magazine size
magazine size

Magazine size — show your excellent design taste

Publishing sharp-looking magazines is an indication of great design taste. Be it a professional or personal magazine, picking the right size and using sharp visuals are keys to branding.

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Why you need the right magazine size?

A magazine from top to bottom and exterior to interior should make a strong impression. It doesn’t matter which genre your content is directed to. It should have a design that will grab attention in just a single glance. Even if you get the design right, it’s the magazine size that decides the core layout. Based on the dimensions your magazine has, you can determine the type of ads to be featured, type of graphics to be displayed, and a lot more. All in all, it’s the magazine size that writes its success or failure story.

Magazine Dimensions

The standard magazine dimensions are as follows:

Magazine Types in mm
European size DIN A4 magazine 210 × 297 8.5 x 11
European size DIN A5 magazine 148 × 210 5.5 x 8.5
European size DIN A6 magazine 105 × 148 4 x 6

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Magazine cover design best practices

Most magazine covers either feature an illustration or image. Either way, stunning images bring the right amount of contrast between the light and dark areas of the cover. For your text to be readable, choose the light shade against a dark background and vice versa. 

For subtitles and smaller text, black and white colors are the safest options. While you can consider injecting some other shades for bigger and bolder text, keep in mind that choosing colors isn't random. The color should complement the particular areas of the photo or illustration.

You may create a flat magazine cover, but all other elements do not need to be boringly dull. You can add a little drama by using text either behind the image or in front of it. Partially obscuring the text will do the job too. 

Selling inside story is one of the main purposes of a magazine cover. It means adding many short teasers to your cover to attract the audience. The more teasers you have, the more a designer needs to come up with ideas and methods to catch the reader's attention. Go for loud, bold, and italic fonts. 

Be it magazine size, book cover size, flyer size, bookmark size, or brochure size, it is necessary to choose the right dimensions for a great impression.

Yes, it’s possible to feature a typographic-centric design or illustrations on a magazine cover. The excellent color combination and unique style are essential to break the monotony. 

 

To keep the branding intact, every magazine cover designer needs to be consistent. The overall layout and feel of the cover should remain constant. You can take the example of famous magazines as well. 

 

Magazine cover design mistakes to avoid

 

Some of the most common magazine cover design mistakes to avoid are:

1

Not picking the right magazine size

Not two magazine covers are the same. They may vary according to the content, theme, graphics, and size. Different magazine sizes determine the layout of your content as well. So, pick a cover size that you think is ideal for your purpose.

2

Too much text on a single page

Do not let your magazine cover suffocate with too much text—use spaces for clarity and readability. Add great teasers, and leave the ones that aren’t.

3

Using too many effects

Having a fair amount of effects on your magazine cover is excellent. But filling it with too many effects is unprofessional. It will overwhelm the readers.

4

Using colors that make no sense

Colors are an integral part of magazine cover design. But not using the relevant colors may send the wrong message to your audience, impacting your branding efforts adversely.

5

Using stock or most common images

You want to feature some real stories in your magazine, but using generic images is a big mistake. Always use original and realistic images for stirring the interest of the readers.

Where can you find the best ideas and inspiration for your magazine cover?

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A magazine cover's success is proportionate to ideas and inspiration. You can take ideas from various platforms such as Designhill. Browse through its magazine cover gallery to find covers that have been designed by expert professionals. 

Don’t want to take any ideas or inspiration but start from scratch? Don’t worry!  Use a DIY tool or software of your choice to bring your cover ideas into life. No matter which way you go, make sure your cover is engaging.

 

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magazine size

Final Thoughts

When you want your magazine to be a success, pay extra attention to its cover. No matter which magazine sizes you pick, the cover is what portrays the inside stories and stirs the interest of the readers. A well-designed magazine cover lets you interact with your readers and convince them to buy it.

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