textual analysis

1. Textual Analysis

2. Main image - The main image is a close up shot and the
subject is in the centre of the page. This is so all attention
is focussed on him and his facial expressions as we can
see very clearly in this image is frustration/craziness,
which are often associated with the rock genre and this
magazine in general. The image is shot on a grey
background which contrasts against the red bold writing
and makes the writing stand out mro to the reader. The
lighting is brighter towards the top of the image and this
is because it needs to be in higher lighting Fire can be
seen coming out of the artist’s mouth and this is so the
image appears edgier and more danger which is
something that appeals to people in the rock genre so by
doing this Q is meeting the needs of its target readers
and attracting its audience. The artists is dressed all in
black and this is so no attention is taken away from his
face or the effect of fire as too much occurring on the
image could overpower what the artist is trying to convey.
The image shouldn’t have too much going on as the
reader will only focus on what stands out to the
individual.
Masthead - The masthead is a bold red background
with a white Q and this is on every edition of the
magazine which makes it recognizable to the reader.
It also creates an in house style with the use of
colours as throughout the magazine red,grey and
white are commonly used. These colours are gender
neutral which means a wider range of people will
show an interest in the magazine. Some of the mast
head is hidden by the main image and this is
because the magazine has managed to build a
brand that people easily recognize and the whole
masthead is not needed to be seen because of this.
By doing this the main image also stands out more
because it is in the foreground of the magazine.
Sell lines - The main sell line on this magazine take
sup the width of the bottom of the page and this is so
it doesn’t draw the attention away from the main
image but still catches the reader’s attention as the
writing i large and white which contrasts with the black
costuming of the artist. The line says “This will kill me!”
which implies there is an interesting interview inside
which will make the reader interested in buying the
magazine. It also connotes a wild lifestyle which i
often associated with rock music and the artists
featured in them.
Other sell lines that are seen to the side of the main
image feature other artists names and this is so the
reader is getting a taste of what type of articles they
will be reading about and they are all artists that are
popular in the rock genre. A number has also been
used and this instantly draws the reader’s attention
because it stands out amongst the text.
Puff - A puff has been used in this magazine and it
is on a circle bold red background which stands out,
similar to the mast head. As these two features
have the most colour in them, they are what the
reader will first see. The puff states that the reader
will have ‘free exclusive unheard foos album’ and f
the main image is what attracted the reader, this will
also appeal to them as it associated with the artist
in the main image. The word ‘free’ is used to make
the reader think they are getting something that add
to the price of the magazine and like they are
getting better value for the price they pay.

3. The main image is a medium close up
shot and it takes up the whole left side
of the double page spread and this
could convey her significance and
power. Lady Gaga, who is the artist
this article is about, is making direct
eye contact with the reader and this
could suggest she is inviting them to
the scene and it makes the reader feel
more connected with her. Her bold
eye makeup makes it easier for the
reader the reader to notice this
feature. The image is in black and
white which is quite a sophisticated
and laid back style and this could
make the reader feel like Q are giving
them an inside look to a different
aspect of her life as she is famous for
being bold and edgy, not laid back
and classic. She is wearing a very
small costume and this could indicate
that the article is for a more mature
audience and would also attract the
interest of male readers, who are not
the audience for her music and would
therefore be expanding her audience
in general.
The text in this article is very small and this
suggests that the artist has a lot to say and
the reader will get the detail they are paying
for. The conventional three columns have
been used for the layout of this article and
this is so the reader feel like they are getting
through the text quickly which would keep
them interested. Having all the textual
information on one side of the feature may
appeal to a more mature audience who are
interested in learning about the artist and not
seeing images of them. Two drop caps have
been used in this article and this is so the
text looks less overpowering as it appears to
be broken up.
Drop caps are also usually placed at the
start of the article but this signifies the
importance of the whole text, not jsut the first
paragraph. This convention could also be
used to tell the reader where the most
important parts of the article are. There is no
main title on this magazine and this is very
unconventional as the reader's attention
would usually be drawn straight to this.
The large ‘L’ signifies Lady Gaga’s importance in
the article. It is in a vibrant red and this is so the
house style is kept as red is a colour often sue
din Q magazine. By using thisr, readers are likely
to notice it if they were sut browsing through the
magaizne.It is also a very bold style and this
relates to the type of lifestyle that Lady Gaga is
known to lead.

4. Masthead - A minimalistic masthead
has been sued as it only consists of Q
and contents but it still stands out as the
bold red colour contrasts with the low
key colours used in the images and text.
As throughout the magazine, the colour
red is used as the dominant colour and
this is so the house style is kept
throughout and the brand stays
recognizable.
Colours/images - The colour scheme of this
contents page is black and red and these are
complimentary colours that enable the reader to
focus on the information rather than being
overpowered with too many vibrant colours. The
main image fits in with the colour palette as it is
a black and white image and high key lighting
has also been used in each image. Having the
image in black and white means not too much
attention is taken away from the text as they
blend in with the whole page. The image in the
bottom left corner is not in black and white but
very high key lighting and a background has
been sued which means the image is not too
bold in contrast with the rest of the page.
Having the images drained as colour could
represent the striking bold lifestyle that
‘rockstars’ featured in this magazine have.
Font - The main font used is seriff which
presents a prestige feel to the magazine
in contrast to the rock and roll vibe that
is given from the images. This still gives
the magazine a sense of sophistication
and class so the pages don’t become
too informal and unpleasant to read.
The content in the cover lines consist of
the name of artists that would be expected
to be seen in a rock magazine such as Q.
This is so people are able to have easy
access to the articles that the magazine
are most likely to gain readers from.

5. Mast head - The conventional colour of the
NME masthead is red but in this edition it is
white and this is so it stands out in contrast to
the artists red hair. The magazine has a
recognizable brand so it is acceptable for it to
change the colour of its masthead because
the font always stays the same and this is
enough for the reader to be able to recognize
it. The use of white for the mast head creates
a very simplistic vibe and as the target
audience is teens/young adults, using a
simple font could entice them as they are
often associated with being interested in
simplicity. This could also convey the lifestyle
of some artists featured in this magazine as
they are thought of as having a simple and
laid back lifestyle.
Colour scheme - A very simple colour
scheme of black and white has been
used on this front cover which once
again adds to the vibe of simplicity. It
is normal for NME to include red in its
colour scheme but as the artists hair
is a bold red colour, it wasn't
necessary for this cover to have that
as the red hair still makes the
magazine recognizable.
The main image used is a close up shot
which is a conventional feature for this
magazine. By using a close up shot they
have gave a personal feel and present a
connection with the artist and the reader as
you are able to see her face and facial
expressions very clearly. Unlike many
artists in the rock industry, this artist is
wearing minimal makeup and this
compliments the theme of simplicity. Also,
with her hair being so bold it is not
necessary for the artist to be overpowered
with a lot of makeup as this could be too
much to look at for the reader and take
away from the text. Her facial expression
gives off a seductive vibe and this could
attract some male readers.
Main sell line - The main sell line on this cover
is simply the artist's name which shows her
importance and it is also the only word written in
black. This helps the sell line stand out as in
contrast to the white text, the reader will notice
it. Another sell line used is ‘i would never have
got through the x factor auditions’ and by using
a popular show such as x facotr you are
interesting a different target audience as they
may buy the magazine because they think they
will be gaining knowledge of what theyre are
already interested in, which in this case would

6. Main image - The main image of this double
pages spread has clearly been taken in a studio
on a white background to allow space for text. It
is long shot image and this is so it takes up the
whole left side of the spread which means the
reader will obviously be attracted to it. The artists
is dressed in all black but her red hair stands out
against this and the white background. This also
gives her an edgier look as the colour of her hair
indicates she is fiery and rebellious which will
appeal to a reader of a rock magazine such as
this one. Having only one image on a double
page spread shows that the artist has a large
importance and needs to be centre of attention.
The whole spread is grey but she is sat on a red
and white flag, which is supposed to compliment
the main title “USA got the love” which is also a
play on one of the artists songs. By doing this the
readers’ attention immediately goes to the image
because it is the only bit of colour that stands out
to the reader. “Got the love” is written in a different
font to ‘USA’ and it is a calligraphy font which
could represent the calm and sophisticated side of
the artist features, whereas the bold USA
connotes the artist is bold herself and a big
character in the industry.
The article is very small in comparison to the page size and this is so it is the main thing the
reader focuses on. The text is also split into three columns but it is a very small amount of
text for the size of the pages. This is so younger audiences or people who prefer images
don’t lose interest in the article. There is a small paragraph of text in a different font before
the article begins and this gives the reader a taste of what they are about to read and this
will tell them whether it is something that will interest them or not and a reader is likely to
appreciate this. Having black text on a grey background also makes it stand out and easy
to read.
A drop cap has been used in the
same font as ‘got the love’ and this is
to create a recognizable stand
throughout the double page spread.
Having the drop cap in a different
font to the article itself means the
reader is likely to notice it instantly
and this could persuade them to read
the whole article.
Red is used as the prominent colour in this
article and this fits in with the house style of
the magazine and matches the colour
palette. This will create a recognizable brand
as when people see this double page spread
they will associate it with NME magazine.

7. Masthead - The masthead is the classic
NME red and this keeps the house style
vibe.The rest of the text is mainly in black
so by using red the reader's’ attention is
immediately drawn to this. By saying ‘this
week’ the reader is reminded that this
magazine could be purchased weekly
and this could create more consistent
buyers for NME. The date has also been
added just below this and this si so the
magazine looks professional and is kept
up to date. The date would also have
been feature on the front page.
The main features that are in this
magazine are listened in a column
to the right of the page and by
using a column the reader is easily
able to find what they are looking
for. This is also in a black and white
format and this keeps the classic
style and keep the page looking
neat and presentable.
Subscription information is given at
the bottom of the page and this is so
readers are aware they could pay a
fee and get this magazine monthly
and save money at the same time.
As his is clearly important to the
magazine, this has been printed in
yellow and the reader will
automatically notice this because it is
the only colour used on the page that
is not red, white or black.
A small article has been written
on the contents page and this
gives the reader a reason to look
at it and feel like they are getting
extra content.