The front cover of this addition of vibe magazine features Usher they make it very clear that he is
the main model and that the main article will be about him. The colour scheme
of the cover is consistent; it includes yellow, black and white. the masthead
is the boldest text on the page not only because it needs to stand out against
the background but because it’s the name of the brand. Despite some of the
masthead being covered by the model, the readers will still recognise the brand
because it is so well known. After doing some research into other Vibe
magazines, I have found that the masthead /house style is in the same font on
every edition, the only real change is the colour which depends on the theme.
At the top of the page is a skyline, it has a list of other artists that will
be featured in the magazine, this is written in yellow so that it stands out,
however it isn’t bold so it doesn’t over power the masthead. Other cover lines
on the cover are along the left hand side, most of it is written in yellow so
it can stand out against that part if the page as the background is quite dark
there and so that it catches the eye of the reader, the parts that a written in
white are less important that is why it is written in a smaller font.
Under the cover lines on the left are where the barcode and
website is. They are all in backed up onto a white background to make it stand
out against the main image. They have also included a QR code (Quick Response)
which can be used with smart phones to allow easy access to their app and the
virtual world of Vibe. On the bottom right side of the page is another cover
line, however it is under the main cover line and it isn’t as bold as it’s in a
smaller font. The main cover line stands out the most out of all the cover
lines because both the white and yellow text is in quite a big font, this is so
it can draw the attention of the reader.
The back ground/main image of the cover is of usher, because he is in front of
the masthead it creates the illusion thatches walking towards the readers. His body
language seems cool and relaxed like he’s just casually walking; however when
you consider the back ground and the location of the image it doesn’t seem so
casual, it makes the audience think that he’s brave and somewhat superior. This
illustration is also seen through his costume, the jumpsuit he is wearing is
meant to be a uniform however he’s wearing it open this makes him seem rebellious
also his sunglasses make it look like his deceiving the audience because they can’t
see where is looking.
I have chosen to analyse a double page spread from R&B/ Hip-hop magazine Vibe. This double page article is about Solange Knowles. It places a lot of importance on the way the person on the magazine is portrayed. The colours of the font that has been used on this magazine are black grey and blue which contrasts with what the R&B artist Solange Knowles is wearing. The colour of the text is dull whilst the colour of the dress is bright which means that most of the attention should go towards her and it’s also a technique which is used to make her stand out. She is wearing a short red attractive dress with pink stilettos which compliments her dress. The red dress indicates that she is a confident person, red usually doesn’t go unnoticed by people and she is not scared to be the centre of the attention, as the dress is red and the way she is portrayed by her standing position, makes her look provocative. As the colours of the fonts that have been used on this article are pretty dull this shows that Solange Knowles is the core of the magazine and she is the most key thing on the magazine. On the other hand, her name is written in blue which stands out to the reader again showing the importance of her being on the magazine. Quotes have been taken out of the article and have been written in bold showing that what she has to say will be heard and is significant to the reader. In the quote it says ‘’forget her sister the outspoken Solange Knowles ….’’This comes to show that she does no longer need her sister the famous Beyoncé to be big as she has already made it herself the red attractive dress she is wearing could symbolise this. Also many other pictures have been used of her, as in the background she is posing in many different ways, which again adds emphasis to the fact that she is the soul of the magazine and her presence cannot be ignored and must be acknowledged. The magazine is aimed at both genders males and females. This magazine places a lot of importance on trying to create a sexy but bossy picture, which may advertise women’s importance and them being dominant.
This magazine uses very basic contrasting colour scheme such as black, blue and pink. The main image that’s been used in the music magazine is larger than the rest of the images used. The biggest image is the only image that’s in colour this gives the reader something to focus on and is the most appealing image on the page. The image used in the magazine is a very stereotypical sort of view of an R&B/Hip-hop artist the woman in the magazine is of a black origin and is showing parts of her body and is posing in a sexual way. The double spread page was a chance for her to share her success with her fans and to finally express herself as just her but not as the label of ‘Beyoncé’s little sister’.
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With this contents page, the picture used is seductive which automatically grabs the reader’s attention. Ciara, the artist in the content page, is wearing a play suit with sexy heels which represents her image. The features of the magazine are placed on the right side within the space of her body, so there is no way that you can miss the writing. As they have used a seductive picture, that is used as an advantage because the writing on the features can then be small, but you will still be focused on trying to see what the features are about.
The contents page is also very dull coloured with not that much writing, but the picture of Ciara is used as there USP, as it is what makes the contents page appealing and attractive. The style of the contents is a feature which is used constantly and it’s exclusive to the vibe brand. It also gives the model recognition and the actual content of the magazine is written in a column.
As well as the other picture, this too is a seductive image. However, unlike the other contents page, this one is more colorful and bright; the images are eye-catching for both men and women. The contents masthead is unique to the vibe magazine by the way it’s structured out. The masthead also stands out because it’s bold against the background and it’s easy to recognize Next to it, there’s a page number and that corresponds to the artist to highlight that there in the issue of the magazine and they are the main body of that specific page. The contents are within a column with the rest of the text.
At the bottom right hand side there is text that describes the artists and says a bit about them and this could be to give them a bit of recognition, so that the audience are aware of whom they are. The shot of the image is a long shot which allows the audience to see the whole frame, the facial expressions and the body language and to set an atmosphere of the magazine. The body language also suggests that they are confident females with a bit of attitude.
The costumes that they are wearing portray a provocative nature and highlight the fact that sex sells. The image is taken in a studio rather than a specific location which gives it a professional edge.
There are approximately 3 different fonts in the page and the title is in a different font then the departments and this could be to attract the readers to the different sections of the magazine. Some of the texts on the page is bold and this could be to highlight it and make it more noticeable.
My second double page spread is a picture of the famous RnB singer Usher. On the left hand side there is a large close up picture of him which is quite distinctive and clear to see, whilst on the right there is a page with text which is his interview the question and answers. Usher is a prominent black male, RnB artist that the audience of Vibe can easily be familiar with. This double page spread has given the image of Usher an entire page to its self, with the writing on the other, this is not a rare convention thought it isn’t very abundant either. It does allow for better use of space and for a bigger image to be displayed as well.
Usher is wearing a denim shirt which is casual apparel despite it being G-Star Raw; a designer brand but that is to be expected from an artist of Ushers caliber He is also smoking a Cuban thick cigar which shows sophistication, class and style, they wouldn't have made him smoke a cigarette because that’s cheap and it doesn't represent a man of his wealth. He is wearing a wristwatch that appears to a tailored made piece that is very great value; these are clear connotations of wealth. Usher is also not looking directly at the camera making it seem as though he is “too superior” for the camera or he is more interested with what is in the corner as opposed to the camera.
The quote that is in the top right corner is in bold and is an extract from the text portion of the DPS, the word greatest is highlighted to emphasize the importance of the word and its importance to Usher.
Usher uses very informal language when answering the interviewer, the purpose of this section is to give the reader a sense of what the artist about, their plans for the future, how they feel about other artists, etc. The quotation on the image makes a bold statement about Usher and his aims for his future. “Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer that ever lived. I just want to be the Greatest entertainer living” the word greatest is in bold in the quote and the text itself gives an idea of what Usher is about, he makes a bold claim comparing himself to Michael Jackson who still is one of the biggest names in the music industry to date. It represents a positive sense of arrogance that any artist needs have when they have reached his level of fame. But that is all put across with that statement.
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