4. The front page follows a number of conventions I found through the
analysis process of existing magazines.
→ The text on the
front page follows
two columns. The
headline breaks this
pattern to draw
more attention to it.
They did a similar
thing in NME. The
text has different
fonts to separate
the different
headlines and to
give the audience a
feel of who the artist
is because artists
sometimes use a
specific font who
represents them. An
example of this is the
font I’ve used for
Kristina, which is the
same font used on
the double page
spread. To highlight
the artist, their
names are written
with capital letters.
Beside the artists’
names, I’ve followed
the convention of
giving a little taste of
what is written inside
the magazine.
→ The complete front page is built up in a similar way to the NME
front page. The top is for the masthead, date and price, the mid
part is where the photograph is the main focus and the bottom
contains all the text and the headlines. The barcode is placed in
the bottom left corner.
→ The masthead is the
main part of the page and
draws attention to it and
has to be the most
recognisable part of the
front page. It has a simple,
but recognisable design.
The masthead has
similarities to the Mojo
Magazine masthead, where
the masthead contains two
different fonts and sizes. It
combines the formal font
with an informal font. I
developed this convention
by making the “magazine”
part bigger.
5. → The colours on the front page makes up the colour scheme of the whole magazine. I chose to challenge
the colour convention by not adding too strong colours, I wanted to make the magazine clean, neat and
organised, therefore colours are not overdone. It was important for me to highlight the characters in the
photograph, the masthead and the headline, because that is what sells the magazine.
→ Plug and buzzword is placed on
the bottom of the page to draw
attention and curiosity to the
magazine. In my magazine, the plug
is placed on the bottom of the page,
in Q Magazine, it is placed on top.
This doesn’t make up an important
part of the magazine front page, but
works more as filler and to attract
more readers.
→ One convention I decided to
challenge was the photography
convention that the photograph usually
is taken in a studio. My reason for
taking the photograph outside was to
highlight the genre of the magazine,
Indie Pop. This genre is often
associated with freedom and not
following any specific rules. I got the
idea from looking at photographs of
the band First Aid Kit where all the
photographs were taken outside, to
reflect on their music.
7. → I also followed the
convention of dividing the
content into different
sections to make it easier
for the reader to find
what he or she is looking
for. Each of the listings has
is a page number for the
reader to find it and also a
little description of the
content of that page.
→ The contents page is divided into two
columns. I have placed the contents list on the
left half and the pictures on the right part,
following the convention used in Q magazine,
but also challenging it by making the pictures
the same size, so giving each artist the equal
amount of attention.
→ The pictures are
there to illustrate the
most important
content of my
magazine and with
the page number
where the reader can
find it in the top left
corner.
9. → The photograph was well
planned to fit the double
page spread. The lighting is
soft, and it lights up the
artist’s face in a nice way and
is the most important part of
the page. The background
doesn’t
→ On my double page spread I followed the conventions
used in a double page spread found in Mojo Magazine.
The photograph, or the focus of the photograph is placed
on the left and the text and headline is placed on the
right. The picture often reflects on the content of the
interview or article, so the facial expression can tell the
reader more about the artist.
→ I have placed a pull
quote in the top left
corner to give the
reader a taste of what
the article is about.
→ The style of writing in the magazine is formal, but also
adjusted to the readers, girls in their 20s. What is said by the
artist is not changed, but written like she has said it to make it
more believable.
10. → Another convention I followed was to place name of the
magazine in the same font as the masthead into each page
of the magazine and also the two recognisable colours I’ve
chosen, purple and orange.
