Here is my second analysed magazine. Again I have analysed VIBE magazine because it is very similar to the style of magazine that I wish to create so I look to it for a lot of inspiration.
1. Analysis of VIBE magazine
Analysing a second front cover, contents
page, and double page spread of VIBE
magazine as part of my ‘Research and
Planning’ stage
2. MASTHEAD
The masthead is very clear. The bright yellow colour that
is used on the font contrasts very well with the grey
scale background and because of this we can read it
well. The font used is all bold, and the masthead is very
predominant on the page, thus allowing us to recognise
this as the title of the magazine.
3. COVER PICTURE
The cover picture is centered. This is unusual in magazines as
photographers often use the rule of thirds when taking pictures,
however it is a common theme in VIBE magazine that the model in
the picture is dead centre. This attracts the audience directly to
them. The Artist in the picture also uses a direct mode of address
so that when you are drawn to him he almost ‘looks you in the eye’
creating somewhat of a ‘relationship’ with the reader.
4. COVER LINES
Once again, the cover lines are aligned right and left
according to which side of the page they lie on, this is
to keep the middle of the magazine free so not to draw
attention away from the direct gaze of the cover model.
5. SEMIOTICS
The plus sign is often used as a semiotic because
people often look at a plus sign and thing, positive,
or more, a higher value. If there is more inside, then
the audience is attracted by the use of this symbol
and will buy the magazine.
7. PICTURE
Only one picture is used on the contents page to stop
any over crowding of the page due to the magazine
being heavily text rather than pictures.
8. SPLIT PAGE
The contents page is split about two thirds of the way down by
an intricate design which is more than likely part of the house
style of the magazine. The top section of the page allows us
to discover what features are inside the magazine and the
bottom section shows us features from the VIBE website
where you can access news and galleries online.
9. CROOKED TEXT
Something very commonly used in VIBE magazine is the
way in which they split the word ‘CONTENTS’ into 3
different lines. It gives it a ‘jagged’ look and also
connotates to what hip hop is all about. It is about going
against regular things in society and by not having the
word in uniform they are conveying this convention.
10. PICTURE CREDITS
Written in a very small font on the picture is the picture credit,
notifying the reader who is responsible for the photography
so that they know who the photographer and stylist was for
the photo shoot for this picture in the magazine. It is meant to
take up minimal space on the magazine and is therefore
written in a very small font size in order to not take attention
away from the image itself.
12. IMAGES
The photos on this double page spread are similar to those of that I
have already analysed. They take up only one section of the page
and are not placed right in the middle, for example. This is a good
use of the page furniture by VIBE because as I mentioned earlier,
it is very text heavy, and buy having the photographs to one are of
the page allows them to maximise the amount of space they need
for the body copy.
13. THE LEAD
The lead is used well here, it is a small paragraph that
allows us to get an idea of what the article is about
before going into the body copy.
14. BODY COPY AND DROP CAP
The body copy in this double page spread I would say was
around 1000 words in a size font between
8-10. Very commonly in magazines you will notice that the first
letter of the first paragraph in the article will be maybe 3 lines
big. This is known as a drop capital and just lets the reader
know where to start reading from which is why VIBE have
used one.
15. RULE OF THIRDS
For some reason, VIBE magazine choose to ignore the
rule of thirds in their photographs. They very often
centre their artists and because I have seen this a lot in
my research I will look to also ignoring the rule of thirds
in my final production.
