Analysis of a magazine cover!

Rachael Archer

Title – Top left aligned. Either goes completely across the top or top leftish if short. Title – big font, unique. Image can partially cover the title if the magazine is well known.

Image – one main image – well known person. Direct address use (looking at audience).Mid shot or close up, longer shots used if showing a band.Photos are generally posed.No text on facial aspect of image.

Barcode – Usually bottom right, can be horizontal or vertical. Price, issue number, date and website.

Cover lines – quite ambiguous on purpose to draw the reader in always written in capitals.All cover lines use the same font ( bold & simple).Cover lines frame the image.Main cover line anchors the main image, it has larger font than cover lines but not larger than the title.About 5/6 cover lines maximum. Cover line not always making the story clear. Cover lines always short.

Sub lines – adds detail to the cover line.

Backgrounds to the main image is plain to make other images stand out.

Smaller subsidiary images link into other stories inside of the magazine or other cover lines.

Buzzwords- used to suggest that it is something special to this magazine e.g. “new exclusive”.

Serif font (with hooks) few fonts are used. Sons serif (plain font) times new roman or Arial.

Title – Top left aligned. Either goes completely across the top or top leftish if short. Title – big font, unique. Image can partially cover the title if the magazine is well known.

Cover lines – quite ambiguous on purpose to draw the reader in always written in capitals.All cover lines use the same font ( bold & simple).Cover lines frame the image.Main cover line anchors the main image, it has larger font than cover lines but not larger than the title.About 5/6 cover lines maximum. Cover line not always making the story clear. Cover lines always short.

Sub lines – adds detail to the cover line.

Image – one main image – well known person. Direct address use (looking at audience).Mid shot or close up, longer shots used if showing a band.Photos are generally posed.No text on facial aspect of image. Barcode – Usually

bottom right, can be horizontal or vertical. Price, issue number, date and website.

Backgrounds to the main image is plain to make other images stand out.

Serif font (with hooks) few fonts are used. Sons serif (plain font) times new roman or Arial.

Buzzwords- used to suggest that it is something special to this magazine e.g. “new exclusive”.

Title – Top left aligned. Either goes completely across the top or top leftish if short. Title – big font, unique. Image can partially cover the title if the magazine is well known.

Image – one main image – well known person. Direct address use (looking at audience).Mid shot or close up, longer shots used if showing a band.Photos are generally posed.No text on facial aspect of image.

Cover lines – quite ambiguous on purpose to draw the reader in always written in capitals.All cover lines use the same font ( bold & simple).Cover lines frame the image.Main cover line anchors the main image, it has larger font than cover lines but not larger than the title.About 5/6 cover lines maximum. Cover line not always making the story clear. Cover lines always short.

Sub lines – adds detail to the cover line.

Barcode – Usually bottom right, can be horizontal or vertical. Price, issue number, date and website.

Backgrounds to the main image is plain to make other images stand out.

Serif font (with hooks) few fonts are used. Sons serif (plain font) times new roman or Arial.

Buzzwords- used to suggest that it is something special to this magazine e.g. “new exclusive”.