H&M Contents Page Analysis

Colour Testing

Colour testing

Blue

The colour blue is a very calming, relaxing and peaceful colour. It is the colour of the sea and the sky so a constant in our lives. The colour blue in a magazine would make the magazine feel safe for all ages. It would be easy to read with realistic and general information inside. The colour is also more associated with boys. You would expect the colour to be in a holiday or young boys magazine.

Pink

The colour pink is a very feminine colour. It is usually associated with young girls. It is a very safe colour as well that wouldn’t be associated with any type of horror. You would expect the colour pink to be in a young girls magazine.

Green

The colour green is the colour of nature, fertility and life. It is very restful and balance colour. The colour green in a magazine would make the reader feel that the magazine is safe for all ages. Green it a magazine could give the magazine an eco-friendly feel, and would make the magazine seem as if it was an easy reading. You would expect to see green in a nature or gardening magazine.

Red

The colour red is a very emotionally intense colour, it is usually associated with anger, strength and danger, but it can also be associated with warmth. The colour would make the magazine seem less child friendly and more of a dangerous nature. You would expect the colour to be in an adult comic or war magazine.

Yellow

The colour yellow is a very bright, pure and friendly colour. The colour in a magazine would make the reader feel very warm and happy, implying that the magazine in safe for all ages. The type of magazine that you would expect to see the colour in would be a children’s magazine or a holiday magazine.

Magazine Contents Layout

Magazine Cover Layout

Vogue Contents Page Anaylsis

The contents page of vogue I quite crammed with lots of information having to be put in such a small space as the magazine is very large, but the way it is set out is clever, neat and still looks quirky as its layout is random and in no specific order.

The use of colours is very clear with a white background and black writing with bright red headings that stand out and which split up different sections, making it easier for the reader to choose what they want to look out and doesn’t overpower the reader.

The front cover picture is also on the content page connecting the magazine together dragging readers in at the same time. Some of the writing is in italics which splits up the writing making it easier to read and stand out more.

The picture chosen to be on the page is a very extreme of fashion picture but that is what reader of vogue will want because they want things that are different and new.

Vogue Magazine Analysis

The colour scheme of the magazine is pink which is seen as a very girly and pretty colour. The picture of the girl on the front, Lana Del Rey, has recently become very famous in the music industry and is a huge fashion icon, which is why she has been chosen to be on the front of vogue. She is seen to be a very glamorous, beautiful, princess-like person which fits in the theme of the magazine which very girly and princessy.

The way that Lana is stood is very proud but the way she is looking straight at the camera with her hand by her chin gives her a very mysterious look, making people want to read more about her. Across from her eyes there is a heading saying ‘The fascinating Lana Del Rey’ making the mystery about her more intense.

The masterhead reading ‘VOGUE’ is in the same font and position on the page as it is on all other issues of vogue, and as vogue had been around for a long time it is very iconic, the reason that is stays the same is that because people know what it is, it stands out against everything else.

Sayings such as ‘Treat yourself’ and ‘Essential’ may encourage the reader to purchase the magazine as it makes out that you need the magazine and that you deserve it.

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

Please circle where appropriate;

1.    Age

16 – 20            21 – 25           26 - 30         31 – 40         40+

2.    How often do you read magazines?

Daily          Weekly        Monthly       Occasionally    Never

3.    Would you consider subscribing to a magazine?

Yes                          No

4.    What price would you be willing to pay for a magazine?

£1-£2           £2-£3            £3-£4           £4-£5            £5+

5.    What type of magazines to you usually read?

Music             Gossip           Sport            Fashion

Other……………………………………..(please specify)

   

6.     What attracts you to buy a magazine?

Front Cover              Storylines              Pictures     

Other…………………………………….. (please specify)

7.    What would you want from a school magazine?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

     Thank you for you time.

Font Analysis

Font testing

Bank Gothic. This font would be used in magazines that are involved in fashion and technology. It is quite edgy, cool and cutting edge. For example it could be used in a women’s fashion magazine or a men’s technology magazine. The font is easy to read but the font is probably more appropriate for older teens and adults. It also stands out a lot as it is all in capital letters.

Comic Sans MS. This font would be in magazines that are casual and not full of complex and factual information. For example it could be used in children’s, teen and sports magazine. It is a very easy to read and simple font.

Edwardian Script ITC. This font is very posh and formal. You expect to see this font in a formal magazine such as a christening or wedding. The font looks like it has been written with a fountain pen, which gives off a nice effect, and something that is a bit different from the usual printed fonts. Though the font is very nice it is quite hard to read so you could only use the font in small paragraphs and headings.

Princetown LET. This font is cool, preppy and looks like the type of writing that would be on an American school/universities logo. This font would probably be used in school/universities magazines and maybe even fashion. You couldn’t use this font all the way through a magazine as it is quite hard to read and stands out a lot, so it would be good for headings and short sentences or quotations.

Charcoal CY. This font is very simple and bold.  It stands out very clearly and is easy to read. This font could be used in most types of magazine. But it would most likely get used in headings and quotations as it is very bold and could only really be used in small sections.

Didot. This font is quite simple, fashionable and classy. It is clear, easy to read and yet still doesn’t look boring. You would expect to see this font in a fashion, wedding, or food magazine. Something that people that are 20+ would read. You probably wouldn’t use this font in a heading as it is not quite bold enough. It is a good font for paragraphs. 

What I would like from a school magazine.

• what is going on in the school
• what events for under 18's are going on in reading
• tips on how to make things easier for yourself
• foods that are good for your brain
• problem page
• school fashion
• sports clubs around the area
• recipes

Kerrang! Magazine Cover Analysis

3. Kerrang! Magazine

On the front of the magazine are 5 different rockstars, all in bands that readers of kerrang will know. As the readers will recognise these rockstars it will drag them into the magazine as they would want to know more about them. The facial expression on all of the rockstars is very invitational, so there is a sense of personal contact with the reader.

The masterhead is at the top of the magazine, it is in the biggest writing on the page and is in the same font as always is on this magazine.

Most of the writing is in capital letters and there is use of explanation marks trying to really get across the message of what is in this magazine and what its all about.

The main colours that are used on the magazine are blue, black and yellow. These colours all stand out against each other and are bright and eye-catching.

There is a lot going on the magazine cover and there is a lot crammed on with no free spaces, showing that there is a lot of information inside the magazine and lots that it can offer to you.

The strapline at the top of the magazine above the masterhead is in constrasting colours to the masterhead so it stands out, promotes that there is posters inside of the magazine a showing readers that it is not just a magazine but posters aswell.

The main cover line is smaller than the masterhead but bigger than anything else on the page. There is a variation of different fonts and the colours all contrast each other and are bright making it stand out more than anything else on the page.

The coverlines on the magazine that are there telling us what is in the magazine are all scattered around the edges on the magazine in a variation of different colours, fonts and sizes, with bigger and more interesting stories on bolder and brighter writing.

H&M Magazine Cover Analysis

Student Magazine planning

For the Preliminary task, i am designing the cover and contents page for a  student magazine.
To create the magazine i will use my own ideas but the also ask other people of my own age what they are interested in, then i would decide how to present this.  I will need to research and analyze other magazines to take inspiration from them for my own, i will have to look at the layout, font, colours, and why they have certain images on the front of them. From that i will decide what the format for my magazine will look like.

Preliminary Task Introduction

Welcome to my media studies blog.
In this blog i will be posting my media work throughout the year.
For the Preliminary task i will be creating a student magazine and contents cover.
For research i will be looking at other magazines and creating a questionnaire.
Enjoy.