Cover Types

1. Early Magazine Covers

Early magazines didn't look like what magazines do now. Many of the earliest magazine covers had the title and table of contents. When the cover of The American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge it showed a centered book like layout instead of the table of contents. Some covers even began to look like newspapers with an article on the first page because cover lines weren't used.

Cover lines began to appear in the later 1800s. 

2. The Poster Cover

Oversized magazines that looked like they should be put on the wall because of the outstanding illustration. The poster cover didn't have cover lines or announced themes, and the image isn't covered by the logo. Most of the poster covers didn't even relate to the story inside the magazine. They started with no cover lines, and then gradually some.  Cover lines became an integral part of cover design. Good pictures, good sales.

3. Pictures Married to Type

More magazines with color began to appear. Cover lines were common by the late 1800s and in early 1900s. Type and text work together where they started having full body pictures on the covers where words work together sometimes covering it up but words working around the pictures.
 

4. In the Forest of Words

Over time the magazines photography grew better, titles, and illustrations all changed. Wording began to look different at first with articles already written on the outside to now the main things that are inside the magazine. Now more words and pictures work together. Instead of illustrations actual photography of animals or celebrities ect.