The main technical design features of a magazine cover includes a masthead, cover lines, main cover line, main cover star, barcode, price, plug, pug, insets and captions. All of these things go together to make the magazine look more appealing to the audience, and provide the information they need.

Masthead – The title of the magazine, this is important as it acts as a logo for the magazine, making the front cover recognisable to the audience.

Cover lines – A headline on the magazine, this lets the audience know what stories are included in the magazine, and entices them to buy the magazine and read inside.

Cover star – The celebrity on the front of the magazine, this usually shows the readers who the main story is about, and seeing the image of someone they know of will draw them to the magazine and make them want to read it.

Plug – A slogan or phrase about the magazine, this makes it further recognisable and more interesting to the audience.

Pug – Gives extra information about something inside the magazine, usually about a prize or game, this further makes people want to pick up the magazine and buy it.

Insets and Captions – An image and context relating to another story, this lets the reader know about more stories inside, seeing images of people they know will also make them more likely to want to read the magazine.

When I create my own magazine cover, I must include and put thought into my technical conventions on my magazine cover, in order to make it look like a real magazine and fill audience expectations. Understanding these conventions is the bases for designing a successful magazine.