Questionnaire Analysis

A week ago, I created a survey on SurveyMonkey.com, and asked my friends and peers to fill it in. I did this by asking them in person and getting responses on paper, then putting them into the survey, and advertising the survey on social media. The latter got the most responses, showing that social media can be used as a reliable method of collecting audience research. Also, as my target audience is 15-24 year olds, the demographic that most commonly uses social media, my methods meant that the results would be more accurate.

WHICH COLOUR SCHEME DO YOU PREFER?

This data tells me that my target audience prefers Purple, White and Black to the other colour schemes that were given. This suggests that I should use this colour scheme as my target audience find it more attractive than the others, and therefore will prefer the look of the magazine more if it follow that colour scheme.

WHICH NAME DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST FOR A MUSIC MAGAZINE?

The analysis shows that my magazine's demographic thinks that 'Pulse' is the most suitable for a music magazine. 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO SEE IN MUSIC MAGAZINES?

This chart shows that my target audience find interviews the most interesting. This means that on my double page spread, my article will be an interview, to appease my demographic.

WHAT LAYOUT DO YOU PREFER?

This data shows that people overwhelmingly prefer a minimalist layout as opposed to a 'messy' layout. 

WHICH FONT DO YOU THINK IS MORE SUITABLE FOR A MUSIC MAGAZINE?

The analysis tells me that sans serif is more popular with 15-24 year olds. This follows my research as most of the magazines I came across use sans serif fonts. 

Photograph One

Photograph One

Today I took a couple of photos of my friends, and I thought that this one would be a nice one for my double page spread, as it shows the image or persona I want my artists to represent. However, based upon my research on the codes and conventions of magazines, it became clear that this would not be suitable for a double page spread, as it is in a landscape format, which would be used for a full A3 sheet, and for double page spreads, most pictures are taken in portrait, so that they can follow the conventional pattern of having an image on one side, and text on the other. With this image I would not be able to do this, so it is not suitable.
      This has helped me because I have realized that I need to take more photos, preferably in a portrait long shot, to make sure it follows my research of double page spreads.

Double Page Spread Analysis 6

Double Page Spread Analysis 6:

On this double page spread, the artist's name is not clearly visible- and the editor has opted to use the quote as a headline rather than emboss it, which is more conventional.
     The image doesn't particularly follow the rule of thirds either, but the A3 page itself, does. The title is on one of the points of interest, the artist's face on another, and the article on another. 
    The questions are a different colour to the answers, which I really like, as it makes them stand out and seems to be more readable.

I'm going to use the idea of having different colours for questions and answers.

Front Cover Analysis 6

Front Cover Analysis 6: Mojo/The Smiths

The two artists are both shown looking directly into the camera, creating a direct address and relation to the audience. The casual language of the title "We rocked", suggests a relaxed attitude mixed with a little bit of cockiness. 
      The magazine's logo is only just visible, as most of the artists' heads cover it. This shows once again, that alternative magazines put the artists before their own brand, which links to the target audience ideal of it being focused on the music. 
      The article titles an the article sublines are two different colours, and the colour scheme follows throughout the page (grey, white, black and red, with a hint of blue).The colour scheme even reaches the photograph itself, as the artists are wearing black, white and blue.

I really like the idea of having a colour scheme that runs throughout the page, and not just having haphazard colours, and I think the direct address of the photograph is a great idea. 

Double Page Spread Analysis Five

Double Page Spread Analysis Five: Mojo

    This double page is quite different from the other ones I have analysed, but it still follows the same codes and conventions. The contrast between the text and the picture is clearly seen, and the text is in one column rather than three.
      However, the convention of having one portrait photo taking up one side of the double page spread, and the text taking up the other is still followed, and the readers eye is caught by the article by using the drop capital.

In my double page spread, I am going to follow the convention of having three columns, as that is what my other research has shown, and I would like to do the text sans serif, instead of serif as they have done in this spread.

Contents Page Analysis Five

Contents Page Analysis Five: Mojo

       This contents page defies convention. There is one artist who dominates the page, and the information about the articles are organised around her. This draws the reader's attention to the photo immediately. The red, white and black theme continues, but the grey background distracts from the dark colours and makes the page look quite bland and boring.

I would not do this for my own contents page as it goes against my other research. The white and red doesn't stick out against the grey, and the page looks quite boring overall.

     

Front Cover Analysis Five

Front Cover Analysis Five: Mojo- Paul Weller

I like the way this magazine front cover looks. The black and white theme contrasts the neon pink and orange in a way that makes it stand out. This shows the new, modern style against the classic music magazine theme. This relates to the artist on the front cover as a classic rock idol is entering the new age of music. This portrays the idea to the reader that the artist is still making great music, and is evolving with the time. The tuxedo he wears shows the iconic fashion style the Jam showcased in their prime, and suggests a look a back to a time when he was most popular. 

     I really like the colours used on this front cover. The contrast of the fonts against the artist and the background looks really interesting and eye-catching. I might use similar bright colours against a black and white background on my own front cover.
    

Double Page Spread Analysis Four

Double Page Spread Analysis Four: NME

This article follows the codes and conventions of a double page spread as the image is on one side and most of the text is on the other. The title is a lot larger than the rest of the text, and the article is split into three columns, which starts with a drop capital. There is a colour scheme of white, blue, green and black that runs throughout the spread.
     However, the spread defies conventions because the image doesn't follow the rule of thirds. Some text is on the page that the image is on, which is unusual.

     I really like the idea of making the image match the colour scheme, but I'm not going to copy the idea of having text on the same side as the image as I think it looks too messy. 

Contents Page Analysis Four

Contents Page Analysis Four: NME

This contents page is in a blocky format, but the look and feel of the page is a lot messier and informal than the other contents pages I have analysed. The larger titles against the red boxes stand out to the reader and make it clear that they are the most important articles- the ones the reader should be looking for. The chart list on the right side makes it obvious that NME prioritises its readers- they put the music that they want their audience to listen to on the very first page. The strip and the bottom with editors names on it also suggest that the magazine values its staff- this is a very alternative trait as most mainstream magazines would overlook its staff in favour of the artists, but by not doing this, NME is rebelling against the codes and conventions of music magazines.

      I like the way that the contents page is set out- in three columns, because it reflects the layout of an article and looks quite organised but maintains an informal, messy style. I also like the pictures off to the side of the article titles and page numbers, and I think I'll use this idea in my own music magazine.

Front Cover Analysis Four

Front Cover Analysis Four: NME- Alex Turner

       On this cover, NME have slightly altered how their magazine normally looks. The picture has either been drawn or has a sketched filter on, making it look authentic and retro. The text 'Rock n Roll Needs You' is a reference to the iconic World War Two recruitment poster with the text 'Your country needs you'. The artist has the same pose as the man on the poster does, which relates to 'rock n roll' existing as a war against the mainstream pop music. This creates a rebellious image for the magazine, as well as a sense of comradery  amongst its target audience, as they are being presented as an 'army'.

     I like the idea of using an iconic image as inspiration for photos, and I may use this idea for my magazine. However, I don't think I would use the drawn effect on my photos as I don't think it is the style I want for my magazine, and I prefer a glossier, neater look. 
       
        

Double Page Spread Three

Double Page Spread Analysis Three: Mojo

This double spread analysis in unusual as it relates to something in the past. The band in the photograph, The Damned, are pictured in their younger years- possibly because the magazine's target audience is younger than the age the band is now- and showing them as younger people creates a reliability around them. 

      The mise-en-scene of the picture creates a retro feel, with the band members wearing sweaters and sunglasses that are related to the era that the band was popular.The pie on their face presents them a juvenile, fun and down-to-earth, which creates a relaxed image before the readers has looked at any other details on the page.
      The black background and the yellow title at the top is presumably inspired by the bands iconic album artwork. This too is strange as it goes against Mojo's house style of clean cut white background with a picture on one page and an article on another. This represents how the band rebels against convention and stands out from other artists the Mojo print in their magazine. 
        
       

Contents Page Analysis Three

Contents Page Analysis Three- Mojo

This contents page is very minimalist. The clean white background contrasts with the artists slightly worn, faded dress. The shadows on the left side of her body and face make her look more realistic, which is a connotation Courtney Love is often connected to. Her quote in black stands out from her white dress and catches the reader's attention. 

       Once again, the classic black/white/red combination is shown- which indicates a classic, retro feel to the magazine- just like with Q.

       The text is presented in a sans serif font, making it seem more informal and casual. All of the writing is on one side of the page in a blocky format, which makes the page look cleanly cut and neat. The titles are in bold so the reader will notice them first, and the numbers are in a different colour so that they stand out more.

Front Cover Analysis Three

Front Cover Analysis Three: Mojo- David Bowie

This cover maintains the convention of having one artist on the cover, with a central image of David Bowie that slightly covers the brands logo. This shows the confidence of the magazine- people will know what it is without seeing the full logo. 
       The black and white colouring of the image shows the artist's persona- he is recognised as a classic rock icon. The white and red contrast against the image also reflects the artist's personality and music, as it stands out and is noticeable.
       

Double Page Spread Analysis Two

Double Page Spread Analysis Two: Q

The conventions in this double page spread are easy to see. The image of the artist takes up a full page, the text is split into three columns, there are drop capitals and page numbers, and the rule of thirds can be used on the image to show what the magazine wants you to see first. Q's iconic colour scheme is followed throughout the spread, as we see a large 'L' is red, which is a massive contrast to the black and white behind it. This contrast attracts the readers attention, because it makes the article look interesting and eye catching.


    

Contents Page Analysis Two

Contents Page Analysis Two- Q

The contents page is effective as it follows some of the main conventions of a blocky style contents page. The red banner across the top of the page is eye catching, and draws the reader's attention to the white magazine logo, as it is heavily contrasted to the red background. The logo is used to show continuity throughout the magazine, and creates a recognisable brand to the general public.

     The 'Q Review' column on the right side of the page shows that the magazine focuses on informing its reader about new releases that are worth buying, showing us that 'Q' is very prioritised towards its readers. 
      
     The photos that are on the page do not overlap, which makes it look quite clean cut . However, because all of text goes around these photos, and they are not in a designated line or specific order, there is an informal, authentic feel about the page.

Front Cover Analysis Two

Front Cover Analysis Two: Q- Multiple Artists

This front cover is largely different to the ones we normally see. There is not one sole artist taking up the whole front cover, there are multiple artist clearly shown around the page. This shows us that the magazine isn't going to be centred around one artist, but instead it will be based around 'good music' as an entire topic. 

     Some of the images cover the magazines logo, which once again, shows how infamous the brand is- people can realise what the brand is without seeing the whole logo.

      The iconic colour scheme of white, red and black still remains on the cover, but the title 'Perfect Playlists' is the thing that catches the readers eye first, as it is in the centre of the page, in gold italic writing, with a heavy black outline. Also, its the only thing on the page with a serif font, making it stand out from the rest of the cover.

Double Page Analysis One

Double Page Analysis One: Q Magazine

    This double page spread is conventional because it follows the idea of a large image, with an eye catching title, and then three columns of text (on each page). However, it is set out differently than most double page spreads because the photo is not just on one page- it covers both- showing the reader that the band's image is more important than the information about the band. This could be because Beady Eye, or more specifically Liam Gallagher, are well known.

    The fonts are all sans-serif, which creates an informal, casual feel, supporting the band's 'carefree' image. There is a basic colour scheme of black, white and red. These are classic colours, suggesting to the reader that Beady Eye is also classic. 

     The article does have a drop capital, and it is the only noticeable serif font. This could be because the writing is in a more formal style than the image and the title.

Analysis of Double Page Spread

February 6th, 2017

Today we analysed the codes and conventions of double page spreads.

Contents Page Analysis One

Contents Page Analysis One- Q

This contents page is set out in a 'blocky' layout, with multiple pictures on the left side of the page. This suggests that the magazine is not just focusing on one particular artist. The title 'contents' is easy to see, but not majorly eye-catching, meaning that the editor wants the reader to see the photos before the titles and text. 

Front Cover Analysis One

Q Magazine Front Cover Analysis- Adele

   This front cover is effective because it appeals to its target audience, young to mature adults. The colours are bright and eye catching against a white background, which reflects the artist, Adele's image. The iconic red and white colour scheme of the magazine attracts the audience because it is easy to recognise. The language is enthusiastic, with 'Adele blows us away', being a key piece of text- this language promotes the artist and gives the magazine a positive image. The image is glamorous and well lit. It is clearly airbrushed, to make the artist look more conventionally beautiful.
    
    I like the bright effect of the picture, but I don't want to photo shop my model to be more conventionally beautiful as I want to maintain a realistic, authentic image of my model. 

Preliminary School Magazine

Preliminary Coursework

   For our preliminary task, we were asked to create a school magazine's front cover and contents page. 
To do this we had to:  

• Take Pictures
• Edit the photos on photoshop
• Create a front cover on inDesign
• Make a contents page on inDesign

   I like the colour scheme I chose for my preliminary magazine, and I feel the pictures that I chose reflected the task well. To improve, I would have edited the contents page more, as I think that the images would have looked better if they were superimposed over each other.