The document provides an analysis of the design elements of a school magazine cover. It discusses the magazine's color scheme, layout, font choices, main image placement, and how well various elements appeal to and engage the target audience of school students. Overall, the analysis finds that most design decisions are appropriate for the genre and audience, with a few minor issues around readability and balance that could be improved.

1. The main colour
scheme of this
magazine is red and
blue. This is eye
catching and
appropriate for the
target audience
(school students), as it
is modern colours, and
it also picks out
colours from the
image, so they all
match and are in sync
with each other.
The main image is on
the left hand side of
the cover page, and all
the text and smaller
images are on the
right. This balances
out the cover page and
makes it more
appealing.
The fact that the date
is at the top of the
magazine sticks to
typical magazine
conventions. It also
shows that it is an
essential part of the
magazine, so that
students know if it is
out of date or not.
However, there is no
price on this magazine
which could cause
confusion as the
students/staff/parents
will not know how
much it is, if they have
to pay at all.
It is clear that the
editor has done the
research for this
magazine, as most
students at school
express that they are
stressed, therefore
the magazine are
combating this in a
simple way.
The sans serif
rounded font is very
modern, and shows
that the school want
to keep in time with
the students, who
are their main target
audience.
The fact that it is
called ‘School
Weekly’ makes it
obvious to the
reader when it is
available and how
often a new issue
will come out. It
being a regular
magazine means that
the students will
always be up to date
with everything in
school.
The layout of the
magazine is very
simple, and the fact
that nothing is
isolated (in terms of
where it is on the
page, or the colour
for example) means
that all the stories
look equal to the
reader, which means
they are more likely
to look at the whole
cover page and
decide whether they
want to purchase it
or not.
The black border around the smaller images make them
stand out from each other, and as they are over lapping, it
stops them from blending in with each other. This shows
that the editor has put thought into this, as it means that
the reader can see the images clearly with just a glance.

2. The Title of this
school magazine is
very big and over
powering which
means it catches the
reader’s eye, and the
font is a typical school
logo kind of font so
fits in with the
magazine genre.
However, it does take
the focus off of the
image and the
articles, which
arguably could be the
most important part
of the magazine as it
tells the readers what
is inside.
The skyline for this
magazine is under the
title, which breaks the
typical conventions.
Also, the colour font it
is in, and the fact that
it is in the shadow of
the title means that it
is easily lost in the
magazine, and hard to
see. As well as this, it
is in very small font
compared to the title
which makes it easy
to miss.
The fact that the image is in the very centre is
symmetrical, and could’ve potentially made a good
balance, however all of the articles go down on the left
hand side. This means that it is completely off balance,
and it also completely obstructs the image. If they were
on the other side, it wouldn’t have been so off putting as
it wouldn’t have covered her face. The fact that the text
also has a shadow behind it makes it even harder to read,
and the orange writing is particularly difficult to
understand.
The magazine has
kept to a colour
scheme which means
that it is eye catching;
however the blue and
range contrast each
other, and don’t work
well together. Also,
the orange is
particularly hard to
read.
The magazine is very
empty on the left
hand side, so it gives
the Impression of it
being unfinished,
even though the other
side is jam packed.
The fact that the
magazine has the
price on the front
makes it clear to the
reader how much
they will spend,
however it is very
isolated from the text,
which means that the
readers eye is
dragged down to it,
rather than reading
what the articles will
be about.

3. Overall, this
magazine looks
quite professional,
apart from the
quality of the image.
The masthead is in a
bluey-grey colour
which is a running
colour throughout
the whole of the
cover page. This
makes it eye
catching to the
target audience
(parents/school
students), and it fits
in with the school
magazine genre.
The image is central,
so all of the cover
stories and
subheadings are on
both sides of the
image, meaning it
balances out the
cover page and
makes it attractive
and appealing to the
reader.
Most of the writing
is in black, blue and
white, however the
white writing is not
so easy to read as it
has been placed on a
light background.
This means that the
reader may miss out
what this cover
story says.
The fact that the date and the price is at the very top of the page means that it is more important than even the
masthead. The editor(s) may have done this as it as a school magazine, and the target audience should all know
the schools name, therefore not needing to see the masthead. Clearly the date of the magazine issue is
important as it lets the readers know whether it is out of date or not, and the price is also essential as it tells the
reader how much they need to pay, and in this case it is free. The ‘Free’ is written in bold, black, underlined
writing which shows that it is even more important than the date. This is because it means even more people
will pick it up if they don’t have to pay for it.
The masthead is
underlined which
gives the magazine a
clear cut between
the masthead and
all the cover stories.
This makes it a clear
view for the reader,
and means it looks
less busy.
The cover stories
are all written in
enticing ways,
encouraging the
reader to open up
the magazine and
have a look. This is
particularly aimed
at the students of
the school, as they
are more likely to be
interested than their
parents in ‘gossip’,
‘challenges’, and
‘battles’.
It is clear from the
sans serif font that it
is a modern
magazine, and this
is done so that it
appeals more to the
students of the
school.
The caption ‘House music
results are in!’, is written in
sans serif, bold, capitals,
which implies that it is an
important story, as it is the
biggest piece of text (apart
from the masthead), and is
very central.

4. Image is of a female
student – this is quite
stereotypical as
teenage girls are seen
to be coping with more
stress and being more
conscientious. Another
reason the editor may
have chosen an image
of a girl as they may be
seen as a better role
model for students, as
statistically, girls do
better than boys in
school.
The transparency of
the banners gives a
modern and more
professional looks
which means that
readers will take
the magazine more
seriously – as it is a
school magazine,
typically students
won’t really want to
read a school
magazine however
this one is very
modern looking
which will draw the
target audience’s
eyes.
The fact that the skyline is at the bottom of the magazine is
breaking the typical conventions however the diagonal sticker
at the top is acting in its place. The fact that the two main
pieces of writing (the Teenage Stress title and the actual title
of the magazine) are written in a more casual, hand written
font also is attractive to the target audience. It adds to the
modern theme and makes it look more relatable, as if it isn’t
trying too hard. The fact that it is only those two pieces of
writing also makes it clear that they are the most important
pieces of text – your eye is immediately drawn to them. Also,
teenage stress is a huge issue nowadays at schools, and the
fact that the magazine has decided to tackle that issue will also
make is a very popular magazine – the editors really know
what the readers want in their school magazine.
The CHS stands for
the school (I’m
assuming).
Immediately, I
think that magazine
isn’t a very good
title for a magazine,
but as it is a school
magazine sold in
one school, it
doesn’t really need
to be called
anything else –
what else would it
be? It means it’s
simple and easy to
remember.
The image on the
right is off centre,
which means that
all of the writing is
on the left. This is
simple and
effective, as it
means there is a
balance between
the image and the
text, and it is not
over crowded and
covering up too
much of the image.