Uncut Front Cover Analysis

In this particular magazine cover, the image is a close up shot, and the head of the artist overlapping the masthead. Alongside the person in the picture, the title of the magazine is also extremely prominent and in making those two parts of the cover the largest, it is suggesting that the two most important pieces of information on the front cover is the name of the magazine, and the artist that is doing the main feature. Another interesting aspect of this particular front cover, is the blue, white and yellow colour scheme. This makes the page aesthetically pleasing due to the contrast in colours, with the colours used for the fonts standing out against the dark blue background. 

Similarly to the image on this front cover, I was planning on using a close up image, and have the person's head to slightly overlap the masthead and make the image stand out on the page to a further extent. Another way in which I may incorporate aspects of this front cover into my own is through different coloured fonts to show different features and in turn make them to appear individual and unique, as well as having a clear and obvious colour scheme that allows the names of the artists to stand out, highlighting their importance. 

MOJO Front Cover Analysis

I am choosing to look at this magazine particularly for the layout, with it using common conventions when it comes to the placement of the features on the page. At the top of the cover, there are features above the masthead, which implys that this story is of particular importance and appeal to the audience. The feature itself is about Bob Dylan, someone who is of course very recognisable to the average MOJO reader, and therefore instead of using his full name, it only says 'Dylan', making the article and Bob Dylan himself to appear to have significant importance.

I have decided to use some of the conventions that are present on this front cover to my own, as I plan on also using a bar above the title of the magazine to list some of the artists that are featured inside. Also, the use of a round shape that is slightly cut off is another part of this front cover that I may use in my own, as it allows for a more interesting layout rather than having just standard features around the side.

NME Front Cover Analysis

NME Cover Analysis

In this particular front cover, the main feature's font is in an almost Gothic, newspaper style and allows for a link between the style of the font and the genre of music to form. The font holds dark and gothic connotations which is similar to not only the style of the band, but also the genre of music. The use of this particular font may allow people to identify with the style that is on the magazine and therefore be more inclined to read the magazine through them being able to relate to it. 

This may be used to influence my magazine, as I am also going to use fonts on my front cover that have styles similar to that of the genre of music that the artist in the feature belongs to. Much like in the example, the font I use to accompany the main image will be different to the font(s) I use for the text about the other features in the magazine as it allows to distinguish between the main article and other articles, making the main feature stand out even more and act as the central part of the cover.

Rolling Stone Front Cover Ananlysis

Rolling Stone Magazine Analysis:

This particular front cover is interesting, as despite it featuring an incredibly large main image, there is still a fair amount of content surrounding it on either side allowing for all of the features to be shown off on the front cover, therefore expand the musical demographic, and helping to create wider appeal to the target audience.

When creating my magazine, I may use the layout of this front cover as inspiration as I intend to use a close up shot as my main image, that covers a large amount of the page. Also, I may use less standard shapes and more decorative borders to allow for any important information or features within the magazine to stand out on the front cover. The design of these shapes will hold connotations of the genre of the artist that is being shown, to appeal to members of my target audience that belong to a more confined and niche market, however I am still undecided on the specifics of these aspects of the page design.

Q Front Cover Analysis

Q magazine analysis:

The image used represents the fairly broad genre(s) of music that the magazine covers. The main alternative/indie style of the magazine is created as the main image is a mock up the famous Sgt Pepper album by the Beatles, of which is widely known and is one of the most recognisable album covers of all time. This constructs the idea of accessibility to the magazine, and is reinforced through the amount of artists featured in the image, of a wide range of music genres.

This may be used to influence my magazine, as if I choose to create a magazine covering a large musical demographic, I may include images with artists of more than one genre, as well as using widely recognised music 'symbols' which helps to appeal to my target audience as it allows them to feel as though they may belong to an exclusive group of people that understand these references.

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task- School Magazine





















Whilst creating my school magazine, I took note of the codes and conventions of magazines (particularly school magazines) in order to align both my front page and contents with common properties of existing magazines. On the front cover, I used hexagonal frames to allow for the images to be at the forefront of the reader's attention, as well as using a rectangle frame to place emphasis on the main article inside the magazine. Alongside this, I used a consistent, blue colour scheme in order to from a distinct house style, which not only appeals to Whitley Bay High students, but helps to form a link between the colour scheme and the school, helping for the students to associate themselves with the identity that is being presented.