Research and Analysis of Magazine Front Covers

Analyse and compare the magazines of your chosen genre (art & culture magazines)

Another Man, the magazine at the top depicts actor Garrett Hedlund wearing a “hipster” outfit, looking into the distance with a pensive expression and pursing his lips. This cover is in correspondence with the film On The Road based on popular Beat Generation novel, to which he had starred in. Immediately the audience identifies with the actor and the anchorage text. Therefore, this cover will appeal to fans of literature and film. The masthead is off-center and yellow, implying its bright, quirky and unique quality as its selling point. The anchorage text that says “on the road” with block capitals moving up diagonally – this is for the audience to move their eyes across the title in an unconventional way, which makes the cover more exciting as making text diagonal will create a dynamic and adventurous effect which fits well with the title and the novel. The layout is unusually simplistic, but will cater well to a more intelligent, mature & artistic demographic (Blumler and Katz, Uses and Gratifications theory - identification).

The colour scheme is blue, yellow and white. The relationship of these elements helps give the audience an impression of a free, sunny sky. This semiotic correlates well with Hedlund looking presumably at the sun, almost as if he’s contemplating “chasing the sun” for freedom of travel, which happens to be a theme in the film/novel. This could be ideal for the readers who are interested in the pursuit of freedom. The sell lines, with the words “hotels”, “travelling” and “abroad” is made to appeal to the typical “reformer”. 

It is art and culture magazines like Another Man and AnOther Magazine that tend to highlight and sell the fact that they’re unique and stand out amongst the other mainstream ones.

The masthead of AnOther Magazine, has tones of light and dark which creates visual depth – which then implies that there is depth in the content of the magazine. The way it is spelt is “AnOther”, suggesting that it’s the edgier, alternative magazine for the consumer. It also has a watercolour effect to it – instantly the audience recognises that it’s an art magazine. The anchorage text denotes “capturing the mood of the moment” – this use of alliteration helps make the cover more memorable. These magazines tend to have a careful and limited colour scheme, so is less flashy so therefore is generally less appealing to the younger demographic.

However, there are some things that are different. The representation of the men and woman in art and culture magazines lies a subtle contrast. For women, they are often portrayed as stoic, poised and graceful – as this will attract some mainstream consumers who might think it’s a fashion magazine. On the other hand, men are portrayed as mysterious and edgy with questionable intentions based on their expressions. The male demographic will identify with the men on the cover, and the female will most likely be intrigued and buy it. This is a stereotype often used in these magazines as it is a normal occurrence in today’s media – therefore the audience will identify with it more.

There are also more adult, sophisticated publications like Aesthetica, which is tailored more for the older demographic who are interested in the fine arts. Therefore, the cover has less visual distractions such as puffs and skylines to focus the reader’s attention to the main image, which often is a scene rather than a single person. The reader is drawn to the intellectually stimulating and complex meaning of the cover, which is often created as an artwork itself – and is often challenged by the magazine to negotiated readings.

Like this one, depicts of a traditional couple in a rural, stereotypical old American landscape. Their expressions are worried and disappointed as they are looking at something. This hints at the challenges of the “American Dream”. In summary, art and culture magazines should aim towards the ABC1 demographic, should cater quite fairly equally to men and women, and the cover shouldn’t bear too many distractions, but should have a lot of decoding for the reader to do.

Analysis 

Colour 

– it is much more colorful, and aesthetically pleasing in a different sense. Here there is a balance 

between cool and warm colors, with many tints and shades – this hints at the diverse, free and 

modern nature of graphic art and design (supported by the anchorage text). 

Also blue and yellow are opposites on the colour wheel, because they’re so different they stand out when put next to each other.

Font – Art magazines often try to appear clean and professional – this magazine uses a clean cut, modern font to help it look very new.

Puff – the word “free” tempts the reader into buying it. 

Anchorage text – use of sibilance for “skills special”, it makes the text more memorable and this makes sure that it is just as appealing as the images.

Layout – this magazine, as it’s less traditional, is more geometric and features blocks, bubbles, rectangles, and triangles. This creates visual interest but still in a clean way and the use of colour helps sustain the audience’s attention.

Audience – this magazine is aimed to the younger, tech-savvy ABC1 demographic, as there are flashy colours and they are more likely to buy it as nowadays technology is a part of the being young.

Language –like the way colour is used, the younger audience tend to prefer something less subtle – the word “you” is used 3 times here, which links to the “mode of address”. It makes things more personal.

Graphic art magazines, unlike fine art magazines, are much less minimalistic and traditional. Less focus and thought is put onto the main image, but more breadth is put onto the cover as a whole, with the typeface, layout and colour being the most important things.