Codes and Conventions

                                                            Codes and Conventions

The Masthead- The mast head is the main title you usually notice first on the magazine. It is the name of the magazine and the size, colour and font will usually fit the genre. sometimes the colour can change to suit the time of the year or the colour scheme but the font and size will always stay the same.

Main cover lines- The main cover lines or cover lines are the writing around the main image. this writing tells the readers what is inside the magazine. in some cases the cover lines are funny and in other cases they use shocking cover lines. to do this the cover lines include emotive words. Another word for these cover lines are 'puffs'. These puffs give the audience a small insight in what is in the magazine.

Main image- the main image is always either a single portrait or in some music magazines a full band. cover lines are usually arranged around it. In the main image, the picture will have direct address which is when the person in the image is giving you eye contact. this draws the audience in because they feel the person in the image, usually a celebrity or musician, is looking at them. Additional images are used in magazines to illustrate cover lines or sell lines.

Covermount- the covermount is the free gift which is mounted on the front of the magazine which in all cases, is relevant to the genre. the gifts can range from toys and stickers to CD's or make-up

Skyline/ strapline- The sky line is the writing across the top of the magazine, above the masthead, which helps the audience learn about something about the magazine.

Anchorage text- This is the text which is usually in the center or towards the bottom of the magazine which gives the image purpose. It is text which basically tells the audience why the person on the front cover is actually on the front cover.

Price/ Bar code-  the price is how much the reader has to pay to own the magazine. usually the price is on the front of the magazine but in very small text. Every magazine has a bar code so you can scan them. these are found on the front of a magazine.

Colour scheme- Magazines don't usually tend to use more than 4 colours on their front cover. they usually use colours which compliment each other. the colours of the photograph are usually the most dominant but the font colours and colour of the masthead also attracts readers.

House style- the house style a style that the institution that owns the magazines keeps to which includes fonts colours and styles of magazines.

The designer used a masthead because you can clearly see the name of the magazine and it is recognisable. The colour, size and font of 'Rolling Stone' is always the same which is what makes the magazine so recognisable. The colour scheme of black, red and white are colours which compliment each other to reach out and appeal to an older and more mature audience. it also adds a sense of quality to the magazine with the lack of real bright colours. The anchorage text 'NIRVANA' is used to stand out and give the main image a purpose of being there. The main cover line underneath the anchorage text gives you an insight to the anchorage text and gives you a bit more information about why the band are on the front cover but it also doesn't tell you much which makes the reader want to read the article inside. The main image of the band is in black and white which fits in with the colour scheme. Also within the image, all 3 members of the band are giving the reader direct address which draws readers in to looking at the magazine and picking it up from the shelves. Furthermore if the reader was receiving direct address front perhaps their favourite band, actor, celebrity etc, they will feel a connection with them and probably buy the magazine. The Skyline is used to attract readers in shops because they will only be able to see this and the masthead because of the magazines being stacked on top of each other. The coverlines/ puffs are used to give the audience another insight into what else is in the magazine. In most cases the cover lines will include big names like for instance 'Kanye and Jay-Z' to attract other fan bases and age groups.