Magazine Cover Layouts

Above are my magazine cover designs. I feel that each of my well thought out designs are varied and include features in which are unique as well as following conventions of a cover. What I consider important within the cover of a magazine is the main image/feature which is usually the aspect that stands out most along with the masthead. This to me is important because it is the feature people see first and what makes them pick up the magazine on the shelf as they may recognize the person on the front and may be a fan of them or they may be doing something that catches their attention. With this, this is why the main image takes up the whole page and is always bigger than the other features around it. I would like people to view the magazine as fun,  entertaining, bold and over all different to other magazines. This is because it will make them want to engage in it. I also want people to view it as professional but effective as none of the covers are dull and boring.  I would like the main image on the cover to be vibrant and bold because it is what people tend to see first. I would like the image to represent what the magazine is advertising, tying everything on the cover together. With text I feel that the biggest text in the page should be the masthead first to show the brand image and then the headline, pull quotes and lure which my cover designs effectively show. This is because it catches the attention of the readers and makes them want to look inside to find out more. Ans also follws the conventions of a magazine.

Masthead Designs

School Magazine Moodboard

Ideas that I may include in my school magazine.

What to watch: In the magazine I could include popular things teenagers like to watch in their free time and what they could potentially watch. I think that this will be effective because many adolescents watch TV shows and tend to 'binge' watch them and talk about it through social media like twitter. It also gives them a chance to socialise with people by discussing what they think of it and the current story line which I myself do among others.

Revision and homework tips: This will keep the magazine an academic magazine as well as a fun and entertaining one. This would be useful to students as they always get told to revise and do homework through the academic year and it would be a helpful section for them and would be aimed at all years and age groups.

Useful apps: Social media and gaming apps consume students lives, having a section in which gives details of what apps are popular is suitable for the target audience and gives them ideas of what to engage in and have fun with specially social media apps like snap chat or twitter and games like Pokemon Go which is extremely popular. This also gives them a chance to talk about it to others.

Music festivals: would be appropriate to add to the magazine as many students go to concerts are infatuated my music from all types of genres and the celebrities that make the music.

Prom Ideas: For pupils in the older years giving them ideas of what to wear and where to go and price ranges etc this is appropriate as it is a big part of their lives.

Masthead Analysis

Analysis Of Magazine

Why I chose media studies.

I chose media because I think I will gain a different perspective of the outside world whilst also gaining a set of new skills. I find it very interesting because it has started to play a part of my generation’s daily lives.

The skills that I will gain are the ability to analyse and determine what the media is trying to sell and advertise to us. I will have a different outlook to others who have no actual interest in the inside of the media and just see it as a magazine or advert etc. It will help me in the future if I am able to work in the media business as I will know the best techniques to promote to the appropriate audience and will know how their minds see the media.

Media Studies will also help me develop number of skills like an ability to analyse how media products are constructed, how to produce media products across different platforms, how to do individual research  and how to evaluate my own media products and those of others.

Overall, I have a vast interest in the media from having social media, reading magazines and watching different types of entertainment through a screen. I have become captivated by the media as it controls and changes the way we see things. It has become normality for me and without it, it would be extremely difficult.

Although the media provides a positive aspect to lives, it also brings negatives. For example, they can lie to manipulate and control people into believing in things that are hoaxes, deterring people away from their own views and what is actually true. Moreover, the media prepares a base for things like conspiracy theories (which I enjoy reading even though it may be twisted) to grow and scaring people into believing what the media has falsely created through the millions of people who have access to it.

Many of us, like myself, are able to access all types of media through gadgets e.g. phones, tablets and laptops. We interact with the media on a daily basis without even realizing as we are surrounded by it.

By choosing media studies I can look deeper into it and change the way I look at things, possibly for the better. Being able to analyse and explain details of the media will allow me to understand why the media does what it does.

Not only will the media give me new skills but it will allow me to enjoy my education as it allows me to be creative and is actually fun. Media studies is something I enjoy learning about and it is a subject that plays to my strengths.

Overall, media studies will help me develop three relationships with the media. As a ‘consumer I will become more aware of the many ways in which media messages are presented to me, as well as discovering how the institutions which produce and distribute media products are trying to reach me. The subject will help my evaluation skills, which will give me a -hands on understanding of both how media messages are created and what they are aiming to do.