First draft magazine cover - Pre Production(coursework)

For my first draft magazine cover, I imitated the magazine cosmopolitan. This was to inspire me and guide me how to create my first magazine draft. The mast head is in similar typeface to cosmopolitan and also similar colour. It takes up the whole width of the top of the cover. It is one of the main features of the cover and it engages the audience. It is in bright pink, making it eye catching and also so the audience notice it is a female magazine. The main image is the largest feature on the magazine. It is an image of Megan Fox which I retrieved off the internet. I chose this image because she is making full eye - contact, I identified that this draws the audience in after analyzing several magazines. I also chose this image because of the feminine posture/pose. Megan Fox is an actress that many women find attractive, I used this as an incentive to gain a higher audience. If the women find Megan Fox attractive or like her, they will want to read the magazine. The main coverline is '5 ways to attract him'. I put it in the colour black to make it stand out against the the colours in the background, also it is something that many women can relate to. I also think that 'Megan Fox reveals all about her deepest secrets' could be main coverline as it is big and it is the same colour as the mast head. I did this on purpose to show a link. The link is that this magazine issue would be based on Megan Fox as she is on the front cover.  The other coverlines(puffs) are female related such as '10 dresses to suit you figure' and '60 days till your dream body'. This promotes the magazines target audience as being females.



This is the cover I imitated for my own draft. I used similar colours for the masthead and coverlines as they are feminine colours. The main different is the amount of coverlines used. This cosmopolitan magazine has more covelines than my first draft. This is because I believe that it looks more sophisticated with less coverlines, and I want to aim my magazine at more sophisticated women. I used the 'fresh fashion 405...' sticker on my magazine as I like what it looks like and it adds something different into the cover instead of just plain coverlines. The coverlines used on this magazine gave me an idea of what coverlines I could use on mine. Both main images are making full eye contact and are both well known, attractive celebrities. Also, both magazines have an article about the person who is on the main image.

Analysis of magazine covers - Pre Production(coursework)

Firstly, the masthead of this magazine cover is the 2^nd biggest feature on this page and takes up the whole width of the top ¼ of the page. It is a golden sand colour to compromise the background of the sea/beach. The typeface of the masthead is the same on every issue of this magazine, making it recognisable and a branding/logo of the magazine. Also, the dateline is just below the E, very small font but we can still identify it due to its position under the masthead. The main image is the biggest feature on the magazine cover. It stands out compared to anything else on the page, especially due to Rihanna’s red hair. Rihanna is making full eye contact. This is a technique that magazines use to draw the audience in. The cover has many coverlines, the main one being ‘Worlds most beautiful bodies’. This makes the audience, especially women as this magazine is target it women, want to read it as some women feel the need to have a body like celebrity to be seen as attractive. Rihanna is known to have an attractive body so this acts as an incentive for the readers. The magazine cover is split into thirds horizontally. The first third is cover lines; the second the main image, and the third part is  cover lines again. This is good because it doesn’t draw the attention away from the main image but the cover lines are still noticeable. The coverlines are all related to the main coverline, which is about body image. The other coverlines (puffs) are also about body image and being healthy. For example, ‘Fashion to flatter every figure’ and ‘eat yourself happy’.

The second magazine I am analyzing is ELLE magazine, which is similar to vogue but maybe slightly lower on the social economic model prior to it look less sophisticated than Vogue. The layout of the magazine is very similar though. The masthead is large and at the top of the page catching the readers eye. The colour of it matches the colour scheme of the page. It is the same on every issue of this magazine so it acts as a logo/branding for the magazine making it recognisable. The main image is the feature, which draws the reader in as it is the biggest feature of the cover and Jennifer Aniston is making full eye contact. Her body language is very feminine especially as her hair has been made to ‘blow in the wind’. She is dressed very sophisticated. Jennifer Aniston is known to be sophisticated, this can be due to her age. Her head is in the centre of the page, in between the two 'LL'. This makes it the first thing the reader notices along with the mast head. The main coverline is 'Jennifer'. This is a link to the main image as the image is of Jennifer Aniston. The other coverlines(puffs) are female related as the magazine is targeted at females. For example, 'clear skin now' and '100 boots, heels and flats'. The magazine has a colour scheme. It is shades of grey, and black on a white background. This gives it a sophisticated look.

The final magazine I have chosen to analyse is GQ, which is a mens fashion magazine. The mast head is in the top left hand corner. It is an appropriate size so that the reader can see it. It is in a boyish and bold font. The main image is the largest feature on the magazine cover. Channing Tatum is making full eyecontact, drawing the reader in. He is sorting his tie out to make himself look 'smooth'. The readers will want to read his magazine to make themselves look like/be a gentleman like Channing Tatum. The main coverline is 'Man of the Year'. It is in bold font. All the coverlines(puffs) are in the same font. This makes it look tidy and neat and also sophisticated. The main colours used are grey, yellow, black and white.  

 

Analysing Magazine Covers

Male Orientated Magazine

 Masthead 

The masthead of this magazine is the biggest feature on the page excluding the main image. It is the same type face on every issue of this magazine and is also in the same place. This makes the magazine recognisable to its readers. It can be used as a logo for advertising and branding. The font is very boyish and the colours are masculine. Also, they are colours of the American flag as this is an American magazine.

 Main image

 The main image is of Channing Tatum, who is involved in this issue of GQ as shown on one of the cover lines. He is making full eye-contact with us, drawing us in. The image is a suitable size as it is big enough to catch our attention on the news stand but not too big that we can't see the coverlines. The main image slightly covers the masthead but it doesn't make any impact as the audience already know the magazine as the part of the masthead we can see is recognisable.  The main image is in the centre of the page as it is the main feature of the magazine and it is what is going to get the readers attention. Channing Tatum is wearing a suit and looking 'smooth'. This is the look many men aim for.

Coverlines

The coverlines are in the same font around the main image making it look organized. They are in different colours so that the reader can see the different topics within the magazine. This magazine is aimed at men. I can identify this from the coverline 'Every Girl's Crazy About A Sharp Dressed Man'. This shows that inside the magazine the men can get ideas on how to dress in impress women. Plus the main image is a man and masculine colours have been used. The age of the target audience for this magazine would be from 20 - 45 as it is showing how to dress smart and be a gentlemen.

Female Orientated Magazine

Masthead

The mast head of this magazine cover is in a sophisticated font. It is at the top of the page so it is easy for the audience to see, although it is covered by the head of the model, it is still recognisable due to the continuous use of the same typeface for very issue of this magazine. The black stands out against the pink/purple background.

Main image

The main image of this magazine is of a well known celebrity Rihanna. Many females look up to Rihanna for her looks/style so putting her on the front cover acts as an incentive to the readers especially because she is known for her style and beauty(hair, makeup). She is making full eye contact to gain the readers attention. The colours on the main image compromise the colours used on the background, giving it a major feel of feminism. The image is an appropriate size for the magazine. Rihanna is wearing fashionable and stylish clothes, which is how many readers of this magazine want to dress.

Coverlines

The main cover line is 'His Secret Sex Spots'. This is a female topic as many women talk about their sex life with friends but may not want to ask about these sort of things so they feel that they can turn to the magazine to ease the curiosity and get answers. The coverlines(puffs) are mainly about female issues such as breast problems, man issues and beauty. The cover lines are in white, black, and pink. These all compromise eachother and are subtle colours. The coverlines are around the main image so it doesn't drift out attention from the model.

Compare and contrast between female and male orientated magazines

Both magazines have the model making full eye contact, both magazines draw their readers in straight away by doing this.  The body language of the models is differet on the magazines. On the male orientated magazine, Channing Tatum is standing proud and has a very masculine facial expresson. On the female orientated magazine, Rihanna is posing quite seductively but innocent.  The models on the main image are gender appropriate to the magazine, stereotypically, a man should be on a male magazine and a female should be on a female magazine. Firstly, the colours used on each magazine are different. The male orientated magazine uses masculine and boyish colours whereas the female orientated magazine uses feminine and girly colours. This represents to the reader what gender the magazine is aimed at. The font used on each cover is also different. On the male orientated magazine, the font is blunt, boyish and bold, also, the same font is used for each coverline.  On the female orientated magazine, the font is sophisticated and floaty. Several fonts are used on the coverlines. This shows a distinct seperation between the different topics inside the magazine. The topics inside the magazine relate to the readers of that specific magazine. On both magazines, the mast head is located at the top of the front cover. This is a recognisable and familiar place to put a mast head. On the male orientated magazine, the mast head is short and simple but is in different colours. This makes it more eye catching as it is short.  On the female orientated magazine, the mast head is long and one colour. It still stands out due to is length and it takes up the who length of the top of the front cover.