Final Pieces

Evaluation - Question 7

Looking back your your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

By comparing my preliminary front cover and my final front cover, it can be clearly seen the improvements that have been made. My preliminary task shows the lack of understanding into what conventions that magazines use to make there products so successful. For example, the use of a clear colour scheme. My final pieces all followed the same colour theme and my preliminary task did not. I learnt the importance of adding important touches such as a bar code and price to the magazine. Also the importance of adding more stories. From analysing popular music magazines, it become obvious that most of the magazine followed the idea of having important information down the left hand column. This was due to this being the side that would be visible on shop shelves. As it can be seen, during my preliminary task I lacked this knowledge. In main, my preliminary task lacked the professional look that is needed for a magazine to be successful. I feel that my final piece had this professional look and shows the progress that I have made. 

Evaluation - Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

The first piece of software I was introduced to was the Mac. This was a first for me. I found it difficult to navigate my way around. Initially, I would have much prefers to work at home using Microsoft windows. After a while the Mac I settled using the Mac and began to realise what an amazing piece of software it was. Another new idea was the idea of blogging all our work online rather than folders. At first I was unsure about the benefit of doing this and was also worried that other people would have access to my work. However, after my first few posts I realised how convenient it was. Mistake could be fixed immediatly and the idea of other people seeing my work and commenting became beneficial. The next thing I had to do was to take my photos which required a camera. I took my photos using my 10.2 megapixel Samsung camera. For most of my photos I took I adjusted the settings to black and white as I decided that this would be a theme throughout the magazine. For some of my photos the flash came in handy. One location for my photos was in a woods where there was very limited lighting and the flash was necessary. The also created a nice effect, shining off the sunglasses, in my main image on the front page. Too this there were also negatives. By takeing the photos in black and white I was left unable to edit them back into colour. Whereas if I had taken them in colour I could have played with the effects and maybe created a greater final product. In future I will take a combination of both for this reason. The Next thing I learnt to use was Photoshop. I immediatly disliked this programme as I felt it required a real control and fine motor skills. These I do not have. However after lots of practice, I managed to gain a control and begin to make some progress. During my premlimary task the first complex tool I used was the magnetic lasso tool. This required a steady hand to cut around my model so I could place him on a different background. This proved very difficult and took many attempts before it was done correctly. The other tools I seemed okay with after some practice. One problem I encountered was that Photoshop would crash. This happened on 2 occasions to me during my contents page causing me to lose all the work and start again. I learnt to save my work onto my memory stick and the desktop and anywhere else I could so if photoshop were to crash again I would have a back up. The tool I used most during my time using photoshop was the scale tool. This helped me increase or decrease the size of my photo without loosing the current proportions. I also used the eye drop tool to get the red I used throughout the 3 pieces. I acheived the red I wanted by using the eyedrop tool to get the red from the model Cydney's hair which achieved a continuity in my work. The smudge tool was used twice also to give an edge to Masthead box and some of the photos.

Evaluation- Question 5

How did you address/attract your target audience?

I stuck to conventions of popular music magazines of the same genre as mine. This created a solid base for my magazine to attract the intended audience. The colour scheme I used throughout my magazine was mainly black, white and red. Black and white often go hand in hand with indie music and red is also very common. Red can signify passion and love which are often the base of indie music lyrics. The models I used for my magazine were all in their late teens and early 20's. This relates to my target audience as they are more likely to be able to relate to people their own age. My model Cydney's red hair resembles the kind of hairstyle that my

target audience is most likely to have. This makes it easier for the reader to relate to the model if they can see a little bit of themselves in the model. The funky jewellery also has that effect. The image on the front page of the band
all pulling neutral faces helps attract a young female audience and also helps the reader gain an insight to the band. From the picture they seem casual and laid back which will appeal to someone that has a passion for their music. They look honest so the picture helps to create and trust between the model and the reader. The style of the boys also attract the correct audience. The beanie hate, long hair, converse, checkered shirt and tight jeans all associate with common indie stereotypes. Also it should be pointed out again that the models are all in there late teens early 20's. I chose not to use this photo of my model but

I think the model once again suits the target audience very well. The casualness of the open cardigan, slight smile and scruffy hair are all common traits of indie music. This will attract the female audience as he can be seen to be confident. I feel all of the photos that I used contributed to attracting the intended target audience. Overall, the images, colours scheme, font and terminology all portray the indie genre very well. The 3 final products all encorparate different ways of grabbing the readers attention. For example the big bold stamp like 'EXCLUSIVE' on the double page spread will draw the eye of my audience. However, terminology like that may not have proved beneficial in attracting an older audience as different language my have been used.

Evaluation - Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience is mixed gender in late teens and early 20's who listen to indie/rock music. See the post My Target Audience on my blog for an example profile of my target audience for more information. http://harryisham.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-post.html

Evaluation - Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The Bauer media group would be a great example of an institution that could publish my product. This company is responsible for publishing high profile magazines such as Q and KERRANG. They are also involved in other magazine markets Baeur media is respected worldwide for its publishing since 1875. World circulaton of Baeur Media group's magazine titles amount to 38 million magazines a week. Since they already produce rock magazines such as Q and KERRANG, there is a possibility that they would be very interested in publishing ATI music. However, this my work against my product as it may be seen as competetion by Q and KERRANG and cause conflicts. Although this shouldn't be the case as my product is aimed at a younger and less hardcore rock target audience than Q and KERRANG respectively.

Evaluation - Question 2

How does your media product represent certain social groups?


Social groups such as gender, age, sex, ethnicity etc. can all be represented through the use of images, colours, font and terminology. It is important not to discriminate any particular group in order to keep the audience happy and sells as many copies as possible. My front cover immediatly targets my audience through the use of black and white colours and a my model. Many magazines use black and white pictures and text to attract a indie/rock audience. The image I chose suits my target audience due to the trendy sunglasses and funky hair which covers one eye which is commonly associated with an 'emo fringe'. The models used are all 'young' which also signifies my target audience as they can relate to the models. My target audience was oringinally late teens and adults in their 20's. The font used as a vintage look about it especially in the banner which will attract my target audience as vintage clothes have come in fashion. My model Cydney is a good example of my target audience. She is very photogenic and looks comfortable on camera. This makes her an ideal model. Young boys will be attracted to her whilst women will aspire to have her confidence and looks. I beleive I have used a good mix of sex's in my magazine. However, as my target audience is young indie teens, there has not been any use of anyone that wasn't white. This is a common stereotype that relates black people to rap etc. There has also been no use of the older generation in my magazine as it is also stereotyped that they will not find this type of music appealing.

Evaluation - Question 1

In what way does your media product use, develop, and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I began by analysing popular indie music magazines to gain an understanding of the forms and conventions used. Throughout creating my final pieces I have used many conventions set by current magazines.

Front Cover - For my main image I feel have have challenged a convention by using a black and white image. This is because most music magazines encorperate bright colours to draw a viewers eye to the magazine. I chose to challenge this convention as I feel that the effect created by the shine from the sunglasses, lipgloss, hair and jewellery would sufice to gain a readers attention. It could be argued that I have challenged another convention by having the main model in sunglasses. This is because many current magazine have their models looking directly at the camera which creates the effect of the model looking at the audience. I say 'it could be argued that' as if closely looked at the models eye on show is looking towards the camera. This NME cover clearly demonstrates the concept of the model looking directly into the camera and communicating with NME's target audience. I feel that i have followed in the convention of

masthead location as many magazine locate their mastheads in the top left hand corner of the page. This can once again be seen by comparing to the NME cover. Another convention that I have challenged is that I haven't used a pug on my front cover which appears on many other magazines. As demonstrated on the NME magazine below the masthead. I challenged this convention as the pug that I thought about using did not look suitable on the page so I decided against using it. The convention that most of the information on the front page is located down the left hand third is also used in my piece. This is because had I challenged this conevention, the side on display in shops would look very dull and wouldn't attract potiential buyers. This would not have been beneficial. I also used a banner which are also very common on music magazines as shown on the KERRANG magazine. Banners can be used to give details on competetions etc but I chose to use it to give the viewer more of an insight to the magazine by displaying featuring bands. Finally, I followed the more obvious conventions of adding a barcode, price and date which are all used by magazines. In main, for my front cover I have both followed and challenged conventions. I feel that I decided to keep the most important conventions such as the left-hand third convention as they have proved to be successful in the past and challenged conventions such as pugs as they can sometimes look out of place.

Contents Page - From looking at my contents page it can already be seen that the colour scheme matches the front cover which allows the reader to link each page and helps the magazine flow. This is a common convention used by many magazine to have this effect. Another convention I have used is by putting the word contents into a separate box as can be seen in the KERRANG contents also. My contents page also features an editors note and a subscription offer which are both very common in popular music magazines. The KERRANG contents to the right demonstrates both of these conventions in use. Another convention I have followed is that I have divided my stories into sections; News, Features and Reviews. This technique is commonly used in many magazines as it enables the reader to gain a further insight into what the featured pages will be about. This also adds to the simplicity of the page for readers to use which is ideally what readers want from a contents page. In my subscription box I have included a smaller version of my front cover. This adds to the professional feel of the magazine and can also be seen in the KERRANG contents. The information regarding featuring bands has their relative page numbers next to them which is a obviously technique used by magazines to help readers easily navigate through the magazine. I have also included photos with page numbers that using the same models I used on the front page. Had we been able to see the Kerrang front cover, the pictures on the contents would of most probably linked to the images on the front cover. My contents follows most conventions without challenging any. I chose to follow conventions as contents pages need to be kept simple as there main purpose is to navigate and readers do not want to be confused.

Double Page Spread - Once again the same colour scheme has been used which links the pages and makes the magazine flow. I chose to use a photo as the background for the page as the colours matched and the photo was unique. The KERRANG double page below also uses a photo as the background and a similar colour scheme throughout. I have emphasised the word 'EXCLUSIVE' which is also very common in magazines as it can give a magazine an edge on competitors. It could be argued that I have challenged a convention by not using additional photos but I felt that any other photos I had taken wouldn't have suited the page. The text on the page is arranged in 2 columns with questions and answers in different colours. Many magazines use interviews as they allow a reader to gain a feel for the artists personality. It is also very common to see different font colours for questions and answers. Finally, I followed the convention of not having text across the middle of the page due to the difficulties that it can create for the reader and I have also included page numbers which are very common. I have again chose to challenge very little as it is clear that magazines are successful and challenging them may have an adverse effect on my product.

Stage 1 - I chose the most suitable photo for my double page then using the same red I used throughout the magazine to created and stamp like effect across the top left hand corner.

Stage 2 - I added created to white boxes and filled these with my questions and answers from my model. I used red writing for the questions and black for the answers so readers can differentiate.

Stage 3 - There was not enough room to add another text column so I made a factfile about my model so readers can gain more of an insight into the model. Also factfiles are very common amongst popular music magazine and using one add to the professional look. I played with the opacity tool of the box so the photo can still be seen behind the text. I added the final touches of the page numbers to add to the professional look.

Stage 1 - I decided that I wanted to use a plain white background as I knew that I could fill it with information and picture. I decided to use a very clear layout by splitting stories into 3 sections. News, features and reviews. This allows the viewer to see what bands will feature and what there section will involve. The font is the same as was used on the front page and the same colour scheme is used.

Stage 2 - I made my magazine look professional by adding an editors note as many magazine feature an editors note. The colour scheme is continued again by using a black background with white writing. The signature which also matches many other editor notes was drawn by using the paint brush. I also added a special offer to draw the viewers attention to buy the magazine. Had the magazine have had other front pages I would have used a past cover as many magazines do for their subscription offers.

Stage 3 - I added photos with page numbers along the bottom of the page. I arranged them so their were 2 colour photos in the middle and 2 back and white on the outsides. The colours from the photo also fit my colour scheme with the red hair and black and white colours. I rotated the photos to try to avoid the page becoming boring and used the smudge tool to give the photos a crinkled edge.

Stage 1 - I chose which photo I wanted to use for my front cover. I decided not to use the magnetic lasso tool so I could use another background and stuck with the original photo background. I did this because I knew that the photo was black and white and this would making cutting out my model difficult. I also knew that the dullness of the black to the left of my model would be covered with stories and photos. I created a white box for my masthead and used the smuge tool to create an edgy effect on the outline of the box. I then chose the colours for my masthead and set the colour theme for the rest of the magazine. I used red as I felt it had a nice effect on the white background in the smaller writing and if I had chosen to use all black and white text my page would have been boring.























Stage 2 - At the top of the page I used a banner once again sticking to the colour scheme of white writing on the black background. This banner also informed the viewer what bands would feature later in the magazine. I found the stars that I used inbetween the band names from google images and copied and pasted them onto my front page and merged the layers. I also added my barcode to the bottom right hand corner.

Stage 3 - I filled the left hand side with 2 stories that would feature in the magazine. Above these pictures I added quotes in relation to the stories. This allows the viewer to have an insight into the magazine just my glancing at the cover.

Stage 4 - I then added the main headline on to my model. I located it in the middle of the page so it immediatly draws the eye. Being in red this also creates an eye catching effect. The red is the same red used in the masthead to continue my colour theme. The headline is also written in a different font called Stencil and I think it contrasts nicely with the masthead font and helps to add a little variety to the page. I also added the date and the price in the smallest writing on the page above the barcode to create a professional finish. This make the magazine look realistic as many magazines want the price to be the last thing you look at before buying the magazine.

Possible magazine names

I have struggled to come up with many possible magazine titles. I have four possible titles and will decide which one to use after the questionaires shows which one is most favourable.

The four titles follow:
-ATI music
-MicCheck!
-eMotion
-pureindie!

ASPECTS OF THEORY TO DO WITH THE AUDIENCE

A target audience profile (TAP) is a detailed, written appraisal of your customers' characteristics, attitudes and behaviours. TAP information typically falls into 2 categories: demographics and psychographics. Target audience profiles (TAPs) can be used to appraise your customers' characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors. A TAP helps you evaluate both demographics (who your customers are) and psychographics (what motivates them). 

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AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographics are the statistical characteristics of human populations, such as age and income, that are used by businesses to identify markets for their goods and services. Demographics are used to identify who your customers are (now and in the future), where they live, and how likely they are to purchase the product you are selling. By studying your customers and potential customers through demographics, one can identify changing needs in the market and adjust to them.

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AUDIENCE PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A term that describes consumers or audience members on the basis of psychological characteristics initially determined by standardized tests.

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Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people” (Katz, 1959) . It assumes members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds audiences responsible for choosing media to meet its needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for the viewer’s gratification. (Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. 1974)

There are three main paradigms in media effects: hypodermic needle (i.e., direct, or strong effects), limited effects, and the powerful to limited effects. "Uses and Gratifications" falls under the second paradigm which reached its apex around 1940-1960, when studies helped realize that the first paradigm was inaccurate. (from wikipedia)

This is Tom and he is an example of my target audience. He is 18 years old and lives in the centre of London. He is currently working a part-time job in Topman and attends college where he is studying music journalism. He aspires to be a music journalist as he has a passion for indie music. He thinks he would make a good writer due to his interesting personality and different take on life. Tom dresses casually, wearing mainly skinny jeans and tees as shown in his picture. When going out he will dress smart but unique as he likes to look different from his group of friends. His favourite shops are All Saints, ASOS but occasionally River Island and Topman. Tom's has a big passion for indie music and attends gigs and festivals whenever he can. Tom is a fairly quiet person and often shows little expression but he likes to be occupied as he gets bored easily. He enjoys watching TV in is spare time. His favourite programmes are Skins, Simpsons, 8 out of 10 cats and mock the week. He often watches comedy stand up on Comedy Central. His favourite stand up comedians are Lee Evans, Russell Howard and Michael McIntyre. Tom is a trademark example of my target audience as although he is quiet he is very intelligent and has a big passion for music. My magazine will provide a release for teenagers feeling down or just looking for 5 minutes entertainment.

Each of us is motivated by needs. Our most basic needs are inborn, having evolved over tens of thousands of years. Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs helps to explain how these needs motivate us all. 

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs states that we must satisfy each need in turn, starting with the first, which deals with the most obvious needs for survival itself.

Only when the lower order needs of physical and emotional well-being are satisfied are we concerned with the higher order needs of influence and personal development.

Conversely, if the things that satisfy our lower order needs are swept away, we are no longer concerned about the maintenance of our higher order needs.

Maslow's original Hierarchy of Needs model was developed between 1943-1954, and first widely published in Motivation and Personality in 1954. At this time the Hierarchy of Needs model comprised five needs. This original version remains for most people the definitive Hierarchy of Needs. 

My magazine would be placed at the top of the pyramid as it is not a necessity to survive and can be seen as a luxury good.

This is a Kerrang double page spread featuring the band Fall Out Boy. The layout is simple as the left hand side is mainly used for text whereas the right hand side is mainly about the image. However the image is used as the background bu t this suits as the image is in black and white which are common colours for a rock magazine. The other colour used on this spread is red. This is also common for a rock magazine as red can denote love, passion or anger. This relates the the songs Fall Out Boy perform. The main headline is located at the top left of the page. The First word is the largest and written in both red and white. Kerrang have used an effect that could be described as a spray paint as half the word is red and half is white. It also creates an effect of blood dripping which is another rock stereotype. Below this is 'COULD HAPPEN'. This is written in white writing which stand out on the dark background. The whole headline is written in bold capitals and using different sizes adds to the effect on the reader. It is also written in quotation marks which shows the reader that someone has said it and draws the reader into reading the rest of the article. Below the heading is the sub-heading which follows the same colour scheme with the use of red and white. Again the first word, 'EXCLUSIVE', is in red. The rest in white. This will draw the readers eyes to the red and let the reader know this is an exclusive with potentially one of their favourite bands. Finally, in the bottom right and corner is a competition also using the colour red. This is in the bright and in the corner to catch the readers eye after the main story is read. Overall this is a very effective double page spread with the good use of an image, colours and bold headlines to keep the reader interested. 

The headline matches the way that this story was advertised on the front cover. The writing is white with a black background to catch the views eye. NME have used a a quote that has been pulled from the text as the headline which interests the reader as they know that it is relevant. The same colours are used throughtout with black, white and red. This is because these colours can denote darkness, hate, love, passion but also innocence which relates to many of Lily Allen's songs. Lily's clothes also follow this colours scheme as she is wearing a typical checkered, black, red and white shirt. This could be described as an indie style of clothing. Her face is pale and her has is black which is another rock/emo stereotype. Lily's name is written in red unlike the other black font to catch the readers eye so it's obvious who the article is about. The left side of the spread is mainly filled with text and the right side is used for the main image of Lily. This is a very simple layout that keeps it simple for readers to focus on the text then the picture. 

This is an NME double page spread of the band 'The Teenagers'. As usual, NME use a small collection of colours to not overcomplicate things and make the page easy for viewing. White, black and a light blue are used as these colours can signify rock but blue also dennotes as calming, laid back feel. This links to the name of the band and the stereotype that teenagers are laid back. The main image also plays on this stereotype as the picture is of the band members laying on a bed. The room is supposed to represent a typical teenager's room with lots of posters on the walls etc. The band members have all adopted a relaxed, plain and laid back expression which adds to the relaxed vibe created by the rest of the page. This spread has been cleverly divided into the two pages. The lefthand page has been used for the main image and the righthand page has been used for the text. This is effective because its simple and also the headline has been split across both pages so the reader links the picture to the text. The blue colour has been used sparingly around the page as a background to draw the readers eyes to important information on the page. Down the righthand side a black background is used for the only time on this spread. This is because this part of the spread is separate from the main story and isn't related. White writing is used to make the text stand out and the heading says 'EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT...' which will intrest the reader. Overall, this is an effective double page spread with the basic use of images, colour etc. that will keep the reader interested and informed.

This contents page shares many of the same features as classical NME front covers and contents. The colours black, red and white are used which is typical of NME as these are their trademark colours. The colours red and black denote passion, love and darkness. Typical trates of indie music which will relate to readers. The white is used mainly in the background to make the black and red stand out and catch the readers eye. At the top of the page. Again the masthead is at the top of the page slightly towards the left as it is on NME's front covers. Next to this in bold white writing is 'THIS WEEK'. This catches the readers eye and signifies that this is the contents page as the job of a contents is to inform the readers what will feature. Also below this is smaller font is the magazine date to let the reader know what issue it is. All this is written on a black background as the colours red and white contrast to catch the readers eye. The page is cleverly divided into three sections as is most NME contents pages. Down the left hand side there is the a column for all the bands that will feature in this issue. This is called the 'BAND INDEX'. Again, black bold writing is used to catch the readers eye. All the bands and artists that will feature are written in red and the pages which they will feature are in black. This is continuity of NME using the same colours over and over. In the centre of the magazine is the main image of the band Kasabian playing live. The reader knows this because of the headline just below the photo. A short paragraph about the band follows to inform the reader regarding the photo. "The moment that..." is a feature of NME contents that has been used before. Down the righthand side is a list of what the magazine will feature by story rather than by what band. It has been divided into a NEWS, RADAR, REVIEWS, LIVE!, FEATURES and a plus section. There are tags of 'ON THE COVER' next to the stories that are on the cover. This helps the reader find the stories that induced them to buy the magazine in the first place. At the bottom of the page is an offer to subscribe to NME and save money. Different colours have been used in this section to catch the viewers eye. This offer is a way of drawing potiential customers to buying the magazine and to boost sales revenue.

This is a very simple layout Q have used for their contents page. It is very similar to regular Q front covers as the masthead appears in the same location, the top left corner. The colours used are also the same as used on the cover. The red, white and black can signify love, passion and darkness. This can link to stereotypes of indie music. The page is split down the left with 2 images on the right and listed text on the left. Below this is a 'Oasis Special'. Gold writing has been used and I believe this signifies a bonus for readers as this kind of 'special' would not normally feature. This is why the different colour has been used. The red is used to make the white writing stand out and catch the readers eyes where it say 'features'. This section of the contents allows to readers to see what will be written about in this magazine. Below this the same colours have been used for 'Every Month'. This section is aimed at regular readers and potential customers. It gives the reader of what is featured in the magazine every month and something to look forward to. Also all the text on this page is mainly written in capitals apart from captions. This is to draw the reader toward the important information and if they are intrigued they can read the smaller captions. The Main image on the contents is of the band The Courteeners. The clothes worn and bands style is very typical of indie music and will relate the readers as they will probably also be styled this way. Below the main image is the final section of the contents, 'Q REVIEW'. This is followed by the tagline 'the world's biggest and best music guide'. This my influence potiential customers to buy the magazine. The review section also shows the reader what will be reviewed in the magazine, such as albums, dvds, etc. Overall this is a very simple and organised contents page used because of it's basic layout and colours. This type of contents page is very easy for readers to use to get what they want from the magazine.

In the top right hand corner of the page in the biggest font on the page is Contents in bright yellow writing in a black box. This attracts the readers eye as these colours contrast. Allowing the reader to know the purpose of this page. Also in the same box but in smaller font is the issue number and cover date to let the reader know what issue this is.

Beside this is a note from the editor accompanied by a smaller image of the issue's front cover. This is a common feature of Kerrang contents pages. This is a way for the editor to try to relate to the audience and make the reading experience more enjoyable. Lots of pictures with small captions have been used to give the audience more of an idea of what will feature later in the magazine. Down the right hand side the colours black and yellow are used once again to point out the main features of the magazines and let the audience know which page their favourite artists will feature. This is common of Kerrang as most of the contents pages follow this layout. In the bottom right corner is an offer of Kerrang delivery in a red box. It has been put in red to attract the audiences attention as an effort to boost sales revenue. Overall, the colour scheme is basic and very typical of Kerrang as this layout and colours has been used in many of their magazines.

This issue of 'Q' magazine portrays a 'rock' feature, shown by the image of the lead singer smashing the masthead with his guitar. It reveals anger and links to other rock conventions. Yet it is very different from other "Q" magazine features because as well as having rock bands, they feature pop artists and r&b singers. 'Q' have used the colour red throughout which can portray passion, love or anger. In this case, it shows passion and anger and may be related to what his article may be about. It also links to the masthead as 'Q' often use white on red background.  The whole background of the cover uses a dark grey colour throughout which makes brighter colours stand out more. The dark colours could also portray the feelings of the cover singer. The main headline is written in big, bold, white writing to contrast to the darker colours and make the reader immediately aware of who will feature. Q have used callouts down the right hand side by printing band names in black writing with a white background. This is eye catching and allows the reader to see if the bands they like will be featuring.  Below this is another cover story which also continues the theme of red, grey and white writing followed by an image of the Beatles. The picture is embossed with a white outline which is meant to draw the readers attention from the main image to the other cover stories. 

2nd magazine analysis

This is a conventional KERRANG front cover because of the simple layout used. But the use of fonts and pictures make it interesting for it's target audience. There is a black banner at the top of the page with 3 bands written in white to catch the readers eye. It also gives the reader some insight on what bands will be featuring in the magazine. Underneath this is the masthead written in black over a white background. The main image is of Panic! at the disco and is partially covering the masthead. Imprinted on the main image over a black tee is the bands name in white. This contrasts to the tee colour and makes it stand out. Below this are the other cover stories. Above the lower left photo of the lead singer of paramore is an added feature. In white bold writing on a red background, tells the reader than there is a 'FREE' poster special indicating that the magazine comes with a free poster. This will make the reader feel they are getting more for their money and boost revenue for the company. The red background matches the red hair of the paramore singer making the reader relate the poster to paramore. The next photo uses the same effect as the main image as the white writing contrasts the black tee. A yellow arrow has been used to draw the readers attention from the main image to another cover story. Along the bottom they have used white writing on a black background with embossed a black outline to give it an eye-capturing effect such as a shadow. This gives the reader an insight to what other bands will be featuring in the magazine. Just above this in the bottom right corner is the price tag which uses the smallest writing on the magazine so it is the last thing the reader will see.

1st Front Cover Analysis

At the top of this cover there is a bold skyline with the word "GLASTO", which is short term for a music festival, in black bold writing. Also featuring in the skyline is 2 bands and a singer in small bold writing. Finally there is a smaller, less bold, headline to give an insight of what the magazine will include. This was all written in black with a yellow background as they contrast making the text eye-catching.

Underneath the skyline, there is the masthead in big bold red writing. This is used as the colour red draws the eye so we can all see that the magazine is NME.

The main image is of the band, The Wombats. We know this printed over the photo is 'The Wombats' in yellow and white, bold writing. They used these colours to draw the readers attention to the main article. In the photo they are either pulling funny expressions or actions. This adds to the viewers interest as the band seem funny and friendly. Under this is the subtitle also written in yellow. The word 'why' is used to arouse curiosity and make the reader buy to get some answers.

Either side of the main image are the other cover stories. The use of contrasting blue and white colours draws the reader to these after viewing the main cover story.

On the bottom left there is a pug using the same blue, white and yellow colours as the rest of the magazine. On the bottom left is the selling line and bar code using the smaller than anywhere else on the magazine.  

First Post!

Hello, my name is Harry Isham. I am an A Level media student at Goffs School and will be uploading all of my coursework onto this blog.

Preliminary Tasks