With reference to the conventional aspects of the front cover, discuss how Kerrang! magazine targets a particular audience.
Every magazine has a specific audience it aims to target. They do this by using conventional aspects of magazine design such as the Gutenberg Diagram; meaning that in the top left corner (the primary optical area) and in the bottom right corner (the terminal area) is where the most eye catching and appealing information is positioned. Kerrang! magazine, for instance, places the beginning of its masthead in the primary optical area and in the terminal area it has the dateline and barcode as well as the secondary coverline. This is typical in all of Kerrang!’s magazines as they use a certain house style so each issue is similar. This makes it easier for regular readers to find and purchase.
Colour is an important conventional aspect in any sort of design including that of a magazine. This is because when someone goes into a shop it is often colour that causes them to take a double look at a magazine as they glance over the stands. Colour also generally signifies the type of magazine it is. For example, a feminine based gossip magazine would have bright colours such as pinks and purples on its front cover whereas a rock music magazine, such as Kerrang!, would have darker colours such as blacks and reds. The front cover of Kerrang follows a general colour scheme of having black and white on ever issue and varying the other two colours. This issue before me has red and yellow as well as the house styled black and white. The colour is generally used, on Kerrang! magazine, to make the text stand out from the background imagery. The main coverline is in a dark red but so it stands out more the producers of Kerrang! have placed it on a black banner. The same effect has been applied to the explanation except instead of red text on black they’ve used white text on a red banner. The reasoning behind this is that any colour placed on black stands out to the viewer and makes the information much more memorable and so it stands out when on the storage racks.
Every front cover needs an image which will captivate the reader and make them interested in what the magazine has to offer. This is even more important in magazines where they’re packaged up with free gifts. An important aspect of the image on the front cover is the depth of field. This is when your eye is drawn into the image giving it a more realistic look. Kerrang!’s image has the lead singer of the coverlined band further forwards than the two guitarists (only known from personal experience) so it makes the image look more realistic straight away. To add even more depth of field the producers have placed the frontman’s fist (along with his and his band member’s heads) above the masthead and his elbow in front of the main coverline. This draws the reader in as it disrupts the masthead and draws you down to the main coverline which is the main articles in the magazine. Another important aspect of image decision and usage is the actual focus that is in the photograph. The producers of Kerrang! have opted, rather than computer modifying the image, they have predominantly modified the physical aspect of the image. They have done this by placing make up onto the three band members to make it look as if they have been through harsh battles and have become bloody and wounded. The reasoning behind this drastic physical appearance modification is so it fits in with the explanation of the coverline which reads ‘How rock’s biggest misfits conquered the planet’. The bloodiness and wounded appearance backs up the idea that they truly have conquered the planet.
If a front cover was only pictures and no text you’d be clueless as to what information is held within the magazine. Yet at the same time no reader wants all the important information to be on the front cover. This would make the rest of the magazine pointless. Kerrang! are good at putting just enough text on to interesting and intrigue the viewer. At both the top and the bottom are lists of bands that are featured within the magazine. The general amount of bands listed is about 10 meaning that almost every week when the magazine is released there is something in there for every music genre that is related to rock music. The usage of ‘Reading/Leeds’ is significant as the Reading and Leeds music festival is a large concert for most genres of rock music. This being on the left third really interests viewers; especially those that actually went to the festival.
Every magazine has a specific audience it aims to target. They do this by using conventional aspects of magazine design such as the Gutenberg Diagram; meaning that in the top left corner (the primary optical area) and in the bottom right corner (the terminal area) is where the most eye catching and appealing information is positioned. Kerrang! magazine, for instance, places the beginning of its masthead in the primary optical area and in the terminal area it has the dateline and barcode as well as the secondary coverline. This is typical in all of Kerrang!’s magazines as they use a certain house style so each issue is similar. This makes it easier for regular readers to find and purchase.
Colour is an important conventional aspect in any sort of design including that of a magazine. This is because when someone goes into a shop it is often colour that causes them to take a double look at a magazine as they glance over the stands. Colour also generally signifies the type of magazine it is. For example, a feminine based gossip magazine would have bright colours such as pinks and purples on its front cover whereas a rock music magazine, such as Kerrang!, would have darker colours such as blacks and reds. The front cover of Kerrang follows a general colour scheme of having black and white on ever issue and varying the other two colours. This issue before me has red and yellow as well as the house styled black and white. The colour is generally used, on Kerrang! magazine, to make the text stand out from the background imagery. The main coverline is in a dark red but so it stands out more the producers of Kerrang! have placed it on a black banner. The same effect has been applied to the explanation except instead of red text on black they’ve used white text on a red banner. The reasoning behind this is that any colour placed on black stands out to the viewer and makes the information much more memorable and so it stands out when on the storage racks.
Every front cover needs an image which will captivate the reader and make them interested in what the magazine has to offer. This is even more important in magazines where they’re packaged up with free gifts. An important aspect of the image on the front cover is the depth of field. This is when your eye is drawn into the image giving it a more realistic look. Kerrang!’s image has the lead singer of the coverlined band further forwards than the two guitarists (only known from personal experience) so it makes the image look more realistic straight away. To add even more depth of field the producers have placed the frontman’s fist (along with his and his band member’s heads) above the masthead and his elbow in front of the main coverline. This draws the reader in as it disrupts the masthead and draws you down to the main coverline which is the main articles in the magazine. Another important aspect of image decision and usage is the actual focus that is in the photograph. The producers of Kerrang! have opted, rather than computer modifying the image, they have predominantly modified the physical aspect of the image. They have done this by placing make up onto the three band members to make it look as if they have been through harsh battles and have become bloody and wounded. The reasoning behind this drastic physical appearance modification is so it fits in with the explanation of the coverline which reads ‘How rock’s biggest misfits conquered the planet’. The bloodiness and wounded appearance backs up the idea that they truly have conquered the planet.
If a front cover was only pictures and no text you’d be clueless as to what information is held within the magazine. Yet at the same time no reader wants all the important information to be on the front cover. This would make the rest of the magazine pointless. Kerrang! are good at putting just enough text on to interesting and intrigue the viewer. At both the top and the bottom are lists of bands that are featured within the magazine. The general amount of bands listed is about 10 meaning that almost every week when the magazine is released there is something in there for every music genre that is related to rock music. The usage of ‘Reading/Leeds’ is significant as the Reading and Leeds music festival is a large concert for most genres of rock music. This being on the left third really interests viewers; especially those that actually went to the festival.