scale will help you dramatically.

That main title typeface should be outlawed.
It's icky.
 
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