As part of the preliminary task I was to produce a front cover magazine which could either be a school magazine or college magazine. I chosen a college magazine to do as I thought it would be easier for me as I could relate ideas to the magazine as the target audience relates to college students like myself. As this is the front cover college magazine I have created.

The genre of the magazine is a college magazine to help the target audience identify this, I thought of what the content would be placed on the magazine and the main image. The target audience is aimed at students of the age of 16-18 both male and female as students that attend colleges are both genders to show this the content through the straplines used help to relate to both female and male students for example 'tips on how to prepare for a interview' as both female and male students may have to go to a interview in the near future if they do. To help my magazine challenge the conventions of real college magazines, I thought of the design principles that will help my magazine look professional and look like a real college magazines that are similar to mine. First I thought what is the most important element that should be the first prominent and main focus, as i thought the main image is as it is the most important as this helps the audience understand the story behind the image from the conventions placed on the magazine, but also the kicker is the most prominent of ‘Are you thinking about going to university as the kicker anchors the main image. The main image is a student at the college studying but also thinking about future prospects which could involve further prospects as the kicker shows this. The main image relates to the college genre as the student is studying, as this helps to represent a particular social group which are students at college, as this is what generally students do during their college life which is studying, which relates to the main image. The main image is framed at the centre of the magazine as the aim of this is I want the audience main focus is to be on the main image and what it shows. When I was taking the image I had to consider the mise en scene and how I can relate and aim to focus on the genre of the magazine. As I thought of the costume used as the student is dressed casually and smartly as this helps portray the atmosphere and setting the student is in. The students makeup is not heavily made up as again there is a place for this but as she is in a college here makeup look natural as she is at a college where she needs to represent herself to others, where she is at and also make her look presentable for the college. The props used are her headband and jewellery as this helps go with the costume. The mise en scene that is encoded through the use of setting is set in a library as this helps to signify the genre of the magazine, and also the content of the magazine of studying, as college mostly revolves around this.

The camera shot taken of my main image is a medium shot as this helps show what the content of the magazine will be about and also through the mise en scene for example acting also helps show what the genre of magazine may be about. The colours used are ‘red’ and ‘white.’ This helps to contribute to the mood of the image by ‘red’ which refers to the sixth form or college is a time where you can have fun however the use of colour of white connotes being a natural at college and the work you do comes from students and its naturally from students as the work they put in all comes from themsleves but also the white signifies ‘paper’ which is the work you do and you put on paper and work hard likewise on the main image as the student is working hard on paper as the colours contribute to the main image and props used of the paper. My masthead is called ‘Lordswood Livin It!’ as this reflects the target audience as ‘Lordswood’ is a college which students attend which there is so much going on and students will enjoy and have a good time at and also the use of ‘Livin It’ also connotes that the students almost live in the college, as they study at Lordswood and the students are the people who make the college. The use of colour ‘red’ connotes love and having a time where you love and a place of fun and holds many things you can do there for college students.

Through the copy I have used persuasive techniques to interest the target audience. As I have used alliteration for example on the masthead ‘Lordswood Livin’ The typeface used on the masthead is big bold and is the biggest copy on the magazine as this helps the audience recognize what the magazine is called. The magazine also has a clear balance of a clear layout as the straplines are poisoned on both sides of the main image as the alignment used helps to visually connect the elements on the page as the straplines anchor the main image, for example the straplines I have chosen which i have considered the aspects and importance to a good career and elements that may be considered throughout college life. The copy used is bold and follows the typeface throughout the front cover magazine as it looks more professional and easier for the audience to follow. As the date and website is placed under the masthead which the audience can quickly glance at, and also the ear as it helps to partly interest the reader as the magazine is free this will also help to do this. The straplines are on each side of the main image and the use of the same font and size as this signifies that each strapline are important to each other as what the information holds on each strapline. ‘Do you want to be the next college council?’ and ‘Connexions CV advice’ and with the straplines I have tried to use persuasive techniques to help interest the reader with the use of alliteration, rhetorical questions and commandments for instance ‘put your thinking caps on’ as this particular strapline anchors the question marks that the student is thinking about which this also is targeted at the target audience. The use of question marks used on the magazine is also to link the main image as the meaning to this is that the main image is thinking about her future prospects which anchors the kicker but also the important elements that helps you to a career or job but also things that help students could consider that can make them successful through college and life which this also anchors some of the straplines on the front cover. The magazine is free as it’s a college magazine and it will be normally be seen at a college therefore its free as also this will helps more students to look at the magazine, and also consider ideas that are within the magazine as my aim is for students to use the information that is in the magazine in helping them with their time at college. The purpose of the ear being on the magazine and the copy placed on their which is ‘free’ is to make it eye catching to the readers and also pick up this magazine as it’s free.

The flow of the magazine and the visual movement of my magazine is that I would want viewers eye to follow from the ear as they know the magazine is free therefore there more likely to pick it up. Then to the main image as this is to show the target audience of the magazine and also help show the genre of the magazine. To the kicker as the kicker anchors the main image. Then to the masthead to the straplines on the magazine. There is two layers used on the magazine which are the setting and the main image. Then the copy placed on the magazine.