CADENCE
CADENCE
These are some photographs of the front covers I have researched in order to create my magazine.
By doing this research I was able to be inspired and come up with my rock music genre magazine.
To help me come up with layout and colour schemes I researched different music genres to see how they differed from each other.
Inital research into NME Magzine:
NME stands for New Musical Express which is a british weekly music magazine that was created by Theordore Ingham.
NME was first published March 1952.
NME focusses on pop, rock, alternative, indie and punk rock music.
NME is sold weekly for £2.50
On the front cover of the NME magazines the photograph used is of a solo artist or one main artist from a band. On the examples I have researched the aritst on the front cover lookes directly at the camera engaging eye contact with the readers to catch their attention. The text is printed over the artists body leaving their face visable as they would be recognisable by their appearance. Surrounding them is text to advertise certain features inside the magazine. To make the main article stand out the NME cover usually uses large text stating the artist or band that have featured on their double page spread.
From this research I intend to use a similar layout with the title of my magazine placed in the top left corner. I also intend to list my stories down the left side of the front cover, which links to the middle NME image. I like how the artists are placed definatley in the center or at one of the sides, I intend to use this research to edit my front cover image and use the composition to set a layout.
I also really like the colours used in these 3 NME issues and I think that I could incorporate this into my work. I intend to use bold colours to make my magazine look strong and striking.
I think that the pricing is also good value for the amount in the NME magaznes. I think that I will ask my target audience for more advice on what price a music magazine should be. I think that £2.50 is a very apporiate and fair price for a magazine.
Inital research into Billboard Magzine:
The Billboard magazine publishes the Billboard charts which rank songs and albums in popularity.
Billboard focusses on pop, rock, alternative, indie and punk rock music.
Billboard produces magazine issues, music books, and merchandise.
On the front cover of the Billboard magazines the photograph used is of a solo artist. I have researched the front covers for Billboard to come back with these examples which have the artist looking directly at the readers to catch their eyes. Billboard prints the text around the artist’s body leaving the whole of them visible as they would be recognizable by their appearance and style. The front cover uses the space around the artists to advertise certain features inside the magazine. They use different font sizes to make the double page spread stand out from the other articles. Billboards cover usually uses large text to print the artist names that have featured on their double page spread.This magazine has a lot of female features and I think that it supports girl power. I think that this is shown as the women used on the front covers look strong and powerful artists.
From this research I intend to use a female model as I think that it will go with the rock/pop vibe I aim to show throughout my magazine. I also think that a female model will get away with using different props and more poses. I think that using a female model will also help to show the genre of the magazine through her makeup and costume for the magazine.
I like how I have got a different covers to that show different amounts of text used on them. I think that the left cover looks a little bit too empty and I don't think that this would be very appealing to my target audience. I like how the middle Lady Gaga cover uses quite a lot of text and how the Katy Perry cover on the right uses a little less text, as I think that this would catch the audiences eyes. I intend to cover my front cover page with as much text as possible without it being too crowded. I aim to get a cover with a lot of text on like the middle and the right Billboard front covers.
Initial research into Q:
Q was firstly issued on October 1886.
Q focusses on the pop music genre.
Q is sold monthly for £3.90
On the front cover of my examples the main image is a close up of one artist looking at the camera. By doing this Q magazine is creating a relationship with the audience to grab their attention through their eye contact. On all of the front covers the text is spread across the artists body leaving the face clear to draw in attention from the audience. The text is arranged around the artists in different font sizes, the largest text is the name of the artist on the front cover. This is the text that will stand out and attract the audience. Also Q uses circle text boxes to make the issue interesting, eye catching, appealing and different from the other magazines.
From this research I intend to capture close ups of my model to use on the front cover. I like these close ups as I think that the image immediately connects with the audience and that it holds their attention. I think that this is also because the modes are all looking at the camera to gain eye contact from the viewers. I think that the expression of the artists is very important as they are all looking strong and fierce. I think that this creates a powerful mood and I find that this would be appealing to the audience.
I like how in the font is used to make the name of the artist really stand out to the audience. I intend to do this on my magazine front cover, and I think that the Madonna cover on the right stands out more than the others as it is a bold red font colour on a black background. I intend to use powerful colours in my magazine as I think by doing this gives the magazine a wider audience as it doesn’t use stereotypical women or men colours. I think that these colours also have connotations of being a rock magazine which is strong and powerful, rather than pastels that make the magazine more aimed towards a stereotypical women audience.
Initial research into Garage:
Garage was firstly issued in 2011.
Garage focusses on contemporay music, art and fashion.
Garage is sold yearly and can also be collectbles.
On these front covers the models are placed directly in the center of the magazine. I think that this makes it easier to see them first and makes the cover look more balanced in terms of layout. I think that the close up is also used to connect with the audience to act as it would be printed out large so that the head would be an almost life sized image. I think that this would make a connection with the audience as the face and the eyes are closer to them to strengthen their eye contact which could also help with connecting with the audience as they would be looking straight into the models eyes as they look directly at the camera.
I don't like how the layout is mainly taken up by an image and a title as I think that this makes the magazine look blank compared to the rest of my research. I also don't think that this makes appealing to the audience as they are unable to see what it is that is worth buying in the magazine. Also the font size and colours used at the bottom of the page are very faint and would be a lot harder to see and spot as a viewer.
I like how in all of my examples props have been used. I like how they have decided to ue headphones as these link very closely to music and show immedatley that this magazine does focus on music. I intend to use props in my photo shoot to show that it is a music magazine. I intend to use a prop that relates closlely to music such as a stero, microphone and CDs or casettes.
I also like how the title of the magazine is placed infront of the model as it stand out and is easier to read. I intend to keep the title of my magazine in front of the model, but without covering up the models identity to link back to this research.
Initial research into i-D
i-D was firstly issued in 1980.
i-D focusses on music, fashion, art and youth culture.
i-D magazines can also become collectables.
I like how the title i-D is a symbol that when turned on its side like in the examples above represents a person winking and I like how in every issue the model will cover their right eye or wink at the viewers. I think that this is very clever and make the magazine unique from my other research.
I also like the bold colours used for the font in the fort covers as this makes the words jump out ot the viewers to catch their attention. I think that this is important when selling a magazine as there is a lot of competition and your magazine needs to stand out from the rest. From these covers I intend to use colours in this way by making the font in my magazine look bold.