The document analyzes the contents pages of two music magazines, NME and MixMag. It notes differences in layout, use of images and navigation features. It also examines the magazines' adherence to house styles from their covers and use of font styles, bolding and italics to draw attention. The document considers how these design elements could inform the creation of the author's own magazine contents page and website.

1. Contents Page Analysis
Navigation: The page numbers of each article have been placed in the bottom right corner of each picture that corresponds
with the article. I like the idea of the because it shortens down the amount of text on the page would could be seen as off
putting to a reader also if a reader likes the look of this picture they are given the page number straight away rather than
them having to search the page to find the text corresponding to the image. This is something I may consider when creating
my magazine. Aswell as there being images with the page numbers on, at the bottom of the page there is a list which
contains the rest of the page articles and numbers, I really like the idea and layout of that particular feature and will consider
it when creating my own magazine.
Promotion: This is an
House styles: In advertisement to
some ways I believe
subscribe to the
that there is a magazine, this has been
certain house style used to attract and
in relation to the
ensure that the reader
font style however buys the magazine again.
not in colours, this This has been placed
is because the cleverly as it follows the
colours used on the Gutternburg Design
front cover of the
Principle as it has been
magazine have not placed in one of the
been used on the optical areas, infact the
contents page. last optical area. By
However the same placing it here means
formal text has that it more than likely
been used which is
to be seen by the reader.
found on the front However to make sure
cover. Also the
that the advertisement
front cover star is gets seen it doesn’t
Florence from
follow the house style
Florence and the
and stands out hugely on
machine because
this page as the
she is the front
advertisement it inside a
cover star you
bright red box, where as
would expect the other information on the
main image on the page has been placed in
contents page to
plain white boxes.
also be Florence
however it is not, it
has been placed in Text:The font styles used are quite formal, this is due to the target audience of this particular
a corner of the magazine as this magazine targets mainly ages 20-35 therefore it is appropriate to use formal text.
magazine. This is When creating my own magazine I will take into consideration whether to use a formal or informal
something I will not font type. The use of bold and italics have been used for the article titles, these font styles have
consider using in been used to attract and grab the attention of the reader and encourage them to read this
my magazine as I particular article. The article titles are either pull quotes from the full article, or the columnists
wish to follow a view, these quotes could be said to be quite extreme as some of language used could be offensive
certain house style to some people. However the use of the language does attract peoples attentions and therefore
as it gives the meeting the aim of its purpose. I will not personally use this language in my magazine as I do not
magazine see it as necessary however I will use pull quotes from the article to attract the reader attention.
consistency.

2. Contents Page Analysis
Navigation: Unlike the NME magazine, the MixMag magazine contents page only contains one Text:The use of
image which has the page number in the bottom corner and then the rest of the magazines informal text has been
contents are listed down the right hand side of the page. By having only one image on the contents used on the contents
page it indicates that this is the main article in the magazine, whereas in the NME magazine it is page, the reasons that
not clear which is the main article. I like the layout of this page as it isn’t over crowded making it informal text has been
look contemporary and modern which is appropriate to my target audience as the younger used is because of the
generation are modern and like modern things. This navigation layout is really appealing to me magazines target
and I will consider this layout when creating my own website. audience, which is from
ages 16-25, therefore
House Styles: The using and informal text
Mixmag magazine would be appropriate.
has followed the As my target audience
house styles from the is similar to the target
front cover unlike audience of Mixmag
the NME magazine as magazine using
the same colours of informal text would be
black, yellow and appropriate for my
white that were on magazine as well.
the front cover have Similar to the NME
been used on the magazine the use of
contents page. different font styles
Similar to the NME, such as bold and italics
Mixmag have also have been used to
used the same font make information stand
style that is found on out, and in relation to
the front cover, on the use of font styles in
the contents page, this magazine, bold has
following the house been used to indicate
styles of the each article.
magazine, this gives Underneath the initial
the magazine article title the use of
consistency. As I pull quotes have been
want my magazine to used to attract and
have consistency I draw the reader in. As I
will too like the have seen the use of
Mixmag magazine bold and italics used in
will follow a certain both magazines this is
house style within something I too will
my magazine. incorporate into my
magazine, my reason
being is that I believe
Promotion:This is a promotion offering the reader of the magazine a free CD, this advertisement
they are successful in
has been used to attract the reader and also to gain a rapport with the reader so that they
the job that they do. I
purchase the magazine again. In comparison the NME magazine this promotion has been places in
will also incorporate
the bottom left corner and is the same colour and style of the rest of text on the page. When
pull quotes benefit the
following theGutternburgh Design Principle the bottom left corner is seen as a dead corner
article title as these too
meaning that the promotion may not be seen and also because the colours and fonts used for this
have been used in both
promotion are the same as everything else the promotion may not also be seen. If I was to add this
magazines and are
feature to my website I would follow the style used in the NME magazine and make sure it stands
successful.
out and is in a place where it can be seen.