A PowerPoint with a detailed analysis for 3 Magazine covers, 3 Contents pages and 3 Double page spreads Magazines used are -Billboard -Q -Clash

1. COVERS

2. The title of this magazine is behind the
picture of Eminem which shifts the focus
to him, however the title is clear and it is
obvious as to what it says as a clear and
large looking font has been selected to
achieve this effect. Most of the target
audience of this magazine will recognize
it by the design and thus, it is not hugely
important that the title is fully visible
On the front of the magazine, there are
various items that are featured inside,
the most important of these (the main
features) are highlighted by either a
larger font size and a bright color, in this
case yellow is used. This could be that
the designers wanted these aspects to
stand out amongst the rest, this works as
the yellow is the first thing people will
see and will naturally be drawn to it
The main aspect to this magazine cover
is the main photo in the center of
Eminem, the photo is used to draw
people to the magazine as they may be
intrigued, furthermore a black
background has been selected for the
cover which could also be used to further
create curiosity as the photos doesn't
give much away this will naturally
encourage people to buy the magazine.
The main article in the magazine is clearly highlighted as it makes use of the biggest font on the magazine (other
than the tile).
This magazine cover features a variety of different colours, some of which are bright. This works
well as it provides an accent to the black background and provides a good contrast, this enables
it to be used to attract attention.
There is quite a lot of text explaining
what is included in the magazine, this
is used as a kind of sales pitch, due to
the fact that it will for the most part
be sold in a store alongside other
magazines, so it is important that the
designers relay the contents in a way
that attracts potential readers. Whilst
doing his though, designers must be
cautious not to reveal to much and
not include anything conclusive about
the article.
In the photo Eminem is looking at the
camera lens, which results in the
impression that he is looking directly
at the potential buyer, this can add
depth to the magazine as they may
feel as they have a deeper connection
with Eminem.
In the image, it also worth noting that
in the photo Eminem has his hand on
his chest/heart area, which could be
in a bid to further create a sense of
mystery as it appears that Eminem
could have something ‘difficult’ to say.
This makes people more likely to buy
the magazine.

3. The title for the magazine, in this case ‘Q’ is in a red box, this allows the white ‘Q’ to stand out amongst the
white background, in essence it creates a layer of division between the layers. The title is also positioned
behind the picture of Tinie Tempah, this makes the picture the main feature of the cover. This also shows
that they are confident that their brand is recognized in the market because their slogan is also covered.
In the red title box a website is
also included “Qthemusic.com”
this encourages readers or
potential readers to look at the
website, which could lead to
future purchases of the
magazines as they may see an
article online that they want to
read in print and thus, they will
buy the magazine.
The gold band around the edges
suggests that this edition is
special (it is the 25th anniversary
edition). This may encourage
habitual buyers who weren't
going to buy this issue to buy it
due to its specialty which will
increase sales
The key elements of the content
information are highlighted from
the rest by being in these
brightly coloured boxes, which
will draw the potential readers
in, this should end up in a sale
providing they want to read the
content.
The colours used on the cover for this magazine all compliment and accent each other well, the use of these
colours is usually to accent or hide an item, for example the red “Plus!” at the bottom is used to accent that
point but the white on the barcode makes it look merged wit the picture.
The font used for some of the text,
looks like hand written script, this
gives a more personal feel to the
magazine and in the case of the
“Tinie Tempah” script it could have
been used to give a feeling that
‘Tinie’ wrote it and therefore
further accentuating the ‘personal’
feel.
The picture of ‘Tinie’ is the primary
feature of the cover, we see this in
the fact that it is placed over the
top of the layers beneath it, these
include the title and a content box,
as for the picture itself, it isn't very
revealing , the sunglasses a part of
‘Tinie’s’ signature look but they
could also be used as a visual
barrier, so that people will buy the
magazine rather than just looking at
the cover. The pink shirt makes his
body stand out from the
background, adding depth to the
cover as it gives it a multi layer feel.
The content selected for use on the
cover in this magazine is carefully
selected to be the most attractive
features to readers, for example the
star list on the right side, this will
attract people to read more about
them, there is also a pointer saying
that this cover is part of a
collection, to encourage more
purchases

4. The title for this magazine ‘CLASH’, in contrast to the other two magazines I have looked at is on top of the
picture, this could be to make their magazine brand more recognizable in the market, however looking at
how the picture is on the cover, it would cover up too much of the name, the font used for the title is clear
and is one of the first things readers will be drawn too when looking on the shelves.
The first line of text on the cover
above the title says ‘FREE
MUSIC’, this will likely attract
buyers, to accent this it is typed
in capital letters and is black,
which contrasts the yellow
background, next to it there is
some more text, but readers
wont be as attracted to it as it
blends in more to the yellow.
Trougout the cover are pieces of
text highlighting the features
inside the magazine, the most
important and attractive ones
are in red, which cantrasts
largely with yellow and so are
instantly visible, some are
displayed in black however,
which has the same effect as the
red, albeit to a lesser degree
Placed on top of the body of the
male in the picture is the name
of the main feature, this is done
in a recognizable font and links
the picture to the background as
it is finished in yellow as well.
The colours used for text and background for the cover all accent or contrast each other and follow the same
theme type and all look in place. Naturally the more important items use the more striking and contrasting
colours and the items with a lesser degree of importance use a more subdued white with a yellow tint.
All of the fonts used on the cover of
this edition of ‘CLASH’ fit in with
each other and are all easy to read
from a distance, this helps when
potential buyers aren't up close to
the cover, which may well help
draw them in more easily and thus
increase sales.
The picture in the center, has a
shadow effect, which could be used
to bring forward/emphasize the
picture and give the cover a more
3D effect. Bringing the picture
forward also created the effect that
the person is looking at you more,
this is also evident in the eyes, the
facial expression is that of a
subdued and quite person, this is
what the feature is tiring to
emphasize, as it says bellow the the
‘James Blake’ script. The staring
effect of the eyes may entice
readers to want to find out more as
they make the person seem
‘possessed’. This may create a more
personal connection between the
person and the reader.
The ‘plus’ symbol on the left side of
the cover, is in a large font and in a
contrasting colour, it may have been
used to emphasize the value and
quantity of the content inside the
magazine, buyers typically like t
his as it represents value.
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5. CONTENTS

6. The colours used on this contents page match those of the ‘b’,’o’,’a’ and d from the logo, this gives the
magazine a more consistent theme, it also echoes the brand and reminds readers of the brand of magazine
they are reading.
The side column of the magazine contents
page is written in a small font and is
separated into sections, this is suggestive
of the fact that there is a lot of information
in the magazine, to a potential reader
flicking through in a shop this would be
beneficial as it suggests that the magazine
represents value, from a design
perspective it also makes an otherwise
cluttered list tidy and neat.
The logo of the brand, in this case
‘Billboard’ is also present, this makes the
design of the magazine consistent
throughout both the cover and the
contents page, this is a good thing to do as
it creates a stronger brand identity, thus
making the magazine more recognised in
the market place.
The most crucial elements of the content
are highlighted in a blue coloured font, this
makes them more visible as it is a brighter
colour and the reader will be attracted to
that, there are also some green fonts,
these could have been used to represent
other titles and information that has a
lesser degree of importance.
At the bottom of the contents page, there is some content from other locations, this is used to promote
Billboard’s website, which they can make money from via ad revenue. This section also promotes upcoming
events that are suitable to the readers of the magazine.
The letters of the title (‘contents’) are
done in a font that has a ‘modern’ and
‘edgy’ feel to it, this encourages you to
look at it and this helps to clearly point
out what the page is for, it also
matches the font of the ‘No1’ script,
this shows the unity of the page but
they are in different colours, which
symbolises that they show different
information, this is done in order to not
confuse readers.
In the centre of the page is the
‘Features’ section, this is placed where
the eye will naturally fall on this page, it
is done this way as it is the most
important piece of information on this
page, due to the fact that it is directly
in the customers eye line it is the thing
that naturally they will see first. This
will then lead them to look at the
picture of the main person in this issue,
this is large and right next to the
‘features’
At the top of the page, bellow
‘contents’ there is a row of images,
these show people that are featured in
the magazine, and are used to show
diversity as there are three different
types of artists/figures, for the reader
this is good as they may feel more
compelled to buy the magazine
because of this, as like before, it
represents value to the reader.

7. The first thing readers are likely to notice is that the colour scheme, is similar to that of the cover, this
represents a continuous theme throughout the magazine, which is good as it strengthens the brand image
and links it to those colours, this means that when people see a red magazine they will think ‘Q’.
Them ain section of the magazine features
blocks of pictures, these are more or less
directly in the path of the eye of a reader,
this means that they will be one of the first
if not the vey first thing the reader sees,
the designers have seen the importance of
this and have placed the biggest and most
attractive features in the magazine here,
this may give a reader a reason to buy the
magazine.
The picture for the page ‘38’ feature is
slightly out of its box, this gives the page
more depth and makes it stand out more,
this is likely to draw customers to that
image as it appears to ‘stick out’ amongst
the rest, the picture for ‘32’ does the
same, further emphasising the visual
‘depth’.
The picture in the bottom left corner
appear to be placed without care, this may
help to give the reader a more ‘involving’
relationship with what they are reading as
it makes it feel as though someone has
made it rather than it being printed, it also
further adds visual depth and gives the
whole page a ‘multi-layer’ feel.
At the bottom of the page there is the issue release date, in this case “May 2011”, the page number, which
matches the rest of the feature numbers on the page, this gives the page a united feel and links the content
together. There is also a ‘Q’ logo present which further reinforces the brand and its image.
At the top right of the page there is the
issue number, written in the same font
as the title, this makes clear what the
customer is buying/reading, also in the
corner is a preview of the double page
spread, this gives a potential
customer/reader an insight into the
content of the magazine, the image of
the double page spread is placed at an
angle, this makes it seem as before,
‘multi-layered’.
In the middle section of the right side
of the page there is a list of ‘regular’
features, these aren't explained,
suggesting that most readers all ready
know what to expect from these, they
also feature a different number style,
which could have been done to
separate the content, with the plainer
numbers representing ‘regular’
content, however the list is filled with
red, this could be to attract attention
and to maintain the design language of
the magazine.
At the bottom centre of the page there
is a section named ‘Q Review’, this
features red text which draws attention
to it suggesting that it is important and
needs to be seen, it could have also
been done to try and separate the
content up so that it is easier for
readers or potential buyers to digest, it
also fits in with the overall feel of the
‘Q’ design language.

8. The first things that readers will see on this page is the picture off the main feature person, this is slightly
out of its box, which as with the other magazines gives the page a visual depth that is likely to draw readers
in to looking at the page in more detail, which may encourage them to read/buy the whole magazine.
As with some of the other magazines there
is a ‘regulars’ box on the side, in this case
the left. This is usually an attempt to divide
up the content, which in turn will make it
easier for readers to understand what the
page is trying to tell them, above that box
is another, this time named ‘Features’,
these are the ones that need either less
promotion or aren't as important as the
ones that have been moved to the centre.
Throughout this page various colours are
used, these are all harmonious and either
match or contrast each other. The pink for
example is carried through the whole
page, this unifies the information that is
about the same type of thing, other topics
use other colours such as white or black.
These stand out less though.
Towards the bottom of the page, before
the footer there is a black bar with some
content details on it, this is also present on
the cover of the magazine, this carries
through the design language associated
with this magazine, which in turn reinforce
the brand recognition from
customers/readers.
At the bottom of the page, a section dedicated to ‘Clash Fashion’, this is separated from the rest of the
contents as it is not as important as the rest as it is solely a subsection. The box however features a black
bar similar to the one just above and on the cover page, which could be an attempt to make it feel familiar
At the top right of the page, there is a
title that says ‘Contents’, telling readers
what they are looking at. It is done in a
very similar font to the rest of the
contents page, and is coloured in pink,
this gives it an eye-catching and
modern feel without compromising on
readability, as pink on white can be
read with relative ease. Just below it is
the head that is sticking out from the
picture bellow, this draws attention to
the main feature.
In the centre of the magazine, we see
the ain feature, this is in a clear large
font, and is placed here as it is the
place which the eye naturally falls, this
means that it will be the first thing the
reader sees when they look at the
page, this is why it is important to put
the feature that is the ‘biggest’/’most
interesting’ in that spot, just above that
there is an image which the reader is
drawn to after seeing the feature in the
centre . The way the image has been
taken and edited, encourages readers
to find out more.
Bellow the main feature are two
brightly coloured boxes that also grasp
the readers attention while looking at
the centre of the page, this is good
content distribution as looking at one
thing always leads you to look at
something else, in this case the boxes
and images

9. DOUBLE PAGE
SPREADS

10. The first thing people will notice about this double page spread is the colour scheme featured, which
suggest femininity, it also attracts attention and is likely to draw readers in to the bright colours, the black
text also provides a nice contrast to the pink backgrounds and makes it easy to read as well, the black and
white of the clothes Nicki is wearing make her stand out from the background, whilst her pink lipstick links
the whole page together.
The title for this
page is separated
into two main
parts: “The Gospel
According To” and
“Nicki Minaj”, the
first part of the
title is written in a
classic font which
fits with the word
‘Gospel’ well, it
also contrasts the
background which
makes the reader
see it and want to
read it more. It is
also calm and
understated. The
second half by
contrast utilises a
large bold and
wide font and is
displayed in the
colour pink, this
could have been
chosen to show off
her personality as
someone who is
over the top. It is
extremely easy to
read and striking.
If someone was
flicking through
the pages they
would see this
instantly.
The layout of this page is very much focused around Nicki, part of the picture of her is placed where they
eye naturally falls, this is done this way as if the reader sees her hand they will look at the whole of her, this
in turn means that the whole photo doesn’t have to be in that specific area, Her arm overlaps the text
slightly, which shows that the publishers are confident that she is sufficiently recognised to do that, in turn
representing fame, the colours on her necklace include the blue and yellow from the cover logo which could
have been used to remind people of the brand.
For the main text,
there is many
effects, to keep
the reader
interested. One of
these effects is
that the brief
‘blurb’ under the
title is written in
an italic font, this
ensures readers
know that it is
separate from the
body of text.
Another effect is a
large W at the
start of the article,
which is not only
used to indicate
where to start
reading but also to
link it to the title.
Then there is the
numbered
sections, this helps
if a reader wants
to look at specific
sections, but it
also helps to digest
the text as a whole
as it is done in
short bursts, there
is also a
controversial
statement in pink
to attract attention

11. The theme for this double page spread is a kink of dull effect, this can be seen by the black and white image
(though that also suggests sexuality), and the basic layout of the second page, with large blocks of text and
no smaller images, this could entices people to read the article instead of just glancing at the pictures and
guessing what it is going to say.
The layout of this
double page
spread in a
Billboard magazine
is done in a way
that one of the
two pages is a
picture of Lady
Gaga, this gives
potential readers
and readers an
insight into what
the article is likely
to include. The
second page, in
contrast is solely
used for text, to
me this doesn’t
look that good as
it makes the text
look long and
highlights the fact
that it could get
boring, though for
some who may
want to read a lot
it may be a good
thing for the
article to be laid
out in this way.
The only other
aspects to the
second page is a
large red ‘L’ and
the page number
and issue details.
The colours used on this page, are used for tree things, to link the pages to the central theme of Q
magazine, to provide an interesting contrast to the black and white and to sexualise the nature of this
article, this is especially evident in the large red ‘L’ in the centre of the second page, not only does this link
to the corporate colour of Q magazine but it also suggests that the article has a sexualised nature, whilst
contrasting the heavy use of black and white, the ‘Q’ logo can also be seen at the bottom of the page,
making reference to the brand of the magazine and reinforcing the brand image.
The formatting of
this article
includes various
different effects
that have been
used to both
emphasise points
and to keep the
readers interested,
the first of these
effects are the fact
that the word
‘Lady’ in Lady Gaga
is formatted in an
italic and gentle
font, which could
be suggestive of
femininity and
gentleness
associated with
ladies. The word
‘Gaga’ however, is
formatted in a
bolder more
‘brash’ font which
could represent
Lady Gaga’s more
controversial and
stronger
personality, also of
interest is how the
starts of different
sections have large
letters, with the
first being the
large ‘L’.

12. This Clash magazine double page spread has a minimalist look to it, utilising the new trend of flat icons, text
and image panes. The font used for the title uses a bold modern yet retro looking font in bold and it is
finished in blue/purple, which matches the image on the left and provides a nice contrast for the white
background. The Clash Logo stands out at the bottom of the page in red so that people see it.
The layout of this
double page
spread from Clash
Magazine is done
in a way which one
of the two pages is
used solely for the
main image and
the page number,
issue number and
brand logo. This
gives potential
readers and
readers a chance
to see what is
likely to be
included in the
article, in this
particulate case
the image doesn't
give much away
and is in line with
the cover, in that
the person looks
like he is
‘possessed’, this is
likely to spark
curiosity in readers
minds and make
them want to read
more about him
and why he may
look like that in
the pictures.
The font choices for this double page spread are generally good as they are all easy to read and stand out
well from the background, thanks to good colour choices. The font also carries on the modern and
minimalist look set by the title, which in turn suggest that the topic of the article is about a new age artist.
The people responsible for the various different parts of the article are highlighted underneath the blurb in
bold text separated by a line.
The formatting of
this article
includes various
different effects
that have been
used to both
emphasise points
and to keep the
readers interested,
the first of these
effects is that the
‘blurb’ is separated
from the rest of
the text with two
simplistic and
elegant looking
lines, below it are
the creators of
various parts of
the article, this is
done so that
readers can
differentiate what
they need to read
from the other
information.
Another effect
used is the large
letter at the start
of the article
which tells readers
where to start.
There is also an
arrow at the
bottom