2. The research
For the research of NME magazines I want to look into detail about
the front cover especially, and also go into shops to see what stand
out compared to other things. I also want to buy a magazine that I
can use as a guide to help me with what works not only on the
front cover but on the contents page too, and also a double page
spread. As I think that all the research cannot take place on the
internet as it doesn’t provide the range of magazines that there
actually are. I think looking in magazines in real life will be more
productive. I have also done some research on the internet of
other students blogs which has their magazines on, all the
research is giving me ideas of how I want my magazine to
presented and what looks professional. That’s another thing, with
this task I want to use all of the software, research, information
and feedback I can to make sure that my magazine is the best of
my ability.
3.
4. As you can see on the previous slide that NME has a vary noticeable colour theme as
the title of the magazine is always in red or white, sometimes with a black outline.
There are 2 special edition magazines in the bottom right hand corner which are not
the usual colour scheme of NME and not layout like the usual type. I think they were
trying to attract a different audience as both of the artists are woman. NME is a very
well known music magazine because of its quality and how it continues to be the best.
These magazines on the previous slide are all from the same company but aren’t all lay
out exactly the same. I think that customer’s familiarise themselves with their magazine
they buy weekly/monthly but when the brand is bigger you don’t expect it to be the
same every time, for example Vogue always has different layout of where the text is but
always has an image of a girl covering the whole of the cover. Looking at the NME
magazines they always have the name of the artist/band on it, sometimes it stands out
more than others but I think its more for people who may not know who they are as
well as standing out to grab the audiences attention. The pictures of the artists are
always representing who that band are, for example on the bigger picture where The
Wombats are photographed, there not posing as such but just having fun and it shows
what the band are. The company tends to base around the colours red white and black
which is known as there colours so it what we identify that magazine with. Another
thing would be having a large image of the artist on the front cover.
5. I’ve took this front cover to go into more detail about the
presentation of it. Firstly if it was on a shelf of a shop there
could be the possibility that we may only see the left hand third
of the magazine. If so then I think this magazine would still be
Magazine Analysis
clear of what it is as you can clearly see the title of the
magazine in its colours red with a white and black border. It isn’t
directly at the top of the magazine, as The Killer’s are being
advertised. As well as having Florence who is the main artist on
the front cover there are also 6 pictures of other bands with the
name on them on contrasting backgrounds, there is red on
white and black on yellow. The yellow banner is made to look
like a ripped effect over the middle of the magazine, the ripped
effect shows that its not perfect and proper. For example if
things weren’t slanted, it wouldn’t make the magazine feel not
less professional but more easy going, laid back. If everything
was perfect and straight, people would most probably be put
off as there would be no life to the magazine. The other things
that stand out are things like the red circle advertising
something and the advert on the bottom, where the ‘plus’ is
contrasted on red background and its reversed on the text next
to it. The use of primary colors on this magazine are clever as
the main colors are red, white, black and yellow. Red and yellow
are primary colors which stand out more as they are simple and
bold. What the artist wears can also make particular things
stand out for example, here Florence is wearing red lipstick
which contrasts with NME’s colour scheme.
6. Summary
Overall all of the NME magazine covers are different and represent the artist
through the picture. The title of the magazine is sometimes covered by the band
on the front cover but it gives the effect of the magazine, that it doesn’t have to
be perfect and it’s more casual. The research on the NME front covers has made
me learn a lot and I want to look further into the style that NME is and see hat
there contents page is like and how the rest of the magazines are set out. For this
I will go out and buy a magazine and feedback my research onto my blog.
