This magazine analysis document provides details on the layout and design conventions of several magazines. The NME magazine cover follows conventions like having celebrity images and eye-catching text and fonts. Details are given on the layout of contents pages, including use of colors, images and fonts to draw readers in. The magazine for young girls uses pink colors and designs inspired by a girl's bedroom to appeal to its target audience. Article formats include photos, games, and drop caps to make the content fun and accessible. Magazine reviews feature star ratings and illustrations to complement music and DVD coverage. Conventions like headlines, credits and column designs are described.

1. Magazine analysis
By Beth Collins

2. The masthead
‘NME’ clearly
stands out at the The layout of the front
top left hand corner cover is very
of the page, taking conventional.
up about a tenth of
the page using a
dramatic, bold font. Special features
The font in red and
black has
connotations of
rebellion, which
stresses the type of
music this
magazine focuses
on. The main cover line
feature is in sans serif
A mid shot which which looks quite old
conveys a rather fashioned which links
arrogant persona, as to the fact that he is
Noel Gallagher poses posing with a cup and
with a cup and saucer saucer, drinking tea
looking quite ‘smug’. which is classed as a
very traditional British
thing to do.
The text of the main
feature cover line and
strap line is outlined in Cover line,
black and white to draw summarises the main
more attention from the points in which the
reader. article inside features

3. This magazine cover
follows the conventions
The fact that there is
of having the eye lines in
a lot of different
the top third.
celebrities featured
on the front page
suggest to the
reader that there is
a lot of information
to be red inside the
magazine.
There is a big use of
primary colours on the The cover line ‘OUT
front page (red yellow OF CONTROL’ add
and some blue) the drama and interest
other colours are also and also anchors the
quite simple yet eye image as all the
catching and bright, celebrities featured on
the front page are
pulling quite ‘crazy’
facial expressions.
Features like this
entice the read on The use of the word
and find out the ‘PLUS!’ at the start of
‘gossip’. the footer suggests
there is a lot going on in
the magazine.

4. • Colours of
fonts are fluoro
which fits in with
• The ‘Janet the urban
Jackson’ anchors theme of the
the image which magazine
has connotations
of sexual
voyeurism.
• The main
• the tag line
selling line is
‘Likes to watch’ bold and In a
links to the slanted font,
image of Janet this grabs the
Jackson looking readers
through a attention as it
camera. stands out from
the other fonts.
The theme of
sexual references
carries on

5. Drop cap
The colour scheme of
different shades of pink
Music acts that are targets the audience of
featured in the young girls, aged 8-14
magazine are written
in bold here to make
them stand out.
The top third/section
of the page
represents that of a
notice board a girl of
the target age may
have in their room,
making it more
appealing to them.
‘love, the sh! Team xxx’
is in a font which
imitates hand writing,
this makes it feel more
personal to the reader.

6. Picture 4
The NME magazine The words ‘This
has a house layout week’ are used as
for its contents an alternative to
page. ‘contents’.
Its
conventional
in the NME
magazine to
The house colours have the
red and black are date here
used throughout
the magazine.
It is
conventional
to have sub
features
down the
right hand
‘Carl Barat’
side of the
poses as he
page such
imitates an
as reviews
iconic image.
and news.

7. Following the
conventions and
including the issue
The magazine MOJO number at the top
doesn’t have the words next the the head
‘contents’ or ‘this week’ line.
to make it clear it’s the
contents page but just Head line
repeats the magazine
name at the tome of the
page. A minimal amount of
colours are used for
this contents page,
to put emphasis on
The red font shows the picture of Pete
up against the black Doherty .
and white
background photo of
Pete Doherty.
Pull quote gives the
reader a sense of
what to expect and
The contents entices them to
page just read on and
includes the anchors the image.
main features in
the magazine
and only refers
to four different
pages, it is quite
minimalistic

8. The theme of pink still carries on throughout Action shots of the band go-karting makes
the magazine to appeal to the target the article seem more personal to the
audience of young girls. reader, as if they're getting a real insight in
on the day of McFly.
Games
add a
sense of
Drop cap
fun to the
article and
also
appeals to
the target
age group.
The article is
divided into
three thirds,
to make it
appealing to
look at.

9. Reviews
of music
DVDs are
featured
on this
double
page.
Stars are
used to
inform the
reader of
the rating
of the
DVD.
Head
line.
Head line
Illustrations are used to anchor
the text of the article.

10. Byline, ‘Elvis and Frank pose for mommy’,
A drop cap is used at the start of the text to draw attention the fact this photo is in colour in comparison
to the reader where to read from. to being in black and white, draws attention
to the photo.
The pictures on the page are The headline is on the right hand page at the top in
presented as if taken by a the right hand corner, this isn’t very conventional.
Polaroid, this makes the article
feel more personal.
Picture credit