1. The Grid: using the grid maintains ‘white space’ [open visual spaces] and balance between image and text elements.
Using the grid will discourage clutter and encourage a comfortable visual pattern.
Most magazines put the emphasis on the left hand side and on the top of the cover.
Kerrang magazine is a rock magazine and I would have thought that the grid would have been more messed up rather than partly neat.
2. Magazine name or ‘masthead’: this is normally a large, bold font that has most importance on the cover, most likely found running across the top. The magazine name is often accompanied by a ‘tag’ line [a slogan that encompasses the focus or mission statement of the publication].
The masthead ‘Kerrang’ is like an onomatopoeia is cracked, breaking like a rock crumbling apart. It’s smashed which resembles the attitude of a rocker.
3. Main image: needs to be strong and attention grabbing. The style of the picture should reflect the mood of the article is accompanies in the magazine and the editorial style of the magazine.
The Main image is a metal band which would appeal to metal fans and rock fans in that sub- genre and catch their eyes because they like the band and my only buy the magazine to read that one article or they might buy the magazine because they would assume they would like the other bands that are advertised in the magazine as well.
4. Font style [typography]: size, colour, effects and placement dictate the features or the ‘sub-headings’ importance on the page.
The Size and colour of the font suggests that it is a rock magazine because Red portrays anger or violets. The Size of the font is very big, because rock people are very ‘in your face’ and so the font appeals to rock people because they like the interpretation of how they act.
5. Text line up: use the grid to fit the text neatly, and line up the text vertically down the edges of the cover. Leave visual space for not only the main image to ‘breath’ but also leave ‘white space’ in between the text. Don’t cluster all the text together, space it out so it is easy on the eye and in clear sections.
The ‘typeface’ or font spacing has often been slightly altered, i.e. the little space in-between the individual letters and the lines of words:
- Leading: the space between each line of text.
- Tracking: e x t e n d i n g or compressing the space between the letters or ‘characters’
This Magazine front cover is very neat in comparison from what I would have thought it looked like, the cover is not clustered with thumbnails and writing, there is a specific amount of the cover which draws the right crowd of people into buying this magazine.
6. Thumbnails: These add meaning to text features and add more immediate visual interest for the potential buyer. Place these with care, normally at top, bottom or corner.
The Thumbnails on the front cover are advertising that is in the magazine. If you like one of the bands then you are most likely to buy the magazine to read the article on your favourite band and hope that there is something else you like in the magazine rather than ignore your favourite band and just walk past the magazine without paying any attention to it.
7. Text features: the main feature is known as the ‘hook’ and is normally the largest and most obvious text besides the magazines name. Is normally linked to the main image and is the magazines first selling point.
The other text features need to promise a clear benefit to the reader and offer something for new readers.
The ‘hook’ on this magazine is ‘BRING ME THE HORIZION’ they are a metal band which would appeal to any rocker or sub-genres. This is usually the selling point of a magazine because the ‘hook’ and main image usually have something in common, which draws the people into wanting to buy the magazine because they are interested in this certain band.
8. Feature bars: Use these at top and/or bottom of cover, normally used to offer a promotion, free cd, competition or particular type of feature.
There are two feature bars on this magazine cover. They are advertising other bands that are in this magazine for people that aren’t convinced by the main image or thumbnails and also an article of Travis Barker’s plane crash, which would entice the audience to want to read it.
9. Promotions: many have a promotional event, free cd, posters, competition, trip on holiday, top 40 tips, pull-out sections etc.
The feature bar on this magazine cover is offering free posters with it. This is a good selling advertisement because the people who want to buy this magazine think that they are getting more for their money and also have something to represent the fact that they like that band or artist.
10. Colour and font palettes: use a limited colour scheme and font set. Too many colours and too many ‘typefaces’ [font] styles will make the cover look messy, confused and hard to read. However, a good selection of sizes, effects and typeface rotations can make a selected few fonts look like many more, all within the same visual style. Also many texts elements are put in boxes to add visual value.
- Warm colours appear larger than cool colours.
- Warm colours seem to move towards the viewer; cool colours seem to recede from a viewer and fall back.
- Monochromatic colour schemes (containing variations of a single colour) create a harmonious effect.
- Contrasting colours create energy and draw attention to themselves.
- Use colour to emphasize type or graphics
The colour of the magazine all link with a colour from the main image as this makes the front cover neater. The ‘KERRANG’ is smashed up which is an onomatopoeia because it sounds like the word. This is the type of style that rockers have aggression and anger.
11. 3-5mm no text area: images will bleed or extend to the very end of the cover, but text always stops between 3-5 mm from the edge of the cover. This is firstly because when printing some of the text may get cut of and secondly, if too close to the edge the text looks like it is falling off the page or has been squeezed in!
On the front cover there is no ‘White space’ because the magazine is not trying to show elegancy. The magazine is trying to show of as much as what’s inside the magazine to make it appeal to more people.
12. Barcode: Normally found in the bottom corners, but it can be put anywhere, as it looks ok. They can be placed on their sides. The price, date and issue number again can be placed anywhere it looks good but is often just above or below the barcode. Many covers also have the website address on somewhere.
The barcode on this front cover fits in well with the thumbnails and text around it. It doesn’t fall about the whole magazine and is placed in a good space on the front cover.
13. Target audience: The style of image, colour palette and font style will be closely linked the genre of magazine.
The text features will be addressing a particular audience and the type of language used will also help engage the target reader… this is called mode of address and can be split into 2 areas:
- ‘Register’ – the style of language in which the magazine speaks to the reader.
- ‘Tone’ – what the magazine is saying and talking about.
I.e. formal, serious, factual language implies well-informed articles and opinion, from a relatively unbiased viewpoint. Casual, frivolous, gossip type language with funny ‘pull-quotes’ [quotes taken from the main body of an interview etc] or sarcastic statements will imply a more informal, street culture style publication. This is all dependent on who the magazine is intended for? 16-25 year old trendy types or 35-45 year old housewives etc.
Have a clear concept of the demographic (identity) and psycho-graphic (lifestyle) profile of your target audience.
Define the ways in which your magazine’s content is geared to the needs, interests and motivations of this audience
The target audience for this magazine would be in my opinion rockers aged between 17-27. In these types of magazines they don’t expect 12 year old girls to read them so they swear and talk about sex, drugs and festivals.
14. Overall cover ‘theme’: depending on the ‘main feature’ of the cover, dictated by the image and the main title feature text, the whole cover will take on a visual style that is sympathetic and encourages this main ‘selling point’.
The overall cover theme would be for a rocker and sub-genres to talk about their personal life and how they see themselves. This magazine is to show you when your locals’ hottest band are playing or advertising free tickets to see your favourite band/festival.
This magazine isn’t aimed at young girls who like Barbie’s and dressing up. The main selling point for this magazine for rockers is that they feel they are getting something in return like free posters for buying the magazine.
emmasturgeon 