Magazine covers are unique in the field of design because much of the success of a particular issue is dependent on its cover. The design is responsible for catching the eye of the consumer and thus, it is an integral part of a magazine’s success on the newsstand. Editors hope for covers that stop consumers in their tracks; they hope for covers that force the consumer to stop what they’re doing and pick up the issue simply because the image on the front is so compelling. Because of this weighty responsibility, (especially in such perilous times for print media) covers need embody the best of what a designer has to offer. It’s helpful to look to magazine covers for inspiration on how to catch the audience’s eye, and coverjunkie.com is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to see the best of the best.
Jaap Bieman, who is an art director for various magazines and resides in Amsterdam, launched Coverjunkie in November 2011. He calls the site “an addiction to magazine covers you wanna lick, a celebration of creative covers and their ace designers.” Indeed, the covers featured on Coverjunkie come from all over the world– Italy, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, China– and they are truly the cream of the crop. Some of the titles are familiar, ranging from Elle to Vogue to New York Times Magazine to Esquire, while other titles are obscure and unreadable to the English speaker. Indeed, it’s the wide range of publications featured on Coverjunkie that lends to its credibility and nuances its content so well.
Bieman regularly updates the site with current covers, including those that his readers send in, which grace the homepage. He also breaks out archived covers into fifteen categories, including ace designers, iPad covers, classic, most popular and yes, one for Kate Moss exclusively (rightfully so, the model has been on over 300 magazine covers). A quick scroll through any of these categories provides instant inspiration for an upcoming design project. It’s interesting to compare and contrast the minimalist covers with the busier covers; think of what works for you and what doesn’t. Also, pay close attention to what colors and fonts stick out to you as you rummage through Bieman’s collection; those that stick with you or immediately catch your eye are good to employ in your own design.
Another neat aspect of Coverjunkie is the inclusion of interviews with great art directors on their personal favorite covers. Bieman includes the magazine covers they choose, which allows the reader to get an idea of their particular aesthetic. Perhaps the best part about Coverjunkie is that it allows the reader to get a better sense of his or her own aesthetic. Immediately, you either like or dislike something, you appreciate that font and that color, but not this image or that type. It’s a great crash course in design for those unfamiliar, and it offers a great wellspring of inspiration for designers looking for a little creative boost on a particularly drab Monday morning. So, by all means, go forth, dear reader, and find what you’re looking for!
