Text analysis 1

The main image is a close up that takes up most of the front cover. The shows a girl looking up with a soft in an innocent look to her. From the image we can see that a shallow depth of field is used with a metal background, this shows the shot is meant to be abstract and different to catch the audience’s attention. The main image has high key lighting that appears to be coming from the top left, this can give us a feeling that the girl is shot to seem pure and innocent in a way. The image could have been edited to look brighter to make the girl seem brighter, this can attract the readers eye but also give a sense that the band/singer has a happy style of music to it. The close up of the girl is shot to be attractive and abstract with its positioning, this gives us the style of the image of the singer/band and makes it look more appealing to the front cove.

The Indie magazine mast head is often placed in different areas of the front cover, here it used in the top left; in a way the composition of the girl shows that she is looking at the title to make it seem important. The masthead is in a sans serif font that makes it bolder and important to its looks. The colour also contrasts the colour of the girl’s hair, not only does this make the colour stand out more it can also show connotations of bad and good or right and wrong; the use of binary opposition can give us an insight on their style and also their type of independence.

Often with Indie magazine, there is little sell lines that tell us what content there will be inside. However, with all Indie magazines they use one sell line that may some up or describe a band/singer. “In love with Daisy” is wrote in a more stylish font that can show the personality of them, sometimes a more aggressive style font is used to show their band may be rock but here a softer font is used to enforce the image of innocence to the audience. Because of the use of no sell lines, it focuses our attention on the close up of the girl, this gives us the thought that the girl is the main attention but also makes the cover seem less cramped to look at.

The date and sell lines are positioned to the bottom left hand side of the magazine, giving more space for the main content to be shown.

Within the contents page there conventionally is a main image that focuses on the main content. However, in an Indie magazine it focuses on many contents, each of them have their own personality backing up that convention of having a different personality in the indie genre. Each image brings the readers eyes to them, this can make the reader examine the entire page making them want to read what’s on it.

Adverts are placed in an Indie magazine to promote new music or festivals of indie bands. The use of a colored back ground with a colored font makes it stand out from the rest of the magazine; this is often to shows the businesses style in their advertisement.

The title of the contents page does not use the ‘Indie’ title of the magazine to put on its content page, their font also is changed with different colors and spacing. The placement shows the style of the magazine as it sticks out making the page seem more vivid.

The use of color within the contents page is simple but attractive to the eye. Having different colors on the page makes it seem more vivid and have life. Indie music producers are very passionate about music expressing it through this intriguing style, the colors enhance their passion as it gives it life.

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The main image takes up the top of the magazine and varies from studio backgrounds to shoots of her singing. There is a two uses of shots, close ups and medium shots. Having variation shows different experiences of the singer, showing of her emotion and style that makes her different. Editing the images to be black and white helps the color scheme and can gives us connotation of mystery, this can invoke the reader to be involved with the text more as they want to know what it is about. Furthermore, the color scheme is very formal but has style through its images and text, this can give us the impression that the singer is dynamic or

The layout of the images is in different shapes and at different angles, this is not regular to other magazine layouts making this look alternative and have personality; this adds further detail to the conventions of the indie genre. Having the layout of putting the images at the top indicates to us that she is the main focus of the article. Furthermore, the placement of her eye level is higher up giving us the indication that she is a strong female character.

The double page spread gives us more text than image. Next to the main image we see pull quotes that are in a large white font with a black background, this makes the quote stand out from the rest of the magazine grabbing our attention to read it. A pull quote can be something important from the main person that will often link in with the article, this gets us to grasp the main person’s personality that helps us link with the article. The layout of the article columns them self are very formal; they have a standard form to them as they are laid out in a structured way with no back image or font change. This can show that the singer is very passionate about her work as it is laid out to be formal that represents her professionalism in music.

The columns use the same black text with out to give the page some continuity without. The only different font is the title to show the individuality of the singer

The title is writing in the style of the singer “Lykkel li” which can show her identity. Having the font larger draws the reader’s attention so that they know what the article is about. The font has its own style and the second part is cut off, editing it like this can make it seem more edgy or alternative like the genre.

The “Fader” magazine often has a studio setting making the main image important, but can also add a colour to connote the singers style. High key lighting is used to symbolise a lighter feel to the cover which is further enhanced by the yellow giving us connotations of joy or happiness. Editing may have been used to bring out more colours in her clothes which may have been done to make the cover seem eye catching. Overall, the colours show the happy feel to singer “Solange”, this may also have been used as Fader is a hip hop indie magazine; this type of indie genre expresses their self through explosive expression through dancing and singer, the lighter feel helps us understand this further.

The Fader mast head is always placed at the top symbolising it’s importance to the reader. The first letter of the mast of a Fader magazine is always with a back ground border with a colour that matches the main image. Here, the medium shot of the girl shows that she is wearing blue as a prime colour that links with the Fader title; this shows the involvement of the magazine with the singer adding to passion that indie music developers have and their passion.

The medium shot of the girl has been positioned to make it look like she is looking at the Fader mast head, this makes it the centre of attention as we not only get a prime colour to grab our attention, but the main contents eyes looking up at it. To further add to this, the woman’s eyes are positioned higher to make her have a strong authority on the page adding stronger meaning to her looking up at the Fader masthead.

The “spring style”

Spring style is used as a sell line on the front cover or an anchorage. The anchorage helps bring meaning to the image for the audience to understand. “Spring style” can symbolize a new beginning or the fashion term for spring clothes, this can connote that the magazine is fresh and joyful from its meaning of Spring.

The issue date allows the reader to keep what magazine they are on.

The main cover line is used to advertise the singer “Solange”. The text is the second largest font and is white, the white color contrasts the background colors therefore making it stand out to the audience.

The covers contents are kept on one page with the same colour scheme. Fader’s contents are much smaller but contain lots of detail on their subject; this makes the page look more simplistic with its image. The contents are labeled with numbers and blend into the natural cover of the page using the same text.

Fader’s contents pages always use a simplistic but dynamic style. The use of the black and white colour scheme give the page a sense of continuity as it kept up throughout the page. To add to this, the colour shame makes us intrigued as it looks dynamic giving us the sense of professionalism. The colours themselves give us connotation of mystery, it also makes the dresses feel overpowering to look at making the two women seem strong. Overall, the abstract style of simplicity gives us further detail of the indie genre, as they have their individual image to them.

The main image is a long shot that shows two women posing through the expression of joy. The image takes the whole top part of the cover up leaving little room for text; this draws our attention to it making it important to the audience.

The issue number is printed on the contents page with an edgy font, this can further show the personality of the magazine/

The contents are broken up using a grid like lines, the lines divide the contents up making us focus on text that is wrote in between; editing the contents like this make them seem important as we drawn to them.

The date and issue are put on the contents in a different font to add alternativeness to the cover.

A drop cap is used to bring attention to the article itself.

The rule of thirds is used so that the attention is drawn to them more rather than the main image. This is supported by the drop cap which helps the reader find the start of the article. The text is written in a white colour to make it stand out from the rest of the back ground, this makes it more individual from the rest of the page.

The pull quote is in a bigger sans serif font; the positioning is the centre of the page to symbolise its importance. The two colours can connote it has two different meanings to the text, this gives it an alternative view like the indie genre

The main image is a medium shot showing us his clothes and props used. From the image we can see that his eye level is high giving him the sense of authority or power, this is backed up from the connotations of black making him seem mysterious to the audience; black clothing can be seen as overpowering making him look like the centre of attention. The headphone prop show that he is invested into his musical career.

The high key lighting is used on the right hand side of his face so that half of it is not visible. High key lighting is used here to reveal only one side of his face, this gives us a feeling of mystery whilst looking dynamic. To add to this, the image of the man is placed on the right hand side of the screen, using the rule of thirds we can see that he may be perceived to be edgy as he is portraying himself as the antagonist.

The background location looks like a studio; the studio looks less expensive than other professional shoots. This gives us the impression that the producers are indie as it can show the main person is a rising singer, this links in with the indie genre as its about being new.

The Mojo mast head is always aligned center top; this is showing that it is the most important bringing the audiences eyes to the product. The font of Mojo is always the same sans serif text; this makes it always recognisable. Most magazine mast head colours are white, the colour stands out from most colours making it get the audience’s attention, white can give us imagery of being modern and stylish and this is used to show the style of the magazine. The slight drop shadow makes it seem the mast head is 3D; this makes it standout more from the rest of the text

The sell lines are located near the title; this not only shows your attention to the title but the sell lines them self. Editing the sell lines to be positioned like this makes it so that the user knows what they are getting from the magazine straight away. To further advertise what the sell lines are, the pink colour highlights the key features inside the articles inside.

The Mojo mast head is always aligned center top; this is showing that it is the most important bringing the audiences eyes to the product. The font of Mojo is always the same sans serif text; this makes it always recognisable. Most magazine mast head colours are white, the colour stands out from most colours making it get the audience’s attention, white can give us imagery of being modern and stylish and this is used to show the style of the magazine. The slight drop shadow makes it seem the mast head is 3D; this makes it standout more from the rest of the text

The medium shot shows all the band members together, this links into the main cover line. The image may have been edited to seem grainier with the use of the noise of the image, this also links in with the location used as it seems run down with graffiti.

The location itself links in with the band. The punk genre of The Smiths originates from a working class background; this image is backed up from the location giving us a sense of the band’s personality.

The sell lines are located near the title; this not only shows your attention to the title but the sell lines them self. Editing the sell lines to be positioned like this makes it so that the user knows what they are getting from the magazine straight away. To further advertise what the sell lines are, the pink colour highlights the key features inside the articles inside.

Throughout the page different fonts are used to illustrate the variety in the magazine’s contents. All of the fonts but one is sans serif which makes them synchronous, that allows for continuity on the page. Furthermore, this adds to the style of the indie genre as it seems individual.

The main cover line and the mast head are both similar in size and colour which means they are equally as important. The sell line that uses the word ‘plus ‘is in the same colour and a bigger size from the rest of the other sell lines, this makes you feel you are getting more from the magazine’s value.

The barcode shows the date of the issue and the price.

The main image used is at a head shot at a high angle of a man directly looking up at us giving the feeling that we are involved with the magazine as it creates intimacy between the image and the reader.

The vibrant red outfit contrasts to the light background making him stand out as all of the attention is drawn towards him. This makes him look abstract and individual from the magazine focusing on the common convention of the indie genre to stand out.

The issue number shows the reader what magazine they have, it can also show how successful it is as its gone on for 193 magazines.

They have used a pull quote in a larger point size and serif font, different to the other fonts, to make it stand out from the rest of the information on the page. The pull quote is also black, which is the same as the other headings for pages. This technique makes this information stand out so that the reader will be enticed to see why it’s so different.

Mojo have made the cover story isolated from the rest of the information on the page by creating a gold border. Also they have included a large amount of information below the title to make the story appear more important than anything else by making it seem as though there’s a lot of interesting information to be read.

The colours used throughout the page (except from the image) are gold and black. This simple colour palette reflects a convention of indie of being minimalistic. Both black and gold stand out from each other and the rest of the page, allowing for the information to be read and organised clearly. The gold colour gives us connotations of treasures and something valuable, this can show the contents are special to give more value on the magazine.

The title is centralized the same way as the front cover, but instead uses black as its colour to fit with the colour scheme used on this page. Underneath the Mojo main title, it includes three locations, two of which aren’t as popularly known as the first one; London. This makes the magazine seem as though it has a very wide and abstract audience which links to the concept of indie being unique.

A drop cap has been used at the start of the article to draw the reader’s attention to where they should start reading. It’s been placed on a block turquoise background to stand out from the rest of the article. Also, there are only two other places where this colour has been used, meaning that the reader will pick them out quickly as different so they will be drawn towards the information that’s presented near it.

The image of the artist is shown with a typical ‘rock star’ look with the shades, cigarette and musical equipment surrounding him. However, his clothing like his striped trousers show that he doesn’t fully want to look like he’s rock and roll, so he’s created his own individual identity.Also, he’s been positioned on the right hand side which is typically where the antagonist would be placed. This portrays his personality as being edgy and dangerous, which links to the violent title and hostile pull quote.

The page number has been used so that the reader can orientate themselves and find the articles they want.

The title of the article is also a pull quote that takes up half of the page. This is done so that the reader is left in suspense of what the context of the pull quote is to entice them to read on.

Credit to the photographer has been given in the bottom right so that if anyone is particularly interested they can find out.

The colour of the image has been edited with a slightly red tint. The connotations of red can be anger and pain, which related to the article itself so that the entire double page creates at atmosphere that will link to what it’s about.

The sub image used is in a frame and positioned on an angle. This gives us a sense of it being abstract and stylish, it also brings our attention to it as it the only monochrome image.