Conventions - Kerrang

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
Conventions Notes

• e.g.
• Connotations of the Masthead
• What meaning is added with the interaction
  between anchorage and photos
• What lifestyles are hinted at in taglines,
  kickers and use of language in general
• What is regarded as most important on the cover
  and why you think this is
• What tone / type of language is used

5
Design

• How front covers are conceived and laid out

6
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7
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?
8
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.?

9

• The masthead looks like it has been shattered
  which could imply being shattered by loud music.
  The tagline life is loud then emphasises this
  even more.
• The anchorage on the cover I selected says
  sometimes I feel like being secluded. This is
  then reinforced by the feature photo of Billie
  Joe Armstrong as he is isolated and the lighting
  is dull.
• I think that the headline is considered the most
  important because thats the biggest story in the
  magazine so therefore the main attraction to make
  people buy it.
• The main tone on the cover of Kerrang! is direct
  and straight to the point.

10
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11
1.
Masthead
8.
Selling Line or Banner
Tagline
9.
3. Cover Line
4.
Secondary Lead
Feature Article Photo
10.
Caption
7.
6.
Graphic Feature/Puff
11.
Headline
12.
Anchorage
5.
Plug
16.
Date Line
14.
Menu Strip
13.
Flash
12
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?

13
On the front cover of this edition of Kerrang!,
there is a black and yellow colour scheme because
Hayley (feature article photo) is wearing a black
and yellow t shirt. The colour scheme tends to
change with each new edition of the magazine
depending on the feature photo that is used.
There seems to be a similar font used for all
of the kickers and flashes and then a different
one used for the captions and cover
lines. Kerrang! is usually known for being very
vibrant and in your face but in this cover, it
is a little bit more subdued and quiet. The
rule of thirds has been used well in this front
cover because in the left third, there are most
of the kickers and cover lines, in the top third,
there is the masthead, in the middle top, there
is the face of the person in the feature article
photo. I think this cover is designed as it is
because it fits in with the conventions of all
the other Kerrang! magazines. It is set out in a
poster style and is very loud and in your face.

14
On pretty much every cover of Kerrang! the
selling line and the menu strip tend to follow
the same colour scheme with the text colour and
the background colour. On this cover, there
have been many different fonts used for different
parts like on the menu strip and the
headline. There seems to be a very chilled theme
to this issue of the magazine as the feature
photo doesnt appear to be too serious. Also, the
colour blue can be a relaxing colour and the
features in the feature photo, the menu strip and
also the selling line. Rule of thirds has been
used well on this cover. For example, the
masthead is in the top third, the headline is in
the middle third and the faces of the people in
the photo are all in the top third with the hand
sign being put onto an epicentre point. It isnt
too chaotic and there isnt any white space.

15
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, interface, smooth,
slick, stylish, fun etc.?