The document analyzes the design of a magazine contents page. It discusses four key aspects: 1) Imagery - The large main image uses dark lighting and costumes to represent the rock genre, while secondary images use brighter lighting to seem less intimidating. 2) Design Principle - The main image is in the primary optical area to get attention, while the masthead and articles are in other areas readers are likely to view. 3) House Style - The color scheme, fonts, and three column layout continue the magazine's style and make the contents easy to read and recognize. 4) Design Balance - The page is evenly balanced with images and text, though there is no clear divide between the

1. Imagery: The large image across the top of the
page is low-key lit and the models are all wearing
similar black outfits and are holding union jacks
with skulls on them. This use of lighting, costume
and props suggests the rock genre as it is dark and
intimidating. This reflects the genre of the
magazine. The use of similar outfits also
represents that they are a band as they have a
group identity. The secondary images show the
other artists that feature in the magazine. Highkey lighting has been used in these images which
makes the models seem less intimidating than the
band in the main image. The secondary image
directly below the main image uses a shallow
depth of field on the model’s head which makes
him stand out as the featured artist.
Design Principle: The main image is located in
the primary optical area which is the first place
that the audience will look to. This is appropriate
use of the Guttenberg Design Principle because it
is one of the main articles and is so given more
attention. The masthead is positioned in the
strong fallow area which is effective as it is one
of the first places that the reader is likely to look.
The rest of the page is filled with information on
the articles in the magazine and their pages. The
terminal area has the least information in it and
only contains two small secondary images. This is
because it is the last place that the reader is
likely to look and so it contains less important
information.
House Style: The black, orange and yellow colour
scheme that was used on the cover is continued
onto the contents page. Bold, sans serif fonts are
used on the masthead and on the article
descriptions. This represents the rock genre as it
is harsh and the masthead font is messy. Although
the font is bold it is easy to read and so the
audience is able to recognise it easily. The text is
in 3 columns which is typical of a magazine layout.
This makes the contents page easy to read and
navigate. The same or very similar layout is used
in each issue of Kerrang which allows the
audience to recognise it and is then able to
navigate it easily because it is familiar. This is
important to a magazine as it persuades the
reader to purchase it regularly because it is
familiar.
Design Balance: The page is well balanced
because the images and text are evenly
distributed across both sides of the page. The
position of the masthead on the right balances
the large image on the left. It could, however, be
argued that the page is not balanced as there is
no clear divide between the left and right sides.
But if the page was to be split into two, neither
side contains more than the other in terms of
imagery or text.