Ideas Collage for school magazine!

We have been set a task to create a school magazine front cover and a contents page. I have decided to do a PE department focused magazine. I have decided on this department as there are many varieties of sport that can be included within the magazine. 

Different sports, competitions and reviews of games in which the school are involved in are all different categories that I can include in my front cover and contents page. Within the task we must include a picture of a student from the school, to do this I will stage a student in the PE department either playing sport or demonstrating a sport and use it as my main image.

I will include images of the schools new PE sports hall which I have personally taken. I will take a picture from outside the school which would be included in the contents to show that the magazine is a representation of my school. I am going to include a main background colour to eliminate any white space that is not filled with images or text.

Research Analysis of Men's Health Contents

This is an image I have taken of the Men's Health Contents Page - 

Content Analysis

- Well structured contents page, with clear numbering's for each individual article. This ensures that readers are comfortable whilst searching for the specific article they are looking for, or even just to have a look as to what is included in that issue of magazine.

- There is a clear variety of fonts and font sizes used throughout the contents. This is one technique of making it clear to the reader which articles are more important/exclusive. This is one thing I would like to include in my preliminary task and main magazine task.

- The use of images is also key in the contents page, similar to a front cover the images brighten up the page and give a slight more detail into the context of relating article.

- The text stands out clear against the white background whilst the sub-headings are all in different colours again to alert the reader of what the articles are sectioned into.

- The number of articles is important as well, a target audience would not pay £1 up to £5 for 10 pages with a few pictures and interviews. There is always a realistic amount of articles, full of competitions  interviews and quizzes to interact with the reader as much as possible. 

Decoding Magazine Covers

Today I learnt the McMahon and Quinn technique of decoding a magazine front cover.

- Technical Codes
- Written Codes
- Symbolic Codes

This is the easy way to understand and analyse the different hidden meanings behind magazine front covers.

Such details from simple colours to more detailed persuasive language which is used are all features that are thoroughly designed before the magazines reach the shelves.

The main ideas of the front cover are to appeal to the target audience and to catch their immediate attention. These aren't the only ways in which they grab the eye of those in the shops, the variety of fonts and colours are used to inform efficently those who want to know more about whats inside!

Source: http://curryrecipe-jp.net/health-2/mens-health-magazine/

What would you expect to find on a magazine cover & contents?

FRONT COVER

- Pictures - Relating to articles, one main focus with other various images 
- Fonts- Different sizes and styles
- Bar-code and pricing
- Mast-head (Name of the magazine)
- Date
- Issue Number (e.g 112 Issue/December Issue)
- Cover Lines- (tell you what's in the magazine, use of persuasive language, colours and fonts.)
- Main house style (Colour Schemes)

CONTENTS PAGE

- Ensures that it is easy to navigate around magazine

- Article names, advertising what is inside the magazine

- Page Numbering

- Quotes from individual articles

- More images related to articles

- Introduces other articles not included on front cover

Magazine Front Cover Research - Closer

- At least 8 images have been used on this front cover which is very useful in attracting the target audience into purchasing this magazine

- There is a variety of colours used throughout the cover, all bright colours that are effectively making the articles themselves stand out.

- There is a issue number and bar-code in the bottom right hand corner.

- I have noticed that 2 images over lap the main name of the magazine 'Closer' this suggests that because it is the 495th issue readers are expected to know fully that this magazine is closer, therefore there is no problems with covering slight parts of the heading.

- In order to attract readers to purchase the magazine Closer has used eye-grabbing quotes from the articles inside, this is used as a taster to convince audiences to want to read on.

- One other technique used to attract audiences is offering competitions and free items, this way the reader will want to purchase the magazine in order to gain the free item. For example offering a chance to win an iPad would be an excellent way of attracting more readers.

- There is plenty going on in this front cover, portraying to the reader that there is a lot to read within the magazine. Subsequently meaning more sales if there is plenty of news.

Signs and Signifiers

 

In lesson we discussed and analysed what we felt the hidden meanings were to different colours, fonts and images. This was beneficial as in order to attract my target audience perfectly it is important to be able to appeal to that audience using signs and signifiers. For example using colours that would be predominately related to males or females, or being able to identify those colours that are more neutral that would appeal to both sex's.  

 

 

This task has allowed me to be able to understand the deeper meanings behind every day colours and fonts seen everywhere through advertising etc. For example the in depth thoughts in Red uncovered analysis such as seeing a Red font colour as danger/love or romance. This analysis can be used within my magazine to target a specific audience, blue symbolizes a calm relaxed feel. Therefore I intend to have a blue consistency throughout my magazine to make the reader feel relaxed and comfortable whilst clicking through my magazine.