COLOUR WHEEL

The colour wheel was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. It is a visual representation of colours arranged according to their chromatic relationship. The colour wheel is designed so that virtually any colours you pick from it will look good together.  Colours with fixed relations in the colour wheel are called colour harmonies or colour chords. These colours combined are considered to be particularly visually pleasing. These colours are opposite to each other in the colour wheel, such as red and green. These colours together create a vibrant look and make something extremely stand out. However on a magazine this should be carefully taken into consideration and not used for text otherwise it can make the colour scheme look too over powering or unprofessional. The colour wheel is split into two; cool and warm shades. The left is a variety of cool shades such as blue which connotes calmness and relaxation. The right consits of warm shades such as red which connote power, fire and energy. Analogous colour schemes consist of colours directly next to each other in the wheel e.g. purple, red and orange. On a front cover an average of three colours are used which usually contrast well and a from an analogous colour scheme. The first colour should be the most dominating, the second should be similar to the first but support it and third as an accent alongside a black, white or grey shade.

CONVENTIONS OF A DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

 

What is a double page spread?

A double page spread is one article spread across two pages inside of a magazine. The article's purpose is to either sell a product, primary feature or the cover star who appears on the front cover. Articles usually include interviews with the cover star where there will large images or lots of small images of the interviewee. The question and answers will positioned around the images depending where they are located on the pages. The spread is a piece of artwork and is carefull and sophicately designed to make the reader attracted the page. It is important that the two pages flow meaning text and images should overlap over the pages to make it look one big giant page. The spread should work with the front and contents page to show consitency and continue the theme of the magazine. The following conventions should be followed in order to make the spread look professional and most impotantly captivate the reader.

Images

Different magazine spreads use different sized images and amounts. If one large main image is use it will usually cover the entire page or overalap onto the second. If many small images are used the editor will usually put them into some sort of organised order or a collage instead of randomly scattering them over the pfage. The image will relate to the main body text and the rest of the magazine. The model should look attractive and be posing in a interesting way so that they are the focal point of the spread. The photograph is usually a mid shot of the model meaing the reader should be able to easily recognise the celebrity as only the upper of their body is show. The model should be creating eye contat with the reader to create a close connection and catch the reader's eye.

Captions

Captions and images should work together as a unit. The purpose of a caption is to simply state who the image is of or who it is about to help the reader learn more about the article. The caption should relate to the image it is about, meaning it needs to positioned close to the image. The caption should be typed in a simple font of a very small size as it could get confused with a pull quote. The text needs to positioned underneath the image not above as this would be a example of bad design.

Main Body Text

The main text is one of the most important features of the spread. The content needs to be interesting and good otherwise it will bring down the design of the rest of the page. The text will usually be contain an interview of the celebrity/s featured in the main image and front cover. The questions asked will be in a different colour to the answers of the star to distinctively seperate out the text. Generally size 11pt ariel font is used which is a standard for most magazines. The text is divided into columns between 2-4 to ive the spreas some sense of structure and order, otherwise the page would look untidy and messy. The main body text will be written informally so it feels like the reader is reading a chatting conversaion. This makes it easy for the reader to read and relaxes them.

Drop Cap

The drop cap is one letter which is far larger than the rest of the text it is next to. It is the first letter of the main body text and is  in a different font, usually a serif. It's purpose is to guide the reader to the beginning of the text where they can continue to read the spread.

Headline/Pull Quote

The pull quote is usually used as the main headline of the spread. The purpose of the headline is to atrract the readers attention which the a pull quote does. Pull quotes are taken out of the most interesting part of the story and emphasized and are usually controversial or shocking designed to grip the reader. Instead of being used as a heading pull quotes can be positioned next to or on the main image in a smaller font. They can be placed within the main body text to break it up into smaller paragraphs and add more interest to the text. To make the quote more noticeable some editors chose to place them in exaggerated quote signs or frame it using vivid colours. Other headings can include the name of the artist/s which would immediately entice a fan of the artist/s or fans of that genre the artist/s belongs to. The headline will be positoned at the top of the page, sometimes overalpping over the two pages as it is the largest text on the page. However the text may be slanted or wonky making the page looks less formal and more fun.

Kicker

The kicker positioned directly underneath the headline, is used as a small introudction to the article. It consists or one or two sentenances summarising what the main body text is about or consists of. It is usually in the same font or slightly less bold as the headline but is sized smaller to differentiate between the two conventions.

Credits

Positioned very small in the corner of the page, commonly in black or white is the credits. The credits tell the reader who captured the photograph, the editor or journalist of the spread. This to give recognition to the person for their hard work and contribution to the artwork.

Page Numbers

Page numbers are commonly positioned in the bottom right or left hand corner of every page of the magazine. It is very important that this is done to prevent confusing or irritating the reader if random pages are left out. This could also cause production issues as the pages may get mixed up making the magazine randomly organised. Page numbers are linked directly to the contents page as they help to guide the reader to the article they want to read.

CONVENTIONS OF A CONTENTS PAGE

What is a contents page?

The contents page is one of the most important pages within the magazine as it is the first page the reader sees when they turn from the front cover. The key thing for the contents is that it must be easy and clear to read. This is so the reader can quickly find the article they want to read from the menu that lists all the articles in chronilogical order. The contents page gives a sense of the purpose he magazine as it gives an overview of the magazine. The reader can easily tell the theme or genre of the magazine, for exaple if there is a list of music related aritcles such as concert reviews and new album releases then this is obviously a magazine magazine.

Layout

The layout of a contents page includes the standard conventions such as masthead that it as the top of the page with the main text and images underneath. The page is organised into three or four columns to make the page look structured and easy to read. If the page looks messy or too crowded the reader will find it hard to read and underneath making them less interested in the magazine. Usually on the left hand side is where the list of articles are posiitoned with special feautres, regulars and images positioned in the other two columns. In one the columns will be headings such as 'exlusives', 'regulars' or other buzz words to help the reader find what article they want. At the bottom of the page will be social media information, subscription or a letter from the editor. The contents page will follow the same theme as the front colour by using the same font style and colour scheme to add consitent flow.

Masthead

The masthead will usally read something like 'contents' which brings the reader straight to the point of the page. In addition to this the font will usally be a sans-serif font meaning it will  bold and very easy to read. The masthead will be positioned at the very top of the page so that it follows the Z theory meaning it will be the first thing that the reader readers. The colour of this convention should be bright as well as matching the colour scheme of the front cover so the magazine presents some fluency.

Logo

Next to the masthead in the top right hand corner is where the magazine's company logo will be positioned. This to remind the reader on what magazine they are reading and to emphaise how proud the company is of their logo. The logo may include the name of the magazine but in the same font that is presetned on the front cover.

Images

On a contents page there should be 50% images and 50% text. The images should relate to particular article of the magazine which will be linked together using a caption. This is done so the viewers attention is grabbed by the image where they will  waant to learn more about it. The caption will assist them and guide them to right article. Sometimes the page number that the article is linked to in layered over the image so the reader an turn straight to that page. The images will also be related to the magazine theme, for example for a rock magazine images may include photogaphs of rock artists or concert venues. A fashion magazine may include images of celebrities, models and clothes. Most contents pages will feature a main image that will be the largest image on the page. This main image will also be linked to the main story of the magazine.

Typography

The articles listed on the contents page are ordered into different sections such as exlusives, news reviews or regulars. Each section will have a heading that will be in a different fonts to the rest of the text. This is done so they stand out far more to the reader to catch their attention. This font is larger than the main body text, again to accentuate to the importantance of it. This can only be done if the page is easy to read and identify the different sections. The text needs to be spread out and not clustered together so they text can be read and understood. This is done by sepearating the page into  three columns where specific text is designated to order and give easy directions.

Colour

The contents page should be paraell to the colour scheme presented on the front cover. This is because the colour scheme usually reflects a specific theme applies to the whole of the magazine e.g. a halloween issue would feature orange, black and purple. By doing this it also adds fluency consistency to the product  making it obvious the contents page is related to the front cover of the same magazine. The colour scheme is a very important convention as it should give the magazine a professional and sophisicated look. This would exclude colours that clash against eachother as this suggests the magazine has been designed badly.

Sub headings

The sub headings are headings given to different sections of the page. They help to direct the reader to what articles they want to read. They organise the magazine as they provide different sections such as exlusives, regulars or news etc... The subheadings are positioned in one of the of the columns where the appropiate articles are listed in chronilogical order underneath. They all use the same font which is different to the masthead so the reader can distinguish between them.

Advertisement

Advertisement can include special subscription offers, free prizes, concert dates, new album or single releases. The company will pay the magazine to feature this advertisment on the page. To attract the reader to the advert bright colours are used as well as bold fonts and images of the product or offer. Adverts will also be in different coloured text boxes showing it is seperate to the rest of the page. If it is a special offer the reduced price or the savings will be sized larger to shock and woo the reader.

CONVENTIONS OF A FRONT COVER

What is a front cover?

The front cover is the most important part of the whole magazine. It will advertise the features and content of the magazine which should excite the audience and make them want to read the magazine.  In addition to this it is the selling point of the product and the first thing the customer sees in the shop therefore it is essential that it visually catches the reader's attention. This can be done by making the magazine look professional, attractive and genuine  by following the standard conventions of a magazine. The magazine should follow fluent theme throughout which should be easily established just by looking at the style of the front cover. The theme should be obvious and recognizable to the audience meaning the right font, colours and images should be taken into consideration. The front cover should also be suitable for the target audience so that the right person purchases the right magazine.

Main Image

On the front cover of any type of magazine there is only one main image which covers the entire page as is used as a background for the text. The main image of a music magazine is usually of a artist/s from the genre the magazine belongs to.  The person/s in the main image will have a special feature written about them inside the magazine - this will be advertised on the front cover giving a direct link to the reader.The photograph is usually composed as a portrait mid  or close up shot the of artist/s. The artist/s must looking straight head so that they are making eye with the reader creating a close bond between the two. The model/s should be positioned in the center of the frame with some background space so there will be plenty of room to insert cover lines later. The background behind the model/s should be plain or simplistic otherwise this can be too overwhelming for the reader and distract their attention away from the model and text.

Masthead

The masthead is positioned largely, centrally and boldly at the top of the page. The masthead is the main title/headline of the cover as it usually tells the reader what the magazine is and gives a sense of the company. It also indicates the genre and attitude of the magazine helping the reader to understand the purpose of the product. The masthead to needs to be pleasing to the readers eye so that they follow the Z theory and continue to read the rest of the text. As well as this the masthead needs to look attractive so it attracts the reader attention against other competitors on the shelf. The style of the font also makes a big difference to the appearance of the masthead which will suit the style of the magazine. Fashion magazine such as vogue use sophisticated serif fonts compared to gossip magazines that use bold block letters in a sans-serif font. From the style of the font we learn the genre of the magazine and who the target audience is. The colour of the masthead is also essential and makes a big difference to look of the front cover.  Usually the colour is the same as the cover lines and different to the colours within the main. This is so the masthead stands out in front of the main image so it can be read easily.

Colour

Generally, a front cover will follow a general colour scheme so that it does not look unorganized or random. 2-3 different colours will feature on the cover so it does look to chaotic or over the top as this can repel the reader. Common colour schemes include pastel colours, autumnal or monochrome. Different colours have different connotations e.g. red connotes danger and love, blue connotes peace and tranquility, white connotes innocence and purity. These connotations will make a difference to the mood and attitude of the magazine and will make the reader feel differently.  To ensure the cover looks professional the colours used need to compliment each other and not clash. If the colours contrast then the magazine will look badly designed and thought through.

Typography

Typography is the style, arrangement and appearance of text. Using the correct style of font for a particular magazine genre is vital for the theme to be presented clearly to the reader. For example, if the genre is classical music and you use a edgy font that belongs to a rock magazine the page will look odd and not fluent. Excluding the masthead, two different fonts are usually used to emphasize different words. It is important that the fonts do not clash as this will demonstrate poor typography making a poor impact onto the whole magazine. Deciding whether to use a sans-serif or serif font should also be taken into consideration. Sans-serif are usually used for cover lines as they can be easily read from a variety of distances. The font will be very clean, bold and basic so they stand out on the page. Most likley the masthead will be in serif font as this style is more interesting as each letter is decorated. This will also help the masthead link the theme or genre of the magazine as the font can represent or enhance it. Another factor to take into consideration is kerning which is where you adjust the spaces inbetween characters within a piece of text. This is so that text looks proportionate and organised to achieve a visually pleasing result. Bad kerning will result in the reader struggling to read the text which would make them not want to buy the product.

Logo

The logo is the most important thing for the business's branding as it identifies the company in the marketplace. Usually the logo is one of the first things the reader notices therefore it is important the company makes a good first impression.The logo needs to be recognizable but unique so it is disguished  against other competitors. To do this the logo should be positioned in the same place on every issue so that the reader automatically reassured that it is the same magazine they are buying. The logo should communicate the reader something about the company e.g. is it unprofessional or classy? The popularity of the company is important as people will turn towards logos they recognize instead of less known brands that are unheard of. The colour of the logo plays a key part in what the logo announces to the reader. Different colours have different connotations and meanings. If the logo is monochrome then it will make the company look very dull and serious but if it brightly coloured then it will appear fun and energetic.

Cover Lines

The cover lines on a front cover a designed to tempt the reader by giving them clues about the contents of the actual magazine. These clues are very short and snappy to they quickly advertise some of the articles/features inside the magazine,  for example 'exclusive interview with Katy Perry' or '25 new fashion trends you need to know'. Particular words that the publisher wants to emphasize are in a different font and enlarged more compared to the rest of the text. This words may include 'exclusive', 'Katy Perry' or '25' as this is what makes this particular issue special. Some of the cover lines will be anchored to the main image showing a clear link between the conventions which will explain why that particular person is on the front cover. For example, Katy Perry is the main images, next to her would be a cover line saying 'exclusive interview with Katy Perry'. This would also be the main cover line as it is promoting the main article of the magazine. This would be smaller than the masthead by far large than the other cover lines making it the second thing the reader will notice. The cover lines are usually positioned in the outer thirds around the model in the main image and should not overlap.

Barcode

The barcode is usually positioned in one of the corners of the page as it is one of the least important conventions of the page. It does not contribue to the theme or genre of the magazine as it is used on all magazine. The barocde holds important information about the prodcut and helps to identify it. This is done by reading the barcode using a barcode scanner that tracks the number of sales and relationships with customers. This is an advantage for the company as they can see how many magazine they ahve sold which will tell them if their product has been successful or not.

 

Strips

Strips are found along the top or bottom of the magazine containing a list of item that are featured inside the magazine. It is like a menu for the reader as it makes them excited and curoius for the articles within. Strips convey that there are lots of interesting features inside meaning the customers is getting value for their money.

 Dateline and Price

These two conventions give valueable information to the reader. The dateline will identify when the magazine was published so the reader can ensure they have the latest issue. The price tells the reader how much the magazine is, meaning they can compare this with other magazines to find the best value for their money. These two conventions are positioned above or underneath the barcode in very small text so they do not distract the readers attention away from the other text.

 

MUSIC MAGAZINE GENRES

What is a music magazine?

A music magazine is a type of magazine that is totally dedicated to publish music related content. This content could include posters of musicians, interviews, photo-shoots, news, up and coming music events and more. The main target audience of a music magazine is quite simply the fans of that music genre of any age or gender. In addition to this if a particular musician is a special feature to the magazine then the fans of that musician would also be interested.

Genres

Pop

Pop magazine usually have a very bright colour scheme consisting of mostly neon colours. These neon colours are usually stereotypically feminine such as pink and purple meaning the magazine is aimed a young girls. The common conventions found on these type of magazines include large and small images, puffs, masthead, cover lines, anchorage text, slogan, skyline and more. These particular conventions are usually coloured vividly to quickly attract the young audiences attention. Because the magazine has a young audience informal language is used so that they can easily read the text. Sometimes even slang is used so looks as if the magazine has been written by someone of a similar age. This also makes the magazine appeal more friendly making the reader feel like they are talking to a friend rather than reading information written by someone much older. These magazines will usually feature a popular and current pop star on the front cover whose interview or photo shoot will be inside of the magazine. Also inside of the magazine will be celebrity gossip, articles about new songs or albums as well as beauty tips suiting the target audience.

Rock/Heavy Metal

Rock/heavy metal magazines use very dark shades of colours and lots of black and white. These colours connote the darkness and heaviness of the music that the magazine is about. The target audience for this particular magazine ranges from teenagers to middle aged adults. However I would say usually this genre would appeal more to men than women as women would stereotypically  prefer lighter and more happy music. The age range is very wide because rock magazines usually include a wide variety of musicians from different eras that appeal to different ages. These different musicians can appear on the front cover at anytime where they will be the main image positioned centrally and boldly in the page. The masthead is usually in a big bold font at the top of the page with the name of musician featured on the front cover, positioned along the center of the page. The structure of the front cover is usually quite busy and unorganised with lots of cover lines and large titles across the page. This is done to reflect the audience of the magazine who usually dress quite untidy and casual. The contents of the magazine will include interviews, news, photo-shoots, events that are usually advertised on the front cover.

 

Classical

Classical music magazines are very different from rock/heavy metal and pop magazines. These magazines are mainly aimed at the older generation who enjoy enjoy listening to calm and slow music. Because of this the front cover does not look too chaotic or busy instead it is very organised with little text. They follow a subtle colour scheme consisting of browns, black, reds and white. These colours are not obvious or loud keeping with the relaxing mood that the reader wants to feel. The contents of the magazine will include historical and factual articles about previous composers, up and coming musical events, crosswords/quiz's and more.

Some magazines may even include music sheets so people can learn to play the music themselves as well as gaining advice given by professionals. The language tends to be formal as it designed for older people to read meaning they will not be able to understand modern slang. The conventions this genre generally follows are cover lines, masthead and main image which are the basic necessities.

Hip-Hop 

The target audience of hip-hop magazines are usually teenagers of both genders as this is the generation that mostly listens to the genre. This is also reflected from the language used which consists of slang and the way it is informally written. The colour scheme consists of dark tones giving the magazine a harsh and edgy feel reflecting the tough music genre. The main image on the front cover is usually of a current rapper which is commonly a mid shot or head and shoulder shot of the artist. The artists generally pull sturdy and tough poses showing off their tattoos or jewelry making them looks powerful and strong.However some of the main images can be quite explicit and rude echoing some rap lyrics. The font is very bold and straight making it clear to read. The text on the front cover is written in capital letters so it feels as if the magazine is shouting to you which is quite aggressive. 

 

INTRODUCTION

I have made this blog in order to display the work I will be doing in order to make a music magazine. This work will include research into the conventions of a magazine, planning the design and then evaluating and analyzing the finished products. By doing lots of research into music magazines this will help me to gain lots of knowledge on how to successfully produce a professional product.

My blog will finish with me displaying my three finished media products including a front cover, contents page and double paged spread. All of these media products will be based on the same genre of music with similar designs and layouts.

After successfully creating my school magazine (linked here) I now feel comfortable with using software's such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe CS4 InDesign as I am now more familiar with the different tools. I also think I am more well informed about how to make a magazine look official and realistic. In addition to this I can now learn about from my mistakes from my previous magazine and over come them so they do not happen again.