Literary Magazine Covers

Today, I've been looking at literary magazine covers just to get the sense of what mine could look like. The magazine cover is a great example of seeing what the magazine could encompass; how artistic it is, what type of submissions, and what mine could look like.

I decided to start with this because unlike a novel, a cover is one of the fastest ways to judge the content of a magazine. Since the cover is extremely essential in capturing the viewer's eye, the creators of a magazine have to be meticulous in their choices regarding the cover.

For example, we have...

As seen here, the drawing has various vibrant, energetic colors. The artist (Najia Zayed) launched the literary magazine Canto open to submissions like short stories, artwork, and poetry. Even though this picture does not really show the masthead or anything else besides the cover photo, it is a good start to envisioning what my magazine could look like. 

And then we have...

With this particular one, the masthead and cover lines are visible. This magazine cover looks more like a traditional magazine cover, with cover lines that are supposed to lure a viewer in and spark their interest. The cover photo is extremely colorful and artistic, capturing the eye. As seen with the previous one, the cover photo is a drawing and not a photograph. 

This is especially important for my idea. If I am going for a more artistic vibe, then my cover photo has to be a drawing, with eccentric colors and an abstract idea represented with the photo, not just a concrete, flat picture. 

What does this mean for me? As I research more, I have to find friends that are willing to compose artworks for me. There are two individuals that I have in my mind; however, if they are unable to accomplish what I ask for, I am obliged to request one of the art teachers in my high school, Mrs. Jenkins, to help me in my quest of finding an artist. I am not an artist myself and am unable to draw; however, I am determined to find someone who will make this possible for me.

References:

Bourassa, Blair. "Love Is Such an Old Fashioned Word." Web log post.Voice in the Wilderness. WordPress, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <https://blairbourassa.wordpress.com/short-stories/love-is-such-an-old-fashioned-word-excerpt/>.

Warner, Kenneth. "Canto Magazine Bursts Upon the Literary Scene in Rochester." Web log post. Democrat& Chronicle. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/rochester/?p=3621>.