Analysis of Contents Pages
- 1. Analysis of Existing Contents Page 1 The written section of the contents comes across as very organised which is quite a big contrast to how the images are laid out. This gives the magazine 2 sides, one being quite sensible and serious when it comes to the textual part which shows how they are serious about really giving people ‘in depth’ interviews, articles etc where as the disorganized lay out of the pictures gives the magazine a fun and exciting side. The main and most interesting features of the magazine are all listed down the side with the page numbers and titles in a bold font then a thick red underline- this emphasises what the main points are attracting the reader to them. Its more than likely that the reader will see one that interests them then once selected they will be able to read a brief synopsis of what the feature is about. This is a very effective way to lay out page names as it encompasses all the magazine best assets into one section giving a great overview. The masthead uses a deep red fill which is the signature colour of the whole magazine. Again, this gives the audience something to identify and familiarise with. The magazine logo is featured with the title ‘Contents’ next to it The most dominant image used on the page is an image of Ant and Dec. ‘Q’ have done this because the audience will immediately identify with them. You will stereotypically find that magazines will commonly use people who the public have a strong interest with as well as being very likeable. All other images directly link to the page titles features ultimately providing illustrations. Plus page numbers are featured on the images giving the audience a direct link to the subjects page. Throughout the page, thick lines are used as dividers which gives a sense of organisation and structure. These are used to divide each part into its own section which perfectly differentiates one section from another. For example, the audience can clearly see what page is what. The whole page uses the signature ‘Q’ colour scheme of red, white and black. These gives the audience something to familiarise with regardless of what issue they are reading. Red and black both stand as very strong colours which gives the magazine a sense of dominance and authority. Then white is predominantly used as a base colour for backgrounds etc. which gives a feel of gentleness in contrast to the red and black. There is a review featured at the bottom of the page which is a running theme in ‘Q’ magazines. This gives the audience a taste of the magazine before they even pass the contents page as well as demonstrating the professional reviews that can be expected further on the magazine.
- 2. This is a contents page taken from famous a well known magazine in the music industry; Q Magazine. The layout is quite formal in this with the text being neatly structured in boxes and the images kept separate. The image of the band ‘The Courteeners’ dominates most of the space on this page leaving the edge of the page for text and headings. I think there is an equal balance of image to text ratio as you don’t want lots of text because the page won’t look attractive to the reader but if there isn’t enough then the reader wont know what’s in the magazine. The font styles are all relatively easy to read and this makes it easy for the reader to understand. Each heading is in capital letters and bold. This stands out on the page and then the smaller font below provides the reader with more information should the reader want to find out more about the topic. For this reason the writers must pick good headings to entice the reader for example ‘A round with…’ will make the reader want to carry on reading and find out who they are talking about. I like the fact that the page number is a different colour to the text; this looks professional. The theme of the headings matches the ‘Q’ magazine’s logo of white text on a red background. This is a well recognised trademark of Q magazine and by carrying it on throughout the magazine it becomes recognisable. The heading at the top of the page displays the date, issue number and websites. These are all common features that most magazines include. By putting down the website you are effectively advertising your magazine more and attracting a wider target audience. Although there is a substantial amount of text on the page it is separated into several sections. They have chosen to put ‘Features’ at the top of the page because this is suppose to list the best features in the magazine and attract the reader. At the bottom of the page a heading of ‘Every Month’ is used, this shows to regular readers what they can expect to find in each issue. Another section is a review section of different artists and articles. In this heading they have included the phrase ‘The World’s Biggest and Best Music Guide’. This is used to promote the magazine and show the readers how respected they are even if it is just an opinion in the end. The last section of text is the ‘Oasis Special!’ section. This font and heading is different to the other three to show it is important and in fact a reason to make the magazine unique. In my opinion I don’t think this stands outs from the other three and has the opposite effect of what the writers have tried to achieve. The gold text isn’t as prominent on the page as the white text on a red background. The image used of ‘The Courteeners’ is a low angle long shot of the band. The shot and the setting of the background have been chosen carefully to show the band in a positive light. By having them on top of a mountain/hill the band looks important and powerful. Overall I think this contents page is very good in advertising the contents of the magazine to the reader and it provides them with enough information should they be unsure of what it is about. The structured layout and repetitive use of the red and white theme makes the magazine look professional and stylish. Analysis of Existing Contents Page 2