This document analyzes the front cover of a music magazine. It discusses several key elements of the cover design including the main image, price/bar code, cover lines, and masthead. The main image is a close-up portrait that draws the viewer in and focuses attention on the subject. Placement of price and bar code are also important design considerations. While the author is creating an article not a full magazine, cover lines and matching the style of an existing magazine through the masthead are still relevant elements to consider.

1. Music Magazine Front cover
Analysis
By Fern Disney

2. Main Image
Bar code/ price
Mast head Buzz Word
Tag Line
Cover line
Cover Line
Cover Line
Cover Line

3. Main Image
• When searching music magazines, lots of the examples which appeared
were of bands/ groups, I personally prefer one subject on the front of a
magazine because there is more focus onto that one person. With the
main image of this magazine, it has striking eye contact kept between the
subject and the audience. The person who took this photo could have
decided to do a half body portrait, however I believe it works better as a
close up because the focus onto this magazine is much more stronger.
Furthermore, the body language of Florence having her hands on her face
shows the feminine side of it, with black nails contrasting the bright blue
eye shadow suggests an individual attitude of this individual. Additionally,
the hair style makes this main image striking because of the full fringe
being just above the eyes which makes the subject appear to be looking
up at the camera, suggesting the subject is less important than the viewer.
I think I could use this image as an example when creating a magazine
article by using one photo to cover the page- not having lots of space, as it
is an article I will be doing not a cover, I think it would work better with
just one person.

4. Bar code/ price
• When creating a magazine, it is important to keep the price in mind.
Even though I will be making an article not a cover like this example,
it is still important to work out the price of the magazine. This is
because it would influence the style and depth of the magazine. For
example if it was a cheap magazine, the photos which are included
would be of a much lower standard due to the lower budget, but if
it was a high up/ well known magazine which costs a bit more
money, or if a magazine bought through prescriptions, there would
be a higher budget, therefore including more photos, more detail
and the font styles would be much more thought about.
Furthermore, the bar code is important when making a magazine
cover because it is the way people are able to purchase the
magazine when in a shop, however when making a magazine article
it is less important for us to keep in mind.

5. Cover lines
• As mentioned before, I will not be making a cover for a
magazine exactly, I will be making an article, but in lots
of magazine articles the cover lines are very important.
This is because depending on the target audience,
people tend to flick through a magazine look at the
cover line on each article then decide whether or not
they want to carry on reading it. The headlines on each
article are generally the main cover lines on the front
cover which is why it would be important for us to keep
in mind a visual of a magazine cover. The headline
needs to appear similar to something that would be on
the cover.

6. Mast Head
• When creating both a magazine cover and article
insert, it is important on what the mast head would be-
what magazine it would go with. This is because it
needs to match the style of the magazine and what
they are known for. With the example of this magazine,
it is the Q magazine with the tag line of “Discover great
music” this implies the articles this music magazine
would include are up and coming artists and also new
music releases. This would be useful for our music
video because our task is to create an article
advertising the release of a bands new music video/
album.