If you're looking for a personalized gift that's fast, easy and inexpensive (as well as fun to create), I've gotcha covered. Magazine covered, ya know?
Instructions for this project aren't really necessary, but here are some tips. You can do this with any software that will allow you to add text to photo (I used Photoshop). You can Google "free online photo editor:" if you need to find one, there are lots of them out there. If you're a Canva user, they have a magazine cover template you can use. Really, though, you don't need a template, just a photo you want to use and fonts you like. One quick note, real magazines measure 8 1/2 inches x 11 inches, which is not a standard picture frame size. So if you plan to frame your final product, you might want to make your cover 8 x 10.
To start creating
- Choose a photo from your picture files or save and download from recipient's social media (only do this with a close friend or family member)
- Open or drag photo into your design software
- Edit the photo as necessary (size, color, etc.) Your DPI (dots per inch) should be 300
- Decide on a theme for your magazine; funny, sentimental, memorial, etc.
- Using the text tool, add an a magazine title as well as titles for your "articles" to fit with your theme, you can add a date as well
Once you're happy with your project, you can print it on a sheet of 8 x 10 glossy photo paper and frame it. Wrap it or put it in a gift bag with some pretty tissue paper and it's ready for gifting.
 |
| Ready for gifting |
Some ideas to get your creativity going
I created these examples using stock photos to give you some ideas to spark your creativity. I don't know any of these people or animals personally. That probably makes them more generic than yours will be, but I still think you can use these ideas and customize them to the people in your life. You can make them heartfelt and sentimental or funny, realistic or exaggerated. Just be sure if you're poking fun, it's not mean spirited. My dad would have loved the "Dad Stories" magazine, but some dads might not.
 |
| Beloved childhood toys |
Consider, also, that you can use pics that don't have people in them. Pets, scenery from a favorite vacation, a picture of a beloved possession or a craft project can all make great projects. If they cook or bake, pictures of food are great, too.
More ways to use your magazine cover(s)
Want something different than a framed print? How about one of these:
- Print a tiny version and put it in a photo keychain
- Print small versions on inkjet printer compatible magnet sheets to make refrigerator magnets. You can get six small magnets or four larger magnets per sheet
- Have it printed on a t-shirt or mug
- If you photo is high resolution, have it professionally printed as a 24 inch by 30 inch poster
 |
| Have it professionally printed as a 24 x 30 poster |
Some additional thoughts
This is such a fun project for close friends and family, but it's not something I would recommend for acquaintances or people you've only recently met. Photos are personal and it would be easy to cross the line and look like a creepy stalker. So this probably isn't the right choice for your hairdresser, your mail carrier, your neighbors, co-workers, your boss, etc. The one exception might be your child's teacher, but only if you have a nice picture that you took at a school event and only if it has all or most of the other students in it. Going to the teacher's personal IG account and using one of her personal pics probably isn't a good idea.
 |
| It could be an awkward moment when Mrs. Taylor opens the gift on the right |
No comments:
Post a Comment