Forms and Conventions

My music magazine is based around the rock genre of music. This means design ideas such as ripped edges on stickers that look deliberately worn. This represents the rock conventions within my magazines layout. Some existing magazines that show this are NME, Kerrang and Blender. However, the colour scheme of these are usually red and black which I have developed by using bright electric blues, plum purples and yellow brightening the appearance of the magazine but keeping it youthful and appealing to a wider range of rock fans. I have constructed a magazine to fill a gap within the market by providing a magazine with reviews on newly signed and unsigned bands and artists that are looking for agents or fans. My magazine then allows those smaller local bands the chance to feature in publicised magazine, consequently becoming famous within the music industry. This provides something exclusively exciting about my magazine and the fact it is acknowledging the increase in technology and rate of downloads by being in conjunction with youtube, it has a unique selling point and free advertising space. Although, I have kept some of the conventions similar to keep it easily recognisable for my target audience that I am aiming at.
My Front Cover: My front cover has used many conventions to achieve this for example; the masthead reveals the magazines music type within the word “Rock”. “Signature” could connote an autograph, being famous, becoming signed or unique all expressing positive connotations for my magazine. I have used a font that resembles a style of handwriting common to signatures; I have kept to my house style colours with the electric blue which could connote indecency, obscenity or behaviour that is risqué contrasted with a black font colour that connotes danger, threats, or power. I used certain rubber effects on photo shop that provided a rough ripped edge effect on the background and sticker graphic which connoted strong anti-commercial, broken, rock stereotyped roughness. The edge of the sticker is yellow and this connotes happiness or physiologically, yellow can also create detachment which links to its ripped effect. The strokes around each set of cover lines on the right hand side look almost like paint spills which connote rebellion, and typical of ‘troublesome youths’. I experimented with different colour schemes. Once I had decided on the font colour for my front cover I decided to continue you colour theme through, this meant changing the background colour to compliment the salmon pink font. I also added credits to the right hand side of the page continue the eye across the whole page, making the product feel more complete.
My Contents Page: The contents page also carries on the colour schemes splashes of yellow against, white, black and electric blue. This keeps continuity within the magazine creating fluidity in the magazine which makes it easy to read and connect with.
The contents page also uses polaroid image effects that give a disposable connotation which could connote what you need to take to gigs and also being free and almost disposable ourselves. The word ‘features’ could connote that something is offered as a special attraction or although they may be regulars as in structure the contents of each interview or review is extra special. It becomes enticing with the black lettering placed on top of a yellow box making it stand out. The main image shows a young person of a similar demographic to my target audience which represents an artist in the charts. By not addressing the camera she gives an impression connoting attitude or expressing a relaxed sensation. 2nd person pronouns have been used to create a personal relationship between the target audience and the magazine. It creates an informal, direct way of addressing the target audience and the exclamation mark I used causes a youthful demographic to become apparent through the use of informal markers. This graphic links to the one seen on the cover but has a red stroke instead of a yellow one. It connotes through its ripped edges an anti-commercial feel representing the rough, youthful rebellion of my target audience which will keep them interested. The word free connotes an offer to be efficient. The stroke resembles scrunched up paper or scribbles which in turn connotes messiness and rebellion.
The house style colour scheme of yellow, red, black and electric blue has been kept throughout all 3 of my products. This makes sure there is a connection with all 3 products and makes sure the target audience knows this and establishes a trust with the magazine due to its continuity.
My Double Page Spread: The double page spread has pull quotes. These take an extra interesting quote from within the text, out of context which causes the reader to want to read on. The stand first captures the attention of the reader, it begin the story giving an interesting perspective that keeps the attention of the reader causing them to read on. I have used many conventions to keep a similar setup/layout to existing magazines of the same genre. White space, gutters, and even jumps signs. This graphic arrow directs the reader’s eye towards the edge of the page, ready to turn over and find out more. By lines have been used to appreciate the work of the interviewer and the photographer to keep the professional, formal convention within the design. I have kept to the colour scheme with the words. These create the title of the interview. It begins small and becomes gradually bigger on the page however; this could be a subtle connotation of the life that 'Tauri Twinnings' has lived.