Existing products research

All these magazines have conventions, such as:

• the date
• barcodes 
• mast heads
• main image
• Colour scheme
• school name
• sell lines
• language
• other small images
• captions
• For example, this magazine has a barcode so that it can be sold.  Also the mast head tells us it's a 'COLLEGE SPORTS' magazine.  We can also tell this by the sports person on the front, which is the main image.  The colour scheme for this magazine is quite minimal.  The only colour that stands out is yellow which my link into the college or it may just be a vibrant colour chosen.  The main sell line that stands out is 'THE SURE THING'.  This obviously will have some relevance to the college.      
• This magazine is a college issue from the New York Times.  They have produced a collage of images for  the background.  This could be linked in with work that students do in some college subjects.  The name of the magazine is in small print at the top of the page with the mast head, 'The College Issue', in the middle of the page letting the buyer know its related to college life.  There is small print text backed with bright yellow paper, these may be sell lines to tell the buyer what's in the magazine.  They have backed the text with bright yellow paper to make them stand out to the buyer from the collaged background.            

Conventions analysis of a magazine

 

This magazine 'COLLEGE life' shows the conventions of having a bold title (mast head).  The word college is the biggest text on the page this will instantly catch the readers eye and let them know the subject of the magazine.  The other half of the title says 'life'.  This part is written in smoother, fancier text.  This could indicate that college life flows nicely and its a nice period of time in your life.

It also has sell lines telling the buyers what articles will be featured in the magazine.  The most important story looks to be the 'Healthy Eating on a COLLEGE BUDGET'.  It looks to be the most important because it draws the readers eye the most as 'COLLEGE BUDGET' is in bold, capital orange text. 

The image of the girl holding the books is an obvious college scene.  The girl has a big grin on her face suggesting that she enjoys college, this will give off a positive light for other students.   

There is also other pictures on the front of the magazine which makes it easier for the buyer to know what is included in the magazine without reading any of the text.  The colours used are also very bright, catching peoples eye and keeping the magazine looking young and fresh for students.   

The target audience for this magazine is college students.  This is shown by the college student on the front and the title which involves the word 'COLLEGE' in it.  This is what immediately catches the buyers eye.    

THE BRIEF

Preliminary exercise:  Using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college ,again, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead.  Additionally you must produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.

Main task:  The front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine.  All images and text used must be original, produced by you - minimum of four images.