For my preferred magazine, I chose Complex Magazine’s 2009 Kanye West cover. Personally I am a huge fan of Kanye West not just as a musician, but as an individual and an icon of my generation. But what I felt Complex did that really helped attract the viewers eye was their use of visual hierarchy. They made KANYE WEST the biggest text after “COMPLEX” to help attract the attention of Kanye fans to the magazine, and used the term “MOST INFLUENTIAL BRAND” to further intrigue the reader. In addition, they did a good job of putting white text in front of Kanye’s polarized face, which is something difficult to do because they are both lightly toned.
I loved the design. I think the photo illustration was extremely well done, and the thick white text powerfully stands out on the page. Kanye’s skin is light enough that it almost acts as open space even though it is actually part of the photo illustration. The bolding of “most influential brand” is also efficiently used to emphasize Kanye’s importance, and the use of texture is also utilized to create such an incredible cover photo illustration.
I love the design of this magazine. The photo is very visually compelling because of the special design of the man’s eyes. The sparkling blue eyes are very eye-catching. Besides, as the only vivid color in the picture, it’s even more attractive. It fits the headline very well.