Magazine Coventions

1
Magazine Construction

• Student Copy

2
Conventions

• What you get on front covers

3
1.
Masthead
8.
Selling Line or Banner
Web-links? Ears?
9.
Tagline
2.
Kicker
10.
Feature Article Photo
3.
Cover Line
11.
Headline
12.
Anchorage
4.
Secondary Lead
13.
Flash
14.
Menu Strip
5.
Plug
6.
Graphic Feature or Puff
FREE Live music downloads
15.
Bar Code
16.
Date Line
Caption
7.
4
1.
Masthead
8.
Selling Line or Banner
Web-links? Ears?
9.
Tagline
2.
Kicker
10.
Feature Article Photo
3.
Cover Line
11.
Headline
12.
Anchorage
13.
Flash
14.
Menu Strip
15.
Bar Code
16.
Date Line
5
Conventions Notes

• NME sounds like Enemy, suggests imposing or
  against the traditional pop music which is
  fitting as they specialise in Indie Music. It is
  also located at the top left corner, hidden away
  - I can infer that this could reflect how indie
  bands arent well known.
• The Anchorage The New American Invasion links
  in with the background as it looks the American
  flag. The NME logo has been recolored blue to
  re-enforce this. Due to the messy looking art
  style I can infer that the main feature of this
  magazine is looking at punk or grungy
  American bands. This is further re-enforced by
  the bored, unfocused looking direct mode of
  address shown by the main image.

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7
Noticing Conventions

• What does the masthead tell you about the
  magazine?
• How does the anchorage help to create meaning
  with the photo?
• Do the graphic features tell you anything about
  the style of the magazine?
• Does the way things are phrased or designed
  (including taglines, flashes, quotes etc) give
  you hints about lifestyle the audience and
  artists are expected to have?
• Do the fonts and colours communicate a certain
  style or approach?
• What impression do you get about the artist
  judging by the photographic styles and techniques
  e.g. positioning, mode of address etc.?
• How does it arrange the space on the page to tell
  you what is most important?
• How do the kickers and cover lines work?
• What is missing from the list of conventions and
  is that significant i.e. is it less important?

8
Design

• How front covers are conceived and laid out

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11
Direct mode of address can appear in yer face,
serious, warm
Indirect mode of address can be mysterious,
lively, sombre
Creates a wacky, fun image, sharing an identity
with the reader that offers the independence of
indie music.
Enigma what are they getting up to now?
12
House Style Design Notes

• COLOUR - Is a colour scheme used? Is it the same
  with every issue or switch according to the
  images? Is there a pattern as to where colour is
  used? Does colour have its own meaning?
• FONTS - Roughly how many different fonts (not
  sizes) are used? Can you link the same fonts
  with the same conventions?
• STYLE - What look and feel is created? How much
  does the cover image contribute to this? What
  photographic techniques are used? Describe the
  mode of address and overall look e.g.
  invitational, mysterious etc. Is a theme used
  e.g. futuristic? Does an enigma prompt the
  reader to ask questions?
• USE OF SPACE - How has the rule of thirds been
  used? Does the left-third dominate? Is the use
  of space typical e.g. masthead top-left, headline
  sitting at the bottom of the mid-third etc.? Is
  it spread out, blocky, chaotic? Is there any
  dead space or white space?
• CONCLUDE Why do you think it is designed as it
  is? Does it reinforce or challenge the typical
  conventions? Is it poster-style, busy , loud,
  inyerface, smooth, slick, stylish, fun etc.?

13
House Style Conventions
The NME magazine uses a colour scheme of
primarily black and red, however In some cases
the colour scheme has been changed in order to
fit the feature article photo, for instance,
recolored blue to look like the American flag.
The red and black colours convey a sense of
danger and edgy-ness. The magazine uses a wide
variety of fonts to make the magazine stand out
and look more appealing. Sometimes the font
re-enforces the anchorage text. Lily Allens
quote I cant keep on living like this, is
reflected by the stressful, misshapen, insane
looking font on the headline. Rule of thirds has
been used throughout the covers the logo is
always positioned at the top left of the magazine
and images have been aligned appropriately so
that little white space has been used. The left
third of the magazine is usually taken up by
cover lines or puffs. The magazine uses a medium
close up image of the band with direct mode of
address giving a mysterious, uncaring or inviting
impression depending on genre or gender of band.
In conclusion the magazine has a busy yet clean
look, a lot of information is given the but never
cluttered.