Cover Design Research

As I get closer to making my magazine it is important that I research different design programs to decide which I should use. I decided I would be looking into Photoshop, Indesign, and Canva.

Photoshop Magazines

I found these on google images one was originally part of a YouTube video showing how to make magazines in Photoshop and the other is a design template available for purchase on Esty made in Photoshop. I like the effect of layering that is achieved by having the masthead covered by the subjects of the main cover image for both magazines.

InDesign Magazines

I found these on google images which both came from different websites teaching how to use InDesign to make magazine covers and showed these templates. I like the composition of these magazines and their color palette as well as how the subjects interact with the audience.

Canva Magazines

I found these pictures on google images which come from Canva as templates to make your own magazine cover. I enjoy the experimentation of the magazine covers as the left one has a texture overlayed on it to add more character and the other has a more unique composition as the masthead is at the bottom and the photo is almost symmetrical giving a very interesting effect.

Pros and Cons

Photoshop

Pros:

I am interested in using Photoshop to make my magazine due to its endless features and tools. I also plan on learning Photoshop for future personal projects as I am interested in digital design for my career so knowing how to use photoshop would be ideal. Photoshop is also a very popular program so there are hundreds of tutorials that I can use to help me learn. I have had some experience with the program but still have a lot to learn to make a good magazine.

Cons:

Photoshop is a difficult program to learn due to it being so complex so it will take a while for me to truly get the hang of using it. For this reason, learning how to use Photoshop well enough to make a good magazine would be very time-consuming and may use up time I don't have to spare.

InDesign

Pros:

InDesign is also a very advanced program that has a lot of features that can be extremely useful. This program is also made specifically for creating books, magazines, and brochures while the other programs aren't so it will easier for me to start off on and have more advanced abilities. InDesign also has tutorials online that I can use to help if necessary.

Cons:

Although InDesign and Photoshop have may have similar tools because they are both Adobe programs I have never used InDesign so there would be a lot for me to learn and would take a long time.

Canva

Pros:

Canva is a very user-friendly program that I have used multiple times and have been contempt with. Due to it being easy to use and having learned its features already, there wouldn't be much of a learning curve and I would be able to get it done quicker. It also has multiple tutorials and templates that I could use to help with inspiration and ideas.

Cons:

On the other hand, Canva is more limited in its tools and features meaning I may not be able to execute all the ideas I have in mind with Canva alone and may have to use other programs like Photoshop for additional features I'd like to use. I'd also enjoy if I learned a new program and expanded my abilities in using something new.

In the end, the program that I decided on using is Canva as I feel it will be the most profitable for what I need to get done and when I need it done by. This is because it will have most of the features I need and will allow me to easily advance with my magazine design without taking away too much time away from other things I need to take into consideration for the magazine such as taking more photos and writing as I won't have to spend as much time learning a bunch of new tools. I also really enjoy the projects and experiences I have already had on Canva and therefore know that I will be satisfied by the programs abilities and features so I am confident that I will be able to make a good looking magazine.