Conventions for magazines

1
Magazine Construction

• Kieran Ashton

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
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.
5
Conventions Notes

• The Masthead is behind the Feature Article Photo
  and in the background but its such a well known
  magazine that people know what it is anyway just
  from a few letters.
• Reinforcing the fact that the band is back
  together and relates to the image. It sends a
  message to the audience.
• One of the Kickers suggests that the stars are
  sympathetic and kind. Japan Quake Terror this
  reflects the idea that Rock fans are very calm,
  kind people who are in touch with their emotions.
• The Feature Article Photo or the Headline because
  theyre the biggest thing on the cover.
• Informal. The font fits in well with the graphic
  features as it uses eroded text
• The text, fonts and colours all demonstrate the
  fact that readers live an easy going life style
  as its really in your face and it sticks out.
• The artist gives off and idea that the magazine
  is easy going, laid back and calm for the readers
  to read.
• The kickers and cover lines work well together as
  the cover lines explain what the kickers are
  saying and connote what is happening in that
  article or on that page.
• From the list of conventions the magazine is
  missing a tag line, Flash and Menu Strip. These
  features arent as important as some of the other
  features but if they were included then it would
  look a lot better and thats why theyre usually
  in the bottom right corner.
• The space on the page has been arranged so that
  the reader notices the Features Article Photo
  first and then notices the headline.

6
Design

• How front covers are conceived and laid out

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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 A colour scheme is used. It is
  predominantly dark colours, black and white
  mainly. A lot of issues focus on the colours of
  white and black and red really but not every
  issue, just most. Kerrang is usually in black
  white or red and the images are usually darkish
  images as well.
• FONTS An eroded kind of font is used for the
  masthead. But bold letters are used for the text
  itself. The font doesnt change much. Although it
  does stand out to the reader and shout in their
  face making them want to read more of it and
  actually buy the magazine.
• STYLE A dark gloomy kind of image. The cover
  image uses very dark colours to make it look
  depressing and gloomy in some of the covers that
  focus on the gloomy kind of rock. Both people on
  the cover are using direct mode of address,
  theyre both looking directly at the audience who
  is reading this magazine. This makes the band
  members look warm and kind as theyre both
  smiling while doing so. No theme is used.
• Why Britain's gone silly for the lords of the
  indie dance floor This question is asked by the
  creators of this magazine and it makes the reader
  intrigued and want to know more about this
  article. It is right in the middle of the page
  and it is the anchorage so you can tell that its
  important. This question makes the reader want to
  pick up the magazine and read the article to find
  out what the answer to the question is. The
  anchorage anchors a meaning or illustration to a
  photo. In this example, its the idea that the
  Wombats are silly artists and this would appeal
  to indie fans who have a wacky sense of humor and
  would feel involved by this use of anchorage.
• USE OF SPACE The rules of third splits the
  magazine into three different sections. It splits
  the graphic feature image into the top middle and
  top left at their eye line and the body is in the
  middle. The masthead is top left and the headline
  is in the middle and on the middle right. The use
  of space is very typical. Its kept together well
  but its not too blocky and chaotic. The use of
  space is good as it has a lot of information on
  it but its not too compact. Theres little dead
  space. There is white space behind the graphic
  feature image but this white space draws the
  reader in, it isnt dead space and it doesnt
  make the image look boring.
• CONCLUDE I think that its designed as that
  because customers are familiar with it and they
  recognize it when they see it in store, its nice
  to see and easy on the eyes yet it still has a
  lot of useful, interesting techniques on it. It
  uses the typical conventions and looks like most
  of the usual Kerrang magazines.