Olivia Cotterell

1. Task 5 – deciding
which genre and style
By Olivia Cotterell

2. Why is colour and font
important
The colour scheme and font for a magazine is crucial, it represents the
target audience and what genre of magazine it is. These are visual
features that our audience can see and if the font and colour scheme
doesn’t fit into the genres criteria, it will be very clear to their target
audience and may even make them feel uncomfortable with the
magazine. Depending on the genre of magazine differentiates the type
of font that is used e.g a pop magazine would be more of a modern
and feminine font whereas a rock magazine would be more of a bold,
edgy and dramatic font. This is an important representation of the
genre for the music magazine. The colour scheme is extremely
important that it is correct because this is a huge part of the magazine,
it is what attracts the target audiences to the magazine and what gives
it some character too. If you choose the wrong colour scheme (e.g.
pink and purples for a rock magazine) it could put the reader off
buying the magazine as It will cause some confusion for them and they
may feel that this magazine no longer appeals to them.

3. FontCambria font
Font
Calibri (Body)
Old and new fonts
Curved edge
Thick and thin
stoke lines
Thick and thin
stroke lines
Equal width
around letter
Very square
looking
Square looking
flick at the end
The two different types of font being displayed above represents the difference between old fashioned
looking fonts and more modern looking fonts. You can see that with an older style font there is a lot more
detail in the writing just like there used to be in olden times, there are a lot more flicks and curved corners
within the specific letters. Whereas the more modern font it is a lot more basic and easier to read. There
isn’t as much detail in the letters because it has moved with the times, modern writing is a lot more basic
and bland.
Looks elegant
More detail
simpler
Easier to
read

4. Script fonts: usually used for special occasions like wedding invites, party invites, thank you letters etc… It
has a very elegant and fancy look to it but at times can be very difficult to read. It gives a sense of glamour
and elegance which is why it is never used in magazines. The readers need to be able to read the writing in
front of them.
Broadway Fonts: usually used for titles of theatrical events like broadway show posters or theatre
programmes etc… This is because it represents the genre that it is writing about, it looks very characteristic
and fancy. It wouldn’t be used for a rock music magazine as it looks to delicate and feminine.
Goudy stout: This font looks a lot more childlike and young. The letters look very cartoony and are
very easy to read hence why it may be used for something for a child e.g. a children’s book. This would
not be used for a rock music magazine as it will not attract the target audience
Rockwell: This font is more likely to be used in a rock magazine as it is very bold and looks quite
masculine. I think this will attract the target audience better as it is a lot bolder and clearer than many
of the other fonts. This kind of font is usually used for mastheads, contents page titles etc… Because it
is clear but still very bold and edgy.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

5. Outstanding fonts used for
mastheads
Masthead
Masthead
Masthead
Masthead
For a masthead there needs to be an outstanding font on the front cover to
catch the audiences eyes. Especially for a rock magazine, the title font needs
to be big, bold, sharp, edgy, ROCK. All of theses factors add up to represent
their genre and target audience through font. You couldn’t use a fancy
feminine tiny style of writing as it would just clash with the genre and confuse
the target audience.

6. Hand lettered fonts.
• Hand lettered fonts are usually used in editors letters in magazines.
It gives the letter and the magazine more of a human touch. The
type of handwriting that is used represents what kind of genre the
magazine is. For example a pop magazine may use a feminine and
elegant font for the editors letter because the audience presumes
that because it is a girly magazine there should be a woman’s touch.
Signed by Belle x
• Whereas a rock music magazine would have a more basic masculine
handwriting font. This is because it is an edgy and powerful
magazine and the font of the writing needs to represent the
magazine genre and not clash with the theme.
yours sincerely,

7. Font size
• Font size is very important in a music
magazine, the larger the font, the more
important it is…
For example, the magazines masthead will be in the largest font that
you will see in the magazine as it is the most important piece of text in
there. Main cover lines will also be in a large font as an indication of
their importance on the front cover because of the specific
information they give. Cover lines will be in a medium sized font (has
to be smaller than main cover lines) because they’re still important to
the front cover, but not as important as main cover lines or the
masthead.

8. Colour
Colour in a music magazine is so important, it is crucial that the right
colour scheme is used to represent the magazines genre. The colour
scheme of a magazine gives out such important information about the
magazine, like who their target audience is in terms of age, gender
etc…
For example a magazine that has a lot of pink, yellow and white on the
front cover would indicate that this magazine’s genre is pop and is
aimed at a young girl. Whereas a magazine that has a lot of red, black,
white, grey would indicate that the magazine’s genre is rock because
these are very bold and edgy colours but also shows that this
magazine is unisex as there are no specific ‘norm’ gender colours like
pink or blue. Also these darker colours would tell us that this magazine
is aimed at people of a certain age, usually about 16 and over. This is
because a younger child would not be attracted to these colours as
they aren’t as vibrant as the colours yellow and pink for example.

9. Colour
Making sure that the right colours are being
used as the main colour scheme of the
magazine is very important. It is suggested to
use COMPLIMENTARY COLOURS so that
similar colours don’t clash or look horrible.
It is important that the reader is able to look
at the magazine and not feel like it is hurting
their eyes or that it just looks silly in general
to them.
For example it wouldn’t look good to have
red and orange or yellow and green together
as the main colours on the front cover of the
magazine as they just look like they clash to
much.
A A A A A A A

10. Colours and their meanings
The colour blue
represents peace
and relaxation
The colour yellow
represents happiness
and brightness
The colour pink
represents girly and
prettier things in life
The colour red
represents passion
and energy
The colour green
represents
nature and new
life
The colour black
represents seriousness
and danger

11. The wrong choices!
Pop world
Making sure you choose the right choices for the colour scheme and font for your magazine is
crucial! Different colours compliment each other and others clash terribly… Also depending on the
genre of magazine, choosing the right colour is very particular, it has to fit in with the genre’s
theme. For example a pop magazine, this particular genre of music magazine is aimed at
predominantly females from the age of about 8-16. Therefore the main colour scheme would be
pinks, purples, yellows, whites etc… So if you have a colour scheme like above (where the colours
also clash) this will make the reader feel confused and uncomfortable with the magazine as it is no
longer appealing to them. Also the font of the title is in a very edgy and dramatic font, again this
does not fit in with the genre of the magazine, it would just look strange and out of place at the
top of the magazine. Again making the reader feel confused and uncomfortable with this
magazines choices of colour scheme and font.

12. The right choices!
Pop world
Whereas this colour scheme and font is a lot more suitable and a better
representation of a pop magazine. As this genre of magazine is predominantly
target at young girls, there needs to be soft, feminine colours used to attract the
right target audience. Young girl’s eyes will be drawn to these bright colours as it is
a colour scheme that they like and will instantly show that this is a pop magazine.
In addition, the font used is also very suitable to this genre of magazine as it is
bold, feminine, modern and also has a slight theatrical look to it. This title will
stand out off the shelves and the readers eyes will instantly be drawn to it as they
know it is suitable and targeted towards them.

13. The wrong choices!
Rock music
This magazine title’s font and colour scheme is all wrong for a rock
magazine, it is not suitable for this genre one bit. Firstly the font is too basic
and boring for a rock magazine, it needs to be more edgy, in your face,
something that you wont forget… Also because rock is now a unisex
magazine (although some will say it is predominantly targeted towards
men), means that they can use different colours as long as their bold and
dramatic to represent the magazine genre e.g. black, white, red, grey etc…
Not green and yellow! Firstly these colours clash terribly and look horrific
together and secondly they’re not dramatic and edgy enough for a rock
magazine.

14. The right choices!
Rock music
Whereas this colour scheme and font is a much better representation for a
rock magazine. This is because a more edgy and dramatic font is being used
which will attract the readers eyes as it will stand out off of the shelves.
Also the colour scheme is very vivid, the red stands out amazingly against
the black background giving it that extra boost of colour and dramaticness.
This is exactly what rock music is all about, being dramatic and standing out
from the crowd, therefore this needs to be reflected in the music
magazine. The genre of rock is targeted towards both men and women of
ages from around 15-35 which is quite a range in age so this means that
this magazine can use these particular colours in order to attract the
correct target audience.

15. Ideas for colour
scheme’s
R&B magazines
usually have quite a
neutral colour
scheme as it is a
unisex magazine
aimed at people
aged around 15-30.
These colours are
age appropriate.
Hip Hop magazines on
average seem to be
targeted towards
teenage boys therefore
this colour scheme is
suitable for the age and
gender target audience
for this magazine.
Rock magazines over the years have became unisex
and usually target towards 15-30 year old people. As it
is such a dramatic and edgy genre of music, these
colours represent this well as they’re dramatic and
stand out. They also suit the target audience well
because they aren’t to masculine nor feminine and
they’re also age appropriate.
Due to pop magazines being predominantly
targeted towards young/teenage girls, young,
bright and feminine colours are needed. These
colours represent the fun and modern magazine
well and are also age appropriate. The bright
colours will catch the target audience’s eyes well on
the shelves, especially the younger girls.