Key Features of a Magazine Cover

I found this picture by searching google images on Q magazine and then I started to edit this by putting the features around the magazine.

Masthead
The masthead is the title of the magazine and sometimes it is across the cover but it is usually in the top left hand corner.

Main image
The main image is usually the biggest image on the front cover and usually connecting with the main story for the magazine. It is also giving the magazine an identity as they will probably not have that same image on any other magazine.

Sell lines
These are several stories that are going to be in the magazine and the magazine have done this to entice the audience into reading and buying that particular magazine.

Essential information.
Essential  information is the date information and usually the cost information and this is usually the smallest font print on the magazine.

Main sell line
This has quick, punchy, minimal words used to catch the readers attention and to match the writing with the main picture.

AS Media Foundation Portfolio Brief

Print

Preliminary exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally you must produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate your grasp of DTP.

Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine.