Front cover eval

EvaluationFront cover

Evaluation for the front cover only

In terms of the strengths of the title in my music magazine. The use of the primetime font is effective as the title is clear and easy to read. The black colour contrasts the light background well and makes the title seem even more visually appealing. Also Mex, who is the model in my magazine, has his head slightly hindering the text which really bring the character forward and gives focus onto him while still making the title of the magazine easy to read.

To improve the title further. A patterned design could have been implemented instead of the black colour of the text. Patterns such as smoke or even textures of small bullet holes could conform to the violence and therefore the codes and conventions of the hip-hop genre.

Ultimately I didn’t use these effects as the title is one of the most important parts of the magazine cover and needs to be easy to read and clear. Also the block black colour is effective due to the contrast with the background. The dark tone also conforms slightly to the codes and conventions of hip-hop as there are dark elements to the genre.

The background is light and mostly covered with white lighting. A dark background could have been used as the low key lighting conforms to the mise-en-scene used consistently in the hip-hop genre. Dark themes are evident in music videos and lyrics of songs to low key lighting may have been appropriate. High key lighting can subvert from the typical codes and conventions of the genre too much.

However I chose the high key lighting because there is a nice contrast to the dark text and occasional red colours. The magazine overall looks visually appealing to audiences and making them more likely to buy it. Also these colours are popular according my survey analysis and using them would be a good example of listening to the opinions of my target market.

The placement of the character is effective as he is in the centre and occupies a lot of the space on the front cover of my hip-hop music magazine. This makes him seem significant and his size reflects his power.

However he could have been placed facing a slightly different angle for effect. It could focus more on his actions and the direction he is looking at while also making the shot seem artistic and appealing.

Ultimately I chose this shot because he is directly facing the audience making the character in the magazine seem more inviting. His body language also makes him seem powerful as he his resting his left leg on a higher object, he appears almost equal to royalty.

Finally there is an abundance of information where other music artists such as Drake, Lil Wayne and Cage are mentioned. Tickets and prizes are available to win and extra gossip and information is placed on the bottom left hand corner. The amount of information makes the audience feel as if they are getting more value for their money.

The magazine could have been made simple and easier to read by having very limited amounts of information but since this is a front cover what would make the audience want to buy the magazine is the reassurance that there will be enough information for them to read to make the magazine worth buying.