Analysis of magazine covers, contents pages and double spreads

Cover Page

The masthead of this magazine is very bold and stands out compared to the other writing on the magazine. The writing is eye catching as it takes up almost a third of the page. Bold and bright lettering grabs the artists attention and the font is easily recognised and read.

The cover page for the NME magazine is an advertisement for a music festival and a beer company. This still have the same colour scheme as the title which links the page together and gives it a finished and professional look, even though it is mainly an advert on the front cover.

The photo on the magazine is for the music festival, which will intrigue readers as they are already fans of music and will be interested in the festival, even if they don’t know what is in

the magazine.

The photo has been edited and effects have been added to make the music festival look as desirable as possible and to make the audience focus on the photo and the writing which is about the event.

The readers of NME will still buy this magazine even though there is no evidence of what is inside the magazine on the cover page. This shows how people will buy the magazine as the trust it and it has a respectable brand. Readers will also be more likely to pick up the magazine if they are interested in the festival as there will be an article or further advertisements inside about the festival.

Colour PaletteThe colours used are very bold and work well together to resemble summer and music festivals with bright lights and fireworks. I like the reds, pinks and purples as they all have deep tones which look good together with the orange and yellow. The page stands out when next to other magazines with a photo of a person, with little or no interesting colour.

One thing negative about the magazine cover is that it doesn't show anyone who is featuring in the magazine. This makes it harder for customers to buy the magazine as they may only buy the magazine depending to who or what is inside. This will only be an issue for some readers as many people who read NME magazines will read them no matter who is featured inside.

Contents Page

The name of the magazine is still seen and is one of the most prominent parts of the page. This is instead of a title for the contents page as the page doesn't actually say ‘contents page’. This keeps the magazine looking modern and clear without lots of unnecessary writing and titles filling the pages. I think the font used for the NME writing and the style of the writing with a bold shadow behind it.

The photo on this page doesn't need to be as ‘out there’ or as eye catching as this isn't going to persuade the reader to purchase the magazine. However, this page looks more interesting and more inviting with a photo, especially one which takes up most of the page.

The page has a small message from the Editor-in-chief who mentions things that has happened in the previous week. This is different to what is usually seen on a contents page, which is just a list of subheadings and their page number. I think this is a good way to interest the readers to look at the page.

The page overall, is very basic but the layout of the page and extra details, such as the colour scheme draws people into the magazine. This includes the coloured page numbers and the colours in the branding for different sections. I think the little details will help to gain more readers, and keep them interested in the rest of the magazine.

One thing I definitely like about the contents page is that it is not over crowded and is much more simple. This means the page looks basic, which is effective, however this would have a larger effect if there was not the small message from the Editor-in-chief. This would have made the page more simple and the details would be more spread out which would also be eye catching as simplicity can still be attracting. I think the brief outline of what the page will contain is a neat and simple way to make the reader want to read the articles.

The page also has some credits at the bottom which I think is a good way to use space, however I don’t think it was needed as the page would be as effective with less writing on it. Instead the page could have had some some information from the cover page as this cover page was an advert which is not related to what is inside the magazine.

Colour PaletteThe colours used are simple and basic, however black and white always work well together. The small use of other, brighter colours add more interest than just simple black and white. The red stands out on a white background with black writing. These colours are easy to read too, as the white writing for NME is outlined and shadowed by black which is clearer to read.

I really like the background to the double spread page as this is the page that will truly represent the artist and their music. This style will grab the audience’s attention as the colours create a bold and indie effect with different shapes and patterns on the same page.

The artist is shown taking up an entire page, which I think is really effective and is also showing how one person can grab the audience’s attention and can lead the audience to read an article from one picture and a quote. I like the text around the artist and the style of the writing bending around him shows that the theme of the music and the album is Indie and Alternative. This also draws the audience in as it is eye catching and different to a usual quote which is perfectly placed and not distracting the audience from the photo. However, I think here the quote helps the photo to become the focus point where the audience can see the photography, editing and part of the article and the artists personality.

Double Page SpreadI think the use of a brief summary for the article on the next page is effective for the reader as they will read this and decide to keep reading or not. This is a gripping introduction to the article which is placed perfectly as it doesn't distract the reader from the photo or the style of the background.

I love how the double page is organised and displayed with the colours, fonts and photos all placed so the reader can scan the page and take it all in. I think the background art if effective as the pattern is not just on one page, it is spread over to the other page with the article. This gives the magazine fluidity but still keeps the Indie/ Alternative style. However, I think the artist’s name should be easier to read as this will also encourage more people to look at the magazine and will make the whole double page more effective if there was a big bold title.

I like the font of the writing as it is easy to read but the text at the bottom of the article stands out with the text highlighted in red. This also shows it is not part of the article but is in keeping with the tone of the artist and the article.

The article itself is displayed in colums which I think looks retro and sleek and it also breaks the text up instead of a large paragraph. The larger “W” draws attention to the start of the article and the quote from the article in the middle allows the audience to scan the page and to be drawn into the article. This is effective as the readers eyes has so much to read and to look at, without the page being over crowded or messy.

Colour PaletteThere are not many colours used on this page, but the ones that are are simple and are not the typical colours that would be put together. However, I think the blue works well with the maroon and purple shades, which makes the white article standout against a darker background.

Cover page

I really like the use of colour in the masthead as this grabs the audience’s attention without being too loud or distracting from the magazine cover. The font is recognisable as all CLASH magazines include the same masthead. The bold font of the masthead means it is clear to read, even when partly covered by a photo or some more information about the magazine.

I think the photo is effective as the magazine will standout when next to other magazines. The colours used in the photo are quite dark and representative of the Indie Pop genre. The photo used darker and harsher colours, but it fits well with brighter, bolder and more feminine text. The pink in the artists clothing is picked out when placed with pink lettering and pictures, however if the photo was placed with darker colours such as blacks and greys then the magazine would represent a different more dark tone. The feminine style of pinks and purples will be more appealing to some females than a darker style, which may limit the target audience. Some people like the look of retro, clumsy and almost ‘tacky’ look with fake gems and love hearts clearly photo shopped on.

The smaller textboxes are a really modern way to release hints and insights into the magazine and what is inside. They are in keeping with the style and tone of a modern, feminine and almost childish magazine. The textboxes resemble a text message box, which is again very modern and eye catching compared to a simple magazine with just writing on the page which isn’t standing out ion anyway. This may also be a practical issue as the writing would be very hard to read in that specific font and colour with a busy background.

I like the discrete but sleek way of displaying what the magazine is about, for example, this one is music, fashion and film. This is not distracting away from the main focus of the page, which is the photo of Lorde and the masthead o0f the magazine.

The barcode is placed under the masthead so when the reader scans the page they will see this and then down to the rest of the page. This also fills the gap under the masthead. The barcode is also placed sideways so it is different from a usual barcode, which isn’t something to look at.

I really like the use of smaller photos or symbols of fake gems and love hearts. These add to the aesthetic of the magazine, which is retro, feminine and tacky. These are not out of place with the rest of the cover of the magazine as the photo of Michael Jackson shows bright and bold colours of pink, red and blue. These smaller details help the overall appearance of the magazine as all the components of it ensure the theme and style of Indie Pop is recognised. The font used for ‘Lorde’ is bold and clear against a darker background and the shadow is still seen, even on a black background. I think the font for the rest of the text is also effective as it is keeping with the retro, text-like theme of the textboxes. I also think the hashtag at the bottom of the page is an effective piece as this will help to gain a larger audience, but also reminds the audience how modern the magazine is. Colour Palette

The colours used are very feminine as there is mainly use of pale or bright pink. There aren’t many other colours used besides the photos, which are contrasting from a darker lit and presented photo of Lorde and the bright, colourful one of Michael Jackson.

Contents Page

The title is eye catching and different to a standard title font. I like that the reader has to almost do a double take because the font makes it so much harder to read, however I think this is a positive as it is more effective than something the reader will just scan over without noticing it. I also think the font is in keeping with the Indie Pop theme as it is abstract and stands out more than a traditional title. I think the font is clear and simple, but the layout of the text is the daring and interesting part to the title.

I think the bright blue background is suitable with the style of the magazine, and that the magazine is including fashion, music and films. I think the blue pops out to the audience especially with the white border and white text. These colours work well together as a darker background with lighter text can be seen more easily than a light background with darker text.

I really like the layout of this page and how the text of the title is larger and bolder than the contents text. I really like how the contents of the magazine isn’t placed in order, but is ordered by area. For example, how the page numbers are under a sub-category, which is easier to find but is also different from a usual contents page. This also helps the aesthetic of the page as all the pages are neatly placed, but it isn't boring due to the colours used and the different fonts keeps the page interesting and modern. I think the use of sub headings is an effective way to gain attention for a page which not many people necessarily read. The sub headings include one for the cover page which has text about the artist on the cover, as well as the categories featured in the issue, which was music, fashion and film.

I like the theme of the magazine and how it is carried through out the pages. I like the small pictures and symbols on the page as this keeps the Indie Pop vibe as the colour pink is mostly associated with Pop music. This keeps the page interesting and appealing, but also keeps the feminine theme and colour scheme.

I like the idea of not having any photos on the contents page, as it still grabs the audience’s attention and looks classy and sleek without having an over crowded or busy page. However, I think photos do help to gain attention from the audience on the page. This may have fitted in a gap on the page to help the theme of a childish, retro and maybe ‘tacky’ style.

Colour PaletteThe colours used on this page are similar to those used on the cover page. The colours are childish and feminine which works well on a larger, less busy page. I think these colours resemble Indie Pop and would be useful colours to use on my magazine.

Double Page Spread

The style of including the credits discretely in the top right corner means that the credits aren’t placed over the photo or somewhere distracting the audience away from the article and photo. I also really like the smaller details such as the love heart cut out of the letter O in ‘Lorde’. This small detail reminds the audience of the theme and also highlights the feminine style of shapes, styles and colours. This detail is unusual and will make the audience look twice but will not take attention away from the article or photo on the opposite page.

I like that the title of the page/ introduction to the article is not the main feature of the page, but it does introduce the readers to the article over the double pages. This is effective as the audience will read this whilst they scan over the page down to the title ‘Lorde’ and the article. The title ‘Lorde’ really stands out against the plain white background, with the large, bold font and colour. The article is organised is a really effective way as it isn’t a long article, which means it will appeal to more readers than reading a whole page of writing. The columns make the article look professional, but the font keeps the Indie Pop theme. The larger letter B helps to grab the readers attention as this stands out dramatically against the rest of the article. The font for text has been kept similar throughout the cover, contents page and double page spread, which resembles Pop as the font style is very text message- like and modern, as is Pop music.

The photo is similar to the image on the cover page, as it is contrasting to the text and colours. The image is dark and uses similar, dull, dark colours compared to the bright, light and bold colours of the text and symbols. However, this is still effective as they both stand out equally and work well together. The darker page with the image of Lorde on represents the Indie genre more than the page with the article on which represents Pop more. I think it is effective together as the photo fills the whole page, which is eye catching, but the colours and layout of the other page is still clear and noticeable o the audience. I really like how the smaller details of the love hearts, fake gems and symbols have been carried out throughout the pages as this keeps the tone an music genre/ theme consistent. I also like how there is a text box on the photo page, which includes a quote from Lorde about being a ‘popstar’, which will grabs the audiences attention and encourage them to read the article. I also think the page numbers are more intresting in the middle of the page rather than just being placed at the bottom of the page. This also means the page can be displayed different to a normal magazine as there is more text at the bottom of the page.

Colour PaletteThe colours used on this page are similar to the colours used on the cover page. The colours are bright and bold, but the photo is darker and dull, which is effective and grabs the attention of the audience.

Cover Page

I really like the masthead for this magazine as it is bold and stands out against a dark background. I think it is really effective to have a longer title for a magazine as this will fill the space on the cover and will fit the page better than a shorter title. I like that there are two words used for the magazine and that only DAZED is seen across the top of the magazine, and the word CONFUSED is written vertically at a right angle. This is different and modern to other magazine titles. I also really like how Lupita Nyong’o is covering part of the title as this shows the title can still be read and adds the effect of how powerful the magazine is, that even though it can’t be fully seen it is still a well-known and respected magazine.

I like how simple the cover is to the magazine and the only information given is who is featured inside the magazine. I think this is powerful as little information is needed to make a statement and or be successful. This keeps the attention on the magazine’s masthead and the photo on the cover page.

The magazine is aimed at women as the people featured in the magazine are all women who are either actresses, artists, models or in other empowering roles. Also the sub heading, and only other piece of text on the cover is ‘girls rule the world’ which will attract women to the magazine, and the female actress, Lupita Nyong’o on the cover.

The magazine is quite simple as there aren’t any other photos or text to try to attract an audience however the colours and abstract shapes do make the magazine stand out and gain attention.

The magazine doesn’t advertise any music or a theme/ genre which may be a negative as people might not be interested in the magazine. However, I think this cover is very effective as the style is simple but bright and effective towards the audience as this will stand out against other magazine covers.

I think the barcode and information at the bottom could have been presented in a more modern way to not look out of place. This white box currently standout and is distracting away from the photo and text. This would look less out of place if the text box was not filled in white, this would have also made it less noticeable to the audience and wouldn’t make the overall appearance look clumsy.

Colour PaletteThe colours used on this page are bright and eye catching. The colours are appealing to women, as this is the target market for the magazine, even though there isn’t any pinks or purples, it can still be feminine.

Contents Page

This page is plain and simple, but appears busy and over crowded and unorganised. This is because of the amount of text and photos used for the contents page. I think the page would be more effective if the contents were organised and more spread out as it is hard to read when it is over crowded.

I like how the page is organised into areas of the magazine, for example, the cover, the front, the mains, the fashion and the back. This means the page is organised into columns, which is easier to read, however, this page is not easy to read as the page appears confusing and messy with photos added to the text. I think this page would look neater and more clear if the photos weren’t place in the text boxes, so they didn't distract the reader from the text. I also think the font could have been different for the sub headings or page numbers, or it could have been a different colour or bolder. This would have made the page more appealing to read, instead of looking messy, where the audience will just skip it because it isn’t clear and would take time to read.

I think the page would also look more appealing and interesting if there were other colours used to make the page look brighter, like the cover, instead of boring and pain.

The font in this magazine is Indie and represents a classic and modern style, however the page is not clear or easy to read which has a negative effect on the magazine. I think this font is effective if used correctly.

The page could look more appealing if the photos varied in size and style as the audience would have more to look at and the page would look more interesting. I think the photos add interest to the page, however as they are place within the text it is harder to read and look at the photos. I think the page would be more effective if the photos were dotted around he page in a random manner, to represent the style of the magazine.

I also don't think the cover page of the magazine has the same style as the the contents page as this page is very dull and alternative, whereas the cover page was loud, bright and represented more of a tribal or cultural theme.

Colour PaletteThere aren't many colours used on this page. The background is white, with black text, which means the only colour is from the photos, which are dark and dull. This page represents an Indie or Alternative theme.

Double Page Spread

The double page is mainly pages of one photo, of artist Petra Collins. The page is fitting with contents page as it is simple and basic. However this page only has a small amount of writing for a double page spread.

The photo is alternative and indie as the colours are bright but it is presented in darker and deeper photo, rather than a bright and bold photo. The women in the photo are representing the women listen on the cover as they are empowering and representing women in the 21st century. I think this is a good idea, as it will appeal to women readers to have a magazine which is highly focused on women, but does feature men too.

I think the small amount of text stand out as it is minimalistic, but effective. There doesn’t need to be pages and pages of text, this small paragraph introduced Petra Collins and then there is a quote from the artist. This also shows how powerful minimal writing can be as the cover has little text but is effective, and I think that is the same for this page. The small line under the quote has the credit for the text, which is important and I think ends the small piece of text neatly.

Colour PaletteThe colours used are similar to the colours used in the contents page, however the photo on this page is brighter and bolder than some are on the contents page. The blue colours work well together and with the small amount of yellow to make the photo brighter.

The use of a white background makes the text and the photograph stand out. I think the text stands out as black will stand out because the colours are contrasting and the black will look bolder and clearer than it would on a darker background. The white background also makes the photo stand out as the brighter colours are more visible than if they took up the whole page so no white was seen. I think this helps to keep the alternative and indie theme that the magazine has. Although, I think the cover page looks out of place as the colours and style used is not the theme inside the magazine, which means there is no consistency and the magazine could be misleading to some readers.

The title of the page is PETRA COLLINS, the artist’s name, which makes it clear what the page is about, but also introduces her to the readers who may not know her. I think the font is suitable as it is same as the text below, and the text on the contents page. However, I think the title could have stood out more if it was bolder or larger, to grab the audience’s attention.

The photo is the main focus of the page as it jumps out to he audience more than text will, especially if the text looks boring and simple. This photo helps the gain a larger audience for the page, as the text alone may not achieve this.