The document analyzes the layout and design elements of magazine covers. It discusses various components like the masthead, headlines, images, and pricing and how they are used to attract readers. The masthead uses a bold, large font in a bright color to stand out. Headlines also use bold, large fonts and catch the eye. Main images usually feature celebrities to draw interest. Pricing and barcodes provide necessary purchasing information. Overall, the covers aim to attract readers through eye-catching design and celebrity features.

1. Magazine Analysis

2. Mast head- font is bold and also a
big sized font which catches the
audiences attention straight away, as
we read left to right it’s the first
thing we see and because the
background colour is brighter than
the title the title stands out more on
the coloured background making it
eye catching. With the font being
white it is seen as a neutral colour so
it can attract either the male or
female gender. The font of this is
sans serif which is more modern and
stands out more. Plugs/headlines- font is in white
which again stands out on the
background image. The font for the
headlines/plug is bold and a
reasonably big size, this captures the
audiences eye and they will see the
what stories are in the magazine
which could potentially persuade
them to buy the magazine if it is
something they are interested in.
Barcode- typical media convention, used as a form of
identification and for the customer to be able to purchase
the product. This magazine was roughly £2 and this
reflects the fact it is a weekly magazine. However with
Nme now being a free magazine I chose to look at it still
because I like all the aspects of the layout and wish to
produce something with similar style.
Pull quote- pulls the audience
in and entices them to
purchase the media product if
it is something of interest to
them.
Splash story- big bold font, almost the
same size as mast head, name of a well
known singer so attracts audience.
Layout- the masthead, the subheadings and
headlines are all on the outside of the
magazine cover and are surrounding the
outside of the main image which draws a lot
more attraction to the main image. With there
being not so many headlines and not a
crowded cover we can focus on each headline
more in detail and the colour scheme isn’t
stereotypical to one form of gender it can be
interpreted as unisex so there is not a specific
audience. The simple lay out also shows that
there is more time taken in making the
magazine as its not crowded and the stories are
carefully chosen.
The main image connotes the celebrity
Florence, the image is a close up and there is
use of direct address as she is looking at the
audience so they feel connected. She is in the
centre of the cover which attracts the audience
as she is well known, this also supports “male
gaze” as she is good looking and people look
up to her.

3. Mast head- one letter, big bold
font, takes up the top third
corner so catches the audiences
eye straight away. With the mast
head also being the logo it is
easily recognisable for regular
consumers of this magazine, the
bright background behind “Q”
makes the mast head stand out
even more. The “Q” is a serif
font which is slightly more
traditional.
Splash story- big bold font, takes up
most of the bottom right hand corner
of the bottom third, with it being so
big it catches the readers eye straight
away, it is also the name of a famous
celebrity so if the audience is aware
of this person they will be more
enticed to buy this magazine.
Main image- the main image
for this front cover connotes
the celebrity Adele. The image
is taken as a medium close up
and is set more to the right of
the cover as all the headlines
and plugs are on the left third.
There is use of direct address in
this image because she is
looking straight at the audience
so they feel connected. This
image also supports the “male
gaze” as with Adele being so
successful people will look up
to her and aspire to be like her.
Plug- stands out more than
a couple of the sub
headings so draws in the
audience to look into what
could be included in the
300th issue.
Barcode/pricing – placed in the left
thirds corner as when laid out in the
newsagents the left hand side is mainly
the side that’s visible so the price (
although small) can be seen to make it
easier for the consumer to purchase the
media product. The price of this
magazine is about £2.99 which reflects
the fact it is a weekly magazine.
Layout- the layout for the front cover of this magazine is a very simple layout, all the subheadings and the plug are
based on the left hand side of the magazine as when magazines are laid out in the newsagents they tend to lay
them out so that the left third is the main thing in view when you look at it so they will be the first thing the
audience see which will persuade them to buy the magazine if the headlines entice them. With the subheadings
being in certain places and the magazine not being over crowded it is easy to navigate around the magazine. The
colour scheme is red and white which also doesn’t stereotype a gender, they are neutral colours so can be ideal for
any gender.
Pull quote- this entices the audience to read what the
story could be about as it is a quote from inside the
magazine, it pulls the audience in.

4. Masthead- the masthead goes
across the whole of the top third and
has a very bold font, it is a big size
and is all in capital letters, with the
white font being on a blue
background it stands out more and is
a completely different colour to the
rest of the covers colour scheme
which again makes it stands out
more and is very eye catching. The
font of the mast head is a sans serif
font which is more modern so is up
to date with style.
Price/barcode- this magazine is $4.99,
although this magazine is American I am
looking to see if the style of this magazine
would fit in the British market. With the
price of the magazine being quite high this
shows that the magazine cannot be as
regular as some of the British magazines,
potentially a monthly magazine.
Pull quote- the pull quote on this
magazine has a slight pun, the quote is
lyrics to a song but the splash story
underneath is the names of two
people who are/were in a relationship.
This entices the audience to look into a
magazine and “pulls” them in.
Subheadings- the subheadings on
this front cover are all names of
singers which reinforces the fact this
is a music magazine and keeps the
genre flowing, also if the consumer is
interested or follows any of these
singers then they will be interested in
purchasing the magazine.
Layout- the layout for Vibe magazine is
very simple, all he subheadings and the
masthead are all on the outside of the
main image which adds all the focus onto
the image, the colour scheme of black
white and blue can create thought that the
magazine is aimed mainly at the male
gender because of the blue however I can
also be seen as a neutral colour. With the
splash story at the bottom third of the
magazine cover. With there not being a lot
of headlines/subheadings the magazine is
not very crowded which makes it easier to
navigate around.
Splash story- the use of a big bold font catches the
readers attention and because it is about well known
celebrities if it is somebody the consumer is
interested in then they will be more persuaded to
buy he media product.
Main image- the main image is located in the
centre third of the cover which makes it eye
catching. The use of the blank space behind her
although it is blue, ensures the focus is on her.
With it being a picture of a well known celebrity
it supports the “male gaze” as Rhianna is a very
well known singer and teenagers look up to her
as she is very successful.

5. Heading- the heading is a big bold font and goes
with the colour scheme of the whole magazine,
the mast head is included in the headline which
creates synergy as the audience will be reminded
of the magazine throughout the first 2 pages as it
will keep reminding them what they are reading
so if they enjoy It they will be able to remember
the name of the magazine and could become
regular readers of NME.
Main image- the main image takes up the majority of the centre/left third. It is an
image of the band Kasabian and is in relation with the story beneath. With the
band being so big he audience will recognise them straight away so will want to
read on and find out more about them. They aren’t making direct address with the
audience as they are playing music. But it also looks as if it’s the audiences point of
view which will also make the audience feel connected.
Sub heading- the subheadings are on a black
background with a bold white font, the font is
all in capitals and this causes the reader to
direct their focus onto that part of the
magazine. They separate the contents and
split them into genes/categories which makes
it easier to navigate.
Plugs- the plugs at the bottom of the page are both in
bright bold colours and stand out, the red plug easily
navigates the consumer to a certain part of the
magazine which would interest them if they were
wanting to find out the gigs that are soon in their
area. The one in the yellow writing really stands out
because the rest of the colour scheme in the
magazine is red, black and white so when the reader
is looking at the contents page this will stand out
most, it also encourages the reader to subscribe to
the magazine which would get the magazine noticed
more and will get it more circulation.
Layout- the layout of this magazine
highlights certain categories. With the
colour scheme staying the same
throughout the magazine people will
start relating the colours red, black and
white with the magazine itself so it will
become a well known scheme. With the
band index being on the left third of the
magazine it makes it easier to navigate
as each band has its own page number
as to where it is. On the right hand third
there is the main contents, this is split
into categories which makes it a lot
easier to navigate again and the page
numbers are in red which makes them
even easier to see so that the reader can
find them easier. With there being the
start of a man story with a headline of
its own this draws the readers attention
to the story and if it interests them they
will be intrigued to carry on reading. The
big bold font on most of the
subheadings are all in a bright colour
whether its black or white which makes
it stand out more.

6. Heading– this heading isn’t really a big font
however it still stands out because of the block
capital letters and the fact it is white on a black
background, the logo/masthead from the front
cover is also included in this heading, this
creates continuity throughout the magazine,
this also creates synergy between the contents
page and the front cover. With the colour
scheme being the same throughout it will
remind them of this magazine so they will
associate them colours with “Q”.
Main image- the main image of this magazine is of the
indie band the Courteeners, this is clearly shown by
the page number and subheading underneath. This
image is easy to relate to because unlike other bands
that take their cover photos in a studio and use green
screens to get unrealistic locations however the
Courteeners use a hill in the countryside which we can
all relate to because we can easily access this sort of
place. With this particular band being the main image
on this page it shows that they will be a big part of this
magazine hence why the caption is their page number,
the image also supports the male gaze as they are
quite a good looking band so it attracts the female
gender into reading more about them.
Sub image- the little image at the bottom third of the
page shows nick cave, with his name and the page
number being underneath the image it shows that
there will also be a section on him it just wont be as
big as the one on the Courtneeners. With it being
smaller than the main image if people see images that
they find interesting they will read more about it
which would also get the magazine a better readership
and circulation.
Subheading- the subheadings reading
“every month” and “features” are the
ones that stand out most due to them
being a bold white font on a bright red
background. These ones segregate the
rest of the contents page into categories
which makes it easier to navigate.
Special box- this box is separated from the rest of the
categories because it is a special section of the
magazine all about oasis, with it being in the gold font
it attracts the audience straight away and with oasis
being such a well known band it entices the audience
to read more, there is also separate headings in this
with their own page numbers which shows it is quite a
big section of the magazine dedicated to oasis.
Layout- the layout of this magazine is really simple, with the main image and the sub image being in the right third of the
page it makes that section more visually interesting however the colour scheme still makes certain things stand out more
than others such as the bold subheadings. The left hand third has all the page numbers and subheadings in it which is good
because If it was all over the page it wouldn’t be easy to navigate around which also makes it easier for the reader to find
what they are looking for. The contents page is split into three parts of a grid; the main contents on the left, the main image
in the top right hand third and the review is in the bottom third. The date of the issue is in the top left corner and is in a
reasonably sized font which makes it easy for the reader to see which issue they are purchasing.

7. Main image- the main image of this
magazine is a picture of the well known
celebrity Kanye west. The image is in black
and white but has a selective colour on the
heart under the hand, the image is also an
image used on one of his albums which
creates synergy, it also encourages the
audience to read on as because he is the
main image it tells the audience that there
is a main story on him as he is centre of
attention on this contents page. The image
is in black and white just like the rest of
the contents page which focus’s the
attention on the heart on his chest again
relating back to his album, the red heart
and the woman’s hand reaching over and
grabbing it could also show that there will
be a personal insight on Kanye in the
magazine. The image is located on the left
third of the page and covers two columns
of the “grid” layout of the magazine. Kanye
is also looking straight at the audience
which creates direct address and makes
the audience feel connected to the
magazine.
Heading- the heading for this page is a big
bold font in black, the black on a white
background makes the contents stand out
which catches the audiences attention
straight away, the word is done on three
different lines to squeeze it on and create a
stylish and abstract look, this is quite a
unique way of displaying the heading which
will attract the audience, this differentiates
vibe from other magazines because most
magazines just have regular headings but
vibe have chosen to be different.
Contents- the contents section is located in the
bottom right hand third of the page, it is split
into two categories; features and fashion, this
makes it a lot easier for the consumer to
navigate, this allows the audience to feel more
comfortable when looking through the
magazine because they will be able to find what
they are looking for easier.
Subheadings- the subheadings are a simple
layout but have a sans serif font which creates a
texture to the text making it more attractive.
Layout- the layout of this page is really simple which makes it easier for the reader to navigate. The page is split into three columns, left,
middle and third. The main image is located in the left and middle third as it takes up too columns, this makes the image the main focus
of the page as with it being the biggest section on there it will be the part the audience see first and it is more eye catching than most of
the sections on the page. There is a big “V” behind the main image which stands for the name of the magazine- vibe. This also creates
synergy between the contents page and the main front cover, the audience will then be encouraged to associate the letter v with this
particular magazine. The colour scheme of black and white keeps the colour scheme from the front cover the same although there was
blue on the front cover the red on the heart for the contents page creates continuity by keeping the selective colour going.

8. Main image- the main image on this
double page spread takes up a
whole page of the spread, the image
is in very antique colours and in
quite a sepia tone, the band are all
looking towards the audience which
creates direct address and makes he
audience feel connected. The band
have instruments in their hands
which show that they are
advertising their music and band
name. With the image being such a
big part of the double page spread it
makes the page more visually
interesting.
Heading- the heading for this story
is in a sans serif font and is in a big
sizing with the bold font also. The
heading is the biggest piece of text
on the page which catches the
audiences eye straight away. The
heading has been put on two lines
which allows the text to be bigger
and make it more eye catching. It is
in a bold black colour and this
makes it stand out more than
everything else on the page.
Pull quote- this pull quote is in a different
font colour and is more bold than the rest
of the articles text which allows the
audience to notice that first before they
read the story, the pull quote then allows
the consumer to decide whether what
the quote says interests them enough to
read the full article, the pull quote also
has the name of one of the band
members underneath which shows it was
him, Justin Young, who said what has
been shown in the pull quote, this also
encourages the audience to read on if he
is a member of the band they are
particularly interested in. a pull quote is a
hint to what the rest of the story could be
about.
Layout- the layout of this double page spread is very simple, it is split into two
section- the main image and the text, there are no sub images or extra stories
added in which keeps all the attention on the band and what they are doing. The
simple layout makes the page more easier to navigate and also it doesn’t look too
crowded so the audience wont be over loaded with information. The main image
comes before the text and with the image being mainly over the left hand side
because that is the side the audience will see first so it will get them more visual
recognition. The layout is a three column grid and the balance between image
and text is about 60%-40% as the image goes over the page and onto the second
one, the main point of focus on this page is the image as it is the biggest and
boldest section on there.
Drop cap- the drop caps are used
in this text to show it is the
beginning of a story as people
associate drop caps with fairy
tales from when they are younger
so it becomes slightly personal
with the reader, it is also used to
break up the text as it may start
with one for the introduction
then another one for the start of
the actual story. Drop caps are
also used as a stylish convention
as they match the colour schemes
of the page so keep everything
tied in, they are also made to look
more visually appealing.

9. Main image- the main
image on this page is a
medium close up of a well
known celebrity. The image
is in a monochrome filter
and this diverts from the
magazines colour scheme
but makes it stand out
more and makes it more
eye catching. The image
supports the “male gaze”
as lady gaga is very well
known and she is a
successful good looking
woman who will inspire
people so they will be
intrigued to read about her.
She is looking straight at
the audience which creates
direct address and allows
the audience to feel
connected to the magazine.
Heading- the heading is much smaller
in this magazine but it doesn’t make it
any less eye catching because the
word “GAGA” is in a bolder more
capital font because lady gaga is
featured in the story and she is mainly
known as GAGA which is her stage
name so it makes it easier for the
audience to recognise who it is about
if
Graphic art- the big red letter is known
as graphic art, it is a stylistic feature in
this magazine and it is very eye catching
for the reader. Due to the rest of the
article being in monochrome the
audience are instantly attracted read it
because of the big “L”. This is a common
convention of this magazine as when
there is a double page spread about a
singular artist or band they will use this
to identify the celebrity.
Layout- the layout of this magazine is very simple, the text to image ration is 50-50 as the first page is the full main image and then
the second page is the story, there are 3 columns of the story and this makes it easy for the audience to navigate and it looks
structured, the main image being on the left helps the audience recognise straight away who the article is about as due to us reading
from the left to the right the image will be the first thing they see and this will then encourage them to read the story if it is
something they are interested in. The graphic art is very eye catching so the audience find the double page spread visually
interesting. The spacing between the columns of text are quite big which allows the audience to be able to read it easier.
Drop cap- drop caps are used to create personalisation with the audience as it is the
typical layout of a fairy tale so it reminds them of their childhood, the drop cap also
makes the magazine look stylish which makes it more appealing for the audience. The
drop caps are in bold and this makes them eye catching and signifies the start of a part
of the story.

10. Title of magazine-the title of the magazine is featured on this double page spread as it
creates continuity for the magazine and keeps the reader knowing what magazine they are
reading, the logo of the magazine is used here to keep recognition strong for the reader in
order to ensure they remember what they are reading and can associate certain things with
the magazine which would get the magazine more readership.
Heading- the heading of
this double page spread is
in a futuristic font as it has
the word “mars” featured.
The word mars is a play on
words as the celebrity
featured is called Bruno
Mars so they incorporate
his name into the heading
instead of just having his
name as the heading. The
word MARS is in a bigger
font than the other words
which makes this the most
eye catching of the words
and creates recognition
with the name and the
celebrity. The colour
scheme of the heading is
the same as the magazine
itself including the main
image on this double page
spread which creates
continuity with the
magazine.
Main image- the main image
for this double page spread is
a well known celebrity, the
celebrity is not making eye
contact with the audience but
this makes it look like he is
looking at something else
beyond the eyesight, the
image is a long shot and this
shows all the dress codes and
non verbal codes of the artist,
with the artist being so well
known this creates male gaze
as people will look up to him
as he is successful and stylish.
He is a modern artist so he is
well known which encourages
the reader to carry on reading
and find out what there is to
say about this artist.
Layout- the layout of this magazine is very simple, the article is split into two pages and the text to
image ratio is 50-50 as they are evenly spread across two pages. The article itself is split into 3 columns
and is laid out as an interview, this makes the article more interesting and different to some other
magazine double page spreads, the questions of the interview are in bold and the answers in normal
font, the spacing between each question is small but doesn’t gather them all together in order to make
it hard to navigate. The image is on the left hand side of the double page spread and takes up a lot of
the space, there is a lot of white space in the image which maintains the focus on the celebrity. The
heading is placed in the top left hand third of the article which will be the first thing the audience see.