ANALYSIS

NME is the one of the 3 magazines that I am going to be analysing.

Above is some images of the magazines front cover, and 2 double page spreads. I like the way the layout and colour of this particular magazine as the colours mix well together and do not clash. On the front cover of this particular issue, NME has a red background, with a white masthead. The artists is wearing black, these colours mix well together and I think that this is a very well thought out but simple design that works well. There is not a lot on the front cover either, it does not look cluttered in any way which is what also stands out to me, there isnt too much in your face all the time and not a lot of information. I think the colours give the impression that they want the audience to feel relaxed. I think this as they are not very bright colours on the front cover, but colours that would catch your eye. I think what NME have done is they have not tried to over sell this issue, and put loads of bright colours on the cover to try and make it stand out to the audience. The design of the magazine also stands out to me. NME have stuck to 3 main colours throughout the magazine, on the front, Red, black and white, but for the

double page spread, blue, white and black. All these colour mix and fit well within each other, which stood out very strongly to me when looking at this magazine. The design is linked with the font very well. NME has placed the masthead on the top left third on this issue, but also have some fonts around the magazine which are vertical, for example Jay Z is wrote vertically, but big and bold, so that it stands out from the rest. This is clever idea that has been used alongside the image which makes the magazine really appeal to me. The main image of the artist has been editing and make to look black and white, again, referring back to the house style of this issue, it works well with the rest of the colours in this magazine. The typography is consistent throughout this magazine, the times it changes is for the masthead, and some cover lines. I think that using different fonts is good, and does have a good effect on the magazine. It gives the magazine a good layout, by this I mean that it is clear what NME are trying to tell the audience is important compared to other aspects of this magazine. For example, Jay Z is made to stand out as it is a main cover line and a feature, compared to other cover lines on the front cover. It is done by changing the positioning of the font, so vertical, and by changing the font itself.

Q magazine is the second music magazine that I am going to be analysing.

The front cover of this magazine stands out to me as I like the special effects that have been added to the front, and the use of simple colours. The special effects that have been digitally added is the crack in the ground below to artist. This is a very good feature to add, as it has been edited very well and cleverly used. Simple colours of red and white have been used, these colours complement each other well and do not clash, and they mix well. The background of this front cover is white, with text red, the text stands out compared to the white background showing that it is important and can be clearly read.

I think the use of these particular colours make the audience feel relaxed, I think this because there are no bright colours needed to attract the audience, it is a very simple layout and design which is what interests and attracts me more towards a magazine, compared to bright colours and images thrown at you constantly. The contents page has continued on the use of the colours from the front cover, again using the typical red and white, white background and red font. I like the layout of this contents page, with the features and regulars on the right hand side, with images on the left. This design, I think, is effective because the images are used to attract the audience, and attract them in to see what the image means and represents. To do this, the information is then on the left. The use of images a very good idea, as a magazine with a lot of text and writing can be boring to some people, so the fact the Q has put large images on the left, and text on the right is an effective idea, as readers will see the images, then want to find out what they are about.

This is the third and final magazine that I am analysing. The magazine is Vibe Magazine.

The layout of this magazine has the artists main image largely printed across the front, with cover lines and the masthead behind the image. On this front cover the colours and design work well with each other. The clothing the artist is wearing mixes well with the colours used on the background and for the typography on the front cover. The artist is wearing grey and blue, which is the same colour as the background, masthead and some cover lines. The colour pink, used for the rest of the font is an unusual colour to use on the front cover, but works and integrates well with the rest of the colours around the front cover. The layout, again is simple, however different to the rest of the previous magazines. On this front cover has cover lines around the main image, with the main image very large so that it covers most of the front of the magazine.

The contents page of this magazine is interesting compared to the others, as there is a large image of the artist on the contents page, which covers most of the left side, and again, features and regulars on the right. Vibe magazine and NME have this in common, with the artist on the left, and contents on the right. The particular convention used is common throughout the magazines that I have chosen. I think that this particular convention has been used as it is clear and simple to use. Images on the left so that it draws attention to the contents page, and text on the right to be informative of these images/image.

Finally I have chosen these magazine because I like the simple layouts and use of images through all 3 of the magazines, and the layout and conventions that they all have in common and use. All colours in these magazines work well with each others, the same applies to the layout of the 3 magazines, simple but effective.