Conventions found in music magazines

1
Magazine Construction

• Aaron james

2
Conventions

• What you get on front covers

3
1.
Masthead
8.
Selling Line or Banner
Web-links? Ears?
9.
Tagline
2.
Kicker
10.
Feature Article Photo
3.
Cover Line
11.
Headline
12.
Anchorage
4.
Secondary Lead
13.
Flash
14.
Menu Strip
5.
Plug
6.
Graphic Feature or Puff
15.
Bar Code
16.
Date Line
Caption
7.
4
1.
Masthead
8.
Selling Line or Banner
Plug
5.
Web-links? Ears?
9.
Tagline
10.
Feature Article Photo
11.
Headline
12.
Anchorage
4.
Secondary Lead
13.
Flash
2.
Kicker
14.
Menu Strip
3.
6.
Cover Line
Graphic Feature or Puff
15.
Bar Code
16.
Date Line
Caption
7.
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Conventions Notes

• The masthead resembles shattered glass and
  decayed material. This is due to the facts its a
  rock magazine and that genre is grungy and
  destructive in a sense
• one the main colours for this issue red, which
  resembles the main bands music style and
  attitude. The red is meant to represent blood,
  which in this case most fans of slipknot are
  quite use to, due to the fact that most of their
  songs are about gore, blood and death which
  massively appeals to the fans.
• The graphology on this cover also appeals to fans
  as it represents splats and unfinished and rigid
  objects, adding to the grungy and violent theme.
• Eye contact with the reader can be un- nerving,
  and delivers a malevolent feel to the magazine,
  which fits the tone of the specific genre of the
  magazine.

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Conventions Notes

• e.g.
• Connotations of the Masthead
• What meaning is added with the interaction
  between anchorage and photos
• What lifestyles are hinted at in taglines,
  kickers and use of language in general
• What is regarded as most important on the cover
  and why you think this is
• What tone / type of language is used

7
Design

• How front covers are conceived and laid out

8
(No Transcript)
9
Direct mode of address can appear in yer face,
serious, warm
Indirect mode of address can be mysterious,
lively, sombre
Creates a wacky, fun image, sharing an identity
with the reader that offers the independence of
indie music.
Enigma what are they getting up to now?
10
House Style Design Notes

• COLOUR - Is a colour scheme used? Is it the same
  with every issue or switch according to the
  images? Is there a pattern as to where colour is
  used? Does colour have its own meaning?
• FONTS - Roughly how many different fonts (not
  sizes) are used? Can you link the same fonts
  with the same conventions?
• STYLE - What look and feel is created? How much
  does the cover image contribute to this? What
  photographic techniques are used? Describe the
  mode of address and overall look e.g.
  invitational, mysterious etc. Is a theme used
  e.g. futuristic? Does an enigma prompt the
  reader to ask questions?
• USE OF SPACE - How has the rule of thirds been
  used? Does the left-third dominate? Is the use
  of space typical e.g. masthead top-left, headline
  sitting at the bottom of the mid-third etc.? Is
  it spread out, blocky, chaotic? Is there any
  dead space or white space?
• CONCLUDE Why do you think it is designed as it
  is? Does it reinforce or challenge the typical
  conventions? Is it poster-style, busy , loud,
  inyerface, smooth, slick, stylish, fun etc.?