Taking the 124 covers of the journal “Cell” in the past five years (2015—2019) as the research object, analyzing the expression of design image, discussing design specifications and patterns, summarizing design methods and ideas, and designing covers for domestic scientific and technological journals and humanities journals provide practical experience. From the perspective of design, combined with geometry and iconography, the application and research theme of image materials in the cover design, traditional Chinese art forms and cultural communication, geometric ratio golden ratio and rational beauty, color beauty, artistic beauty, and scientific beauty interpretation and analysis are carried out by integration, and explore the design concept and design aesthetics of the journal cover in the past five years. The cover design of the journal “Cell” reflects the research theme through visual elements, uses a variety of design techniques and design materials to form a variety of artistic expressions related to the biological science theme, and presents it to readers under the four types of golden section rules. The cover design with color beauty, artistic beauty, and scientific beauty provides inspiration and benefits to the cover design of domestic academic journals.