I researched into the codes and conventions of school magazines, i looked at school magazine called Fusion here is what I found :
Codes and conventions of school magazines.
Fusion magazine
Front cover and contents page
Front cover
- Colour scheme
- Big name
- Slogan
- Modern language
- Rule of thirds
- Issue number
- No barcode
- Picture
The front cover of fusion magazine has the colour scheme which is red, white and black these colours stand out from each other and the red shows excitement and it isn’t dull. The white and black are contrasting colours and makes each other stand out off the page. On the front cover there is a big title the title is in white on a red background and the font is bold and simple to read. This make the title stand out on the page and you can clearly see what this magazine is called. The name of the magazine is cut off at the bottom of the letters by a solid red diagonal line; this diagonal line draws your eyes to the name when you first look at the magazine.
The slogan underneath the name of the magazine is a lot smaller than the main title but it is the same colour and font. The diagonal line that cuts of the name draws you into the slogan. The slogan of ‘every generation needs a new revolution’ is quite catchy and makes the reader think slightly about what it means. The front cover uses modern words this is used to attract there target audience of teenagers in there school. It uses words like ‘weird’ and ‘grub’ this is modern language which will draw in the age group they a targeting. The front cover is done in the rule of thirds, the name of the magazine is in top third, what’s inside the magazine in middle third main part of the picture is in bottom third. This is done so the cover is aesthetically pleasing for the readers to look at. The issue number is shown at the top of the magazine; this is there to make the magazine easily identifiable by readers. It will also keep them in order so the readers will know if they have read that issue before. There is no barcode on the front cover of the fusion magazine this is because it is a free school magazine so there is no need for this as it does not need to be scanned like a normal magazine in a shop would.The picture on the front cover is a medium close of a student, medium close ups of student are normally used on front covers of school magazines. This image has been photo shopped a lot; it is modern and will attract the target audience, it give a sense of excitement and fun from the pose he is in, which will make the teenagers want to look inside and think that the magazine will be fun and exciting.
Contents page
- White background
- colourful picture
- three columns
- headings to show what is on each page
- page numbers
- recycle logo
- rainbow border on top and bottom
The back ground on the contents page is white this makes all the other writing on the page easy to read so that you can easily read what is on each page of the magazine. Also the white background makes the colours stand out. There is a picture of a cassette tape with a rainbow coming out of it, this picture is bright and quite a modern image and the rainbow colours add a sense of creativeness and this makes it eye catching. The text on the page is in three columns this makes the contents page look professional and make it easy to read as it is in a simple format to follow. After every page number there is a sub-heading to describe what is on that page these are in a bigger font and are colourful this makes them easier to read and will help people easily identify what is on each page without having to read the full page description, and all the page numbers stand out in a bigger font as well as the subheadings. There is a recycling logo in the bottom right hand side corner, it is showing that the magazine is made from recycled paper, this is showing that the school is promoting this and gives them a good name. At the bottom of the contents page there are lines in different colours which complement the colours coming out of the cassette at the top of the page, this makes the school seem like a fun and bright place to be in and gives the impression that they are quiet a creative school as well.