Front Cover & Double Page Spread Analysis

By Ava

The model’s name is in a big, bold typography as she is renowned for her acting, she has also drastically changed her appearance thus fans may not immediately identify her.

The model’s lip colour matches the masthead, her name: Emma Watson, her bracelets and the small headings on the right hand side of the page. Due to the vibrant colour, her lips instantly draws our attention which proves that this cover is in line with the male gaze.

The cover story will always relate to the main image.

This feature story contains names of other famous people which is in a larger typography than the rest as it attempts to attract readers who particularly like these eminent people.

The colour scheme is burgundy which is a feminine colour as this magazine will mainly be purchased by females.

This feature article will appeal to females who like Emma Watson’s style and also follow Vogue’s latest trends.

The masthead is written in a large, bold typography which stands out on the page. This is the masthead also found on Vogue’s website thus enabling the audience to recognise the name. The burgundy colour of the masthead will attract female readers.

The date shows us that this is a monthly produced magazine.

Analysis of Vogue front cover continued onto the next slide.

The main image will always take up the whole page and normally contains bright colours in order to stand out on a magazine shelf. A very famous, interesting individual will always model for the cover e.g. Emma Watson who acted in the phenomenon of the Harry Potter movies. Emma is looking straight at the camera which is in line with the male gaze.

These feature stories are chosen specifically for the front cover of the magazine as they are what the editor views as the most alluring parts of the magazine.

The Kerrang masthead has a cracked effect which means that it is aimed at a young, rebellious and defiant demographic. The exclamation mark at the end of the title supports this idea. Like most magazines this masthead is large, bold and spans the width of the page – this ensures that it is the focal point of the front cover.

These feature stories have been positioned in the bottom left side of the page so as not to cover the main image: Billie Joe from Green Day.

The colour scheme is green, yellow and black. These are sharp, unruly colours which matches the effect of the masthead. Furthermore, the Green Day typography has a dirty look to it which adds to the insubordinate theme.

By following the codes and conventions of music magazines, Kerrang has the barcode, issue number, date and price all on the front cover in one of the bottom corners.

The mise en scene of the main image fits in perfectly with the rock genre that Kerrang is portraying. A guitar is being used as a prop and the lighting suggests that Billie Joe is performing on stage. His hair is also messy and sweaty insinuating the idea of giving a performance. The main image supports the cover story: ‘Exclusive US Tour Report’ and is also inclined by the top banner which is displaying names of famous music festivals such as Reading and Leeds.

Clash’s bold, black masthead stands out particularly against the basic white background used. It is also positioned at the top of the page which agrees with the codes and conventions of music magazines. However the band name Nirvana has been written in a bigger typography which shows that this issue is aimed more at Nirvana fans rather than fans of the magazine.

The barcode is positioned in the usual place: the bottom left or right corner. It contains issue and price information as well.

The main image is Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana. The image used is an unclear one of Cobain with his head to the side which also shows that this issue is directly aimed at Nirvana fans given that only audiences interested in the band would recognise Kurt Cobain.

There is one supplementary image in the top right corner which shows another article that the editor believes will entice the reader.

Nirvana is written in bright yellow which stands out amid the black and white on the page. The typography is the iconic style used by the band which shows that Clash has a bigger commitment to the bands they cover rather than just making money.

The title (which is also a quote from the article) is written in a disorderly typography which suits the grunge, rock look of Lily Allen on the right hand side of the page.

The black and white colour theme is bold and striking. It fits in well with the red used to reinforce main points of the article such as Lily Allen’s name and the name of the writer. This colour scheme is simple yet aesthetically pleasing.

There is a drop capital at the start of the article which is commonly used in double page spreads to show the start of the article.

Double page spreads normally feature someone interesting and well known. Her minimalistic hair and clothes suggest that Lily Allen does not really care about her appearance rather than her music.

The layout of the page does not follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine. The main image of the famous person takes up the whole right page while the article is positioned on the opposite page. However, most magazine will have the image on the left page instead.

There are many different images being used in this double page spread. Solange Knowles has been used not just as the main image but also in the background of the two pages. She is in a range of poses all the same size and camera shot. The pictures are above the border of the articles which suggests that there is something different and quirky about her.

The main image has Solange Knowles with her toes pushed together and her hands behind her back. She is leaning back which means her lower body is slightly pushed out. This pose could be interpreted sexually or in the idea that she is concealing a secret of object given the hands behind her back

The main image of Solange Knowles stands out vividly against the black, white and blue colour scheme because of her orange dress. The combination of the stand off ‘forgetting her sister’ and this striking image insinuates that Solange Knowles wishes to stand out from the crowd.

The text has been positioned into four columns which follows the codes and conventions. The writing is in grey which matches the black and white background.

The famous person’s name is written in a different colour typography which ensures that she is the main part of the article.

There is also a quote taken from the article which shows that this will be from Solange Knowles point of view. Also the article thus appears more personal.

The title is written in big, bold capital letters which grabs the readers attention as soon as you turn to this page. The title follows the red and black colour theme, these colours were probably used to make Noel Gallagher seem more threatening and intimidating.

The drop capital makes it easier for the reader to see the start of the article. It also matches the red and black colour scheme.

The layout follows the codes and conventions of having the main image take up one whole page whilst the article is written on the opposite page in columns with a quote to break up the text.

This small text box shows the connection between the two pages and normally contains quirky or key facts regarding the celebrity.

The main image has Noel Gallagher using direct address by looking straight down the camera. This gives him a dominant stance over the audience as he is almost looking down on them. This ties in well with the title: ‘the importance of being Noel’ as Noel is clearly superior to others in this picture. The photo is also anchored on the bottom right hand side of the page which is a code and convention of music magazines.