The document discusses the magazine cover design project. It begins by stating that the designer took inspiration from existing magazine designs and conventions but also subtly challenged conventions in some ways. It then analyzes the similarities and differences between the designer's magazine cover and a cover of Kerrang magazine. Some similarities include the tagline, puffs, cover lines, and barcode/issue details. Differences include the use of a solo female artist versus a rock band on the covers due to their different target demographics. The designer's cover also challenges conventions by featuring an Indian artist, broadening the reach of the indie pop genre.
1. INTRODUCTION
• In my magazine, I think I have mostly used
codes of conventions as I believe following
current trends in magazine designs is what
makes a magazine successful so I took
inspiration from certain magazines. In some
aspects of my magazine, I have subtly
challenged and developed magazines but
overall, I have mostly used code of
conventions.
2. Tagline – slightly larger and occupying centre of whole
top row
SIMILARITIES
Masthead – occupying whole top row,
located in the centre
Puff
Cover lines
Secondary images
Barcode, date, issue number
Main image – both
camera shots are
medium long shot
Neutral colours are
used to balance off the
initial colour scheme
Artists of both genres mentioned
Anchorage – both main images anchor with the main cover line
3. DIFFERENCES
Although they both feature main images, my
magazine has one Indian female on it and the
Kerrang magazine has three white males. This
may be because the main image is tailored to
fit in with the genre. As my magazine is indie
pop, consequently my main image will feature
a female as stereotypically, my target audience
of females tend to enjoy indie pop more than
males. Kerrang is a punk/ rock magazine
therefore the demographic is widely males as
they stereotypically enjoy rock music as it is
louder and more boisterous. They follow code
of conventions as they are also featured in a
group as it is more likely that there will be rock
bands than rock solo artists. My magazine also
follows code of conventions as it features a
single female on the front as stereotypically
indie pop mainly feature one artist rather than
groups.
However, I would say my magazine has challenged the code of
conventions as they feature an Indian artist. Although my magazine does
not focus on ethnicity so much for the target audience, indie pop music
normally features white artists rather than any other ethnicities. This
perhaps helps change the perspective for indie pop and widens the
reach of audience due to the fact it features people of different
ethnicities. Kerrang sticks with their stereotypical ethnicity as rock music
tends to be associated with white males.
5. DIFFERENCES
Main image- I have decided not to use a choker as
it did not say much in terms of the representation
of the genre and age of the target audience. I
replaced it with the use of a prop which was a
lollipop as this represents her as playful and
childish which branches out to the young target
audience (16-25).
Secondary images – instead of lining the images
vertically I made them slightly overlap in order to
show make use of the empty space and so the
images could be enlarged in order to catch the
audiences eye.
Colour scheme – I have kept within the baby
pink colour scheme which gave a feminine
aspect to the magazine as pink is associated
with love and emotions and women tend to
be represented as sensitive and emotional.
However, I decided against the baby blue on
the cover line ‘ainsley’ because it looked
odd with the rest of the colour scheme and
did not fit in
Masthead – I have kept the same name ‘elements’ but I have slightly changed the design of my masthead. Instead of
the thin masthead, I have changed it to a thicker font and abandoned the curvey line behing the masthead as it
wouldn’t be seen undernesath the thick font. I have changed it to a thicker font because
Barcode, price, edition