Key Features of a Magazine Cover

I found this magazine at Google images. I searched for a music magazine and I choose Q magazine and then annotated the magazine and what the key features were.  

Masthead
The masthead is usually at the top of the cover at the left or goes across the whole top cover. This is so when it is on the shelf you can see the name of the magazine, as most of the time that's it sell line.

Main Sell line
The main sell line is normally the biggest text on the cover, it is usually put at the bottom right or in the middle of the magazine, slightly to the right. This is to catch the readers attention and to tease them into getting the magazine to get more information.

Essential Info
The main image is usually at the bottom, it is usually hidden so you'll read the information before you read the price unless the price is really cheap.

Sell Lines
The sell lines are usually left of the cover, smaller than the main sell-line image but still big enough to entice the audience to read it.

Bar Code
The bar code usually tells the reader the price, and issue number of the magazine. This is usually situated at the bottom left of the cover.

AS Media Foundation Portfolio Brief

Preliminary exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally you must produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate your grasp of DTP.

Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine.