Choosing a Magazine Cover, The Inside Story!

I just love the April issue of my magazine, Martha Stewart Living.  It’s filled with so many wonderful ideas to help celebrate the arrival of spring.  I especially like the cover shot, a gorgeous seasonal floral arrangement, of pink and white tulips, and lavender hyacinths, displayed in a lovely pussy willow nest.  I thought it would be interesting to explain a little of what is involved in creating just the right cover for our magazine.  To begin, we shoot many stories for the body of the magazine months ahead of time, if not an entire year.  In April of 2007, Spring Awakening, a story about nests was photographed.  The nest is a quintessential symbol of spring suggesting the beauty of the season.  In keeping with that theme, the idea to use a nest on the cover was decided upon by Eric A. Pike (Creative Director), Ayesha Patel, (Deputy Creative Director) and Stephen Johnson (Associate Art Director). Cover photography was scheduled for January of 2008.

After reviewing past covers, the team decided on a rich, yellow wall to use as the background.  The choice of flowers is largely determined by what is in season when the cover is displayed on newsstands.  In this case, 4 different arrangements were created and photographed.  Lighting for the set is another important consideration, which must also be seasonally appropriate.  After a successful photo shoot, the team and I had to make the choice.

        The Pink Arrangement:
        pink hyacinths
        pink tulips
        green and white tulips
        flowering quince
Although lovely, it was decided that the rather plain basket wasn’t unique enough for a cover.

        The Blue Arrangement:
        muscari
        lily of the valley
        white tulips
I really loved this arrangement but it was made in a rather small pussy willow nest and it, ultimately, didn’t reflect what we wanted to achieve.

        The Yellow Arrangement:
        yellow tulips
        green and white tulips
        daffodils
Entirely spring-like and gorgeous, however, daffodils appeared on a cover back in April of 2005.

        Our Favorite:
        pink tulips
        white tulips
        lavender hyacinths
This arrangement combined the most beautiful elements of the other three photographs, creating the look and feel that we most wanted.  The flowers were well balanced in a larger pussy willow basket and the colors were striking against the yellow wall.  And the pink logotype color played nicely with the pink tulips.

 

Comments

[Joseph Brennan]

Martha:

The final choice for the cover shot was, without a doubt, the most beautiful. Although the other arrangements are also striking, they just don't catch the eye like the pink, white and lavender combination: the scale, choice of blooms and basket make for a perfect composition. What's more, the pink and lavender blooms are really set off by the yellow wall.

I believe that this cover is one of the nicest I've seen!

Thanks for sharing the other choices with us.

What an interesting blog topic. Please do similar ones in the future.

Joseph Brennan

[Frida, Husmusen]

I had no idea there was so much work behind the front cover. Thanks for sharing! I love the magazine and read it even though I live in Sweden. I'ts so inspiring.

[Vicki]

The inside stuff about the magazine and the tv show, in fact everything, is great stuff. Thanks for showing us the different magazine covers too - you did pick the best one.

[Pru]

Martha,

It is great to see how you choose the cover, and I understand from Andrew Ritchie that you choose each cover personally. The April issue has just hit the newstands in England and reading it is has given me some great ideas. Thank you for a wonderful magazine.

[Kathy]

Hi, Martha,
Thanks for showing us the process of creating the April cover of Martha Stewart Living. It certainly does celebrate the arrival of spring and is just lovely.
Kathy

[Andrea and the Weimaraners]

A Glorious April to You!

Eliminating the window was a good move. The remaining molding completes framing the central focus, and brings it forward, keeping beauty simple!

Andy
and
the
Six Silver Pussy Willow Weims

[maya]

All the photos and arrangements are beautiful, as always, but you definitely made the right choice for the cover.

Just gorgeous!

[Marlene]

I love love love that cover shot, to me it sings "Spring". It inspired me to try a similar arrangement.

[Jennifer]

I love, love, love to see the behind the scenes in your blog with Martha of course nearby. Its like you are there! You feel like you might be an employee there watching how it all happens. Thank you for your blog....Its a highlight to my day! Jennifer

[Anne]

While all four covers were beautiful, the chosen one was a stunner. It absolutely stopped me in my tracks when my copy arrived. I had thoughts of trying to re-create that arrangement as a hostess gift for Easter Sunday... but chickened out at the last minute. You can't re-create perfection! Thanks for this beautiful evocation of Spring! (And we really needed it here in Wisconsin!)

[Margo Morgan]

I do love those blue eggs though, in that middle shot. :)

[Vera M]

Its funny...because when i saw..for my taste i prefer the last one!
Vera

[erin in dallas]

Martha! What a wonderful post! I love your behind-the-scenes photos and little peaks at your creative procces. Thank you for sharing! Truly a favorite cover of mine!

Happy Spring!

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
Liked learning about the process of picking a cover for the magazine, would like to see you on a cover soon!
Best,
Pauline

[Trish]

All the covers are beautiful but the one you chose for April was a real eye-popper for sure. I stared and stared at that photo when my magazine arrived because it was so perfect! I have always wondered how you decided which photo was best for each issue so thanks for letting us know how the selections are made. Your magazine is the best. Trish

[Margie]

To come back as a mouse in the corner, fly on the wall only for the opportunity to watch the development of projects and listen to the conversations from such talented crews. I think I would know I actually was in heaven.
As always, thank you.

[Andrew Ritchie]

Martha,

Thanks for sharing the other possibilities with us! You chose the right one, for sure!

My second favourite is the pink arrangement. It would have worked almost as well. The Blue arrangement looks too small and the Yellow arrangement looks too washed out against the yellow background, but they're all lovely arrangements.

The covers of the magazine are so artful and beautiful. I can only think of two over the last ten years that I haven't really liked, but I'm just picky!

You and your team do great work!

-Andrew

[Claudine]

I love the pink arrangement, but I agree the basket is too plain for a cover. Beautiful flowers! Thanks for sharing

Claudine

[Renee Fitzgerald]

Martha, I look forward every month to your covers. I've even thought about framing them in a lovely "Martha mag" collage on my sewing room wall! Too weird?... I know.

[April]

This is fun. I love to see the process. I am partical to the pink flowers but I think the cover came out just lovely. I the birds nest for a floral arrangement is a wonderful idea.

[ShopLittleGifts]

Very interesting. Gosh, I love the magazine, it really is in a league of it's own. No other magazines out there even come close in aesthetics. Even japanese magazines which I try to follow whenever I'm in Japan. The layout and readability is v. high with Living. My favorite from these covers - is actually the daffodils, they are so bright, vibrant and represent spring fully.

[MICHAEL ANTHAMATTEN]

My Martha Stewart Living is my choice piece of decoration in my living room. Always due to the classic and fun covers.

[joan vogt]

I always look forward to the beautiful cover pictures. This month is fabulous! My all time favorite is hydrangeas in white vase August 2001. Keep up the good work!

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, If that much time and effort goes into selecting the cover for your fantastic magazines, it's hard to imagine how much time and effort it takes to select the content of your magazines. We, the consummers, certainly benefit from all that you do. We get, not only beautiful, but very informative, worthwhile content from all MSLO magazines. Thank you for all you do. Jan

[annie]

what great post! i always love the covers. its so great to see how much thought goes in to it! thank you!