Drawing a Magazine Cover: Masthead, Coverlines, and Focal Image

Object Drawing Lessons

A magazine cover is a designed page: a masthead names the publication, coverlines promise stories, and a focal image anchors attention. This lesson teaches a repeatable drawing method using a simple convention: treat the cover as a rectangle divided into a masthead band at the top, a focal image area in the center or lower two-thirds, and coverline placement boxes along the sides or bottom. You will measure your own paper and chosen frame, label any numerical values as hypothetical examples, and use consistent units. The goal is a clear, readable cover sketch, not a printed product. All four exercises are self-contained; where an example diagram is needed, it is described in words.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Reference illustration

Use the stated measurements and conventions for each exercise.

Set the frame and masthead band

Start by drawing a rectangle for the cover frame. Measure your paper with a ruler and record width and height in the same unit, such as centimeters. For planning, choose a masthead band height that is roughly one-fifth to one-sixth of the frame height; these are hypothetical proportions, not a standard. Draw a horizontal line across the top of the frame to mark the bottom of the masthead band. The masthead sits inside this band, centered or aligned to one side, and should be the largest text on the cover.

Keep the masthead readable by leaving clear space around it. If the focal image will overlap the band, decide in advance which part of the masthead remains unobstructed. Use pencil for construction lines and a darker pencil or pen for final lettering.

1. Measure the paper and draw the cover frame rectangle.
2. Mark the masthead band with a horizontal line at a chosen fraction of the frame height.
3. Letter the masthead inside the band, keeping it the largest text.
4. Check that the masthead is readable from arm's length.

Place the focal image area

The focal image is the main visual: a face, object, or scene that draws the eye. Reserve an area for it, often the central or lower two-thirds of the frame. Draw a light boundary box for this area, then sketch the image inside it. The image may extend beyond the box if you plan the overlap, but keep the masthead and at least one coverline clear.

Use simple shapes first: an oval for a head, a rectangle for a product, or a triangle for a landscape element. Add detail only after the placement is settled. The focal image should not compete with the masthead for the same space.

1. Draw a light boundary box for the focal image area.
2. Sketch the main shape of the image inside the box.
3. Decide whether the image overlaps the masthead band or coverline boxes.
4. Refine details after placement is confirmed.

Add coverlines in placement boxes

Coverlines are short text blocks that hint at inside stories. Draw small rectangular placement boxes along the sides or bottom of the frame, outside the focal image area where possible. Each box holds one coverline. Use a consistent letter height smaller than the masthead. A useful convention is to make coverlines roughly half the height of the masthead letters, but this is a hypothetical example, not a rule.

Keep coverlines short and legible. Align them to a common edge or center them within their boxes. Leave a small margin between boxes and the frame edge so the layout does not feel crowded.

1. Draw two to four coverline placement boxes.
2. Letter one short coverline in each box.
3. Keep coverline letter height smaller than the masthead.
4. Check alignment and margins.

Review and refine the layout

Review the cover at arm's length and at a glance. The masthead should be identifiable first, the focal image second, and coverlines third. Check that no text is hidden by the image and that the frame edges are clean. Erase construction lines that are no longer needed, or leave them light if they help explain the layout.

Because letter styles vary, there is no single correct handwriting. The rubric rewards clear hierarchy, readable text, and deliberate placement, and it accepts valid alternatives such as centered or left-aligned mastheads, or coverlines placed at the bottom instead of the sides.

1. View the cover from a short distance and identify the reading order.
2. Confirm masthead, image, and coverlines are all visible.
3. Adjust any crowded or hidden text.
4. Finalize with darker lines where needed.

Worked example

A cover frame is 12 cm wide and 18 cm high. Choose a masthead band height of 3 cm, draw a focal image boundary box from 6 cm to 15 cm from the top, and place two coverline boxes: one 2 cm wide by 3 cm high at the left side starting 6 cm from the top, and one 4 cm wide by 2 cm high at the bottom starting 1 cm from the left edge. Describe the layout and check that the masthead band and coverline boxes do not overlap the focal image box.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Making the masthead the same size as the coverlines. Increase masthead letter height or reduce coverline height so the masthead is clearly largest.
• Letting the focal image cover the entire masthead. Plan the overlap so at least part of the masthead remains unobstructed, or move the image boundary.
• Placing coverlines inside the focal image area without planning. Draw coverline boxes outside the image boundary or decide which part of the image they may overlap.
• Using inconsistent units when measuring the frame and band. Record all measurements in one unit, such as centimeters, and label hypothetical values as examples.

Self-check rubric

• Frame is a clear rectangle with measured width and height in one unit.
• Masthead band is marked and the masthead is the largest text.
• Focal image area is bounded and the image is sketched inside or deliberately overlapping.
• Two to four coverlines are placed in boxes with letter height smaller than the masthead.
• Reading order is clear at arm's length: masthead, image, coverlines.
• Valid alternatives such as centered or left-aligned mastheads, or bottom coverlines, are accepted if hierarchy and readability are maintained.

Questions and answers