The document discusses magazine design conventions that the author has followed or challenged in their mock magazine. It covers conventions around the masthead, cover lines, main image, colors, contents page layout, images, text formatting, and use of quotations. The author aims to make the magazine feel professional while also engaging younger audiences through some unconventional elements like including photos of the creative team.

2. Masthead – The masthead of my magazine Competition – Magazines frequently use the
conforms fairly strictly to most magazine covers. front cover to entice potential audience members
It is Big, Bold, and clearly stands out on the by offering them a chance to win something, my
page. It isn’t unusual for the cover artist to magazine doesn’t vary from this convention as it
‘dominate’ the page and be cast over the is an effective technique that encourages people
masthead but I purposely challenged this to buy the magazine.
convention because the magazine isn’t yet well
established therefore I wouldn’t be suitable to
assume that a fan base is already present. I Main Image - Almost every magazine –
have placed the masthead at the top be especially music orientated – will have a picture
because when it is stacked with other of the artist they have referred to in some major
magazines you can usually only see the top of way inside the magazine on the front normally
the magazine so it is important to make sure the as the background for the entire front cover. My
audience can see what magazine it is. magazine doesn’t differ from this because it is an
effective method of getting the audience
Cover lines – Cover lines are used interested in the magazine as a whole, a quick
conventionally to attract the audience with other glance of a picture of an artist an audience
information about what is covered inside the member has some sort of affiliation to will
magazine. My magazine doesn’t stray from this engage their attention, hopefully leading to a
convention much because simply, there is no sale.
need to. There isn’t many cover lines on this
front cover because I am treating ‘Kelly Averis’ Smaller Details – All magazines I looked at
as if she was the biggest Hip-Hop artist during research have a barcode, issue date,
internationally at the moment therefore the price and website address on them, these details
magazine is focusing heavily on her this issue. are often composed towards the corners of the
page as there are not as important to the reader.
Colours - I have used a fairly basic colour My magazine develops this convention partially
scheme of 3 main colours (blue, green and grey) because it is the first issue so the promotional
which doesn’t look unprofessional because its price tag is being flaunted as a reason to buy the
childish but still provides enough colour to be magazine. I have included the other elements at
aesthetically pleasing and attract the audience. I the bottom of the page, which conforms to
have stuck to the colour scheme on the whole of normal expectations. I have chosen to develop
the front cover and used it in places to cause conventions by including a QR code that would
extra emphasis like on parts of the writing for link to the web-address but because the
example. The colour scheme had to include both magazine isn’t real, links to my blog homepage
black and white as well because of the when scanned. I included this aspect because
background image and to make sure the cover the target audience is young and therefore more
wasn’t inundated with too much colour. The are likely to be up to date with technology so it is
also consistently used to help create a brand and vital to try and interact with them in as many
improve recognition as a company, this is the ways as possible.
normal convention and I would stick to it for my
magazine if I was to create more issues.

3. Colour – I have conformed to basic conventions Publishers Logo – Conventionally the publisher
as to colour throughout the project but on this will have its logo on the contents page of the
page it can be seen in the text. All the writing is magazine as a form of advertising and just to
in either black or white because it stands out inform the reader of who the publisher is. My
well the most against the brick background, but magazine doesn’t develop or challenge these
really important bits of text have been filled the convention because there is no need to, having
same green that is on the front cover to increase the publishers logo is important to our publisher
professionalism through consistency which of who we a pleased to be affiliated with and it
helps to promote the company’s image. doesn’t compromise the audience opinions of
the magazine.
Magazine Contents – The layout of this page Main Image – The contents page of my
follows magazine conventions pretty well. This is magazine develops the normal conventions of a
because they isn't really an alternative way to do Hip-Hop/ R&B magazine but conforms to generic
this. The page number is put before the title of conventions of the magazine industry. In most
the topic covered which is followed below with a magazines the contents page has several
very brief summary of the story. Sometimes the pictures that help to portray the different stories
writer of a particular section will be put with the within the magazine whereas the Hip-Hop/R&B
summary but this takes up unnecessary space magazines ten to have just one picture of the
and in this magazine will be left to the end of cover artist, this is the approach I have taken
each article instead. because my magazine has a similar genre and
market therefore it would be wise to stick to
conventions of a already successful similar
magazine.
Employee of the issue – Photos of the creation
team of the magazine are often included in other
magazines with different focuses other than
music but not in music magazines. I decided to Smaller details – Alike most magazines, smaller
challenge this convention because I think it is details such as the issue number, date, page
good to have the audience able to see who is number and details of the cover artist have been
providing them with what they are reading, this included but are small and don’t dominate the
would give the audience a chance to feel like the page. I have conformed to these conventions
know the writers or in this case the Editor-In- because there is no need to do anything else, it
Chief/Creative Director. Also in this case it gives makes sense to include them and have them
the female readers something good to look at, where they are.
admire and lust after.

4. Images – The images I have used and the position they Text – This page is probably the most conventional to music
are in is also very conventional. There is a large image magazines and all magazines in general. The text has been
that takes up a whole page –which is very common in split up into an introduction and the main interview. The text
double page spreads – and a smaller image that some of conforms to conventions by having the interviewers
the text is wrapped around in the bulk of the text, this is a questions in bold and the responses in a normal un-
little more unusual for a double page spread article and compromised form. The beginning of the article also
develops the idea of splitting the columns into equal features a drop-cap like most magazine articles. Also
pieces by having to wrap it around the image. conforming to conventions the bulk of the text is split into 3
equal columns which make it look really professional.
Colour – Again I have
used the same colours Quotation - I have
(minus the blue) on this conformed mostly to the
page to keep with the rules on using quotations
consistent theme which over an image on this
helps to convey a page. The purpose of this
professional feel about is to engage the reader
the magazine. Using a by having some, usually
theme of some sort cheeky, quote from the
whether it be colour or interview that makes the
some other aspect of the reader look twice and
magazine is a want to read the full
conventional took which I article. I have used a
have emulated in m quote that, taken out of
magazine to increase context, could be taken
levels of professionalism. as a sexual innuendo.
This is likely to engage
Page Numbers – I have the audience and make
developed conventions them want to read the
towards page numbers article.
by not including them on
every page like some Magazine Name – I have
magazines by instead on slightly developed
every two pages, this conventions to put the
helps to keep a nice magazine name on every
aesthetic by not page by using the exact
compromising the same style as in the
integrity of the photo on masthead, only smaller.
the larger image. Convention dictates that
Following conventions the magazine name is
would have me put a put into the style of
page number on the standard script style.
picture somewhere which
wouldn’t look as good.

6. My media product (LowDown Magazine) is aimed at and therefore only really represents a
fairly niche audience. The target market for my magazine is young adults (aged 15-19) but the
magazine could is also suited to anyone who has an interest in news surrounding the Hip-
Hop/R&B ‘scene’ as the magazine mainly provides the ‘low-down’ about the latest
manifestations in the musical sector. The language used in the magazine is not ‘perfect’
English because the writers write with the occasional use of slang because they use this sort of
language normally and it is likely that the people who would be buying the magazine would
also. This use of slang doesn’t really represent the laziness of the target market but their desire
to separate themselves from normal society and set trends (Trendies). Hip-Hop/R&B is still
fairly monopolised by men and girls often sexualised. This however, is not the image LowDown
is trying to convey and this is shown by the cover artist, she is a very pretty individual but she
hasn’t got a lot of her body on display, which is often the case for females within the industry
especially within the Hip-Hop genre. Gender equality is depicted throughout the magazine in
everything from the attitude in the writing to the colour scheme, the predominant colours are
light blue, green and green which are all colours that are unisex, unlike red which is often
associated with men and pink girls. The green used in the magazine can represent money
often associated with this genre or the audience because young people are usually
energetic/full of energy.
2 Pac is often regarded as Hip-Hops’ greatest, Graffiti and money are often
this is one of his most successful tracks. associated with this genre.

8. A lot of big, large scale, mass market magazines such as NME is published by ‘IPC
Media©’, they are a transnational company that focus on distributing their products to a
very wide market. A company like Bauer© - who publish ‘Mojo’ is more focused on more,
niche markets; this is more the sort of company I would use to publish my magazine
because it is designed to appeal to quite a specific market.
Personally I think all 3 magazines look very professional. MOJO and NME have a similar
aesthetic because in the covers chosen they happen to be featuring artists of similar
genres. It is evident from comparison that the magazines have different demographics
and cover different content.

10. I have mentioned before my magazine is aimed at those individuals between
the ages 15 and 19 who have a keen interest in the Hip-Hop/R&B genre. My
magazine is comparable to that of Vibe magazine that is distributed in the
USA but for the UK market. My magazine also would be suitable for general
music fanatics because it will feature all of the news industries’ latest news.
I have taken the liberty of creating 2 consumer profiles below that are of
people who I would suspect to buy the magazine.
Name: Hayley Name: Adam
Middleton Morrelington
Gender: Female Gender: Male
Age: 18 Age: 15
Occupation: Part-time Occupation: Student
waitress and Student. Lives: With Parents
Lives: With friends at and at boarding
University. school.
Favourite Music: Pop, Favourite Music:
R&B, Hip-Hop and Rock, Hip-Hop, Dub-
Favourite Artists: Rihanna, Beyoncé, Giggs.
Indie. Favourite Artists: Eminem, Drake, Professor
step, Reggae and
Hobbies: Shopping, Clubbing, Learning, Hanging Green And Devlin. R&B.
out with friends, going to gigs, listening to mp3 Hobbies: Football, Cinema, hanging around
player and dance. the town, homework, ice skating.
Favourite Shops: River Island, HMV, Apple Store. Favourite Shops: Hollister, JD, Size, ITunes
Store.

12. I have created a video of an interview of two different people that suit the
criteria for my target audience (Music enthusiasts aged 15-19).

14. Software: Hardware:
• Microsoft Word 2010® • Hitachi HDD HandyCam
• Microsoft Excel 2010® • Tri-pod
• Microsoft Publisher 2010® • Computer
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2010® • Canon 1100
• Adobe Photoshop CS5® • HP T263 Scanner
• iMovie®
• Blogger.com®
I haven't learned that many new skills through this project in terms of use of
software, this is because I have used most of this software before in carious
different subjects therefore I am fairly competent with using these software
packages and didn’t have too many difficulties. I used Microsoft Word 2010 a
lot when doing my research tasks to draw up text. I also found that I had to During this project I got a chance to
use Microsoft word to create the textual part of my double age spread as handle some hardware that before, I
opposed to Adobe Photoshop CS5 which I used to create the rest of my was rather inexperienced in using.
magazine. This was necessary because in word it is much easier to insert This was the case for the two
drop-caps and distribute text into columns. I used excel on occasion to different cameras I got a chance to
create diagrams and graphs for the presentation of my questionnaire use. I used the Hitachi HD Handy-
analysis. I exported these graphs to Microsoft Word 2010 where it is easier Cam to record my peers assessing
to combine text with these images in a aesthetically pleasing manner. I used my work. Here I got a chance to
Microsoft Publisher 2010 to create my questionnaire because it provides a evolve my camerawork skills by
lot of useful templates, I did learn that this program has some useful rulers using different utensils such as the
and page guides that assisted me in making sure my questionnaire was very tri-pod to be able to provide a higher
well structured and organised. I used Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 to create quality video. I used the Canon 1100
my magazine proposal, this was the most suitable software to use because it camera to take pictures of the main
divides pages into easily manageable sections that help improve the overall cover artist.. Here I learned about
image of the presentation. I used Adobe Photoshop to create the bulk of my focusing the camera and framing my
magazine, I am very confident with this program already from previous work shots, knowing these aspects of
but I learned how to accurately align object using the buttons provided, this photography helped to ensure that
increased the professionalism of my magazine because I was able to centre the images I collected were, more
certain objects like the headline. I used iMovie only at the end of the project often than not, high quality and
to edit videos of my peers assessing my magazine, however I have this suitable for use in my magazine.
software at home and use it all the time so I learned nothing new by using

16. After looking at both my final preliminary task front cover
and my final magazine cover it is obvious that I have learned
a lot in the process of this project. At first I chose not to pay
much attention to the Mise-en-scene of the picture on my
cover. If you compare that aspect on both front covers you
can see a drastic improvement. That background is
predominantly on colour which makes the cover lines on the
cover much easier to read it is clear to see that the audience
for the two magazines is very different and they appeal to
them in the same way but that is different because of the
variation in the type of target audience. The preliminary task
cover uses a much more formal font and main image than
my final magazine cover because the target market is much
more informal.
It is clear that I have increased my awareness of the
conventions of music magazines. I failed to include
professional aspects in my preliminary task such as a
publishers logo and the implementation of a consistent
colour scheme. The absence of these factors in my
preliminary task make it less professional than the final
magazine contents page. The overall standard of the quality
of my final magazine is much higher than the preliminary
task, this is because I have paid more attention to aspects
like Mise-en-scene on the front cover, a consistent colour
scheme that improves the aesthetic of the magazine which
helps to increase the likelihood that the target audience will
buy it, which is the ultimate goal.