The document discusses how the writer's magazine cover and layout utilizes common magazine conventions and design techniques. For the cover, they use a red, yellow, and black color scheme to attract readers, as well as a bold title treatment and single model photo. In the layout, they include pull quotes to entice reading, highlight text for emphasis, and incorporate a variety of images with writing. The contents page also applies typical conventions like large page numbers, subtitles, article previews, and consistent colors to effectively guide the reader through the magazine.
1. How does your magazine
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions?
Katherine Carr
2. I chose to use a
red, yellow and black
colour scheme to on
my magazine the
same as this one, it is
appealing to look at
and the bright shade
of the red attracts
readers to choose this
magazine to read over
others of the same
kind.
3. The bold, block writing
for this title works well
as it is appealing to
the eye and is
simple, as I think if
you use too fancy
writing it detracts the
eye away from the
actual image itself, as
the name is not the
most important thing
on the cover. As my
background was
already quite light i
put a bold black stroke
around the title to
make it stand out
against the grey.
4. Using a certain colour
for the header at the
top and the writing
further down causes
your eye to follow
down the page and so
causes the reader to
take in all of the
information, I used
this technique on my
magazine cover with
hints of yellow
throughout the page.
5. On this Q cover they
use one single
model, and make their
body the main image
of the magazine. I
think this works well
because it
immediately shows
who the article is
going to be about and
so will attract the
certain target
audience immediately.
Also, if it is a good
photo it works well, I
think the photo I
chose to use is simple
yet effective, and the
glow around it
highlights the model
used.
6. Using an interesting
pull quote in the
article makes people
read it first, and then
want to go on to read
the rest of the article.
I put mine larger, and
in the centre so that it
is seen
immediately, also, I
used hints of red
throughout the page
so that it causes the
readers eye
subconsciously to read
down the page.
7. Highlighting certain
texts is conventional
of music magazines to
make specific sections
stand out. The white
writing contrasts with
the red background
but still fits in with the
colour scheme of the
photographs and the
cover and contents
aswell.
8. Using a selection of
different images
makes the article
seem more
interesting, and fills up
the page so that it is
not all writing, which I
think makes it seem
quite boring.
9. I included the American flag in
one of the images to relate it
directly to the article, which is
similar to the NME article as it
does the same
thing, however, using four
images of the same model just
in different poses is unusual but
I think it is effective because it
shows off different aspects of
her personality top the reader.
Using big letters at the
beginning of an article
is typical of
magazines, and I think
it works well as it
makes the appearance
of the article nicer,
and more tidy.
10. I have used typical magazine conventions
for this contents page to keep it simple but
effective. I used large page numbers to
attract the attention of the reader, and
large subtitles with smaller subtexts to
explain what the main articles will be
about.
11. I used quotes from the articles to make
them seem interesting, and encourage the
reader to read them. I also included
pictures of the main articles similar to the
NME contents page, as I thought it was
effective in grabbing the readers interest.
12. I made sure the headings were clear by
using white text and then a black
background to contrast. Also the red
banner makes the red run through the
page and so the readers eye will follow the
text down the page more easily.
13. I only included the main articles and most
interesting stories, that will be the biggest
news in the music industry, and will be
what my reader is interested in, rather than
include everything
14. I kept the same colour
scheme running throughout
the magazine. Red, white
and black. I think this works
very effectively as it
immediately shows that the
article and contents belong
the same magazine as the
colour. Also they
compliment each other very
well.
