The document discusses the conventions used in creating the layout and design of a magazine cover and contents page for an indie/rock genre magazine. The front cover includes headlines on the left third, a masthead in the top left, a central cover story, and a central image of the featured artist. The contents page uses an ordered layout with columns and boxes for easy reading, quotes from articles, a range of images, and an advertisement. Both pages aim to be conventional and recognizable to the target audience through their layout, use of images and text, and addressing the expected conventions of the genre.

1. Conventions

2. Front Cover
When creating my magazine I have tried to
make it as conventional as possible for
each page by use of page layout, design,
genre and mode of address. I have made
my front cover page layout conventional
by including several headlines on the left
third of the page, my masthead in the top
left corner, a cover story/line and slug in
the centre bottom third of my page and a
central main image.

3. Front Cover
By having several headlines on the left third
of the page it attracts the reader’s attention
which they can then follow down into the
cover story which is focused in the centre. I
have also filled empty space with headlines
in order to make the page look slightly more
cluttered but with some order as this is a
typical convention for an Indie/rock genre.
The masthead is placed in the top left of the
page as a house style as it will make it
recognisable for my target audience but is
also included in the route of the eye layout.

4. Front Cover
My image is conventional for this genre as
it is a mid-shot of my feature artist in
vintage colours which connotes the Indie
genre. The mode of address on my front
cover is very bold and out there by lines
such as “greatest band ever” and
aggressive/harsh wording such as
“cheats”, this is conventional for the rock
genre as it is stereotyped as a powerful
and dominant genre, so therefore the
dominant words like “ever” connote this
powerful genre.

5. Contents
I have made my contents page
conventional by an ordered layout,
quotes, list of contents, a range of
images and shots, captions, advert
and an editor’s letter. By having an
ordered layout split into columns and
boxed areas the page is easier read
which is conventional for a magazine
aimed at teenagers as they can’t be
bothered to search for information so
prefer an ordered layout in order to
quickly find articles that they are
interested in.

6. Contents
The quotes I have used are
conventional as they give the reader
an insight into the featured articles
and also give them a page number so
they can find the page straight away
and understand the “unique” quote
in the right context. The range of
images I have used help to make my
magazine conventional as they are a
mixture of wide shots, long shots and
mid shots, with a range of artists but
keeping a dark colour theme
throughout to fit one of my house
style colours – black.

7. Contents
I have also included a subscription box
out with an image of my front cover
on as in my research I found out that it
was a common feature on contents
pages for an indie/rock genre so
therefore making my contents page
more conventional. The mode of
address of my contents page is
conventional as the pull quote and
standfirst are very conversational so
the audience can relate and feel apart
of the interviews and conversations
such as “they are such a lovely group
of people”, and the contents text is
straight forward and to the point such
as “Deerhunter reunite.”

8. Double Page Spread
For my double page spread I have
used an ordered layout with
symmetrical columns for my
paragraphs, a live image of my
featured artist and a bold headline
with a standfirst. By having a clean
uncluttered layout the text is easy
to read and follow which is
conventional for this target
audience as explained above. The
live image is conventional as it
relates to the body copy of my
article and uses a mid-shot to
connote aggression and authority.

9. Double Page Spread
The bold headline followed by a standfirst is
conventional as I have used a quote from
the body copy as the headline in order to
draw in attention as the readers will want to
know what the artist means which is very
conventional for a music magazine to do in
order to appeal to their target audience.
The mode of address is very conversational
as it is common to include readers into
interviews so I have used a very casual
mode of address to make the audience feel
like they can connect more with the artist.
Overall my magazine is very conventional for a rock indie magazine as
it fits into all the categories and conventions I found when
researching into NME and similar magazines.