2. Masthead: A simple Q in white,
placed inside a red box. This
masthead is used in every magazine
cover and is a part of the Q-design. It
is bright red which symbolises
passion, love and maybe some
danger or anger? This could be
reflecting the powerful type of music
which is shown in the magazine. The
title is very recognisable. It is also
large which stands out from the rest
of the magazine cover.
The colour red is also in other
places of the magazine. It is
eye-catching.
2
3. Buzz word- Using words such
as ‘greatest’ draws in the
audience as it makes the
consumer feel more involved
and that they are reading the
best magazine.
3
4. Barcode- A
common
convention used on
the front cover in
order for the
consumer
to purchase the
media product.
Date and price- This is a
common convention you
would expect in all magazines.
When the price is displayed
in smaller font it is usually a
convention that the company
doesn’t want it to stand out as
it is not as appealing to the
audience. The price of £4.99
also reflects on the
socioeconomic status of the
middle class.
4
5. There is not only 1-3 people on
the front cover, it is many
pictures of albums. It makes
the cover quite messy, but also
cool. It is the most famous
albums of the 90s placed in one
cover. This makes the viewers
interested, because we can see
many things that is mentioned
inside the magazine. The
magazine doesn’t only attract
their fans, but also the fans of
each band/artist. People who
doesn’t usually buy this
magazine, may do it because
they see their favourite music
group.
5
6. Q’s logo is also
inside the
magazine, not only
on the front cover.
This makes the
magazine more
complementary.
Pictures of the most famous artists, to
attract fans. The bigger the artist is (e.g.
Madonna), the more fans you attract! The
pictures also makes the magazine easier to
read. It would be a heavy and boring
magazine if it was filled with text all over
both of the contents pages. 6
7. Q’s colour
red is also
inside of the
magazine.
Marking the biggest
artists in red, to make
attention to them, and
collect fans.
7
8. Putting page number clearly in
coloured circles to make it easy for
the readers to find the text. The
colours is eye-catching, and makes
the pages funnier and more
interesting.
Marking the artists
in thicker text, so
we easily can see
who the magazine is
about.
8
9. Red box that is eye-
catching, placed in the
middle saying what the
magazine is about.
Repeated from the
magazine cover.
Date: If you are
reading old
magazines it is very
practical that the date
is mentioned in the
magazine. Then you
know it the sources is
old or new.
9
10. Eye-catching colour
Page-number: in
the contents page
they said which
page-number you
could find each text,
this is a follow up to
this. Very practical,
and easy. Used in
almost every
magazine.
Text written in caps lock and
marked yellow. It is eye-catching
and makes the reader think about
what they just read. In this case the
word “savages” is marked. Savages
is the bands name, which is good to
know when you are reading about
it.
10
11. A red box filled
with facts you
MUST KNOW
(written in caps-
lock that shows us
that it is important).
Informs the viewers
with important
facts about the
band.
Quote from one of the band
members. Makes the readers
think about it. Written in caps-
lock which makes attention.
The name of the person who
said it is written under with a
red colour.
11
12. Textbox on the side-line contained with
information of something else than the interview.
Every picture got a textbox beside of it. The
textbox tells the viewers who the strokes, killers
etc. is (who has the killers album). Under each
text it tells us when the album is coming out,
using a shortened version of “to be confirmed” in
4 of 5. The pictures is making the things more
interesting, and reminds people of who they are
(if they don’t know the names.
Marking the first
letter of the
interview in a red
box (Q’s colour).
This makes the
design complete
and well
performed.
12
13. This front cover is simple and clean,
while interesting. It is not messy
with a lot of texting, but focusing on
a big drawing of a man instead.
Really cool! The background colour
is not white which is most usual, but
bright neon pink. This definitely
creates attention, and is very eye-
catching when people are looking for
a magazine in the shop. The pink
colour is slowly fading out to yellow
lower on the page. This matches the
yellow/orange texting underneath the
title.
The man is drawen instead of taking
a picture of him. This is because
Major Lazer wants to look like e
cartoon character in his albums as
well. If you Google major Lazer, few
real pictures of him shows up.
cartoon character. He shows a peace
sign, with a rough expression in his
face. He looks really cool.
13
14. Masthead: Mix mag’s
masthead is never in a decided
colour. It changes in almost
every magazine, and is more
based on what fits in in which
cover. The writing is written in
small, thick letters and is
simple and cool!
The colour of the masthead
matches the blue thing Major
Lazer is wearing, which is
probably why this months Mix
mag is topped with a blue
masthead.
14
15. Buzz word- Using words such
as ‘biggest’ draws in the
audience as it makes the
consumer feel more involved
and that they are reading the
best magazine. The worlds
biggest is impressive, and to
collect viewers it is very smart
to tell people this. If many
other people are reading the
magazine, you will probably
like it as well.
Bright neon pink coloured
background- eye-catching and
interesting.
15
16. Date and price- This is a common
convention you would expect in
all magazines. When the price is
displayed in smaller font it is
usually a convention that the
company doesn’t want it to stand
out as it is not as appealing to the
audience. The price of £4.95 also
reflects on the socioeconomic
status of the middle class. They
also tells us the overseas price,
which means that they sell the
magazine in other countries as
well.
Barcode- A common
convention used on
the front cover in
order for the consumer
to purchase the media
product.
16
17. The magazine is among others
things containing information
of Major Lazer. They have
written Major Lazer in a clear
yellow, big and thick text. They
have also put Major Lazer as
the front picture. This collects
both Mix mag’s fans and
Major Lazer's fans.
A small text telling us who
illustrated the impressive
drawing of Major Lazer. It is
written in a small text because
the magazine is not about the
illustrator but the artist. But
they still have to inform the
viewers that it is not Mix mag
who created the picture.
17
18. A small text about Major
Lazer which makes the readers
interested.
A small text telling the readers
witch other artists is
mentioned in the magazine.
Collects fans of each
artist/group. The text is
coloured in colours from other
places in the magazine. “Plus”
is coloured in the mastheads
colour, five of the artists names
are coloured in Major Lazers
colour (the text) and the rest is
in white, which is on the
barcode and the text about
Major Lazer,
18
20. Cool and rough title
matching the design of
the two contents
pages.
A list mentioning
everything that is
inside the magazine
with a page-number.
Easy to find things,
really practical.
The special contents
are placed on the right
of the page and the
regular contents are
placed to the left.
The main cases in the
magazine is marked
with a big picture and
page-number.
20
21. Each article header is
in bold white text,
with the blurb
underneath.
If you want to read
more or contact Mix
Mag you can go on
this link.
Date: if you go back
and read old
magazines it is always
practical to check the
date to see when
things are written.
21
22. Three of six pictures
on the contents page
share a similar color
scheme, which makes
the contents pages
more complementary.
The texting in the contents is white. It is easy to
see the text because of the dark background and
the light text(contrasts). White symbolises purity
which is a big contrast to the background colour
and the pictures. It calms down the design.
Plug: CD
22
23. White textbox which
smooths into the
picture. White is a
calm and pure colour
which gives the
readers a good and
relaxing feeling while
reading
White text placed
over a black
sweater, makes it
easy to see.
Black sweater which
contrasts the white
background. Eye-
catching.
23
24. Page-number, informs
where you are inside
the magazine.
Connecting to the
contents page where
they gave information
of the biggest cases
and page number.
Information of who has
written the text, and who
did photograph Anja
Schneider. It is written in a
smaller text because it is
important to mention, but
not relevant to the
interview.
The same colours are repeated
everywhere. Black is repeated
both in the text, sweater,
glasses and make-up. White is
repeated in the text, textbox
and heaven.
24
25. Still a white textbox and
white background, we
then understand better
that the pages stick
together.
The picture is dark and
coulourful, it spice the
page up a little. We can
also get an impression of
how Anja Schneiders
conserts is.
Quote from the interview
that the writer thought
was extra important. He
wants the reader to think
more about it.
25
26. Gives the magazines URL
so you know where to go if
you want to read more or
contact them.
Smart move by the writers
and Anja Schneider. They
makes us interested in the
artist and then they write
where she will have a
concert soon. It is an
advert for Anja.
26
27. A bigger text that shows
the readers who the text is
about.
Page-number and date.
Says what month this
interview is from, practical
to know so you don’t use
old resources later.
27
28. The masthead is kind of the same
in every magazine. The colours is
always white and red, but it varies
if the text is red or white. It is
placed in the top left corner and
is very eye-catching.
The important title lines is also
placed in boxes like the
masthead, this makes the design
fully completed.
The symbol + is repeated
everywhere in the cover. Tells the
buyers that the magazine
contains allot of cool stuff!
28
29. The important title lines
are written in caps lock
and big letters while the
less important things are
written in small letters.
Quote from inside the
magazine which makes the
readers interested to buy
it.
Tagging on the wall makes
a rough impression, the
picture of the band is also
cool taken in the street.
29
30. Similar to the two other
magazine covers it is a
barcode and a price on the
front cover.
Quote matching the cover
picture, saying “Every city
has a gang, or the so-called
outcasts.. It is not
important for the
magazine but it is a cool
quote. It is therefore
placed in small letters,
vertical.
30
31. The colours red, white and
black is repeated. Red
symbolizes danger, black is
harsh while white calms
down everything with
being pure.
Date when the magazine
was published. NME is a
magazine that is posted
weekly they therefore also
post the date, not only the
month.
31
32. The picture on the front
cover is of six men wearing
cool, rough clothes. The
picture is a long shot
picture of the men in the
back and a medium
longshot of the man in the
front.
The man in the front is
probably the main person
in the group and is
therefore in the spotlight.
The magazine has placed a
picture of The who in the
corner where the cover
line about him is situated.
Maybe this is because they
want the readers to
remember who he is or to
have a creative twist?
32
33. NME has a bit different
contents page than the
two others. Instead of
having “contents” as the
title, they have “inside
me”, I think this was
NME has also continued
the design from the cover
inside of the magazine as
well. The important things
are marked in boxes which
makes it easier to see. The
other titles and the logo is
also in the same style. The
colours are also the same
as in the cover.
33
34. NME has activities in the
magazines like a
crossword, the readers like
such things where they can
do things theirselves.
They have listed the
regulars under one
category and the features
in another one. Then the
readers know what's new
in this magazine.
34
35. NME has a own band list!
Creative twist of a page
number. The normal page
number is usual a plain
number standing in the
corner. Cool!
They have written the
whole name of the
magazine not only the
shortened version. And the
date.
35
36. Marked the first
letter in the text,
makes the pages
cooler.
Still creative page
numbers.
Continues with
putting tiles in boxes.
A lot of text is put in these two
pages, but they have put the
textboxes in a bit different sizes
and places, which makes it seem
like it isn’t that much text.
Quote from the text,
writer thinks it is
important or wants
the reader to think
about it.
36
37. NME has made a “lifeline” with
Mac DeMarco’s highs and lows in
2014. Creative, and interesting.
Fun to not have only a bunch of
text in the pages.
37
38. Which of the three magazines would I buy thinking of the design and look?
- Definitely MixMag! I liked their design the best and I think they are
closest to my music taste. I liked MixMags contents page, cover and double
spread page the best!
If you were asked to give each magazine a dice roll, what would you give?
-I would give Q a dice roll 4, because I think it is a bit too messy. I like it clean
and simple. I would give Mix Mag a dice roll 6, eye-catching, cool and fresh!
And I would give NME a 4. I think the design was cool, and creative to include
lifelines and crosswords. The minus is the front cover which I think was a bit
messy.
Elin’s opinion
38
