The ways in which my magazine use, challenge, and develop the conventions of real magazines

Buzz words

Direct mode of address

Cover lines

Key cover line& model credit

Price

Banner

Masthead

Official info (Issue no, date, price)

Key image gesture

Content signifier

Large numbers

Page example

Badge/flash – graphic feature

Poster preview

bannerwebsite

Publication date

FRONT COVER – CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

These types of words are commonly used by

magazines to encourage people to buy the magazine. It

offers more content for their money and

information that they cannot find anywhere

else

Gives an insight into the content of the

magazine

The key cover line is usually a big name, and uses this main story as the key seller of the magazineThe model credit works as a type of caption for the key image.

Price

Suggests that there is more content

Encourages people to look inside, they will hopefully be hooked by the content on the page and buy the magazine

Makes the word ‘free’ more visible as it is inside a graphic feature in a bright colour

Preview of the poster uses synergy to encourage sales

Gives examples of more content in the magazine

This is an example of convergent media, print-based magazines are becoming out-of-date, and so magazine companies need online content in order to retain a large readership, particularly magazines aimed towards young people.

Publication date

The direct mode of address in the key

signifier catches your eye when the

magazine is on the shelf and is a form of

communication to the reader; they are more likely to see it and, by extension, purchase it

Banners ensure that as much space on the cover is used as possible, it frames the cover making it more attractive and highlights the synergy in the textThe masthead is a necessary part of any magazine, it is big to establish the magazine brand and right across the top in a colour that contrasts the background so that it can easily be seen

This information is key for any purchase, so is in a large font under the masthead where it can easily be seenThe gesture of the artist in the image is reminiscent of someone being caught in the act by the police. This suggests rebellion and mischievousness, which is stereotypical of young artists. Young readers may find this appealingSuggests that the

magazine has a wide amount of content which encourages people to buy/read it

FRONT COVER – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES The house style of my magazine is consistent; this means

that there is a noticeable colour scheme (which is bright and unique), there is a consistency to the fonts which are used, and there are layout designs which can be used on multiple different issues of the magazine, such as the banners which frame the issue as well as the masthead.

I looked at a lot of mastheads during the research phase of my magazine, many take up only a

corner, like Q and NME, but I have decided to use the style of

mixmag instead as I think it looks better in my case.

Primary optical area

Weak fallow area

Strong fallow area

Terminal area

Reading gravity

This area is where the reading gravity

of the magazine begins, and so the

main thing it contains is the

masthead of my magazine. It is

generally important to keep this in the

primary optical area so that it is fully established and

easily legible.

This quarter contains the second part of the masthead and key signifier, alongside the primary optical area of the magazine. It also has the key, official information which is important for the consumer. This includes the issue number, the date of publication, and the price of the magazine.

The majority of the cover lines are sectored in this part of the magazine. This is where the reading gravity naturally falls, so talks about what is inside of the magazine. Likewise, there is a preview of the free poster inside right in the corner , which encourages the consumer to buy the magazine with the thought that they are getting more for their money. This is an important area of my magazine.

The weak fallow area contains the key

cover line and the model credit, which

caption the key image and tell the

reader about the main article inside the magazine. This

section can often go unnoticed, so I have made it contain this

large piece of text so that it isn’t wasted. It

also contains the barcode which is

important to have on the front cover of the

magazine for the sale, but not necessarily

important enough to be in a strong area of

the magazine.

European readers are naturally inclined

to read pages in a certain way, following the

‘reading gravity’. My magazine uses this

by having the title at the top, and

information in columns across both

sides of the page, concluding in the

terminal area.

Key image/signifierThe image uses a direct mode of address to hook the reader into the issue. The “caught in the act” gesture suggests rebellion and mischievousness which will attract younger readers as they are stereotypically rebellious themselves

FRONT COVER – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESTHE GUTENBERG DESIGN PRINCIPLE

CONTENTS PAGE – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

Page title

Twitter link

Pull quote caption

Photo

Subscription information

Editorial

Page number

Page number photo caption

Photo

Pull quote/photo

caption

Content numbers

Flash

Subtitle

Label: Cover Story

Website

Content

CONTENTS PAGE – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

This follows the house style of the front cover, and tells the reader that this is the contents pageReaders in this generation will know that the ‘@’ symbol signifies a Twitter link, which will appeal especially to young readersThe photo is captioned with a pull quote taken from the inside, this is used to hook the reader’s interest and make them read the rest of the article

This photo links to the page number in its corner, which advertises the content of the page

Magazines often offer subscription deals to people who buy their magazines; this offers them a subscription which is important as it ensures a regular readership of the magazine.All magazines have an editorial in them, and a lot put these on the contents page. This is a message from the editor, telling the reader about the content inside.Each page is numbered so the reader can keep a track of what page they are on and can follow the contents list. This is an extremely important feature. Also, the magazine name is repeated with it to make it more aesthetically pleasing

This photo is taken from one of my photoshoots,

linking to one of the articles in the magazine and encouraging people

to read it

The photo caption advertises the content and attracts people to

read it

Each page of content is given a page number as

in all magazines, and this goes up to 120 as it

is designed to be a monthly magazine so

needs a lot of content.

This flash encourages the

reader to look at this article, and makes it

seem important where it may be

otherwise ignored.

This part of the content for media is labelled

‘cover story’ so that the reader knows where to turn to in order to find

the main article which is advertised on the front cover, most magazines use some form of label

for the cover article.

Print based magazines are going out of date with the

era of Web 2.0, so it is important to include links

to online information. Also, this encourages a

readership of younger people.

The subtitles show the reader where to find certain types of

content, including features, articles

created by experts, and reviews of existing music.

The photo is captioned with the page number

so the reader knows what article the photo

links to

Colours and typographies used around the page follow the same house style as those used on the double page spread and on the front cover.

Gives a title for the content and a short

explanation

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

Pull quote

Image

Page number

Masthead

Key signifier

Photo credit

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD I – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

This is a quote from the article

on the next page which can be used to hook the reader into

exploring the article. It uses

strong and informal

language to hook the target reader – young

adults.

This is another image from the

same photoshoot of

my artist, which highlights his

significance in this article.

The double page spread runs over two pages, so there are two page numbers. Like on the contents page, the masthead is also repeated to make these corners look more attractive and to establish the brand.

This introduces the article, putting

it as it is. The same font as the masthead on the

front cover is used again as part of

the house style of my magazine

The key image on this page has been edited using photoshop so that the background has been removed but the artist and the shadow remain, allowing full emphasis to be given to his gesture codes.

Real magazines use photos from various different photographers and have to give them credit for the photo. I have done this here, although all of the photos are my own.

Introductory double page spreads are not always used before key articles, but do help grab attention for key pages inside. This is a technique that I

spotted in Q magazine, notably in those that I analysed during my market research of double page spreads, and is something that I thought my

magazine could benefit from.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

Kicker/Pull quote

Enlarged letter

Text (in columns)

Page number

Interview questions

Pull quote

Photo caption Convergent media links

Pull quote

Image

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD – HOW IT USES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MAGAZINESMAGAZINE FEATURES

My magazine kicker is also a quote from the

actual article, it introduces the

text with an immediately

hooking line that will ensure

readers

An enlarged letter to start

the text is how many forms of

print-based media workText is

generally presented in

columns in articles in

magazines, it is neat and easy

to read

Page numbers lead on from the previous

pages and make it easier

to find this specific content

Interview questions are in a different colour than the main text and in a different font, Dimitri, the

same font as the masthead, this makes them clearly stand out

This pull quote is bigger, in a different colour, and given a background colour so that it is easily legible and looks good as part of the article

The photo is captioned to give it context and to fit it into the article

Most artists use technological convergence in this era in order to sell and advertise their music via technological convergence. Providing these links to social media platforms is customary in magazines today.

The pull quote is another insight into the article to make people want to read itThe facial

expression and pose in this article suggests cheek, which young readers will like (stereotypically).

A pull quote being used as a kicker is

something that I spotted within Q magazine, which

inspired how I have made mine

here.

The main image on my double page spread bleeds across both pages, which serves to fully link them together. The house style is consistent throughout.