Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Monday, 24 November 2014
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Case study part 1: Colour in magazines
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
The target audience of this magazine is mainly teenagers who listen to rock music.
Analyse the front cover of your chosen magazine
5 colours are used on the cover of this magazine. Although this seems like quite a lot, it's very organised which shows that it follows a strict colour theme. This gives it a sense of organised chaos which is very exciting. Adding to this excitement is the fact that the colours all work together, some allowing others to stand out more and emphasize on certain aspects of the cover.
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The colours used are:
The colour purple is also a symbol of independence. Considering that the target audience is mainly composed of teenagers who are looking for independence, this attracts them in the same way as the previous colours attract power-searching readers. This colour also provides the magazine with a sense of luxury and even royalty.
Purple and black are both very mysterious colours. The use of them on the cover arouses the curiosity of readers and compels them to read further.
Red alone is a very intense colour. It's strong and powerful and evokes multiple different emotions. In this case, it represents determination, passion, energy, strength, power, and danger. These emotions are all very relatable and familiar to teenagers, especially rock-orientated ones who are the target audience of this magazine. It's what they like and what they're used to, therefore making the magazine really attractive to them.
Energy is another emotion that attracts the target audience. They like loud, energetic music and therefore the use of the colours red and yellow (which are symbols of this emotion) catch their attention.
Yellow also evokes sensations of joy and happiness giving the magazine a lighter side instead of making it all dark and heavy.
Adding to this lightness, the colour white gives the magazine a more pure and innocent side. This contrasts with the other colours which makes it stand out. It gives the magazine a sense of perfection.
The colours white and yellow are used to emphasise particular information. Yellow is considered the colour that stands out the most when paired with black; this combination is often used to issue warnings. Because of this, the use of yellow to emphasise certain words is very effective. The white is also extremely effective seeing as it's, in a way, the 'opposite' of the colour black making it stand out and attract the attention of viewers.
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Analyse the colour that is used in the magazine
The main colours of the cover story are purple, yellow, and white. This is a continuation of the front cover where the cover line is written in white and yellow and Ozzy Osbourne is seen with purple glasses and a purple ring. This provides the magazine with a sense of continuity and regularity.
Planning : I'm going to try to use specific colours with connotations of energy and fun that work well with the genre of my magazine and relate to my target audience as these can subconsciously attract readers or provoke certain emotions from them.
I'm also going to stick to a particular colour pallette throughout my magazine to create a sense of familiarity for readers and not catch them offguard or confuse them.
The target audience of this magazine is mainly teenagers who listen to rock music.
1) Colour in Magazines
Analyse the front cover of your chosen magazine
5 colours are used on the cover of this magazine. Although this seems like quite a lot, it's very organised which shows that it follows a strict colour theme. This gives it a sense of organised chaos which is very exciting. Adding to this excitement is the fact that the colours all work together, some allowing others to stand out more and emphasize on certain aspects of the cover.
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The colours used are:
- Black: power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery
- White: light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity; considered to be the colour of perfection.
- Red: energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination, passion, desire, and love
- Yellow: joy, happiness, intellect, and energy
- Purple: power, nobility, luxury, ambition, wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic
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The colours black, red, and purple are all symbols of power. This makes the magazine seem strong and subconsciously attracts readers who are attracted to power themselves.
The colour purple is also a symbol of independence. Considering that the target audience is mainly composed of teenagers who are looking for independence, this attracts them in the same way as the previous colours attract power-searching readers. This colour also provides the magazine with a sense of luxury and even royalty.
Purple and black are both very mysterious colours. The use of them on the cover arouses the curiosity of readers and compels them to read further.
Red alone is a very intense colour. It's strong and powerful and evokes multiple different emotions. In this case, it represents determination, passion, energy, strength, power, and danger. These emotions are all very relatable and familiar to teenagers, especially rock-orientated ones who are the target audience of this magazine. It's what they like and what they're used to, therefore making the magazine really attractive to them.
Energy is another emotion that attracts the target audience. They like loud, energetic music and therefore the use of the colours red and yellow (which are symbols of this emotion) catch their attention.
Yellow also evokes sensations of joy and happiness giving the magazine a lighter side instead of making it all dark and heavy.
Adding to this lightness, the colour white gives the magazine a more pure and innocent side. This contrasts with the other colours which makes it stand out. It gives the magazine a sense of perfection.
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The colours white and yellow are used to emphasise particular information. Yellow is considered the colour that stands out the most when paired with black; this combination is often used to issue warnings. Because of this, the use of yellow to emphasise certain words is very effective. The white is also extremely effective seeing as it's, in a way, the 'opposite' of the colour black making it stand out and attract the attention of viewers.
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Analyse the colour that is used in the magazine
The same 5 colours are used throughout the whole magazine. This provides it with a sense of organisation and stability, allowing the reader to get comfortable and familiar with the magazine.
Each article has its own colour palette composed of between 2 and 4 of the 5 main colours. This makes it look like a sort of organised chaos since the articles don't all look the same but they follow a vague colour scheme.
The colour of the text from the articles varies between black and white which is very basic and easy to take in. It doesn't overwhelm readers or distract them from what's being said. The colours red, purple, and yellow are mainly used for headlines or to highlight or emphasise certain words and phrases. They draw the reader's attention to the most important or interesting information to encourage them to read the article.
The main colours of the cover story are purple, yellow, and white. This is a continuation of the front cover where the cover line is written in white and yellow and Ozzy Osbourne is seen with purple glasses and a purple ring. This provides the magazine with a sense of continuity and regularity.
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Planning : I'm going to try to use specific colours with connotations of energy and fun that work well with the genre of my magazine and relate to my target audience as these can subconsciously attract readers or provoke certain emotions from them.
I'm also going to stick to a particular colour pallette throughout my magazine to create a sense of familiarity for readers and not catch them offguard or confuse them.
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Monday, 13 October 2014
Case study part 2: Front cover
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
2)Analysing the front cover of a magazine
The main image on the cover is of Ozzy Osbourne. It's part of the cover story called 'Welcome to the Madhouse'. The image is placed right in the middle of the cover and takes up the whole page, immediately attracting attention and symbolizing it's importance. It's a very powerful and energetic image, encouraging rockers (who are the target audience) to buy the magazine.
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The title 'Kerrang!' is very attractive to the target audience because it's just one word. It's short, energetic and sharp. The use of capitalization and the exclamation mark at the end emphasise the energy and further attract readers.
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The cover lines are mainly band names such as 'Asking Alexandria' and 'Black Veil Brides'. This is simple and to the point and showing that it's not a very "flowery" magazine. It gives readers what they want in a way that's quick and easy for them to read. It also attracts people who see their favorite band's name on the cover and immediately become interested in the magazine.
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The language used on the cover is informal and colloquial, just like in the rest of the magazine. There are words like 'awesome', 'f**k' and 'kick-ass'. This attracts the target audience because it's the language they are used to and it makes them feel comfortable with the magazine. There is also informal language like 'would you lick their Pringles?'. This is relaxed and humoristic and makes it seem as though the writer is talking to a friend, thus attracting readers.
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The average price of a magazine is £3.00 but 'Kerrang!' is below average at only £2.20. This reflects the target audience as they are teenagers and don't have a lot of money to spend on a magazine. £2.20 is a reasonable price for them to pay for a magazine.
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Planning: I'm going to try to include a lot of photos and cover lines on my cover as different things attract different people and it makes it seem more interesting and energetic. It could also make people think that there's a lot to gain from the magazine making it worth the money. The price of my magazine will be around the same as that of Kerrang! as my target audience are teenagers who don't have a lot of money to spend on magazines.
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Sunday, 12 October 2014
Case study part 3: Contents page
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
3) Analysing the Contents page of a magazine
3) Analysing the Contents page of a magazine
The contents page lists all the features of the magazine by separating them into different categories: news, feedback, features, shots, lives, albums, gig guide and the ultimate rockstar test. The list is very organized with the title of the article, the page number and the occasional brief.
The page is covered in photos of bands including in the actual list of features. This makes the magazine seem fun and exciting and attracts the target audience, especially if they see one of their favorite bands.
The feature section of the list is emphasized on by being highlighted in a purple box. The use of shadowing makes it seem like it's popping out of the page which puts it in an important position and attracts the attention of the readers.
4 colours are used to list the features
- The title of each category is written in yellow on a black background. This combination is usually used for warnings therefore presenting its importance.
- The article headings and any additional information are written in black which is very simple and doesn't steer the attention away from what is written.
- The page numbers are in red which makes them stand out and easy to find.
- The colour purple is used to emphasise the features. This could be because purple is considered a very luxurious colour therefore making the features seem rich and important.
The category names and the article headings are all capitalized making them stand out. The headings are also in bold adding to this effect. In a way, this makes them seem energetic and this energy attracts readers.
The language used on the Contents page is informal and colloquial. There are phrases like 'tearing up the U.S like a big teary-uppy machine', 'hamster ball thing', 'widdly-widdly-wheeee' and 'um, okay'. This makes the connection between reader and writer seem like a very friendly and relaxed one where they can say anything to each other. The language used is language that would usually be used by the target audience, therefore making them feel at home with the magazine.
Saturday, 11 October 2014
Case study part 4: Double page spread
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
The double page spread of this magazine is about Ozzy Osbourne. It takes up 6 pages in the magazine.
On the cover, the article is referred to as 'Through The Keyhole At Home With...'. The word "keyhole" has connotations of secrets and hidden treasures, this makes readers feel like they're going to find out some interesting, personal things about Osbourne and his life. The word "home" gives them a sense of comfort and tranquility. It also makes them feel closer to him as, in a sense, they'll be "entering" his personal and private space.
The title on the first page of the actual DPS is "Welcome to the Madhouse". It's written in large, capital letters with almost each word in a different colour which catches the reader's eye as soon as they open the page. This means that the first word they read is "welcome" which makes them feel like they've been invited in and encourages them to continue reading.
The word "Madhouse" is the biggest on the page and is written in a cracked font. This emphasizes the meaning and connotations of the word. It questions the mental stability of the focus of the article, here Osbourne, and also suggests that the house is "crazy". This could make readers want to know more and read further. It's also a reference to his recently released autobiography entitled "Memoirs of a Madman". This is almost like an inside joke with his fans as it's something they understand and relate to which makes it feel more personal but it also doesn't alienate people who aren't necessarily his fans because it's not specific to him.
The photo takes up both pages, putting Osbourne in the center. This emphasizes his importance and makes his image seem larger. His arms are open which adds to the feeling of being welcome. It looks as if he's opening his arms to readers, inviting them in. It could also mean that he's opening up, revealing his secrets and showing the real him. He's screaming into the air which works with the word "madhouse" to make it seem like he's crazy. In a way, this pokes at the curiosity of readers making them want to know more.
The black textbox is an introduction to the article. Highlighting it in black shows its importance and tells readers that it's the first thing they should read.
They make the article seem special by saying that "invitations like this don't come every day". This makes it seem like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to read an article like this making it unique and appealing. Also, describing Osbourne as the "Prince of Darkness" and the man who "bit the head off a bat" makes him seem like an interesting character thus making readers want to know more. They also mention a few things they saw in his house (e.g. "dogs", "black magic" etc.) which is like a teaser to the article. Ending it with "..." not only symbolizes that there's more to know, but also leaves a feeling of suspense, almost ending the introduction on a cliffhanger. Evidently, both factors work together and are attributes in making people want to read the article.
The second page of the DPS has a lot more writing. It's the page with the main article on it as it's in between the first page which is the introduction and the last which is the conclusion. This makes the feature seem almost like a separate book inside of the magazine making it more important.
There are still multiple images with the writing so that it doesn't just look like a page of writing which, for many people, can seem unattractive and make them want to skip the page. The photos show Osbourne in different parts of his house.
The main image which is the background image of the DPS and placed right in the middle is of him sitting on a chair. It looks almost as though he's sitting on a throne, putting him in a very high position and showing his importance. He's looking directly at the camera. The effect of this is that it seems like he's looking the viewer right in the eye. This makes it a lot more personal and direct. He's also pointing at the viewer which adds to this effect and also makes the reader feel important and more involved; it makes them feel like the article is directed at them.
The editor of the magazine takes a quote from the article and places it in the middle of the page in large font away from any other writing. This really makes it stand out on the page and makes it the first thing someone would read when looking at the page. They take an interesting part of the article so that when a reader looks at it, it makes them want to find out more and read the whole article.
The "Even More Ozzy" bubble is a way for them to get readers more involved and promote other aspects of Kerrang! They explain that Kerrang! Radio will be playing his songs which encourages fans to listen to it and also gives people who might not have known much about him before reading the article the chance to discover his music. This gives them more listeners, making them more popular and bringing in more money.
The "Enter The Madhouse" bubble is the same. It pushes readers to check out the website giving them more viewers. Readers can have an interactive tour of Osbourne's house online which makes them more involved. By linking the article to their website and their radio channel, Kerrang! are building a closer and more involved fan base. This helps them in keeping the magazine going even in a time where most people would prefer to just look online because it's not simply a magazine but a collection of different medias working together and creating a family.
The arrow at the bottom of the page tells readers that there's more to see. It encourages them to turn the page and keep reading. The phrase "Now head into Ozzy's bunker" suggests that they haven't seen anything yet and that the best is still to come. It catches the curiosity of the reader and makes them want to read on.
The final page of the DPS is a lot more fun and interactive. There are no big blocks of writing but there are small boxes of information about specific things you can find in his house.
At the top of the page there's a bit of information about the "Through the Keyhole" feature in general. The title gets bigger and bigger resembling the form of a telescope. This symbolises the fact that they're looking closer into the lives of stars almost like they're spying on them.
There's an exclamation mark after the "K" of keyhole. This refers to the title of the magazine, "Kerrang!". There are other articles throughout the magazine where it's refered to as "K!". Using that signe here makes it very personal to the magazine. It symbolises the fact that it's their idea for a feature and something specific to them that you wouldn't be able to find elswhere.
Underneath the title there are a few lines briefly summarising what the feature's about and what its aim is. The use of a rhetorical question - "But what do their homes look like?" - provokes thought fromt the reader and makes them want to know the answer, thus making them read further. The phrase "Join us" makes it sound like the writer's talking to a friend. The reader is receiving an invitation from the magazine which encourages them to read further. The word "exclusive" suggests that this is the only place they will have the opportunity to do this thus making it seem special and interesting. The word "journey" suggests that the reader will be discovering new things and growing in a knowledge of culture, this also draws them in and makes them want to read more.
At the bottom of the page there's an introduction to this DPS in particular. Ozzy Osbourne's name is written in big highlighted in purple. This attracts attention to his name and introduces the subject of the DPS. "The Prince of Darkness" is a reference to one of Osbourne's albums released in 2005. This attracts his fans who know about the album but could also just be seen as a nickname for him, therefore not leaving out people who don't know about it. The word "darkness" has connotations of mystery and hidden secrets, arousing the curiosity of readers. This makes the thought of finding out more very appealing and exciting to them.
There's also an introduction to the room from Osbourne himself. This makes readers feel like he's personally inviting them in, replacing any thoughts of intruding his privacy with comfort and excitment. As seen in the rest of the DPS, he uses very informal and colloquial language including swear words. This shows his personality and makes the reader feel like he's comfortable with them and being himself. It makes the article seem much more real because he isn't changing his attitude which could make it seem like he's just trying to present a positive image of himself to get more fans.
The background image shows Osbourne in his bunker at home. The room is full of different objects showing his personality and the kind of things he has in his house. The colours are mainly different shades of brown giving it an authentic feel and creating a base for the article. The lack of bright colours allows the highlighted boxes of information to stand out more.
The colour of the information boxes alternate between purple and yellow. This makes it more attractive as it's more fun and alive but not too colourful that it's distracting.
For each interesting object that is in his bunker, there's and "Ozzy says". He gives a personal comment about everything allowing readers to understand why he has them and what they mean to him. This brings them closer together and makes the reader feel like they're getting to know him better on a more intimate level.
Certain objects have a zoomed in image as well as an "Ozzy says". This emphasises these objects and gives readers a closer look at some of the more interesting, important things they could find. The superposed images also make it a lot more fun and exciting. They're attractive to readers and catch their attention making them want to know more.
Personal note: The use of a recurring feature such as "Through the Keyhole" can be very useful for the magazine in staying popular as it encourages people to continue buying the magazine to find out more about different artists. They may feel that once they've started the "journey" it's their job to continue until the end. This helps the magazine make money and maintain their current audiences or maybe find new ones, even in an age where magazines are sometimes considered a dying art because of new technologies.
4) Analysing the double page article of a magazine
The double page spread of this magazine is about Ozzy Osbourne. It takes up 6 pages in the magazine.
On the cover, the article is referred to as 'Through The Keyhole At Home With...'. The word "keyhole" has connotations of secrets and hidden treasures, this makes readers feel like they're going to find out some interesting, personal things about Osbourne and his life. The word "home" gives them a sense of comfort and tranquility. It also makes them feel closer to him as, in a sense, they'll be "entering" his personal and private space.
The title on the first page of the actual DPS is "Welcome to the Madhouse". It's written in large, capital letters with almost each word in a different colour which catches the reader's eye as soon as they open the page. This means that the first word they read is "welcome" which makes them feel like they've been invited in and encourages them to continue reading. The word "Madhouse" is the biggest on the page and is written in a cracked font. This emphasizes the meaning and connotations of the word. It questions the mental stability of the focus of the article, here Osbourne, and also suggests that the house is "crazy". This could make readers want to know more and read further. It's also a reference to his recently released autobiography entitled "Memoirs of a Madman". This is almost like an inside joke with his fans as it's something they understand and relate to which makes it feel more personal but it also doesn't alienate people who aren't necessarily his fans because it's not specific to him.
The photo takes up both pages, putting Osbourne in the center. This emphasizes his importance and makes his image seem larger. His arms are open which adds to the feeling of being welcome. It looks as if he's opening his arms to readers, inviting them in. It could also mean that he's opening up, revealing his secrets and showing the real him. He's screaming into the air which works with the word "madhouse" to make it seem like he's crazy. In a way, this pokes at the curiosity of readers making them want to know more.
The black textbox is an introduction to the article. Highlighting it in black shows its importance and tells readers that it's the first thing they should read.
They make the article seem special by saying that "invitations like this don't come every day". This makes it seem like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to read an article like this making it unique and appealing. Also, describing Osbourne as the "Prince of Darkness" and the man who "bit the head off a bat" makes him seem like an interesting character thus making readers want to know more. They also mention a few things they saw in his house (e.g. "dogs", "black magic" etc.) which is like a teaser to the article. Ending it with "..." not only symbolizes that there's more to know, but also leaves a feeling of suspense, almost ending the introduction on a cliffhanger. Evidently, both factors work together and are attributes in making people want to read the article.
The second page of the DPS has a lot more writing. It's the page with the main article on it as it's in between the first page which is the introduction and the last which is the conclusion. This makes the feature seem almost like a separate book inside of the magazine making it more important.
There are still multiple images with the writing so that it doesn't just look like a page of writing which, for many people, can seem unattractive and make them want to skip the page. The photos show Osbourne in different parts of his house.
The main image which is the background image of the DPS and placed right in the middle is of him sitting on a chair. It looks almost as though he's sitting on a throne, putting him in a very high position and showing his importance. He's looking directly at the camera. The effect of this is that it seems like he's looking the viewer right in the eye. This makes it a lot more personal and direct. He's also pointing at the viewer which adds to this effect and also makes the reader feel important and more involved; it makes them feel like the article is directed at them.
The editor of the magazine takes a quote from the article and places it in the middle of the page in large font away from any other writing. This really makes it stand out on the page and makes it the first thing someone would read when looking at the page. They take an interesting part of the article so that when a reader looks at it, it makes them want to find out more and read the whole article.
The "Even More Ozzy" bubble is a way for them to get readers more involved and promote other aspects of Kerrang! They explain that Kerrang! Radio will be playing his songs which encourages fans to listen to it and also gives people who might not have known much about him before reading the article the chance to discover his music. This gives them more listeners, making them more popular and bringing in more money.
The "Enter The Madhouse" bubble is the same. It pushes readers to check out the website giving them more viewers. Readers can have an interactive tour of Osbourne's house online which makes them more involved. By linking the article to their website and their radio channel, Kerrang! are building a closer and more involved fan base. This helps them in keeping the magazine going even in a time where most people would prefer to just look online because it's not simply a magazine but a collection of different medias working together and creating a family.
The arrow at the bottom of the page tells readers that there's more to see. It encourages them to turn the page and keep reading. The phrase "Now head into Ozzy's bunker" suggests that they haven't seen anything yet and that the best is still to come. It catches the curiosity of the reader and makes them want to read on.
The final page of the DPS is a lot more fun and interactive. There are no big blocks of writing but there are small boxes of information about specific things you can find in his house.At the top of the page there's a bit of information about the "Through the Keyhole" feature in general. The title gets bigger and bigger resembling the form of a telescope. This symbolises the fact that they're looking closer into the lives of stars almost like they're spying on them.
There's an exclamation mark after the "K" of keyhole. This refers to the title of the magazine, "Kerrang!". There are other articles throughout the magazine where it's refered to as "K!". Using that signe here makes it very personal to the magazine. It symbolises the fact that it's their idea for a feature and something specific to them that you wouldn't be able to find elswhere.
Underneath the title there are a few lines briefly summarising what the feature's about and what its aim is. The use of a rhetorical question - "But what do their homes look like?" - provokes thought fromt the reader and makes them want to know the answer, thus making them read further. The phrase "Join us" makes it sound like the writer's talking to a friend. The reader is receiving an invitation from the magazine which encourages them to read further. The word "exclusive" suggests that this is the only place they will have the opportunity to do this thus making it seem special and interesting. The word "journey" suggests that the reader will be discovering new things and growing in a knowledge of culture, this also draws them in and makes them want to read more.
At the bottom of the page there's an introduction to this DPS in particular. Ozzy Osbourne's name is written in big highlighted in purple. This attracts attention to his name and introduces the subject of the DPS. "The Prince of Darkness" is a reference to one of Osbourne's albums released in 2005. This attracts his fans who know about the album but could also just be seen as a nickname for him, therefore not leaving out people who don't know about it. The word "darkness" has connotations of mystery and hidden secrets, arousing the curiosity of readers. This makes the thought of finding out more very appealing and exciting to them.
There's also an introduction to the room from Osbourne himself. This makes readers feel like he's personally inviting them in, replacing any thoughts of intruding his privacy with comfort and excitment. As seen in the rest of the DPS, he uses very informal and colloquial language including swear words. This shows his personality and makes the reader feel like he's comfortable with them and being himself. It makes the article seem much more real because he isn't changing his attitude which could make it seem like he's just trying to present a positive image of himself to get more fans.
The background image shows Osbourne in his bunker at home. The room is full of different objects showing his personality and the kind of things he has in his house. The colours are mainly different shades of brown giving it an authentic feel and creating a base for the article. The lack of bright colours allows the highlighted boxes of information to stand out more.
The colour of the information boxes alternate between purple and yellow. This makes it more attractive as it's more fun and alive but not too colourful that it's distracting.
For each interesting object that is in his bunker, there's and "Ozzy says". He gives a personal comment about everything allowing readers to understand why he has them and what they mean to him. This brings them closer together and makes the reader feel like they're getting to know him better on a more intimate level.
Certain objects have a zoomed in image as well as an "Ozzy says". This emphasises these objects and gives readers a closer look at some of the more interesting, important things they could find. The superposed images also make it a lot more fun and exciting. They're attractive to readers and catch their attention making them want to know more.
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Personal note: The use of a recurring feature such as "Through the Keyhole" can be very useful for the magazine in staying popular as it encourages people to continue buying the magazine to find out more about different artists. They may feel that once they've started the "journey" it's their job to continue until the end. This helps the magazine make money and maintain their current audiences or maybe find new ones, even in an age where magazines are sometimes considered a dying art because of new technologies.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Colours in magazines
1. 5 main colours: black, white, red, yellow, purple
2. Connotations
2. Connotations
- Black: power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery
- White: light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity; considered to be the colour of perfection.
- Red: associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love; emotionally intense color; brings text and images to the foreground
- Yellow: associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy; produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy; spontaneous color; seen before other colors when placed against black: often used to issue a warning
- Purple: associated with royalty; symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition; associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic
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Planning:
My magazine colour palette:
My magazine will be based on 5 colours: blue, red, yellow, black and white.
The top three colours are primary colours, they work well together and could all be associated with rock music. Also, after doing a bit of research, I found out that primary colours were very popular in the 80's. As my target audience will mainly be people who listen to 80's music, it seemed fitting to use these for my magazines. However, mixing primary colours together can make the magazine look very childish as they are the colours most used by children. The black and white, which are very simple and more grown-up colours, should even this out and make it look less like a children's magazine. These basic colours will also allow for the primary colours to stand out more meaning that they can be used to emphasise and accentuate certain features of the magazine.
- Dark blue: knowledge, power, depth, integrity, seriousness
- Red: energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination, passion, desire, love
- Yellow: joy, happiness, intellect, energy
- Black: power, elegance, formality, death, mystery
- White: light, goodness, innocence, purity, perfection
The connotations of these colours all have something to offer to the magazine. The power represented by black, blue and red gives the magazine a stronger effect, the intellect and knowledge associated with blue and yellow represent the information given to the readers and the white allows for a sense of innocence and purity to integrate itself into the magazine. Their other meanings are also very important. For example, the mystery associated with black could compel audiences to want to read on and find out more. Also, the danger created by the colour red could attract readers as the target audience are mainly teenagers who are looking for fun and a way to rebel and to whom danger is considered exciting.
Thursday, 9 October 2014
Emotive and Colloquial Language in Magazines
GLAMOUR MAGAZINE - DEC. 2013
Glamour's target audience are mainly (but not necessarily) British women between the ages of 18 and 49.
A few colloquial words and phrases found on the front cover and throughout the magazine are: "hot", "twerking", the use of "R-Patz" to talk about actor Robert Patterson and "awesome"
Colloquial language is used in the magazine to make readers feel comfortable. The words "hot" and "awesome" are words that the reader would use and therefore make them feel accepted and as if they were talking to a friend.
"Twerking" has become a common theme in gossip magazines. Both the word itself and the dance it describes are informal.
Giving famous actors nicknames such as "R-Patz" makes it seem like the magazine are close friends with him. This makes readers feel like the magazine is a reliable source of information and that they will find out a lot but also extends the supposed friendship between the magazine and the actor to readers.
A few emotive words and phrases found on the front cover and throughout the magazine are: "wow", "perfect", "secret weapon" and "drop-dead glam"
The word "wow" used to describe a 'look' makes it sound exciting and attracts readers. Women are usually very focused on their appearance, always wanting to look their best and an article telling them hot to look "wow" would be something that would be very interesting to them.
The word "perfect" makes people think of something unattainable, something flawless. This excites the reader because they think they have a chance of reaching that level.
"Secret weapon" is a phrase with two very strong words. The word secret makes readers think that they are being let in on something that most people don't know. For woman and readers of gossip magazines, this is a highly attractive feature that will get them excited straight away. "Weapon" symbolises a powerful tool that they can use that will allow them to 'beat' other woman and come out at the top. Rather than using a word such as "tool", "weapon" has connotations of strength and power which attract women.
"Drop-dead glam" makes readers think that if they achieve the 'look' the magazine is offering them, everybody who sees them will be completely overwhelmed by their appearance to the point that they would "drop dead".
Glamour's target audience are mainly (but not necessarily) British women between the ages of 18 and 49.
A few colloquial words and phrases found on the front cover and throughout the magazine are: "hot", "twerking", the use of "R-Patz" to talk about actor Robert Patterson and "awesome"
Colloquial language is used in the magazine to make readers feel comfortable. The words "hot" and "awesome" are words that the reader would use and therefore make them feel accepted and as if they were talking to a friend.
"Twerking" has become a common theme in gossip magazines. Both the word itself and the dance it describes are informal.
Giving famous actors nicknames such as "R-Patz" makes it seem like the magazine are close friends with him. This makes readers feel like the magazine is a reliable source of information and that they will find out a lot but also extends the supposed friendship between the magazine and the actor to readers.
A few emotive words and phrases found on the front cover and throughout the magazine are: "wow", "perfect", "secret weapon" and "drop-dead glam"
The word "wow" used to describe a 'look' makes it sound exciting and attracts readers. Women are usually very focused on their appearance, always wanting to look their best and an article telling them hot to look "wow" would be something that would be very interesting to them.
The word "perfect" makes people think of something unattainable, something flawless. This excites the reader because they think they have a chance of reaching that level.
"Secret weapon" is a phrase with two very strong words. The word secret makes readers think that they are being let in on something that most people don't know. For woman and readers of gossip magazines, this is a highly attractive feature that will get them excited straight away. "Weapon" symbolises a powerful tool that they can use that will allow them to 'beat' other woman and come out at the top. Rather than using a word such as "tool", "weapon" has connotations of strength and power which attract women.
"Drop-dead glam" makes readers think that if they achieve the 'look' the magazine is offering them, everybody who sees them will be completely overwhelmed by their appearance to the point that they would "drop dead".
Monday, 6 October 2014
Analysis of magazine language
How do magazines use language to target their audience?
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
The language used in a magazine is an extremely important factor in the projection of the magazine, and helps attract readers. Kerrang! magazine uses both colloquial and emotive language to attract their target audience.
There are many examples of this throughout the magazine and the language is used in multiple different ways.
Some of the language is used to make the magazine sound exciting. A few examples of this are 'awesome' and 'welcome to the Madhouse'. This causes enthusiasm in the reader, making them eager to find out more.
Another way the writer uses language is by making it sound like a friend talking to the reader. 'It's looks like we won't have to wait long to see Cyota's rebirth', 'says Kur-, sorry, Jason', and 'good luck finding'em', are examples of this. This makes the reader feel comfortable with the writer and creates a bond between the two, making the reader want to continue.
Language is also used to grab the reader's attention. For example, phrases such as 'invitations like this one don't come every day' are used to rouse the curiosity of the reader and encourage them to read further.
The writer also uses words that the reader would use such as 'awesome' and 'bollocks' which makes it sound more personal and friendly. It allows the reader to feel comfortable with the magazine. Swear words such as 'fuck' are also used as they are the sort of words used by the target audience. This allows readers to relate to the language and feel like they are in an environment that they know well..
'Kerrang!' (11.10.14)
The language used in a magazine is an extremely important factor in the projection of the magazine, and helps attract readers. Kerrang! magazine uses both colloquial and emotive language to attract their target audience.
There are many examples of this throughout the magazine and the language is used in multiple different ways.
Some of the language is used to make the magazine sound exciting. A few examples of this are 'awesome' and 'welcome to the Madhouse'. This causes enthusiasm in the reader, making them eager to find out more.
Another way the writer uses language is by making it sound like a friend talking to the reader. 'It's looks like we won't have to wait long to see Cyota's rebirth', 'says Kur-, sorry, Jason', and 'good luck finding'em', are examples of this. This makes the reader feel comfortable with the writer and creates a bond between the two, making the reader want to continue.
Language is also used to grab the reader's attention. For example, phrases such as 'invitations like this one don't come every day' are used to rouse the curiosity of the reader and encourage them to read further.
The writer also uses words that the reader would use such as 'awesome' and 'bollocks' which makes it sound more personal and friendly. It allows the reader to feel comfortable with the magazine. Swear words such as 'fuck' are also used as they are the sort of words used by the target audience. This allows readers to relate to the language and feel like they are in an environment that they know well..
Friday, 3 October 2014
Editor's Letter Analysis
'Kerrang!' (28/09/13)
The editor of Kerrang! magazine sounds like he's talking to a friend because he is expressing his personal opinion in a relaxed, casual way, the way you would talk if you were having a conversation with a friend. He says 'They're awesome people. They've got awesome songs. And they've got something to say'. This makes readers feel like the writer is sharing with them and provides them with a sense of trust. The expression 'you lot' at the end also makes it very friendly and addresses the reader directly, making it feel more personal; this represents a comfortable relationship between reader and writer.
He also uses colloquial language to make the reader feel more at ease and more like a friend. He uses phrases such as 'I'm well excited' and 'I was pretty damn moved'. These are terms that are not usually used in writing and are considered a form of slang. This allows the reader to feel as though they're chatting with someone they know well rather than reading which, for some people, is not something they particularly enjoy doing. In this case, the magazine attracts people who wouldn't usually choose to sit and read, expanding their target audience.
The writer welcomes the reader in with the phrase 'I'd love to know what you thought of Simon Young's feature on p20, I was pretty damn moved by singer Jenna's honesty.' This not only expresses the editor's point of view but invites the reader to express theirs. This makes the reader feel important, as though their opinion actually matters, and encourages them to be more active and invested in the magazine.
The editor's letter also builds a relationship with the reader. As well as addressing them personally with the word 'you' and casually inviting them to be in contact with the magazine, they create a feeling of long-lasting friendship and frequent encounters. This is suggested by phrases such as 'Of course, you probably caught Tonight Alive on the Kerrang! Tour back in February' and 'Remember next week's issue comes with five ace build-your-own rockstars'. These quotes allude to past and future issues, suggesting that readers are expected to be regulars. This provides them with a sense of familiarity and makes it feel as though they have a more personal bond and a mutual knowledge of each other.
The editor himself doesn't look like he would fit in with the target audience: he looks slightly older and more professional. Despite this, he is put in a setting that makes it seem as though he would perfectly fit in with them. He's holding a lit
'Glamour' (December 2013)
The editor of Glamour magazine makes it sound as though she's talking to a friend. She talks about her personal experiences and how she felt about them, e.g. 'I was given the opportunity to work on some radio reports', 'out of my comfort zone'. This creates a personal bond between reader and writer by making the reader feel as though the writer is opening up to them and confiding in them their personal fears and the challenges they faced.
The language used in this editor's letter is not colloquial but not entirely formal either. There aren't any examples of slang but there are phrases such as 'many damn amazing women'. Glamour magazine is aimed more at older women rather than young teenagers, therefore the language used appeals to the target audience because it isn't entirely relaxed but it isn't completely professional and impersonal either.
The editor, Jo Elvin, appears to fit in perfectly with the target audience. She is young and glamorous and seems very professional. She also appears to be very classy, similarly to the TA.
The editor of Kerrang! magazine sounds like he's talking to a friend because he is expressing his personal opinion in a relaxed, casual way, the way you would talk if you were having a conversation with a friend. He says 'They're awesome people. They've got awesome songs. And they've got something to say'. This makes readers feel like the writer is sharing with them and provides them with a sense of trust. The expression 'you lot' at the end also makes it very friendly and addresses the reader directly, making it feel more personal; this represents a comfortable relationship between reader and writer.
He also uses colloquial language to make the reader feel more at ease and more like a friend. He uses phrases such as 'I'm well excited' and 'I was pretty damn moved'. These are terms that are not usually used in writing and are considered a form of slang. This allows the reader to feel as though they're chatting with someone they know well rather than reading which, for some people, is not something they particularly enjoy doing. In this case, the magazine attracts people who wouldn't usually choose to sit and read, expanding their target audience.
The writer welcomes the reader in with the phrase 'I'd love to know what you thought of Simon Young's feature on p20, I was pretty damn moved by singer Jenna's honesty.' This not only expresses the editor's point of view but invites the reader to express theirs. This makes the reader feel important, as though their opinion actually matters, and encourages them to be more active and invested in the magazine.
The editor's letter also builds a relationship with the reader. As well as addressing them personally with the word 'you' and casually inviting them to be in contact with the magazine, they create a feeling of long-lasting friendship and frequent encounters. This is suggested by phrases such as 'Of course, you probably caught Tonight Alive on the Kerrang! Tour back in February' and 'Remember next week's issue comes with five ace build-your-own rockstars'. These quotes allude to past and future issues, suggesting that readers are expected to be regulars. This provides them with a sense of familiarity and makes it feel as though they have a more personal bond and a mutual knowledge of each other.
The editor himself doesn't look like he would fit in with the target audience: he looks slightly older and more professional. Despite this, he is put in a setting that makes it seem as though he would perfectly fit in with them. He's holding a lit
'Glamour' (December 2013)
The editor of Glamour magazine makes it sound as though she's talking to a friend. She talks about her personal experiences and how she felt about them, e.g. 'I was given the opportunity to work on some radio reports', 'out of my comfort zone'. This creates a personal bond between reader and writer by making the reader feel as though the writer is opening up to them and confiding in them their personal fears and the challenges they faced.
The language used in this editor's letter is not colloquial but not entirely formal either. There aren't any examples of slang but there are phrases such as 'many damn amazing women'. Glamour magazine is aimed more at older women rather than young teenagers, therefore the language used appeals to the target audience because it isn't entirely relaxed but it isn't completely professional and impersonal either.
The editor, Jo Elvin, appears to fit in perfectly with the target audience. She is young and glamorous and seems very professional. She also appears to be very classy, similarly to the TA.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Preliminary Title/sketched Plan For School Magazine
Possible titles :
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- The Common Room
- Free Period
- Hampstead Insider
Possible main images on front cover :
- Student working: Medium close-up of a student sitting at a desk working
- Group of students chatting : Medium long-shot of a group of students talking/laughing
- Football : Group of students playing football or another sport outside
Possible cover lines/articles :
- Creative Writing Competition Results Released
- INSIDER : Class President Elections
- Plans to help you manage your time available inside
- Trivia : win tickets to our school production 'An Inspector Calls'
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