Cover Contest
How It Started
No two issues of Renegade Health Magazine are alike, both in content and appearance. This is one thing I love about this magazine.
When we first came up with the idea of the cover contest, it was a way to solve a problem. I don’t have any design skills, and I didn’t trust some random person on Upwork to make a stunning magazine cover. With the help of some friends, we created the RHM cover contest.
Here’s how it works:
Every issue has a broad theme. The Summer, 2023 issue had a ‘summer’ theme, for example. This theme is pretty loose and people are free to interpret it however they wish.
Artists submit their proposals for the cover based on that theme. We go through the list, remove the inappropriate ones, and choose the top ones. In the past, these contests were run on Twitter. In the future, they will be voted on here via our email list.
The winner is selected by vote and becomes the cover art for that issue of Renegade Health Magazine. Additionally, they receive an entire page within the magazine for advertising. It can be their art work, their side business, whatever they want (must be appropriate for broad audience).
RHM has no advertisements, so you will be the only advertiser in the magazine. And for those who say, “that’s not really worth it!” You can ask the previous winners if it was worth the effort.
It was. They told me.
We will also use one of the finalists for the back cover if they agree, and give them a page of advertising.
How To Apply
It’s pretty easy to apply for the contest. Here are the specifications:
Artwork should be 2:3 aspect ratio (8.5" x 11" 150 dpi minimum)
No text and no logo should be included in the artwork.
Must be original artwork that you have created.
Renegade Health Magazine reserves the right to lay text and logo on top of your artwork.
You must have sole rights to commercially use the artwork.
You may submit up to 10 different covers
Artwork must be submitted on or before the deadline
The cover contest will close about 2 weeks before the magazine launches. For example, the Summer 2023 issue came out on June 1st and the cover art was due by May 15th.
If you want feedback on your art (coordinate colors, themes, what is acceptable, general questions, etc.) you can reach out on Twitter @RenHealthMag.
You can also take a look here on our website, where you will be submitting your cover:
Why it Matters
Involving our readers is important to us for a few different reasons.
Firstly, it’s more fun. I can sit in my office and come up with a color scheme, tinker away creating a cover, or hire someone on Upwork. But it wouldn’t be very good and wouldn’t be fun. Getting cover art submissions is one of the most enjoyable parts of creating the magazine. I enjoy getting feedback from you all.
Second, it creates a unique aesthetic every single time. The Spring issue is very different from the Summer issue. That’s because we design the internal artwork and color scheme around the cover art. The same goes for the website design.
Finally, I would rather patronize fellow readers and supporters. This is just another way to do that.
I hope you’ll consider getting involved and look forward to your submissions.