My media product uses, develops and challenges conventions of real music magazines in the following ways: 1. It maintains consistent house style elements like a logo, symbol, and color palette to brand the magazine and connect it to the mod and britpop subcultures. 2. It focuses on clear layouts, organization, and navigation to guide readers through the magazine in an appealing and accessible manner. 3. It uses imagery, text, and design elements strategically on pages like the cover and articles to attract and maintain reader attention and interest.

1. Music Magazine Evaluation
James Bolton

2. FRONT COVER
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
I added the date and issue number as it is something
My masthead is easily readable whilst essential to any magazine. This allows readers to remain
keeping within the theme of the 1960s update and also look specifically at this magazine if required
Mod and 1990s Britpop scenes. This in the future. Both of these are also added to the contents
The border of my front
allows readers to associate this font page. In addition to this I also added the magazines website
cover adds a professional Firstly, my main image is in direct
with the said genres and subcultures address, allowing for readers to stay up to date with the
look, whilst adding an mode of address, appealing
and in particular, uniquely with my latest news and information as well as the magazines history
overall frame to the images directly to the reader and focusing
magazine. and information.
and texts. Secondly, the their attention solely to the image
border is red as not only and then subsequently the
does it link in with the surrounding text. This coincides
masthead, main story and well with the fact the image is in
other features, but will also the centre of the page, allowing
appeal to any consumers for text and other images to be
browsing the selection of placed accordingly.
magazines.
Incentives entice the
consumer into
buying the
The strapline is a secondary line
magazine. This can
commonly underneath or above the
be done in a variety
masthead. This is a basic message or
of ways, such as free
motto of the magazine used as a
posters (as included
selling line to the consumer. Often
on my front cover),
relating directly to the ethos of the
competitions
genre or subculture, this further gives
(included on my
the reader something to associate
contents page) and
themselves and their subculture with. My cover lines discount vouchers.
For example the strapline featured on are all based on
my magazine focuses on the past the same text
traditions of the subcultures of design and
Britpop and Mod, whilst indicating colour, whilst
that there is still and will be for a long adjusting the size
time, people with a passion for this depending on its
scene. It also indicates that readers appeal, giving my
should take inspiration from previous front cover a
years. professional look.
Underneath the subtitles I added a brief appealing This adds to the
description of the article featured, which gives the fact it allows for
reader further incite prior to reading the article. These easy reading.
must be appealing along with the cover lines as it is a
major selling point.

3. CONTENTS
The images on my contents page
are centred in order to give a
column affect, resulting in an
appealing look and easy reading I added the date and issue number as it is something
and navigation. This clearly sets essential to any magazine. This allows readers to remain
the layout in a well organised update and also look specifically at this magazine if
manner, allowing for other required in the future. Both of these are also added to
information to be placed either the front cover.
This logo adds consistent house side.
style to the magazine and in
particular this page. Again, this
allows for easy viewing for the
reader.
I further added a band index
which allows the reader to
easily identify if and what
Continuing with the page a particular band is
organised theme , this mentioned on. This is
column (detailing the page common in many music
numbers articles are on) is magazines and further allows
also structured and for easier navigation of the
organised with the main magazine as a whole for the
focus being on easy reader. Also, note the
navigation and reading, consistent text style of the
whilst also being main titles.
aesthetically appealing (the
very ethos of the mod
subculture). This is
addressed by a vertical line I added this self-made
running down the side, symbol as it keeps the
along with simple but house style from the
effective titling. cover, as previously
stated. This add
consistency and a more
professional look. This
symbol is featured on
Underneath the subtitles I the front cover, here and
added a brief appealing at the top of the
description of the article contents page
featured, which gives the
reader further incite prior to
reading the article.

4. DOUBLE PAGE ARTICLE Imagery is crucial on a double page article as it can be used
in many varieties. The main image must be appealing,
This title is bold, straight to the point and quite dramatic, interesting or inspirational for example, whilst also being
giving the reader almost no option but to look at the practical to place text around. Here I used the right hand
article. This is decisive as the key to any good article and side of the page solely for a clear image of the artist and
subsequently magazine, is to keep the reader interested. also the title. The image of the figure of the artist is framed
Furthermore, I applied this font and text size to focus the within the wall in the background, and the wall to the right
reader firstly onto this point, then the subsequent article is effectively used for a background to the text.
and photography.
I added this translucent frame
to give the overall page a
more professional look and
allowing for easier reading.
Furthermore, instead of the
box being full colour I added a
slight translucent effect to
allow for the brickwork in the
background to still partly
Continuing from the show through. This gives
contents page, this quite an urban, industrial
vertical line keeps feel, whilst still remaining
the consistency and easy to read. Lastly, this
house style. This border and box clearly
allows for readers defines the text from the rest
to associate this of the image, something
layout specifically which may have been difficult
with this magazine, to distinguish if it hadn't have
even at just a glance been added.
of the article.
This Pull Quote is use d to draw
Here is the basic info of the The text itself related heavily to my genre/subculture I aimed attention to a dramatic,
page – the page number and to appeal to. The article precisely talks about the bands past, interesting or important piece
specific to this page, who the present and future, as well as other notable bands from the of text. While a reader is
article is about. Again,. This genre, and lastly the bands fans and audience. Throughout skipping through the pages,
is done in the same colours the article I retain the readers interest by asking questions they will see this quote even at
as all titling throughout the the public wants to hear, as well as language followers would just a glance, as a result
magazine, again adding be accustomed to. drawing them to the article and
consistent house style. page, subsequently making
them read the it.

5. HOUSE STYLE
Throughout the magazine I aimed to keep a consistent
house style associated with my subculture. In order to
achieve I used many shapes, borders, images and
symbols.
Firstly, I chose a specific text for the name of my
magazine; ‘My Generation’. This was used on both the
front cover, and contents page. this will allow for the
magazine and font to be recognised with the magazine
and genre in particular, even at a glance.
Secondly, I created a remake of the symbol which is
commonly associated with the ‘Mod’ subculture. This
was almost an addition to the text logo and again
appeared on both the front cover and the contents
page a number of times. Similar to the first point, this
symbol will be associated with the scene and the
magazine in particular.
Furthermore, I predominantly used 3 set colours (red,
white and blue) for the whole of the magazine. This
gave a professional and appealing look, whilst also
allowing for a recognisable theme, combining with the
text and symbol. These colours were used on all pages
in some form.
On the contents and double page spread I used a blue
vertical stripe which would appear on the vast
majority of pages throughout the magazine. This
combines well with the ‘Mod’ subculture as it has a
keen association with stripes, circles and symbols. This
stripe added an overall more ‘Mod’ look, whilst also
adding a professional edge.
This title text is repeatedly used to add a consistent
feel and look to the pages, whilst also being a simple,
easily readable font.
Lastly, I used the appearance of a simple but effective
red box to add titles and basic information to pages.
This was done on the contents page and double page
spread to further add a more professional yet still
relating to my subculture’s look. It also linked in with
the earlier said 3 main colours I used.