Image 5

Despite the dictionary there is nothing remotely good about this image. Firstly the background is unpleasant, it gives the impression that the pupil is imprisoned. The model  pose isn't effective nor relevant and looks very amateur. Lastly she is sat on a bin. This isn't a very positive reflection of the school as it could show that the students are careless and maybe even deviant. To improve this picture i would position the model on a bench, reading the book opposed to just holding it. This would portray the school in a completely different light by just altering these little things, it would make the students look studious and hardworking, but also the school environment would look adequate. It would also add to the professionalism of the magazine, and make the audience more inclined to buy it. 

Image 2, 3 & 4.

 In these images out intention was to make the outcome as un posed as it could be. By showing a student walking looking happy could emphasize the atmosphere at the school. The angle in which the images have been taken in are slightly diverse which makes the images a little more interesting.  However i don't believe there effective as it looks slightly absurd that there are no other students in the school. The exposure is to high which eliminates any detail, this does not make it look professional whatsoever. The background of the pictures don't show any signs of a school environment either, but also it inst the most attractive scenery. I don't believe this is relevant to the magazine or intriguing for the target audience. 

Image 1

This image shows a group of sixth former interacting and looking happy. However i don't think this will be suitable for my magazine front cover for a few reasons; the lighting is to dark so you cant see the students in detail. Not all the student acknowledging the camera which can look effective, however in this case it doesn't as there backs are completely turned. One student seems to behaving in a delinquent manner which would portray the school in the way i don't intent to.

Analysing two magazine covers

Firstly they both have large mastheads, this is important for any type of magazine as it is essential to make the title bold and apparent. In cover 1 the lettering hasn’t been sent back and is consequently covering some of the central image, on the other hand with cover two the writing has been placed with more professionalism. Although the image is hiding some of the masthead, the word is still easily detectable. They both have used colours which is a connotation of femininity. Cover one isn’t actually gender specified which could affect sales as on face value it is very girly. However cover 2 is specifically made for girls, therefore using colours such as purple and pink are suitable to their target audience.  The ‘cheerleader’ magazine includes a header, this is necessary as if it’s within a bunch of magazines it can be distinguished more easily. In contrary by not using this key feature it results in making the magazine look less professional and less likely to be eye catching.

The central image in cover one, looks as if it were taken on a digital camera/camera phone, this reduces the quality and doesn’t leave the best impression. The model doesn’t look significantly happy and probably wouldn’t grab anyone’s attentions. Opposed to this the image on cover two is of good quality and looks highly professional. The model is extremely attractive and happy; this will inspire people to buy the magazines as they could desire to look/be like this model. 

The cover lines on cover one is extremely sporadic, there is an apparent inconsistence within the typography and the layout is unimaginative. There is also a lack in cover lines, which doesn’t make a good impression to the reader as it could suggest that the magazine doesn’t entail a lot of information and it comes across very vague. The content of the cover lines aren’t particularly grabbing, which could instantly put people of buying the magazine. In cover two there are a wide range of different cover lines and plugs, this is affective as they give the impression that the magazine is jam packed with information. The format may be a little adventurous however it is suitable the theme which is being emphasised. The actual content is intriguing to the target audience, short snappy lines are used which are effective in the sense that they are easy to read and give out a lot of information with little words use.

Neither of the two covers have included the ‘3 colour principle’ however the consequence of this is miraculously different. In cover two it makes the magazine look more exiting and adventurous. Even though the colours are so diverse, they create a youthful vibe which is suitable for the target audience. On the other hand cover ones presentation looks somewhat careless, there intent of making it bright and trendy, has miserably failed. It has only resulted in it looking rushed with an excessive lack of imagination and organisation.

Mock up for a school magazine cover

This is the mock up for my school magazine cover, it was made on Microsoft publisher. Although it is basic, it makes it very clear of how i intent to set out my magazine. It also reflects the style i want to present which is professional, i believe this will have a better effect on the way the school is portrayed. 

The first thing which is usually depicted from a magazine cover is the masthead, this is why i decided to place it at the top center, by doing this it can be easily detected. The font i used is big and clear, it makes the magazine look slightly more formal. I have a logo on the left side of the masthead as it symbolizes the school.

Above the masthead i have included a header, which is a very important feature as it can provide basic information such as the school website or date. In contrary some magazines insert a snappy line or pun which make it more eye catching. I have used a barcode and price at the bottom right hand corner, although a basic feature, it is on any professional magazine, so i think its important to be on mine.

I will only use one central image on my magazine. My idea is to use older students standing outside the school gate, they will be smiling and laughing to create a happy atmosphere I will insure that is doesn't look to manipulated and make it look as natural as i can. I am doing this because i think it will show that the school is friendly and a happy place to be. The picture will be of medium close up as i want to feature some of the school in it to. 

On the left hand side i have my 3 cover lines and plugs. I have only used 3 as i want them all to be appreciated and i don't want it to look to messy. They will be short and snappy, though will provide intriguing information of the content of the magazine. I have gone for a smaller font, which is slightly different, this will make it more individual and will add to the look as whole. I then have used sell lines and 'puff lines' to make the magazine more appealing and youthful.

Finally for the color scheme i will be using the Misbourne colors as it is a key feature of the school and will deter from randomness. Red and blue are both primary colors which mean they will compliment each other well, i will use either black and white typography over the main colors as it will stand out. I have decided to stick with the 3 color principle as i believe it will make the cover as a whole look more attractive.  

Mood board 2

This mood board is just an array of my ideas scattered about. I have made sure to include features which are essential to my magazine cover.

I have used a range of pictures which explore different looks i could go for. Firstly a formal look, where i have one model, looking smart and rather serious. This would make my magazine look professional, although i question whether it would suit the target audience of which are school children. I then thought that a group of students looking happy and enjoying there learning could be effective, this would create an informal mood, however if its done without looking to posed it could work. I also included two gender specific sports, although i don't think it would be suitable as I only want one central image and don't want to come across bias. However i could shrink these images and still use them on the cover, although this may make it look slightly disorganized.

I have also involved a few extra feature which i think will benefit my cover. Firstly a barcode, which is a necessity as it will create a more professional look. I have used social networking signs, which i could then go onto say 'follow us on twitter' or 'like our Facebook' this will make the magazine more popular to the children its intended for, as using such sights has become a social norm to that age group. I have used the Misbourne logo, i believe this will personalize the cover and make it identifiable to the students. The special offer sign is important as especially youths will be more inclined to buy the magazine if they believe there getting something out of it, it immediately will catch there attention.

Overall this research has helped me deter the good ideas from the bad, and has made me come to decisions of the style of magazine i hope to produce and how i want it to be portrayed.

Mood board 1

I decided to use color swatches as this gave me an idea of which colors complimented each other. I used red and blue represent the school colors, this will make is easily distinguishable. Black is not only one of the few colors which go, however it will easily stand out and mastheads look more powerful in black. I personally think that the darker shades of red and blue will be most effective as they will create a professional look in which i'm going for.

I experimented with a few different pictures of eyes, this is because the name of the magazine will be 'The eye of the Misbourne'. By using a picture of an eye opposed to the word eye will make it more unique. Whilst exploring my options i came to the conclusion that a simple black and white eye will look a lot better. I also inserted the cloud and explosion shape as i hope to put them on my front cover,with snippets of information in them. I believe that this will instantly attract the audience to look at them, but also it will make the cover look more interesting.

I not only used a range of fonts, but also I explored different colors which go with the '3 color principle'. This helped me decide what is more attractive. I believe that using black will be more effective, but also to use a bold, easy to read font, so that there is not confusion of the title.

What have i learnt so far?

One of the first things i learnt was how to make a blog, but also what our blogs were to include. I had never used a blog before, so i learnt how. For example, i was taught how to add a post using pictures, how to change the layout of my blog and also how to alter a post. 

I then learnt key terminology of the features used on a front cover of a magazine. A header which is the writing at the very top of the cover which usually provides information about the date and the issue number. A masthead also known as the 'title', it usually defines the magazine and what everyone sees the magazine as. The central image, which is the main image on a magazine. Cover lines which are short snappy statements which give the reader an idea of what the magazine will include. Plugs which are extra information usually placed bellow the cover lines. Graphic features which are computer generated imagery. The 3 color principle, which is a theory bases on the color scheme which usually includes primary colors. Finally the barcode which is always located on the bottom right hand corner. 

We then went onto finding other school magazine covers and annotating them and giving our feedback. By doing this it really helped me understand the terminology and gave me an insight on what works well and what doesn't work well. I immediately found out that the header should be big and bold and a distinctive color in comparison to the rest of the magazine. I saw a range of different central images which helped me come to a conclusion to what looks good, for example the direction that the model is looking is very important. Before i never was aware of the graphical features but when analyzing i discovered it actually is a key part to making a magazine look professional. I learnt the importance of cover lines and how effective they really can be and how they take a big part in helping the reader decide whether to buy the magazine or not. Finally i discovered that the 3 color principle isn't actually used all the time, this can work well if the colors compliment each other and along as it doeskin look to messy, but if done wrong, it can make a magazine look extremely amateur. This task gave me ideas in which ill use when i do come to creating my magazine cover. 

Overall i believe i have sufficient knowledge in which will be portrayed in my own magazine cover, i have found these tasks extremely helpful in not only providing me with information but also helping me think of unique ideas to. 

Analysis for magazine 'Health and Fitness'

              Title; Health & Fitness                       Price; £3.70                       Frequency; Monthly

 Picture; The central image is of an attractive young women with a desirable body. She is wearinggym clothes with her abs out, this closely links with the title of the magazine, but will also inspire other young women to buy the magazine.

Front cover design; The header instantly draws you in 'love your body, love your life' this immediately will make people (especially women) pick up the magazine as they'll be intrigued as to how! The masthead is big and bold, and the color suggests the gender whom the magazine is for. It clearly states what will be in the content of the magazine but also w.ho it will appeal to. The cover lines aren't all the same color, however they are all bold and eye catching. They are in capital letters and the content is attractive "FIRM UP FAST". All the plugs are in black which makes them noticeable as they contrast the bright attractive colors. Although the 3 color principle hasn't been directly used, the cover is still inviting. There is a big clear sign at the top left corner which states "25% of oskia" this will be distinctive to shoppers before they even pick up the magazine, which will make people more likely to be drawn to it. All of the writing is specifically for women, and covers all aspects of their desires.

Inside the magazine; On the first page all the topics which will be further explored are stated. The subheadings are noticeable and intriguing eg; shape, eat smart, healthy etc. This immediately tells the reader what to expect throughout the magazine.

Editorial style and tone; By starting it of with a rhetorical question directly creates a connection between the editor and reader. The word 'frazzled' sets an informal tone. The editors language is not only casual but she has also used a number of effective language techniques like onomatopoeia, Such words like "sizzle" has been used to make the writing more interesting to read. The editor lists a number of articles which entail in the magazine, and attempt to appeal to all, eg; "or if you cant afford to" this makes the target audience bigger. By including snippets of the magazine followed by page number could persuade the reader to read on, The style of language is definitely for a female audience as it is very souped up and beautified.

Content; There is a huge range of content, from factual information to other readers stories. The factual information and knowledge given by experts allows the reader to build a certain amount of trust but also puts emphasis on the professionalism of the magazine. There are work out routines, which make it interactive, diet plans and recipes, clothing suggestions and much more. This makes it a fun read but also there are aspects for everyone.

Pictures; There are various different types of pictures used including;

1. Women- There are assorted pictures of young, happy women who are in shape. Some models and others who are readers of the magazine, this inspires the audience and gives them goals. By all the women being attractive could attract people to begin this lifestyles in order to be like them.

2. Healthy food- There is a great amount of pictures of healthy foods dotted around, this shows healthy food in a different light. By making it look attractive, could inspire others to eat well.

3. Sport- B including pictures of people doing a range of sports (some with step by step directions) makes exercise seem more doable. But also as there are so many features, there is bound to be one that will appeal to the reader.

Adverts; All adverts coincide with the idea of a healthy lifestyle. Whether they are healthy good, sportswear, beauty treatments etc. They are especially suitable for the target audience, as they will be more likely to buy such products.

Unique selling point; The magazine appears to be able to transform a woman's life in every possible way. As if its a secret way to happiness and good health.

Depth of articles; The articles are in depth and include a lot of knowledge, it appears that a lot of them are written by experts.

Vocabulary; There are a lot of adjectives which makes it more attractive and adds more detail.

Front analysis of a magazine

Front analysis of a magazine