Nov 14 2008
PAGE 2 – Preliminary task – School magazine (S.U. life), front cover and contents page + Analysis
This is a magazine aimed at college students and people taking higher education. It gives advice on universities as well as appealing to the social life of young people.
CENTRAL IMAGE
The main image in the front cover is the girl slightly to the right; she is looking to the left and is pulling a face, this expression is eye-catching. There has been no alteration to her and the image of her is clear with little covering it, this brings her out more than other images. She is staring at cartoons on the left of the page which make the magazine seem more attractive as well as appealing to the younger market. The text is placed in front of her which makes it seem more important.
COLOUR
There are a lot of bright colours in both the front cover and contents page, the front cover has greens and yellow mainly but the text is also in bright colours. The contents page isn’t as bright but follows the same themes, the text and pictures are similar to the front cover.
MODE OF ADDRESS
The front cover contains a lot of small detail this means, the eye is attracted to the page. The title is very large and bold, and can be read very easily. The cartoons and the girl’s expression make the magazine seem fun; these are both placed on the centre line. The text is spaced in very short sentences and reads out the main headings in the magazine. This is so the buyer can learn what is in the magazine quickly but isn’t told too much about it. The layout is very unorganized, there is a lot going on. The contents page is more basic compared with the front cover it contains more text and there are fewer images, this is because more information is needed for the reader.
BLURBS/PUFFS/SLOGANS
On the front page it reads ‘Gap yr plans?’ this links to the reader directly because it is asking them a question. The text is only a small blurb which tells the reader various titles in the magazine. It doesn’t use any slogans to attract the reader.
GRAPHIC FEATURES
Both the front page and contents page are very graphic, the use of bright colours is very bold. Some of the title on the front cover is written in a scribble style and the little cartoons in the background seem hand drawn. These graphic features appeal to a younger market because they stand out more and are different. The colours work well and most images and text follow a similar pattern this helps it to be aesthetically pleasing.
ANCHORAGE TEXT
This cover contains a few words and techniques of anchorage text. The reader is drawn in because the magazine asked them a question and it uses the word ‘ur’ (your) which talks to the reader directly. It also finishes with ‘And many more’ which suggests that the magazine has a lot to offer.
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Well done. A front cover with particularily strong text, image and graphic features well matched to target audience.
T- make sure your contents page also follows conventions, lacks colour and images. Develop your analysis to make it more detailed, using more media terminology (ie. what are the connotations of your design choices for the audience?)