Preliminary Contents Page

Preliminary Front Cover

Fonts

These are the 6 fonts that I downloaded and that I had some interest in using. However I have only used 2 of these fonts, the 28 days later font and the baby blocks font. I chose the baby blocks font because it is simple and is effective. It looks good with the name 'Biddulph High School' because it is 3 words, (the start of every word has a different coloured block) this makes the masthead look effective and stand out. I chose the 28 days later font because it is visually appealing. It looks good in small and in large so I decided to use this font for my captions and generally the writing on the cover and the contents page.

Double Page Spread 5.

This is the final double page spread that I will analyse. This double page spread use bright colours to make key points stand out, this is very effective as it is aesthetically pleasing and it makes it so you can pick certain bits you want to read. Again this magazine uses 1/2 for the main image and the other 1/2 for writing and some smaller images. This magazine uses columns, like others but it also uses less writing and more pictures, the reader will prefer this as they know what stories they will want to read. Most magazines either use a light background or a dark one, however this one uses both, 1/4 of the page has a black background, this allows them to use a white font and light images. Also another 1/4 has a white background, here they can use a black font, this gives the magazine contrast and variation.

Also there are boxes and writing on the image, they dont cover the faces as they are the main part. However they place different things about the band around the picture of them. They do this in a large colourful font, so you want to read it. They also have the masthead going across both pages, this is so you know that the image is about this band and also the writing. However the latter part of the magazine (with the black background) is nothing to do with the main band, this is why the masthead dosent reach across to this section. This section is just something that could interest the reader, hence the sub-title 'Everybody's talking about'.

Double Page Spread 4.

This is the 4th magazine double page spread that I will look at. This is another double page spread that uses a layout of 1/2 image and 1/2 writing, I think that this is a good way to do a double page spread because it spreads the page out equally. Like most magazine double page spreads the main image links to the masthead, the man in the image is out of the band Kid Rock, which is the title of the double page spread. This image will attract different people to the magazine, people who like the band and also men because there are attractive women in the image. The other page is fully taken up by writing, lots of small writing that is hard to read, this is because of the font colour; which is grey. This is strange because the writing dosent stand out, but this is done because it makes the image stand out even more, so you really cant miss it. Also in the writing is a quote from the artist, but is central and a frame is created by the other writing around this quote. This is also larger than the rest of the writing as it is the key part of the writing. The writing is also like a newspaper, in columns , so it is easy to read. The writing is put into a question, answer type format, not only this but there are bullet points before each of the new questions and answers.

This magazine double page spread has a border surrounding not one page, but both pages, this creates a frame and makes it look professional and important. The border is light blue, this keeps to the light colour scheme used in this magazine. Nothing is written in these borders, again this makes the magazine look organized. There is also page numbers in the bottom left and right of the pages, for ease of use, however they arent in the border like with other magazines.

Double Page Spread 3.

This double page spread is different to the others that I have looked at, this is mainly because the image takes up the whole page; as a background. The image in the back is of a man dressed as an urban character, which makes me think that this magazine is about urban or rap music, this is an effective technique as it links the writing and the magazine to the image. The image in the background uses different colours, so it is hard to get a font that will work with all of these colours. So they create a box around the fonts, here they chose a dark brown box, this allowed them to make the font white; which makes the writing stand out from the rest of the image as it is generally dark. This colour of the surrounding box is brown, which is generally the same colours as the image, so they all link together again. 2/3 of this page is used up with the writing and the other 1/3 on the man in the picture, this clearly shows the link between the two. The writing is quite small, but if you are interested in this theme of music then you still would read the writing in this article. Additionally the writing is layered like a newspaper; in columns, this makes it look professional, makes it seem organized and makes it easy and clear to read.

Also there is a border going around this double page spread, this border is white, so again you notice as it contrasts to the rest of the pages. This border makes it look organized and creates a frame around the pages. Also in the top left and top right of the border, they have the page number in black and a larger font, this is so it will stand out, this makes it ergonomically good as you know where you are in the magazine. Finally the masthead is in the largest font and is placed on top of the part of the image where it is darkest, this is so the white can be used to its full potential, this is where you notice it most.

Double Page Spread 2.

This is the second double page spread that I will analyse. This double page spread is again split up into different sections. Half of the spread is taken up by an image and the other half by writing. This gives the magazine a layout and makes it look organised. The theme of this magazine is a heavy rock theme, this links to the black and the yellow to the theme of the magazine. The tops that the two men are wearing, will appeal to people who enjoy a heavy, rock music as this is the kind of top that they could wear. The long hair and black glasses also make them appeal to the reader, as it is the correct target market for this magazine, (as an outsider you would think that these two men were in a heavy rock band.) The image is a close up image so you can clearly see who it is in the image and it is a model shot because they are posing for the shot, and they are dressed for this purposely for this magazine, however they would also probably wear these clothes anyway.

The font is extremely small and is in a black font; links to the theme of the magazine. The black font is surrounded by a yellow highlighter, this is to show the different sections or sub-headings. As with most double page spreads they show a quote from what the people have said, usually the most important thing they said or the most interesting, and this is no different. The quote is in large black lettering and is surrounded by the yellow highlighter. This is so it stands out from the rest of the lettering, this makes you read the quote and usually makes you want to read on into the smaller lettering.

The lettering is also split up into two equal length columns, this is so it is easy to read and it gives the double page spread a bit of organisation and a certain layout. This layout is also consistent throughout the magazines, this is called the house style, all these magazines (Kerrang) use the same layout throughout their double page spreads.

Double Page Spread 1.

This is a double page spread from a magazine. The main theme of this double page spread is Lily Allen, hence why she takes up half of the double page spread and a whole page. This double page spread is split up into two equal halves, one for the image and the other for the text.

The magazine uses a technique where it has a light background with black or dark fonts, this is so it is clear and easy to read for the viewer, however for the most important writing on this spread, a quote that has been selected from the writing, is in a white font, so you would expect not to be able to read it, however it has been placed over many different black boxes to make the font stand out and be the first thing that catches your attention and that you read. The fact that the black also stands out from the white background makes this quote even more unmissable, as it does many things that will all grab your attention. They also use this white backgroud because it is simple and is neutral, this makes it easy for them to place the images onto the backgroud, (they generally would'nt have to change much in the picture because of this).

The image used in this spread is a close up of Lily Allen, this attracts you to her and the shot is also a model shot, she has been dressed like this just for this one shot. Her hair, the clothers and make-up are all done in a certain way just for this magazine shot.

Finally the writing in this double page spread is split up into columns, this is to keep the pages organised and give the magazine a professional look; they do this in newspapers.

House Style Analysis.

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House Style Analysis.

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'Vibe' Contents Page.

This is the contents page of the magazine 'Vibe'. This is very much like the front cover; the front cover has a glamorous artist on the front, to attract people into the magazine, and the contents page is no different. Again it has a shot of an attractive women on, this is to show what genre of music may be in the magazine and men may want to keep on reading because of the attractive woman. (She attracts men to the magazine.) All this suggests that the artist is unique, she is also in the centre of the page which again shows that she is the main aim of the magazine

As with most covers and contents pages the background is either light or dark, and this one is no different, however there is a bit of a twist to this one, it begins dark and as it falls down the page the background gradually becomes lighter and lighter until it finally becomes white at the bottom of the page. The font is the opposite of the background, it is dark at the bottom and gets lighter as it approaches the summit. This is very clever as it makes everything stand out perfectly as well as making the magazine look professional and it also makes it aesthetically pleasing. Additionally the masthead stands out as the word 'contents' is split up and is in white, so again it is very eye-catching. Also in the black background you can see the outline of the letter 'V' in large lettering, you don't necessarily notice this the first time, but at a second glance you notice it. This is clever as it links to the masthead without the masthead actually being written. Additionally the masthead is on different lines, I have also looked through different 'Vibe' contents pages and I have noticed that the masthead is consistent throughout, this shows the viewer that it is the house style font.

'Kerrang' Contents page.

This contents page is from the magazine 'Kerrang', as you can probably tell by the messy layout. This magazine is generally aimed at the rock genre or overall just heavy music, you can tell this from this page, all the artists on this page all look as if they produce heavy music. This links to the front cover, which is again aimed at the rock genre.

The layout seems very messy and as if there is too much on the page. However they still keep it surprisingly organized, they still use a certain layout; the captions are generally around the edges, like a frame, inside this frame are the images and under the images are small and quick captions to explain a bit about the image.

Like most magazines they use a lightly coloured background with a dark font, again this makes the fonts stand out and be in your face. In the top left of the page there is a paragraph of tiny writing, you wouldn't expect this to be there as not many people would want to read it, but then you notice the image that goes with the writing, it is explaining the next issue of 'Kerrang', this is to tempt the reader to buy the next issue. The sub-titles showing different sections is in a yellow font, but has a black box around it to make it stand out and then the individual pages are singled out in a black font underneath the different sections. This magazine uses a lot of different images, this is because usually large chunks of writing will bore the reader or put them off reading, so they show the main articles in the magazine by showing images to do with this story.