Here is a feature page that I found on Pinterest; because I don't know what magazine it has come from, I don't know the genre of magazine. However, the images, fonts and lexis suggest that this is from a fashion magazine of some sort. I have chosen to analyse this feature page because I think that the layout is interesting and it is more creative than other feature pages from popular magazines.
The layout of the page follows conventions in that it has an image covering one half of the double page spread and text on the other. I particularly like the layout of the text on the left hand side and how they have made it seem like the text is being held up. Obviously my feature page will include more writing to do with the article, but I do like the simplicity of the heading on the left and would like to try something similar in my own work. The image on the right take up the whole right hand side page which gives the reader a good view of the content of the image.
The main colours used on this double page spread are red, white and black. These colours create a statement on the page which also makes me think that this has come from a fashion magazine. The colour red could represent either love and passion or anger. This colour scheme is fluent throughout the double page as they are the only colours within the image and then is follows through to the text.
There is only one image used on this page; although this is different to the other feature page that I analysed, it still works with the layout and makes the reader interested. This page is not as busy and doesn't have as much content as the Net-A-Porter one, but it is the simplicity that is what makes is interesting. It is difficult to see if the model in the image is a mannequin or whether a person has been made to look like that. The image is very creative in itself as the idea to have model/mannequin dressed in a ballerina style and being what looks like held by ribbon that is attached to the ceiling is original. Although my feature article will not feature a model dressed or positioned in this style because it won't fit with the regional genre, I felt it was important to analyse a feature page that was quite different compared to popular magazines as having ideas like this will make my magazine stand out against others of a similar genre.
In terms of the lexis, the heading reads 'A Dreamlike State of Mind'. This heading sums up the image in that the idea is very 'dreamlike'. The purpose of this feature page is to promote and advertise jewellery that the model is wearing. This suggests that the jewellery that the page is promoting is of a unique and 'dreamlike' style. The page doesn't have a lot of writing, but what is there shows the purpose of the page.
The typography for the heading is of a Times style font and is positioned in different angles to make it looks like the text is hanging from the top of the page. The font that is used for the main parts of text is very similar which is unusual because a complimentary font us usually used for the other text on the page.
Overall, I like this page because I think the layout is very creative and stands out against other magazines. I would like to experiment with similar ideas and layouts for my feature page so that it looks different compared to others.
This feature page from Net-A-Porter magazine is based on travel; this is something I could do for my feature page and base it around luxury destinations in Cornwall. The layout of the page is appealing and make the content easy but interesting to read. The layout draws the reader in as it make the destination look interesting, as well as giving fashion tips on what to take which makes the reader want to wear similar clothes to the ones featured in this magazine. I like the idea of using the text boxes of information as it breaks the text up so the reader isn't bombarded with text. The layout shows all of the information clearly and allows the reader to see everything without getting confused or being overwhelmed with content; it separates the page into sections, allowing the reader to see attractive images of the destination, luxury accommodation, information and images of 'what to pack', and small sections of written information.
This page doesn't really follow a colour scheme as the only colours used other than the ones in the images are black and white. However there are many images that are very colourful which connotes summer and holiday, so other colours used for the text or the background would make the page too busy as there is already a lot of content on the page. I like the use of a plain white background with a lot of images as I think it gives the page more of a clean and professional look. The main colours in the images are blue, green and cream/beige. These colours are very summery, but the cream is a calming colour which adds to the holiday feel in that it makes the reader think of being relaxed.
Three main images are used on the page that show off the destination. There are five other small images that show the reader the best clothing to pack which will be fashionable for their holiday. This is a more effective way to make a list and will keep the reader interested because they will understand and relate to the imagery; they will prefer this to having to read a lot of text.
There isn't a lot of text on the page as Net-A-Porter usually spread each of their stories over more than one double page. However, this feature page has enough text to inform the reader, but not too much that the reader gets board. The main heading for the article will instantly attract the kind of reader that is interested in the celebrity lifestyle and vacates often as it reads, "Travel: Where the Stars Stay". The page incorporates a text box of writing that sums up the location and tell the reader where they can find more information if they are interested. It also has a section under the heading, "What to Pack". This heading makes the reader interested in the fashion section of the page, especially as big fashion names are mentioned in this section, such as Gucci and Jimmy Choo.
The typography on this page is very classy an clean. Obviously this is aimed at an audience of a high class as they are advertising a luxury holiday that probably comes with a high expense, and the font suggests this. There are two fonts used for the feature article: one for headings; a Times font in capitals and a more decorative Georgia type font in lowercase which is used for main sections of writing. These fonts compliment each other in that they are different styles, but work well.
Overall, I like this feature page. I think the layout shows enough information to keep the reader interested without being too busy, and the fonts work well together. As a conclusion, I like this style of feature article and I think it would work well in my own magazine as it fits with the fashion and regional genres.
This contents page is an example that I found on Pinterest, which I don't know the name of because it doesn't include the masthead. The main title of this page is 'Contents'. This would make it obvious to the reader as to what page they are reading, but the page doesn't follow conventions because it doesn't include a masthead or a date which could possibly confuse the reader. The word 'Contents' is written in sophisticated capitals in a peach/orange colour which fits with the soft feminine appearance of the page.
It follows conventions in terms of images by featuring four that represent the genre. I can't research the magazine to find the genre because there is no masthead, but from the images, I can see that it is probably a wedding or lifestyle magazine with a target audience of females. The images use similar colour pallets and are relatable and therefore work well together on one page. In the larger image, there is a female model wearing a white lace dress, possibly a wedding dress, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her expression and the way she is hiding behind the flowers shows excitement which could attract the reader if they want to know about flowers and bouquets for a wedding or event. The model looks natural and doesn't have a lot of skin showing as she is dressed conservatively with natural lighting which goes against Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' theory. All of the images are feminine and elegant and work well together.
There are three main fonts used throughout the page. A plain and clean font is used for the main part of text (the list of contents) on the right and a more decorative fonts for the headings. All the fonts used are very feminine and therefore will attract the female readers. A bolder capitalised font is used for the word 'Contents' to make it stand out the most. The same font is used throughout the text on the right, but is put in bold for the subheadings. This helps to separate the text and make it more interesting to read. The text on this page will attract the female audience because it is mostly to do with weddings and lifestyle; for example, one reads, "Bride Guide: Our guide to finding the best Bridal Boutique", which will attract the target audience because they will want to know about where the best place to shop for their wedding will be.
In terms of the colour pallet, the main colours used are orange/peach, black and white. The pastel peach colour is the main colour that is used throughout the imagery and page as a whole. The other colours that are used in the imagery are pastel themed and connote femininity.
The layout of the page is quite simple, but uses an interesting arrangement for the images. It has a sense of sophistication and strongly represents it's female audience with it's elegant fonts and imagery. I has two columns; one for the images and the other for the text. This makes it easy for the audience to read and find what they are looking for.
To conclude, I think this is an elegant design for for the contents page with creative imagery. The layout of this page is more interesting than those of popular fashion magazines such as Vogue. I would like to use similar fonts and pastel colour scheme as well as creative photography that represents my target audience. Overall, the contents page serves it's purpose with elegance and femininity.
This is another contents page that I found on Pinterest. It isn't for any magazine in particular, but was designed my Aprile Elicich, who is a freelance graphic designer.
Because this isn't part of a real magazine, it doesn't have a masthead. The main title of this page is 'Contents'. This would make it obvious to the reader as to what page they are reading, but the page doesn't follow conventions because it doesn't include a masthead or a date which could possibly confuse the reader. The word 'Contents' is written in a simple lightweight font in a dark grey.
In terms of the imagery, it goes against common conventions of magazine contents pages because it uses seventeen images. These images are arranged in a honeycomb layout which is very interesting and has a narrative feel. The imagery doesn't make it clear as to what genre of magazine this would be for, but because of the decorative and illustrative feel to the page, I can see that the target audience is probably middle aged females. The images show hexagon shaped sections of bigger photographs and drawings.
There are two main fonts used on the page; one for the word 'contents', and the other for the small text that relates to the images. The fonts used are conventional to fashion magazines because they are feminine and elegant, but in terms of the amount of text, there is a lot less than there would be on a popular fashion magazine. Two of the images also feature text, which looks like text from a book which could or could not be relevant to the genre.
In terms of the colour pallet, the main colours used are shades of grey. This is because there is a lot of imagery that feature different colours, so the colours used for the background and text had to be quite neutral to stop the page from seeming over crowded.
This layout is very unconventional. However, I think it more interesting than common contents page layouts found in more popular magazines. Firstly, this page is in a landscape format and has either been designed to go across two pages or for a landscape magazine format. The word 'contents' is quite small when compared to other contents pages, but it still obvious to the reader because it in the first place they will look and is in a contrasting colour to the background. The arrangement of the images goes against conventions because they are hexagon shape as opposed to square and go through the centre of the page. Additionally, the layout of the text is unconventional. There are arrows from some of the images pointing to text that tells the reader the heading of that particular story and what page they will find it on. Other than the extra information that is usually given about the story, this contents page still gives all the necessary information.
As a conclusion, this page is completely unconventional. However, I think that is more interesting to look at and to read that common contents pages. I think this page design is very creative, like other work of Aprile Elcich. I would like to use a similar design in terms of the creative imagery and layout. Overall, the contents page serves it's purpose and has achieved higher creativity by breaking the common conventions.
