2. FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
All magazines have codes and conventions which magazine
producers follow. They have this as audiences have certain
expectations of what to expect to see within a magazine whether it’s
on the front cover, contents page of a double page spread. Some
designers such as me and the producers of clash magazine have
chosen to break certain conventions for reasons such as to convey
the genre of the magazine better or to make the design of the
magazine look more appealing to their target audiences.
A traditional magazine includes conventions such as a masthead
displayed top centre with a main medium close up image underneath
a headline towards the top left hand-side. Although my music
magazine follows some codes and conventions it breaks others as my
magazine is for pop music it was important that the design of
magazine looked fun and slightly more edgy than a traditional format
especially for my front cover therefore audiences could easily convey
the genre of my magazine.
3. MY MAGAZINE ANALYSIS
Towards the star of this project I analyse the existing music
magazines 'CLASH' and 'Mixmag' which help me decide on what
helped me gain a better understanding of the different codes
and conventions in which a music magazine should follow. In
some parts of my magazine I have challenged conventions
where as some parts are similar to the ones in which I analysed
towards the start.
5. FRONT COVER COMPARISON
Previously I analysed the front cover of
‘Mixmag’ magazine and talked about the
effect of the layout. Some codes and
conventions on my magazine are similar to
Mixmag’s front cover layout such as both
having a strapline at the top with the
masthead large underneath followed by the
main image.
I used the idea of having my main image
slightly over my masthead as it suggests
more importance of the image and the
artist as well as showing good Photoshop
skills.
MASTHEADS+ MAIN
IMAGE HEADLINES
For the headings and subheadings
of my magazine I thought that it
looks nice when having two
different colours to separate the
two linked pieces of text. I have
used both colours black and a
bright contrasting hot pink colour
as it is part of my magazines
house style.
7. CONTENTS PAGE COMPARISION
My header and date are at the top of the magazine
just like in the magazines contents that I analysed
as these are the two most important pieces of
information. Just like on my front cover I have used
the same main colours and more as my magazine is
for pop music and I wanted to suggest that also
through exiting colours and images as well as text.
Just like traditional magazines –
on the contents page- I have
inserted a page number which
links to the story in the article
column where I have placed on
left hand side. Just like in this
magazine I have made the number
really stand out by being large
and bold as the images are what
first attract audiences as well as
the story lines in which the
magazine contains.
8. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
COMPARISION
At the start of this project I analyse a double page spread in a clash magazine is
very similar to my style and genre of music. I really like the design of clash
magazine as I believe it does a great job at representing the type of individual
music artist that the magazine is about.
A lot of double page spreads of Clash magazines tend to have a large medium
close up image one side of the spread with minimum of no text to show the
importance of the musician. I have also decided to do this but my by-line on the
page of the image which I think works effetely with the image and really stands
On each of the magazines,
there is around three different
typefaces which make the
overall design look more
visually interesting. The fonts
on my magazine have been
kept throughout as they are
part of my house style and
connote the genre and theme
of my music magazine.
