Research into codes and conventions

By Katheryn Lamb

Front Covers

Main image:This front cover only has only one image featured, which makes it look subtle and not crowded and is quite powerful because it focuses on the main attraction of this week’s edition who is a famous singer and is quite attractive which makes the magazine more interesting.

Title:This magazine title is simple but bold with nothing but the colour red which catches your eye straight away.

Subtitle:The main feature’s name is the same boldness and colours as the magazine title which both are displayed on a bright white/grey background, which makes it automatically the main focus.

Colours:The colours of the magazine are all coordinated- the magazine title and the subtitle are both the same colour and the main image fits in with her brightly coloured lipstick and Union Jack top. These colours come together to make the magazine look patriotic because it is a British magazine and this featured woman is British. This cover has inspired to me to create a colour theme because I like the use of colours to portray a meaning.

Main image:This cover caught my eye because of this Posteriseeffect which isn’t commonly used on front covers and makes it look mysterious. It also creates a chiaroscuro lighting look to make the main featured story look dramatic. Although I like the posterise effect I decided not to use it on my main image because it wouldn’t fit with the theme of my magazine, as in this case it obviously is meant to portray that this band is “rock” because we associate the colour black with “rock” music.

Storylines:The story lines are set out neatly in a coordination of yellow and white font. The way each lines are different lengths makes it look like a base system which looks different.

Colours:The use of colouring on this cover is different because the main image is dark and ominous but the lettering is bright yellow, red and white to make it attract your attention when walking past it in a shop.

Colours: This cover again shows the use of colour coordination that I intend to use on my magazine cover, it shows a British artist who is obviously proud to be British wearing a Harrington jacket (which is well known as worn by the “skinheads” also known as mods back in the early 1960’s, who were known to be very patriotic) and also the use of colours in the lettering and background fit in with the person main featured.

Main image:The main image is a medium close up of a famous British artist, who shows to be quite “scruffy” with his wonky teeth and his dumfounded expression, this works well because it gives an idea of what kind of artist he is; quirky and different.

Other images:These images attract more potential buyers because it has more artists which fans could want to read about. Also these images are enticing because they’re different, especially the Paramoreimage because of their butterfly wings dripping.

Title:This front cover is very glamorous yet simple, I like the way the title of the magazine is laid out, it is easy to read and looks neat, which is what I hope my magazine title will look like.

Main image:I like the main image on this front cover, it is of a violin artist which we can tell because his instrument is in the image, I really like this because it can help attract new buyers because they might view it and want to learn more about the art of violin. In the image you can tell that this picture has been edited because of the exposure of his skin, it looks very pale but pretty, it helps get rid of any blemishes this person may have easily and effectively.

Colours:These colours are classy and neat which coordinates well with the theme of magazine- classical. The title of the magazine is bright pink which contrasts with the dull colours of the rest of the background so that it stands out and is well known.

Colour:This cover is very bright and colourful, the background is bright purple which isn’t commonly used as a cover but it works well for the theme of the magazine

Title:The lettering in the title of the magazine is coloured in bright blue and bright green which make it look bright and eye catching. The letters are covered up by the main image, this is used by a lot of other magazines such as Rolling stones, NME, etc it is done to express that the magazine is well known so you’ll know what letters are missing.

Main image:The main image is striking as it features a singer who’s name begins with M so the large letter M that she is holding stands out so we know immediately who this is featured. The M is also bright gold whereas she is wearing black so it contrasts against her clothing so it stands out.

Sell lines:These are written in small paragraphs so that if the bold image and colours attract your attention and you choose to pick up the magazine you can read what is featured inside.

Contents

Pictures:I really like this layout for my contents page, it shows, through pictures, what is featured in the magazine so it gives a ‘quick view’. The pictures also encourage the reader to find out more. For example the main picture shows a beautiful woman with what appears to be blood running down the side of her face which intrigues me to find out who it is and what it’s about.

Fonts:It features different sized fonts for the page numbers which could show the reader the more interesting features.

Colours:One of the pages is shown in red text, compared to the black text, which emphasises that this is one of the leading articles. The reversed white on red reflects the style of the magazine’s actual logo, I really like this use of colour; the contents font coordinating with the magazine’s logo’s colours.

Pictures:This layout is more complicated than the other issue but this makes it interesting. There is the contrast of black and white photographs with some brightly coloured pictures featured. The pictures vary in size which hints at what features are the main ones.

Colours:The colour of the magazine’s logo are repeated, this time on the issue number header and again the separate sections of the magazine.

Structure:This issue has the writing on the right which is really close to the edge of the page as if to show that if you just turn this page you’ll be filled with all of this information.

Structure:I really like the band index, listing various bands featured, with the page number next to it directing the reader/fan quickly and easily to their favourite band’s item. However, I wouldn’t be able to do this as my magazine doesn’t suit this genre, which is rock, as you can tell by the amount of bands listed.

Colours:The mix of black yellow and red writing through the page make it more interesting and the use of the yellow in the advert selling subscription to the magazine draws the reader’s eye immediately to it.

Sub headers:The use of sub headers used to list the contents of the magazine is very helpful for a reader because they are a large and easy to read and separate the contents accordingly. This means the reader doesn’t have to go through a small font whole list to find just one article.

Structure:I have chosen another Q magazine contents page because this one is different from the other issues because it contains less pictures and doesn’t look crowded.

Colour:The use of colour isn’t very extravagant on this contents page but they still coordinate together which makes it look organised but the used of red brightens it up a bit.

Sub headers:These sub headers differentiate which is specially featured in this issue and the usual features that are put in every issue. Also there is a separate sub heading which shows the articles in this issue on one specific band. This makes it look very capturing to Oasis fans but also helps those that aren’t interested in the Oasis section where everything else is.

Colour:I really like this ‘valencia’ effect used on this photo, it makes it look classy and creates a really nice flawless photo.The other colours used on this page are the same as the Q magazine’s content page; black, white and red, these colours are commonly used because they coordinate together well but show the importance of each piece of text. For example, sub headings are in red to stand out and look bolder.

Sub headers:This contents page has a lot more sub headers which break down the magazine to help readers go straight to the article/page they wish to view. I think this is a lot more effective than only a couple of sub headers. The sections are separated with bold lines which makes it look very organised.

Quotation:On this contents page they have added a quotation which expresses the effect that this magazine is the best

Double page spread

Font:The cut out effect of the heading quote is really interesting and reflects the public’s opinion of Lily Allen, who is both interesting and quite quirky in her views. This writing reminds me of the Sex Pistol era back in the 1970’s when they used the same reversed white on black block writing on their album covers. This band, too, were both controversial and quirky and the tartan fashion was popular in the 1970’s too.

Colours:The colour theme is black white and red, the woman in the main image’s contrasts brilliantly with the colours used on the page; the editors have deliberately used some red font to make it look like this.

Main image:This layout looks perfect, you’ve got a whole page sized photograph of the featured woman who’s arm only slightly goes off the page which looks really good because it looks as if it is one giant page. Also, it means a fan can use this photograph as a poster to put on their wall.

Colours:A clever use of the bright pink emphasises the fact that this article is about a girl. The different colours worn by the main image and in the article show that it is a bright and girly magazine.

Main image:The shocked look on her face in the photograph contrasts brilliantly with the theme of the article which is about how unpopular Cher Lloyd was with her peers’ parents when she was younger. Her whole face/body is on one side of the page, this is so that fans can cut it out and have it as a poster on their wall.

Heading:The heading is a quote from the featured person which I think is affective because it tells you what the article is about straight away and so grabs your attention.

Main image:This image has been taken with a high angle shot to make the band’s image look like their band title “the teenagers” with a large photograph of three scruffy looking men, looking like teenagers set in a room with band posters and photographs on the wall just as you would expect to find in a teenager’s room. You can also use this image as a poster with a “fact file” about the band at the bottom.

Colours:The use of colours on this double page spread is bright, the writing highlighted in baby blue are the words intended to catch your attention straight away because it stands out against the balance of the background. The other colours mix with the blue; the black and white.

Side article:This double page spread features other articles to read about, not just the main article. This makes it more interesting as there is a lot more to read about.

Main image:This image is a close up of the main featured artist, he has a grumpy face on which contrasts with this artist’s persona; edgy and mysterious. This photograph can be used as a poster for fans.

Colours:The colours of this article are quite bright, the main image has two colours which take up each half of the artist’s face. One side is red which gives off a “bad/evil side” and the other is light blue which gives off a “neutral/calming side” this could give the reader a clue on what the article is about.

Layout:The article has a large red J watermark across the article, this makes it clear who it is about, as if he has left his “mark”, this is affective in catching a potential reader’s attention. The writing to the right side of the article is organised in paragraphs but the font is very small.

Heading:The heading is big and bold, with a highlighted “splatted blood effect” which show that this band is different and quirky.

Colours:The use of colours is quite different, it gives off a dark sense, the main colours are black, grey and dark “blood” red. You can assume that this band is “rock”.

Main image:The image features the band together acting out a scene, wrestling with a rabbit, the woman of the band is the one wrestling the rabbit which shows that she is the main image of the band, the others are just in the background but are still equally important.

Quotations:There is a quote written in bold that is a quote from the article, it is done to give a sense of what is featured in the article.