1. Question 1:
In what ways does your product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media product?

2. In this essay I will be looking at the magazine
pages I created (front cover, double page spread
and contents) and comparing them with a
magazine similar in genre to one I created. I will
look at the two magazines together and
compare how my product uses, develops and
challenges forms and conventions of the real
magazine I am comparing it with.

3. Below is the front cover of and issue of “Q” magazine, featuring Florence Welch on the
cover. Also is the front cover of my magazine “Six Strings”.
Issue number
Tagline is to the right of of the and price is at
Both magazine the top of the
Tagline is directly title and not directly near it
titles are place page
underneath the title at the top right
of the page on
the background
of a bright color.
Cover stars name The subtext is place around
is in bold writing the edges of both
placed to the top covers, this puts focus on
left of the page, the central image.
above the image.
Both covers have a
close up image of the
face and are placed Cover stars name
central on the page. Barcode at the
is in bold and
bottom of page
Barcode at bottom of the another color,
page, along with issue number placed just below
and price the image.

4. I compared my front cover of my magazine to the front cover of an issue of Q magazine. I
chose this magazine as I feel it is similar in the genre of music I wanted to portray in my
magazine. After looking at them together I realized that compared to another
magazine, mine used, developed and challenged the forms and conventions, depending
what these forms and conventions were. The forms and conventions I used that are typical
to most magazines are having the title in the top right corner, having one picture on the
front cover and the picture being a headshot of an individual. Also typical conventions I used
was having the subtext placed around the central cover image, to the sides of the page.
A form and convention I feel I challenged in the process of making my front cover was to
do with the subtext that said the name of the cover star. On the Q cover the type is
bolder and bigger where it says the name of the cover star. Most magazines do this on
their front cover as they want these particular words to stand out. I thought for when I
came to put the name of my cover star I would take the same idea. I made their name
bolder and bigger. However I developed this idea of making their name stand out by also
making the font a bright colour that contrasted with the image behind it so that the
words would stand out. I chose the colour pink as it is a bright colour but also appeals to
my target audience of late teen girls. I also developed the placement of the barcode
although it wasn’t a big change. I simply moved the barcode to the bottom right, rather
than the bottom left which, including Q magazine, is where most magazines place their
barcodes. I did this simply because it’s the place on the page where it could’ve gone and
looked right and also because I didn’t think it mattered where on the page the barcode
went as long as it was tucked away and not the main focus.

5. When it came to comparing my front cover I realized I had actually challenged quite a few forms
and conventions. The Q magazine front cover had the issue number and price of the magazine
next to the barcode. I decided to separate the information about the issue number and price
from the barcode. I did this because I have had trouble looking for the price of a magazine as it
is place in a small font at the bottom of the page near the barcode. Because of this I decided to
place the information at the top right of the page where I feel it is much easier to find. It may be
challenging what is normal for a magazine but I feel it would help people. I have also placed the
tagline not directly underneath my magazine title, unlike Q magazine. I instead placed it at the
top right near the issue number and price. I did this firstly because I think that the area at the
top left where my title was would’ve looked to busy with more writing and may have become
confusing. I also did it because I feel the tagline, as long as it’s on the same level as the title, can
be put separately.
Altogether for the first part of my comparison which is the front cover, I feel that compared to a
real music magazine I have kept the forms and conventions that should be the same on all
magazines for example the picture and title placement. However for areas such as the subtext
presentation, barcode placement and where the tagline is I have developed and challenged
their forms and conventions as I think they should be able to change.

6. Below is the contents page of an issue of Q magazine and the contents page from my music magazine, 6 Strings.
Issue date
Title and name along the top
Title and name along the side
Larger
‘main
image’
Page numbers relating
to the image
Multiple smaller images relating to
Both magazines have a ‘features’ and ‘every month’ section different features, including image
relating to double page spread and
cover star

7. After comparing my contents page with the Q contents page I noticed in this case, compared to
a magazine similar in genre to mine I have noticed that I have developed and challenged forms
and conventions of real media products as well as using some.
After making an annotated comparison I could see the forms and conventions that I used in my
magazine that are typical of a magazine similar to mine. In this case it’s Q magazine. The first
thing which was similar is the use of a ‘features’ and ‘every month’ section of my contents
page. I used this because I knew that every magazine I had come across had sections which
appeared in every issue and features. In my case, one of my features was the double page
spread. So to have a part in my contents page which listed the every month features and one of
features, I thought was necessary. Both contents pages include pictures, which is a convention I
took but haven’t kept similar as the image size is different and are placed differently. Also both
contents pages include the magazine title somewhere on the page, just as a reminder of who
the magazine are and what they will feature. Although both magazines have a similar
genre, which is alternative/acoustic/rock music the target audiences are different so the colour
scheme of my contents page will be different. Mine is aimed at girls aged 16+. I used a light
pink colour as the ideology is that it is a stereotypical colour connected with girls but, I chose
the lighter colour as it’s not in your face and to bright. People this age aren’t attracted to the
brightness of a magazine page but instead something with a sleek, simple, modern design.
Another convention similar in both magazine is the use of numbers in a small type size , placed
under each image to show which page you should turn to to read the feature which the image
is connected with. Both are also placed on a coloured background.

8. There are forms and conventions I developed from a Q contents page, to make it more suitable
for the style of my magazine. Q magazine has the title ‘contents’ along the top of the page in a
medium size. Obviously I would include the title ‘contents’ on the contents page
somewhere, but I developed it differently by changing the size a placement of my page title. On
InDesign using the line tool I created a writing path that meant I could write the title
horizontally. I did this and made it stretch the whole length of the left side of the page. I did this
because it felt like a modern twist on the typical way of presenting things and would suit more
to my target audience of females in their late teens. This way a made a personal development of
the way Q magazine laid out their title. I stuck to the colour black however, as I feel it’s an easy
stand out colour and contrasted well with the light pink background.
There are also forms an conventions that I challenged when it came to my contents page. Q
magazine included the issue date at the top right corner of the page. I however didn’t include
any text that gave this information. I thought it through and decided it was unnecessary as this
information was already on the front cover and I felt there was a place where it could go. Both
contents pages include images. The Q contents page only includes two. One of them would be
considered a ‘main image’ and is enlarged taking up space on the page. I included images also
but I sized them all the same medium size and chose three images instead of just two. I did this
because I liked this clustered design better than a simple one with fewer image. Also I have the
images places around the text as it lasts across two columns, whereas Q magazine has placed it
out of the way of interfering with the text.
In conclusion, when it came to comparing the contents page I feel that there is an even split
between the forms and conventions I used, developed and challenged.

9. Below is a double page spread from Q magazine and the double page spread from my music magazine.
The title is simple with just the name of the act featured
Text is on the right side and in three
columns
Both have a faded background image
Multiple images like a collage
Feature has a title using alliteration
One main image
covering page. Quote from the text
Medium shot
Text is on the left page and in three columns

10. I looked at a double page spread featuring Lady Gaga from Q and my double page spread
and compared the two together to look for forms and conventions which are
used, developed and challenged in my magazine compared to Q.
There were a lot of similar forms and conventions that I used. The first was the text
presentation. On both magazines the text runs across three columns. I think this gives the
idea of a modern classic structure and makes it easy to read clearly. Also both magazine
spreads have a dedicated page for a picture/s although they are presented differently, the
main idea is that it makes the article more interesting to have an image of the person the
spread is featuring and almost helps the reader connect with them more with the band or
artist. Another form used is the use of an image faded behind the text which
transparency’s been altered so the text is obviously still visible. This simply makes the page
a little more interesting as the text isn’t being read from a plain white page.

11. There are also many forms and conventions of my magazine that have been developed,
compared to Q magazine. The first is the use of pictures. Although both magazines feature a
page dedicated to picture/s the way I have done it is slightly different. I decided to collage the
pictures I took to use for my double page spread as I felt it suited my artists style, which is a bit
out there and using a jumble of pictures would help represent this. Q magazine however uses
just one simple medium shot from the shoulders up of Lady Gaga as the feel of the article is
quite sophisticated and the picture represents this. Something else developed is that for my
spread the text is on the left page and for Q the writing is on the right. I feel this was just a
choice made without much meaning behind it. My feature has both a title and a quote from the
interview. I thought this was a convention lots of music magazines used and also introduces the
reader to what the context of the interview might be. I also used alliteration in my title as I think
this is a good text form that will interest the reader. Q magazine however uses a very simple title
which simply states the name of the interviewee at the top right of the page. The way the
interview has been adapted to be readable is also different. Q magazine writes it in paragraphs,
whilst talking about what Lady Gaga says rather than it being written like a question and answer.
My article however is written in a question and answer form. Because its written for girls in their
late teens, stereotypically they like chatting and having a gossip so as they are going to be the
readers of this feature I specifically wrote it like a conversation.
In this case there weren’t any forms and conventions that actually have been challenged, but in
conclusion I think for the double page spread I took the vital forms and conventions of a double
page spread and used them but where I could I developed them to suit to my feature.

12. Conclusion
• After dissecting each page of my magazine and comparing them with
pages from Q magazine I feel that when it came to typical forms and
conventions of music magazines I followed them and developed them
more than I actually challenged them. I feel that because there are things
you have to keep when creating a magazine or it won’t actually appeal to
your target audience let alone anyone as it wouldn’t be a magazine
without these features. This includes pictures on the front cover, a list of
what’s included in a contents page, and lots of text from an interview to
actually provide the reader with what they want. Where I could I
developed certain things mainly to attract my target audience of girls aged
16+. So, I could develop my colour use, pictures, text context, making the
text informal, using bold words e.t.c. Overall I think that my magazine
would attract my target audience as I have really thought through every
part of my magazine to make sure it would be what they want.