Introduction to Magazine Layouts

When looking at the layout of magazines, I discovered this video on YouTube. It shows the best ways to layout different aspects of magazines and has given me more information and ideas about what is expected of mine.

Skin Camouflage

According to the British Association of Dermatologists, 15% of the UK’s population a year seek help from their doctors for a skin condition. As many as 30% of these patients also experience psychological distress due to skin disfigurement, this will affect their quality of life and ability to participate in work and social activities, which in turn will affect their relationships with friends and family members.

For a teenage girl who has a sever skin condition such as scars, acne, psoriasis and eczema, their confidence in their appearance will be knocked, however putting makeup such as foundation and concealer will only irritate the skin and make their condition worse, now with skin camouflage they will be able to feel confident in their skin again as it will not irritate the skin and let it breath.

Doing an article on skin camouflage does go against what I am trying to portray with girls feeling confident in their own skin, however with severe skin conditions there is no reason for girls to no do whatever they can to feel confidence within themselves, because if you look good on the outside you will feel so much better on the inside, and that is the purpose of my magazine, feeling good on the inside.

  

What I Have Found Out Through My Double Page Spread Research

Through my double page spread research I have found out that I should always follow the codes and conventions of a double page spread to ensure that mine succeeds. So generally being written in columns, title is big and bold and stands out from the rest, it is often located in the top left hand corner or in the center of the page.

The image of my double page spread to fit with the style of the article, for example it should be inviting with a sense of warmth so that my target audience feel comfortable when reading it therefore giving them more confidence, because if they feel uncomfortable then they will lose confidence. The shots for my images should be either mid shot, establishing shot or close up, these three shots I believe will make my audience feel more connected to the article.

The text arrangement is important, it should be easy and simple for my readers to follow and should not be complicated making it have a flow.

Finally through analysing other double page spreads I believe I am now ready to start planning my own.

Look Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis

 

Above is an analysis I have conducted of Look magazine double page spread. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done so that my double page spread reaches its best potential.

The layout to this double page spread is very different to the ones I have previously looked at, because this one has smaller articles relating back to the main article in comparison to the other ones which are just one article. There is another title on the left hand page half way down written at a slight slant with a white background covering up part of the model making the title clear. There is a clear difference between the articles on this page due to the sub headings highlighted in orange clearly separating them.

The title is located at the top of the page in big capital letters following the usual conventions of a double page spread by grabbing attention this way. The title is in black apart from the middle word “big” in the different colours, orange pink and red, this makes this specific word stand out against the rest of the title. The insight to the article is at the side of the  article where the eye direction of the reader would follow on to, this is different to the other double page spreads that I have looked at because the insight to those are situated underneath.

The colours used throughout this article are orange, red, white, black and pink, these colours are all colours that when used together are quite summery but more of an exotic summery associated with morocco and places like that. The text is mainly black with important parts in red and are slightly larger, apart from on the left page where the text is over the model so is in white so that it is readable against the colour of her hair.

Looking at this double page spread has given me some ideas about my own because of its difference to the others that I have looked at.

J.K. Rowling

 K Rowling is a single mother and is the author of the Harry Potter series of books. She was rejected 12 times by different publishers before a small publishing house finally accepted it. The book went on to become an international phenomenal with millions of followers of all age groups. With just the power of her pen, J K Rowling went from near poverty to becoming a billionaire many times over.

JK Rowling is the perfect woman to help boost young girl’s self-esteem by showing them that they should never give up on what they desire, if they set their minds to it, then anything is possible! This story about JK Rowling would be perfect to feature in my magazine as it shows a woman who set her mind on something and wouldn’t stop at anything until she achieved her desired goal.

Mise-En-Scene in a Double Page Spread

Mise-en-scene is very important in the images used in a double page spread, the pictures need to be inviting therefore creating a sense of welcome to the audience. If the pictures look inviting it gives off a sense of warmth making the audience feel more positive about the article and more connected to what the article is about. Therefore the images should be set in bright warm surrounding and not in a dark and dangerous looking environment, unless it fits with the theme of the article.

Therefore as I am designing a teen magazine the mise en scene should be warm and inviting making my target audience feel comfortable, as if they feel comfortable they are more likely to find a sense of confidence where as if they feel uncomfortable they may become reclusive to the article completely going against what I am try to achieve.

Cosmopolitan Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis

Above is an analysis I have conducted of a Cosmopolitan magazine double page spread. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done to ensure my double page spread reaches its best potential.

Jessie J… Superstar Rising, is the title of the article and is situated at the top of the right hand page, it is in two different formats of font with Jessie J in italics and Superstar rising normally, this separates the two and with her name above it shows importance.

The article follows a colour scheme of black and orange with the text in these colours, the article is an interview with the questions in orange and her replies in black clearly showing the difference between the two. The colours of the font compliment the grey background nicely and stand out against it. The colour scheme is continued to the model, Jessie J, with heavy black eye makeup and hair with an orange/coral lipstick, bringing the whole articles appearance together.

I love the way that the colour scheme is completely followed throughout the entire article even to the finer details such as makeup. I hope to follow a similar pursuit with the colour schemes continuation with my own article.

My Front Cover Evaluation

My front cover for my regional magazine has taken the same form as my billboard advertisement, this is so my target audience who will have seen the billboard will be able to recognise it instantly on the selves. The title of my magazine is at the top of the page following the conventions of other magazine front covers and also so that if it is on the self behind another they will still be able to see the title to find the magazine. I have used Tahoma bold font for the word Teen and Times New Roman italic for the word unique, this is so that both words stand out both together and separately, this is an idea I have continued with the bottom of the page with the word Ella in Times New Roman italic and Natural is Best in Century Gothic.

Although I originally wanted all black font, I decided in the end to have my double page spread article on the no makeup selifes in white, this is because as the model takes up the majority of the page I wanted to be able to see the writing clearly and where this writing is located on top of her hair the black did not show up very well, hence I decided on white.

I have chosen to place the issue number of the magazine and the month of the issue above the title to the left. This is because although they are normally situated under the title, I wanted to create more space for my article information and by placing it above the title I have created space to do so. Also where the letter Q in Unique comes down to there is not really enough space between the top of the models head and the edge of the page to place it. Also I have put the bar code in the bottom right hand corner so that it doesn’t obstruct the rest of the page.

Finally I decided on my font Century Gothic because of the clean cut edges I thought looked really modern, therefore appealing more to my target audience, the parts about the article I have written in italic to show a clear difference, and have made the number 30 larger than the text on the article so that it grabs instant attention and stands out on its own as well as part of a feature.

My Front Cover

 

This is my finished front cover for my regional magazine. I have used the format from my billboard so that it is instantly recognisable to my target audience.

Image and Body Text Arrangement

When placing big blocks of text, try not to break them up. You should not throw elements on a page just for the sake of throwing them around. Let it have a meaning. A flow. If you put barriers on the page, reader will have hard time following the flow of the story. Keep the flow of the text columns tidy and even.

Things should be simple, and you should simplify the design by aligning the columns at the top and placing images above them. In this way reader will have no problem to follow the text part of the story. Therefore when designing my double page spread I will use a simple outline to plan my article and see what design looks best.

White Text

I have been moving text around on my front cover to see what looks best where, then I decided to move my main story up the page. However because the models hair is dark the writing is not very clear making it difficult to read. Therefore I think I will stick to black font and just move the writing unless I can find a way to make it work.

Positioning the Issue Number and Date

I have chosen to place the issue number of the magazine and the month of the issue above the title to the left. This is because although they are normally situated under the title, I wanted to create more space for my article information and by placing it above the title I have created space to do so. Also where the letter Q in Unique comes down to there is not really enough space between the top of the models head and the edge of the page to place it.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato is an extremely famous pop star and actress in America. Recently she has opened up about having an eating disorder when she was younger, after being harassed by kids at her school for being "fat", she started compulsively overeating at a very young age and due to the harassment almost stopped eating altogether at the age of 12.

Eating Disorders are serious and complex problems that affect millions of young men and women all over the world. But so many people don't understand them. For example it is a common misconception that eating disorders are just about food. butt actually they are so much more than that.Eating disorders often stem from feelings of low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, or in Demi’s case, being teased and ridiculed for her weight. She also believes that a big contributing factor to these feelings is the pressure that’s out there to meet impossible standards.

As many models presented in magazines are of an unhealthy size 0, it’s important for girls not to feel pressured into thinking that they must look like that, because that is an unrealistic image. Demi speaking out about her eating disorder gives many young teenage girls the confidence to seek help if they have or know someone who is going through a similar situation. This is the right type of influential confidence I want my magazine to be about.

 

Looking at Font for my Front Cover

 

I have started to look at font to include on my front cover for my articles. Here I have used Tahoma font in size 30, I have chosen this font because it is clear and concise and is also the font used as part of my magazine title. However this font is not very eye catching and does not stand out as much as I thought it would.

I then went on to thinking that if I moved the number 30 to above the text and have it separate in a larger size it would attract more attention, I think that this looks really effective and the 30 has become eye catching. I have now also changed the font to Berlin Sans FB and the font size for the writing has increased to 36. I am still not 100% satisfied with the font to I will continue looking for another one.

 

I continued my search for a professional looking font and have found Century Gothic, I really like this font because I believe that it looks modern through its sharp cuts and slim text, this will then reflect upon the ages of my target audience, teenagers, by being modern.

A Second Title?

I really want this issue of my magazine to focus on the confidence in teenage girls, hence why I am planning to do my main article on the no makeup selfie campaign. Therefore this issue will be called, The Confidence Issue. When designing my front cover I want to put this somewhere on it and look to see where it would go best and with what font and if it should be completely separate to other text on my front cover. Therefore I will look into the option of having this as a second title, or maybe not even featuring it on the front cover at all and saving it for my contents page.

Ideas of Articles to Feature on the Front Cover

Below is a list of ideas of articles to advertise on my front cover. From my article research so far I would really like my main double page spread to be about the no makeup selfie campaign for cancer research. The other ideas I have just come up with I believe would be eye catching and relatable for my target audience. The ideas with numbers included in the title are there because on the other front cover magazine I have looked at, articles with numbers involved have been advertised.

·         No Makeup Selfie – the cancer research campaign taking the women of Britain by storm.

·         30 hair styles you can try at home.

·         The best clothes to compliment your body shape.

·         3 steps to a clearer complexion.

·         How to make the best out of a bad situation – we hear your inspiring stories.

·         What does your hair colour say about you?

·         20 ways to clear a busy mind.

·         Why we love Katie Piper.

·         Simple easy ways to get the motivation you desire.

·         Is your body getting the vitamins it needs?

Readers Eye Direction

Readers concentrate on the top parts of the double page spread. This is the first place where their eye will stop when they skim through the pages, so you cannot start your story by placing headline on bottom right page. This is not natural starting point. It is not good design if the reader has to search through the page to find most important thing (if there is no image on the page), and that’s the headline. It is even worse if you put the headline at the bottom and you put beginning of the story on top of it.

This is not a natural way of reading the story. Everything should have flow. You should work your way from the meaningful top left and then continue to the bottom. Headline, introduction and then the main article.

Front Cover Font Colour

The colour of font for my front cover will be black. I think that this is the best colour option to choose because the title is black and will create a colour scheme continuity throughout my front cover. Black will also stand out against the pale and light colours of my background making the writing clear and easy to read. However part of my background, especially where the models hair is, is a little darker so I will look into using a light colour in these parts. This will hopefully consequently give my front cover the professional look I am aiming to achieve.

Front Cover Background and Title

 

This is the basis of my front cover, the title and the magazine. I have taken this from my billboard as that it what I am using as the basis of my front cover to create a sense of continuity for my target audience. I have followed the conventions of a front cover of a magazine by having the model as the main feature in the centre taking up the majority of the page, and the title in bold letters at the top of the page so that it is easily identified.

Photo Shots for a Double Page Spread

Photos for double page spreads can be taken in a range of ways including:

·            Mid shot

·            Close up

·            Long shot

·            Point of view

·            Establishing shot

·            Extreme close up

 

I plan to take my photos in a range of different shot angles; I plan to do this to give me a variety to enable me to choose the most suitable pictures for my magazine. My billboard consists of a mid-shot, so where you can see the models face and shoulders, this is going to be the basis of my front cover, and I intend to use similar shots for my double page spread, but also with more of a variety of shots.

Template for my Front Cover

Planning my Front Cover

Following my research I have decided to use my billboard as my basis for the front cover of my magazine, I am doing this so that my magazine is instantly recognisable to my target audience following the advertisement from my billboard.

I will use the layout with the same model and title format and add text about the article in my magazine situated around the models face, this follows the normal conventions of a front cover for a magazine. Therefore my front cover will look very similar to my billboard making it recognisable for my target audience.

I will most likely use black colour font as that is what colour the title of my magazine will be in, this is because the black will stand out and be readable against the pale background consisting of the pastel blue colour of the models jumper and the white canvas she is standing in front of.

Vogue Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis

Above is an analysis I have conducted of Vogue magazine double page spread. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done to ensure my double page spread reaches its best potential.

Survivor, the title of the article is written at the top in large bold capital letters which makes it instantly eye catching to the readers, underneath is an insight as to what the article is about, this needs to be interesting as the readers will read this first and it will determine their minds as to whether they will continue reading the article or not, this is written in italic and it stands out against the other normal font, overall giving it a vintage feel.

The large letter “I” marks the beginning of the article again giving it a vintage feel. The text is separated through two columns with the same continual font throughout giving it a vintage feel yet again.

On the opposite page the model covers the entire page, which gives the impression that this is the main article of the magazine, showing importance and emphasis on the model. The models outfit compliments the vintage feel of the article and compliments the duck egg blue background, with the white on the opposite page, the red shoes add a pop of colour to the article and finish off the vintage theme of the double page spread.

I like the way that this article is set out, with the vintage theme and the use of colours, especially the way that the brief insight is separate and in italics.

Codes and Conventions of a Double Page Spread

Codes and conventions that are included in a magazine are created to insure that there is a formality between issues, I will use the codes and conventions so that my magazine and a real style magazine will have similar features therefore if I were not to use a formality readers would not be able to identify my style of magazine.

Code and convention rules for a double page spread include the magazines generally being written in columns, this is normally done to break up the reading so that the reader is not reading across a page but reading down in small blocks to create more of a variety compared to normal reading articles and books. The conventions of a title are that it is big and bold and stands out from the rest, it is often located in the top left hand corner or in the center of the page. The title is to let the readers know what something it is, sometimes giving them a sort of indication of what is going to be on the inside.

What I Have Found Out Through My Front Cover Research

Through my front cover research I have found out that the model on the front cover of my magazine is best located in the centre of the page with the writing situated around it, therefore the attention is focused on the model on the cover. Also the title of my magazine should be located at the top in the middle therefore following the usual conventions of the front cover layout.

After analysing different front covers of the same genre I am following I believe that my front cover should not be over crowded with information and that only relevant catchy information about my articles should be presented. Therefore my audience will be aware of what is inside without being over crowded with information at the first glance.

The colours used in my front cover should complement each other and should not clash, otherwise the magazine will look unprofessional and put my target audience off from reading it. To see what colours compliment I should refer to my colour wheel. The colours used should also be readable against the background of my front cover.

Now I am ready to start planning my own front cover for my regional magazine.

Adele vs. Karl Lagerfeld

In early 2012 Adele was labelled as “fat” by Karl Lagerfeld, Adele simply responded by saying: “I’ve never wanted to look like models on the cover of magazines…I represent the majority of women and I’m very proud of that.”

She went on to say: “I’ve never seen magazine covers or music videos and been like ‘I need to look like that to be a success,’” the talented Brit explained. “I don’t want to be some skinny mini with my tits out. I really don’t want to do it and I don’t want people confusing what it is that I’m about.”

In a world where anorexic runway models are applauded and women feel insane pressure to look like Hollywood stars, it’s refreshing for someone as talented and successful as Adele to embrace herself. Not only is she secure with who she is and how she looks, she has no desire to drop 20 pounds or suffer through a diet. She’s content with what she brings to the table and that is exactly the message I intend for my magazine to portray to teenage girls.
 

Adele 1 - Karl Lagerfeld 0

Katie Piper

In 2008 Katie Piper was the victim of an acid attack which was arranged by her ex-boyfriend and carried out by an accomplice. The attack left Katie blind in one eye and her face was scarred. Prior to the attack Katie had a full time career in the media as a model and television presenter.

 

After the attack Katie left the limelight out of fear of what others might think and say to her appearance, however in 2009 Katie decided to take the brave step back into the limelight to increase awareness for burn victims. Her Chanel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face was first aired in October 2009; it has subsequently been repeated on several occasions, made available for online on-demand access and sold internationally.

More recently, Katie has appeared in follow-up series for Channel 4, released a best-selling autobiography, and had a regular column in weekly magazines; however, she primarily works for her charitable organisation the Katie Piper Foundation.

Katie’s bravery has managed to give back the loss of confidence to many other burn victims, Katie is not afraid nor embarrassed of her appearance and has taken the tragedy to what happened to her in her stride and helped others regain the confidence and self-esteem lost to them through burn scars.

The confidence that Katie has given to others through her own story is very inspiring and fits with the basis of my magazine about restoring confidence lost in young girls and letting them know that they should not be ashamed of who they are or what they look like.

Elle Magazine Front Cover Analysis

 

Above is an analysis I have conducted of Elle magazine front cover. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done, to ensure my front cover reaches its best potential.

The front cover follows the usual conventions with the model being the main focus point in the middle of the page, however what makes it different to other magazine front covers that I have looked at is that the title situated conventionally at the top is not in bright bold colours like the others, instead it is simple and almost transparent with aspects of the model coming through and it is also separated between the two L’s to allow more attention on the model, however this fits completely with the nude colour scheme and stands out against the darker background.

What else is different about this magazine to other magazines front covers I have analysed is that the page is not over crowded with writing, such as the Company magazine front cover that was very crowded, I believe that this front cover is much more effective in grabbing the target audience’s attention as it does not look tacky but instead classy with more attention paid to specific advertised articles; the colour scheme also complements this idea of class as it is not bold and in your face but instead subtle and easy on the eye.

I really like how this front cover has taken the less is more approach, I think it is really effective with the overall layout of the magazine complementing the colour scheme.

Relationships Between Magazines and their Readers

A way for magazines to  engage with their readers is to create a relationship with them. The way a magazine addresses the reader is an important indicator of how the magazine sees the relationship between it and the reader. If you think about it this is really a one way relationship. The magazine sets the language and tone of how it communicates with the reader. This can be very difficult to get right.

There are usually many references to we – they are saying: you reader and me the magazine are in this together whether it is weight loss or how to deal with a difficult boyfriend. We will help you, be a friend to you and especially for teenage migraines we will certainly not be a parent or teacher. We are your wise friend, and even if we do not know all the answers, we can steer you in the right direction. Some parents feel the advice on offer in some teen magazines is distinctly not right.

Therefore I am for my magazine to reach out to teenagers, with the message that the best you can be is simply being yourself, teenagers shouldn’t feel pressured into feeling and acting a certain way by the way they are reached out to and portrayed in the media, they should be encouraged to not be afraid to express who they are, no matter what shape, colour, religion, or size.

No Makeup Selfie

As part of the latest campaign for raising money ad awareness for cancer research women of all ages have been taking a photograph of themselves with no makeup on and posting it on the internet with the plea to donate some money to cancer research uk.

This campaign has taken the women of the UK by storm and has even ventured out into the world of celebrities, with stars such as Millie mackintosh and holly Willoughby taking part in the attempt to raise some money.

The trend started on the social networking site Facebook and quickly moved on to twitter, the person then having posted the photo would then nominate others to do the same. This campaign has attracted so much attention it has been appearing on the news and in newspapers. The campaign has so far been a complete success raising over £2million.

By doing an article on this for my magazine would be perfect as it shows so many people being brave enough to show off their natural beauty in aid of such an amazing cause therefore hopefully giving my target audience an extra boost in confidence also.

Imitations

There have been many legal cases brought by publishers accusing each other of copying designs. The main scenario is that one title is trying to imitate another. Among them there have been:

·         Hello! Magazine warning OK! Magazine not to copy its look

·         Red and Real clashed over their title designs, with the latter giving way and redesigning its masthead.

However, many magazine titles do imitate another’s design or same and some sectors, such as the celebrity weekly’s and home magazines end up with a similar look as to what is popular at the time.

Although I have been researching other fashion and beauty magazines, mine is aimed to be completely different from the rest that are out there.

Magazine Colour Schemes

The overall look of a magazine should be consistent throughout all pages. Less is better. Colours that complement each other should be used otherwise the magazine would look tacky and no one would want to read it. There is a simple way of doing this by looking at a colour wheel.

As you can see from the image above, certain colours will look better together.

The colours of the magazine above The starting point was the blue sky. Now look at the colour wheel and find the blue. Directly opposite the blue is the colour which best compliments it, Orange. If you use the colour in the images on the page your magazine will flow better. Always pick the complimenting colour and use it throughout the design, for example, headlines, colour grab boxes, and boarders.

The colour choosing colours for my magazine I think I will use pastel colours, they are minimalistic, classy, and easy to blend in together, also as they are fashionable at the moment I believe it will gather more attention and be more appreciated from my target audience.

Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham is a very famous actress in America and is most known by an audience for her sitcom, Girls. The sitcom is watched by an audience of girls around the ages of 16-30. Therefore a large proportion of her viewing audience is teenage girls. So when Dunham was due to appear as the front cover of Vogue magazine it was to marks a huge landmark in her career.

However, recently the images have been leaked much to many peoples dismay and it is clear that the images have clearly been photo shopped. This is not that much of a surprise to the general public, except that they have been so vastly edited to the extent that her left arm is missing in one of the images of her laying across a bed. Also the cover shot is not of her entire body just of her portrait which is common when high end magazines so not to show an entire body.

Lena Dunham is a woman that society would class as a larger woman, therefore for her to be on the front cover of vogue, it is a big deal in the movement of fashion and beauty magazines using images of larger models. Consequently by her doing this it would give many of her fans of a larger size a boost in confidence and self-esteem. However with the photograph being so heavily photo shopped, it completely contradicts the idea of this.

 

This reinforces my idea that the photographs will not be photo shopped in my magazine to the extent of changing the models appearance, therefore this will not give the audience an unrealistic image that they believe is what society thinks is ideal, instead I will only enhance the colour to give my images a more professional feel and allow girls that boost in self-esteem they need by presenting them with realistic and not digitally enhanced model that they believe that is what society expects them to look like.

Typography

When you have a lot of text, as you usually do in a magazine, typography can make a huge difference between a boring article and one the target audience would like to read. Hierarchy is one of the important concepts, what is important is always larger and maybe with another colour, which has a higher contrast with the background so it is more visible. If a front cover is organized properly, then the titles will always stand out and the most important information will be easy to find.

Therefore with my magazine will be limited to the text that is important, therefore it will not be overcrowded and the relevant information per article summary will be together and organised, otherwise it will confuse the target audience and put them off from reading it

Company Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Above is an analysis I have conducted of Company magazine front cover. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done to ensure my front cover reaches its best potential.

The front cover follows the usual conventions of any magazine cover, with the model as the main focus point and the writing situated around it, because the brand Company is well known the models head is covering part of the letters, this means that the magazine is still instantly recognisable.

The colour scheme if the front cover is different shades of purple, therefore they have used white writing for the text. White writing is not normally used unless of very dark backgrounds, however with this one being not too dark the white was unexpected, however if they were to have used a darker font then the overall look of the magazine would have been a lot darker, using the white font brightens and lightens up the front cover making it a little unusual and edgy.

The font is not continual throughout the front cover, it is of different types and sizes. The usual conventions are that the font is usually the same throughout so this goes against that, although it looks confusing at first and very over crowded, this gives the front cover a more unusual eye catching look.

For my front cover I think I will make sure that my font is all the same, as at first this front cover did look a little over crowded and confusing and would put me off from reading it, I do not want my target audience to feel the same way about mine.

Vogue Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Above is an analysis I have conducted of Vogue magazine front cover. By doing this I am able to see what other magazines of the genre I am following have done to ensure my front cover reaches its best potential.

The front cover follows the usual conventions of any magazine cover, with the model as the main focus point and the writing situated around it, because the brand Vogue is well known the models head is covering part of the letters, this means that the magazine is still instantly recognisable.

The font is the same throughout the front cover creating the idea of the magazine cover flowing and gives it a touch of elegance. The font colour, red and black, is also continual throughout creating the same effect. The colour scheme contrasts against the light blue background making it readable and clear, with whatever is in red, like the title and part of the main article, to stand out the most drawing in the target audience’s attention.

The way that this title page is set out is the same way I will set mine out, with my billboard being in the form of a front cover page, I will use the same image and title to create continuity for my target audience so that it is instantly recognisable.

What a Front Cover should consist of

Below is a list of what a typical magazine front cover should consist of, by using this list I will ensure that my magazine cover fits the right criteria and consists of what is required to draw in my target audience’s attention.

·         Plugs – information about the contents of the magazine to get the audience’s attention

·         Cover Lines – information about the articles features in the magazine

·         Puffs – a word of phrase that is used to boost the status and engage the audience

·         Masthead – the logo or design of the company that issue the magazine

·         Main cover line

·         Price

·         Issue number

·         Feature article photographs

·         Barcodes

·         Type Face- the type of writing style to which the magazine company uses

By using this criteria my front cover should reach the best of its ability in securing the attention of my target audience.

Standard Of Beauty & Photoshop - Model Before and After

The video above is a very clear presentation of the lengths magazines go to, to present the ideal “beautiful woman”. This video shows the before and after shots of the model, who by the end is barely unrecognisable. The model before was beautiful, however teenage girls are unlikely to see the before shot in a magazine, they then believe that the final shot after the editing, is what they believe to be beautiful hence, what society expects of them.

Bear Faced Campaign

The bear faced campaign is a campaign run by BBC children in need. The idea of the campaign is for celebrities to be photographs with no make-up on and a paw print on the face. The campaign was a massive success and raised lots of money for the charity.

The campaign caught such attention that is featured in vogue magazine, featuring model Suki Waterhouse. Suki being a model went against model conventions of being photographed with no make-up on, by vogue featuring this article it doesn't fit their ethos as they regularly show images of beautiful, very highly made up women in expensive clothes, going against their house style.

My magazine however an article such as this would fit my house style and is something my target audience could relate to. Article such as this shows women that even celebrities have flaws and reinforce my argument that nobody is perfect, everyone is different and that confidence is key.          

The "Thin Ideal"

The “thin ideal” being portrayed in the media is a constant reminder of the negative body image being taught to adolescents in our culture and then continuing to be supported by the rest of our population. Media access is at its prime, with a click of a mouse any and all information is accessible. The amount of diet and exercise articles in magazines has been increasing with every new year. The BMI of the cover models has been decreasing every year. If we do not take drastic measures to stop this trend, more and more cases of eating disorders are going to spring up.

Body image and self-esteem are definitely affected by the media especially magazines, in that people compare their actual physical body to those in the media and experience guilt or shame and thus body dissatisfaction. Not only should the health of the viewers be of concern, but the health of the models who are themselves at risk for eating disorders should be taken into consideration.

Perhaps more studies should be done on the effects of the increasing “thin ideal” on the models used to portray it. The long term effects of the media should be researched more thoroughly, and perhaps examine the body image and self-esteem of the generation in which the “thin ideal” began. If we cannot come together as a society and change the way we perceive beauty, there will be serious health consequences, not only in the physical sense but also the mental sense.

The main problem is that a lot of young and vulnerable teenage girls do not understand that these images are not healthy, and are most likely photo shopped. Young girls need to be inspired and be made aware of the dangers behind the types of images, and what they are doing to their physical  and mental health. My magazine will hopefully do this. Through presenting images of models of a healthy size, and giving the impression that they are comfortable with who they are, teenagers will get the message that you don't have to be thin to be beautiful.

The Statistics of Models with Eating Disorders

 

1. The majority of runway models meet the Body Mass Index otherwise known as BMI, criteria to be considered anorexic
2. Vogue magazine stated that they chose Gisele Bunchen as their “model of the year) due to the fact that she deviates from the typical “rail thin” image. In fact, Gisele weighs only 115lbs and is 5’11-25% below her ideal weight
3. At 5’7 and 95lbs, Kate Moss is 30% below the ideal weight for her proportion
4. Fashion model’s weight averages only 8% less than the average woman 20 years ago however today the average fashion model weighs 23% less than the average woman
5. 25% of American Playboy centrefold models meet the criteria to be considered anorexic
6. Many magazines create images of women that don’t really exist by using computer-modified  compilations of various body parts
7. Mannequins closely resembled shape of the average woman in the 1950’s; the average mannequin and woman both had the hip measurement of 34 inches, however since then there has been an increasing disparity between mannequins and the average woman. By 1990 the average hip measurement of a woman had increased to 37 inches, whilst mannequins have decreased to 31 inches.

Source - http://www.raderprograms.com/causes-statistics/media-eating-disorders.html