AS

Preliminary Evaluation
Jack Garland
Analysis of magazine front covers:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of media products?
Masthead
Main image
Set colour scheme
Barcode
Cover lines
Main cover line
Rule of thirds
Branding
Splash
1) Analysis of magazine front covers:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of media products?
When designing my front cover, I followed the majority of codes and conventions that are applied to magazines
throughout the industry. The first thing I added to my magazine was a main image that was suited to the rule of
thirds, something that my magazine has in common with the front cover of GQ Magazine. My main image is a
medium shot, where as GQ has used a medium long shot. Either shot fits well into the code and conventions of
magazine covers. I then added the masthead in the top left hand corner, but in a size that includes it in the upper
left hotspot, something that GQ has also done, however, their masthead is partially hidden behind the main
image, where as mine is not, as I didnt want my masthead to be obstructed by the main image. On my magazine
front cover I applied a very basic colour scheme of a black masthead and then white text for the cover lines to
contrast the main image. GQ has also applied a colour scheme, which suites the colours of the main image as
well. I added emphasis to my main cover line by increasing the size of it and placing it at the top of the cover lines
so that it is the first one the target audience looks at, which is simple, yet effective. On top of this, it is also placed
within a hotspot, thus drawing the target audiences eye. GQs main cover line is in the top right hand corner of
the magazine, and is also in bold to draw attention to it, again, simple yet effective. I included a barcode on the
front cover as per codes and conventions, which contrasts the main image, but is placed in dead space at the
bottom right of the magazine, an area which the target audience will look to last. This issue of GQ doesnt include
a barcode on the front cover and is most likely on the rear page of the magazine. I didnt put a price on the front
of my magazine cover as it is a free student magazine, but I could have mentioned this somewhere on the cover
to make it clear to the target audience. GQ doesnt reveal a price on the front cover either, as it would most likely
ruin the scheme that they are trying to portray, which is sharp and smart overall. On my magazine front cover I
have used a very simple prop which is a Student ID card, which represents that the magazine is a student
magazine. I could however, have added a folder or a more appropriate prop, as the ID card is quite subtle. GQ
magazine has also used a prop, which is a microphone, as Kendrick Lamar, the main image, is a rapper. The
denotation from my magazine is that it is a student magazine, as the front cover features words such as college,
and university. The connotation of this is that the target audience can presume that the magazine will include
content of that sort. The denotation of GQ is that it is a mens magazine about male celebrities, and the
connotation of this is that it will include information about their lifestyle and what they do. The font I used for my
front cover masthead is called Facile Sans and I decided to use this font for the masthead as it is smart and bold,
meaning it stands out as the masthead itself. I used a sort of branding for my magazine in that I used the same
masthead and style for both my front cover and contents page. GQ has done the same thing with the masthead
in that it is easily identifiable and can be considered a brand. GQ also used a small splash on the lower right
hotspot which is something I could have implemented into my magazine, but I didnt feel that it would suit the
style of magazine that I was aiming for overall. The overall mise-en-scene for my front cover suggests that it is a
student magazine, as the background is a campus, which I could have made more obvious, by taking a
photograph near one of the college building signs and the cover lines and props also suggest the same thing. The
mise-en-scene for GQ suggests that it is a smart and clean cut magazine, as suggested by the white background
and formal attire seen on the cover.
1) Analysis of magazine contents page:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of media products?
Columns
Images
Frames
Advertisement
(Familiar brand)
Social media
Masthead
Editorial
Date
Colour scheme
Page reference
Page summary
Rule of thirds
Branding
1) Analysis of magazine contents page:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of media products?
When designing my contents page, I first included my masthead in the top left hotspot. This is something that GQ has also
done, as per codes and conventions. When including my cover page articles into the contents page, I separated them into
columns. Codes and conventions usually suggests that it be split into either two or three columns. I split mine into two,
where as GQ decided to split theirs into three, which is most likely due to the amount of images they included on their
contents page. I only included one image in mine, as it is the only one that relates to an article. The shot I used for my
only image was a medium shot, including the upper torso of the person in the shot. GQ has used varying shots such as a
close up, or long shot. I chose to frame this image to make it stand out against my background, where as GQ decided not
to. I didnt include a editorial where as GQ did. I think that I shouldnt have added one as it would be inappropriate for my
magazine, as it is not supposed to be entirely formal as it is aimed at students, who are usually younger that the target
audience for GQ. Another thing that GQ applied to their design that I did not was a date of issue. I didnt add one as it is
a weekly magazine, but I should have added an indication of this in my overall design. In my contents page I had reference
to social media, as well as an advertisement, which is something that GQ didnt add. This may be due to the genre of the
magazine and its target audience. I also included page references next to my image in order to guide the target audience
to the page of the relating article. This is also something that GQ has done, as it is a common feature in codes and
conventions when in reference to magazine contents pages. On my contents page, I have also included a page summary
next to each of my article numbers to give the target audience a summary of what they can expect to find on that page.
This is also something that GQ has implemented for presumable the same reason. I carried over my colour scheme from
my front cover, which was a simple back and white to make the articles and their summary easy to read. GQ has stayed
with a smart yet colourful theme for their magazine. Again, I used the rule of thirds on my contents page, as my only
image falls into one of the hotspots and so do my articles. GQ have also implemented a rule of thirds as well, as their
article summaries and a few of their images are included in these hotspots. The editorial is also included in the lower right
hotspot. Something I could have changed in relation to my use of rule of thirds is the advertisements that I have included
in the lower right area in which there is dead space. It may not be the main aim of the contents page to plug organisations
such as twitter or costa coffee, but it is something that students may enjoy, and they are my target audience. The font I
used for my contents page is called Facile Sans and I used this font due to the smart look that is gave my masthead, and
how legible the font itself was. GQ have decided on a similar looking font for their masthead on the contents page, and it
is most likely for the same reason, in that it makes the masthead easy to read, but also provided a sleek and smart look
for the magazine. Again, I have used a form of branding as I have provided the same masthead and house style for my
contents page as I did with my front cover. GQ has again done the same thing with the masthead of the magazine. The
mise-en-scene for my contents page is similar to that of my front cover, in that it suggests that the magazine is aimed at
students. The person in the image is a student, although again, I could have used props to make this clear, and the
background is a classroom with various things such as PCs in it. GQs contents page has more than one specific mise-en-
scene as it has multiple shots, but they suggest the same thing as the front cover, which is that the magazine is clean cut
and formal, as a man in a suit is featured and it uses black and white in the majority.
2) Technology overview
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this
product?
Whilst I have been working on my front cover and contents page for my magazine
design, I have learnt how to perform various tasks with multiple pieces of technology.
When I first started work on my magazine, the first thing I learnt how to do was to
transfer JPEG images from a digital camera to my home drive via USB. Another key skill
I learnt was how to proficiently use Photoshop in order to create my front cover and
contents page designs. I learnt how to perform numerous tasks in Photoshop such as:
Cropping images
Inserting text boxes
Inserting shapes
Adjusting vibrancy within photographs
Using the magic wand to remove unwanted backgrounds
Using layers effectively
This skills allowed me to finish my designs to a degree of which I found suitable. Another
thing that I learnt how to do in the process of designing these magazines is DaFont.
DaFont is a website that provides font and I learnt how to remove the fonts from the
website and then insert them into my Photoshop document in order to create the
masthead for my magazine. I found the tasks mentioned quite easy to do, as I found
the skills and pieces of technology easy to perform and use.