Vibe Magazine Cover Analysis by Chloe Morley

Masthead:It runs across the top of the page from left to right.

It fades in colour from almost a dark red/black colour all the

way to a bright red colour. This draws the readers eyes down

the page as it follows the colour so then the reader will start

to read what else is on the cover. The lettering is in bold block

capitals which attracts the reader. Also the main cover star is

actually blocking part of the masthead, meaning that it is a

well-established and recognizable magazine and doesn’t

need to be fully visible to know which magazine it is.

Main image:It’s a shot of his torso upwards and it is clear and

shows who the main feature in the magazine is. He is looking

straight at you which is a direct mode of address and it draws

you in and catches your eye. He is stood quite aggressively

with his arms crossed and moody expression on his face

which makes you want to find out why he is in this stance. He

is also stood against a plain white background so all the focus

is on him and you aren’t distracted by anything behind him

Model credit:The model credit is linked with the main cover

line – it has been merged into one. A popular model has been

used, clearly states who it is.

Coverlines: The cover lines are all on the outer edge of the

front cover surrounding the main image. All of the text is

block capitals in an easy to read font, but it all varies in size,

could be that the more important cover lines are a bigger

size. They are either in the colours red, grey or black and it’s

always the key part of the cover lines which is in red to make

it stand out and attract the eye. Also the cover lines fit

around Eminem’s body outline so all the space is being filled

so it is busy and makes you want to read it.

Main Cover Line:It’s situated at the side of the artists head –

shows that it’s him we are talking about. The name of the artist

is in bold, block capitals making it stand out. The rest of the main

cover line is in a variety of sizes and colours and because making

it eye catching and grabs your attention. It’s also quite dramatic

– makes you want to read what’s happened. The name of the

artist is also slightly covered by the artist himself – this shows

that he is a big star and people automatically know who he is

even if his name is covered.

Colour:The colours used are different shades of grey,

black, red and a small dose of white. They are all

contrasting colours but work well together so they are

pleasant on the eye. They are also quite bright so stand

out and catch the reader’s attention. The main coverline

is brightest to highlight the fact it’s the biggest feature in

the magazine.

Typefaces:All the text on the cover is easy to read. All the

text on the page is in bold, block capitals which is sans

serif meaning it is easier to read for everybody – more

people might buy the magazine because of this. It also

stands out. All the text fits well onto the page – fills up

all the page so it looks like there is a lot of content in

there and it surrounds the main image so the main

attraction is still that.

Photography Lighting: The lighting on this image is quite

bright and it contrasts with the paleness of the

background and it also contrast with the deep colours of

the main coverlines, mastheads and coverlines – it makes

the image stand out and makes you want to read the

magazine to see why he is so popular and why it may be

such a big deal to have him on the cover.

Design Principles Used:The Gutenberg Principle has been

used here. In the primary optical area there is the

masthead as it will be the first thing the reader will see.

It is in big bold lettering so it stands out. Also in the

primary optical area is the main cover line with a pull

quote so it makes the reader interested in what he has to

say. The axis of orientation is used well and is easy to

read, make it more appealing to the reader.

House Style: Would run throughout the whole of the magazine. Colours

used would be different shades of grey, black, and red and possibly white

– they all contrast with each and work well making the writing stand out.

All of the wordings/coverlines are in bold, block capitals – makes the

wording stand out and grab your attention and makes it look important –

could be the same for the content in the magazine. The font is also easy to

read so people might find it more appealing.