Language is the biggest part of a magazine creation, and includes what a magazine needs to contain.
A masthead must be on a magazine cover, and is usually one word which is memorable. It is typically located at the top of the page, because that is were people are likely to look when they are looking for the name of a magazine. The font of the masthead is usually a lot bigger than the other fonts on the cover, to stand out to the audience. 'College' is written at the top of the page on this magazine cover, and stands out from the page. It is written in a red front, which is above the girl which is dressed in red, and is the focal point of the cover.
The main image is the focal point of the page. The girl is dressed in a red top, which is bright, and stands out from the natural colours of the background. Because the top that the girl is wearing, and the masthead that is above the girl is also the same colour, the audience's focal view will go from the girl's top, and then to the title of the magazine, allowing them to know what they are reading. The main image on most magazine covers, include an individual, or a group of people who's face and shoulders are only visible. The people involved in the photo, also make eye contact with the audience too.
Even though there is none available on this magazine cover, on magazines such as music magazines, there is usually thumbnail images. Thumbnail images are images that are smaller than the main image on the front cover, and relate to the articles within the actual magazine.
There isn't no anchorage on this magazine cover, but anchorage is the caption that goes with the thumbnail pictures, (usually in the form of a word or phrase), and allows the audience to see what the photos are related too.
The barcode is located at the bottom right of the page, and allows shops to be able to keep an electronic record of how many people have bought the item.
There are a couple of teasers on the front of this cover, 'She's fifteen and pregnant' been one example. It gives the audience a glimpse at what is within the magazine, so they are persuaded into buying the magazine to read it.
A font is what style of writing, what colour, and what size the writing is. There are three various examples of font on this magazine cover; the masthead,the sub headings, and the captions. Font needs to stand out from the page, and attract the audience that it is aimed at at, especially the masthead.
There are no free products on this magazine cover, but quite a range of magazines include free products, or free samples, or vouchers in their magazine. An example would be if it was a beauty magazine, they might include a free sample of a new product within their magazine.
The Left Third is when the page is split into three collums, and the left collum is used. The layout of magazines in shops is typically so the left third is showing, and the rest of the magazine is covered. Magazines are more likely to place the important infromation of that issue's contents in the left third, so this will also grab the attention of the reader.
Splash is everything that can be seen, including font, text, mastheads, images, use of colour etc.
The second magazine cover I chose to anaylyse is an issue of Kerrang!
The masthead is located at the top of the page, and is partially hidden by Jared Leto's head. Because of the popularity that Kerrang! has gained over the years, and how many people buy issues of Kerrang! on a weekly basis, the whole of the word 'Kerrang!' doesn't necessarily need to be shown, because people know just by looking at the magazine, what the title of the magazine is.
The date and price are located in the white space which is where the barcode also is. Information like this doesn't need to be spread across the page, because despite it been partially useful to readers, it isn't really what the readers want to see - they want to see what is inside the magazine.
The teaser of this magazine is '30 Seconds to Mars' which is written in a white font, which is also quite large, and stands out from the majority of the page which is coloured black. Like Kerrang!, 30 Seconds to Mars are quite popular, and have many fans worldwide. Using a popular band as the main article, and the main image on the front of the magazine, this is also likely to grab the attention of many people.
The font included in this magazine article is coloured in black, yellow, and white. The black text such as 'Guitar Gods Poster Special' contrasts against the yellow background of the box that the text is in. '30 Seconds to Mars' is written in a large, white text, and also contrasts against the black of the band's jackets that they are wearing.
In Kerrang!, there are free posters, which can be seen at the bottom of the front cover. This is a good way to make the target audience by the magazine, because if they see that there are posters available for free, and posters of people/bands in which they like, then they are also going to be more tempted to buy the product.
The skyline is located at the top, and gives hints of what is in the actual magazine to the reader. The skyline is different to the sub headings which are spread across the front page however, because even though they do give information, the skyline is usually based on a shortended down version of something the audience will be wanting to see in the magazine.
'Sex! Spandex! Sharpies!' is an example of anchorage, and can be seen on the photo with Steel Panther. 'Sex and Spandex' are two things you'd associate with Steel Panther, along with the music, but because this is a music magazine, there is probably no need to add that.
Anchorage is the caption that goes with selected photos.
