The document discusses various elements of magazine front cover design including the purpose of the masthead to attract readers' attention with carefully chosen color, font, and style. It also covers elements like taglines to inform readers about the magazine's topic, cover images and lines to entice readers about articles, and modes of address that directly or indirectly engage the reader. Secondary images, puffs, pugs, barcodes, prices, and typefaces are among other important cover design components analyzed.

1. FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
1. What is the purpose of a front cover?
The front cover functions as a device to entice the reader into buying it.
2. What is a MASTHEAD?
The masthead is the title of the magazine, usually found at the top of the
magazine so it’s easy to see. The name, font and style of the masthead is carefully
chosen to attract the readers attention.
3. What 3 elements will be carefully considered when producing / designing the
masthead?
Colour: bright colours will stand out the most but only if the contrast with the
background or main image of the magazine.
Font:
Style:
4. What can you say about these mastheads?
Good Housekeeping: when I consider only the masthead it does have a good bold
font with a bright contrasting colour to the background, the style of the text is
easy to read but it looks abit squashed up on the front cover.
PC Advisor: looks boring and unexciting, when someone looks at this magazine
the first thing they will read is the tagline or main article underneath the
masthead.
Vogue: the style is thin and is difficult for me to read, with the contrasting
colours that change within the text, it makes it harder for me to read.
5. What is a TAGLINE / STRAPLINE?
Seen near the masthead, usually informs the reader what the magazine is about
6. Can you think of any examples of taglines for magazines?
Heads will role; OXM issue febuary 2010

2. 7. CENTRAL IMAGE / COVER IMAGE: What are the connotations of this cover
image and which coverline does it belong to?
The cover image is of the singer Nicola Roberts. She’s wearing a blue piece of
clothing. The picture has been edited because the image of her is flawless. Her
pose his a mix of sexiness and mystery.
8. What does ANCHORAGE mean? Look at the verge cover and explain how
anchorage is used to help the cover image make meaning.
Anchorage is the meaning to the text, what the text actually means. In this
example: “The girl we all want to be”, this make Nicola Roberts seem irresistible.
9. What are SECONDARY IMAGES?
Secondary images are smaller images usually in the corner or in an unoccupied
are of the front cover. These inform readers of another article, which is
important, these come with their own anchor line.
10. What is the purpose of a cover-line /
sell-line?
Examine the cover lines on the Travel
magazine and explain how they work to
make meaning.
Cover lines are located in numerous
locations around the frontcover, they give
little insights into the other articles in the
magazine. There are usually about 6-12
cover lines on a magazine cover.

3. MODE OF ADDRESS: How the text speaks to the reader
11. What is meant by DIRECT MODE OF ADDRESS?
The cover model looking at you or pointing directly at the camera. Using 2nd
person pronouns like “you”.
12. What is meant by INDIRECT MODE OF ADDRESS?
Were you don’t talk to the reader, the reader is able to understand what the
magazine is saying without it telling you.
13. What are PUFFS and PUGS? Circle examples on the Cosmopolitan and Pugs cover
Puff: this is set against the background and they often offer a freebie, in
cosmopolitan it says 100 extra pages and free mineral bronzer.
Pugs: these normally indicate a promotion.
14. What other important pieces of information will you find on a cover?
Barcode, price and edition.
The barcode should not obscure the front cover, best position would be in the
corner. The price is usually found near it. Edition informs the user on what week
the magazine belongs to this helps if the magazine is released every week, they
also tell the user what number it is, e.g: number 554
15. TYPEFACE
Give an example of and explain what is meant by a Serif typeface
And a Sans Seriftypeface
Serif is curly writing

4. Sans Serif not curly
16. Colour scheme: Identify the colour scheme for each student magazine
Ufouria, Canada Student, Drama Student, Honor Student, Nu Life, Verge