Research!! - The Conventions Of a Magazine Cover!!

The conventions of a magazine cover are certain characteristics that a magazine cover needs in order to remain a traditional magazine cover for example: a title, bar code, main image etc. The conventions of a magazine cover can be classed as rules that covers must follow regardless of the content, genre, intended audience etc.

Firstly a magazine covuer must have a main image and this image must fit the content of the magazine and also it must cater to the intended audience of the magazine. The same rules apply for the heading of the magazine cover. There also has to be some form of a colour scheme that caters to the intended audience.
The next rule between the image is the mode of address of the characters presant on the magazine cover. The most common mode of address on magazine covers is called DIRECT Mode of address and this is where the person (s) on the magazine cover look directly at the camera and therefore looking back at the audience almost like inviting the reader in. The second and less common mode of address is the INDIRECT mode of address and this is where the person (s) on the magazine cover look away from the camera this however, is not a typical convention of a magazine cover however, has been used by many magazines before. The MOD (mode of address) on a magazine cover can also reffer to the text presant on the magazine cover which should be informal and very friendly again inviting the reader in.

Following this a convention of a magazine especially a music magazine is that it should have on it a big star or stars on the cover to increase sales as this shows off the magazines status as they can have important celebrities pose foer their magazine and also that celebrities want to have there image on this magazine. These stars are admired and therefore appeal to the audience. So in summary stars, celebrities, musicians are placed on magazine covers to sell the magazine.

The conventions of the cover in general should be as follows. The front cover of a magazine is its main advertisment and the cover grabs the readers attentions and ultimately decides whether a person buys the magazine or not regardless of the content. Therefore, a magazine cover should be bright, interesting and eye catching ensuring that a customers attention is caught. This would entice the reader into buying the magazine as it acts like icing on a cake. The colours used on the magazine cover should reflect the target audience and should also espeically in music magazines show off the genre of the magazine for example: red and black are for rock magazines. There also has to be a house style in terms of font and colour scheme and this is so the magazine is recognisible.

In summary there should be a title/header and tihs would usually be at the top of the page and this should be instantly recognisible for your audiences. This could be followed by a slogan which would explain what the magazine is about. The cover must also contain one model or a group of stars and this is to grab interest and show off what the magazine is going to contain. Following this there should be a leading caption which usually dominates the page along with the heading and main image and this should cover your main story. The main cover should also contain subheadings and also straplines which are the main stories and also are about stars that you wish to advertise in your magazine.

I need to follow and base my magazine cover of these conventions in order to create an appropriate magazine cover that the audience will gain an interest in.