Front Cover anaylsis by Lucy Barker

Anaylsis of similuar product- Front cover by Lucy Barker

I looked at how codes and conventions are used in Q magazine to get a better idea of what looks good because it is a very good selling magazine that varies its codes and conventions and is similar to the type of magazine I am going to create.

Jay Z is presented in dark clothes which contrast with this cheery expression, this convention makes him look like he can play the smart, sophisticated guy and still have fun and be comfortable which entices the readers to buy the magazine because they want to know more about him. It also makes it look more real and less set up in front of a camera. His sophisticated look makes him look dependent of thought leaving the target audience wondering what he is laughing about.

The lack of text in the foreground is a code used to suggest that his music is more important, or that he, as the main feature of the front cover, doesn’t need explaining, it also hints that he represents a more sophisticated genre of music and leaves lots of white space. This also makes the magazine stand out from all the other magazines which are usually bombarded with text and promotions. The colours used in this specific magazine issue are very plain and blend in well, this code is used to make it look rich.

The lead fits in well with the mast-head with the main feature of the front cover, the photograph, and explains to those who may not know who he is, who he is, and also grabs the attention of people who like him and his music. It gives them a better idea of what is to come inside the magazine; this is also helped by the drop quote. 

Over all I have learnt that Q magazine play around with codes and conventions to make them stand out against other competitors, and to make the artist of the front cover fit in. I am going to use some ideas and ways that Q magazine have also used in their codes, such as making the lead stand out with the text type and having the lead as the name of the artist because I think that my genre and target audience suit this style and it will appeal to them.

Analysis of similuar product- Front cover #2 by Lucy Barker

I have chosen to analyse another issue of Q magazine featuring a female to compare the representations. The model, Jessie J, is dressed to show of her size and physique, she also is wearing a lot of make-up to highlight her beauty, which is important because as a woman this what she is expected to represent, especially as she is a pop artist because pop music focuses more on the beauty and physique of woman than other music genres. She is stood in a powerful stance which makes her stand out from expectations and makes her seem like she has a care free attitude. The magazine has used this central image to encourage the target audience to buy the magazine. The target audience are mostly males, but females also of an age range in the early 20’s to late 30’s because of the way she is presented and the sophisticated choice of language and use of layout.

Codes such as house style are used so that it fits in with other Q magazines and follows a theme. In this issue colours have been experimented with, like the pink used in the lead because it follows the artist who is female and therefore probably most likely to use pink. Other codes such as the border, which is small and has a banner overlapping it are used to make the background less busy so that the focus is mainly on the model, this is also the reason there is a limited amount of writing. The mast-head always stays in the same position because it is part of the house style and distinguishes the magazine from other competitors.

Conventions used such as the mast head are made to stand out. It is big and although the central image is layered on top of the mast-head it still obvious and not to be missed. Repeated and accepted codes such as the mast-head are used for familiarity. Other conventions include the lead which is always the name of the artist or band featured in the central image; this is effective because as it is a different colour and the second biggest text on the cover other than the mast-head it can be seen from a long way away.  

Looking at this magazine cover has been useful in my research because I know that I need to be keeping the conventions the same in my front cover, double page spread and contents page. I also know that I need to make really good use of my layout to make my front cover stand out from others. I have also learnt that the representation of the musician/model on my front cover is very important because it needs to be suitable for my target audience of early to late teens.