Masthead- Is bold and conventionally placed in the top third, is usually formatted behind the image as it is easily recognisable. “Kerrang!” is a strong title that is impactful and reflects the genre well as it is a harsh word which can relate to rock and metal music. The title also harmonises with the image nicely as well as they are very energetic and controversial.

Buzz/Puffs- Are short advertisements to endorse a consumer to buy their product in this case using competitions to tempt the reader to buy the issue. The use of drop shadow and the shape of the puff replicate this look of an advertisement which makes it stand out from the image and shows importunacy to attract the reader to important information.

Banner- Advertises special features within the magazine almost like a buzzword. These are usually featured in this particular magazine however the format is slightly different depending on the front image and is sometimes placed on the bottom of the page. This banner has a strong dark background with previews of the posters it is advertising along with various other images which lets the reader associate that specific product with the band. Usually this banner advertises posters in most issues.

Strapline-a subheading in a newspaper or magazine article or in any advertisement. In this case the strapline isn’t actually purposely advertising the article just suggesting its contents as a part of the cover line story and produces excess knowledge about it than the actual cover line title. This is affective to persuade consumers to buy their product as it teases them into wanting to read the full article within.

Cover lines- Going against original conventions and are placed on the right hand side of the page and are usually placed on the left. Short informative sentences to save over clutter on the page specifically caused by the image which allows them to be clearly read. The use of drop shadow and a bright background colour makes the text really stand out. In this issue there are several cover-lines and unusually a lot of them formatted in several places around the page almost as if to fit as many interesting stories in as possible without effecting the main cover lines and other content around the page.

Colour scheme- Usually a particular colour scheme is carried throughout the multiple issues of the magazine however is not always necessary; However this is a magazine that does follow that particular convention as the masthead is usually red and other titles and cover lines vary between red and yellow with black or white boarders and this theme is followed throughout the magazine. These colours are very bold and stand out very well to attract as much attention as possible and allowing everything in the page to be eye catching as the page is busy and can be difficult to try and observe all the different aspects but due to the colour scheme is has harmonised that concept and allows the text to be visible and visually interesting

Barcode/date/price- usually under the codes and conventions the placement of barcodes, prices and date/issue number is usually separated with the barcode discreetly placed in the corner and the rest of the information elsewhere on the cover normally located by the mast head.

Image- the front cover image in this issue follows the conventions of usual magazine images in terms of format, a medium close-up format of the main figures gives an appropriate amount of content, The image is also placed on the right side of the page rather than centred as it creates more room on the left third of the page to be filled with the large cover line and other multiple images in this case without corrupting the overall image. The use of composition is interesting as there is one main figure along with the rest of the members from the band included in the background which creates a depth in the photograph which works well due to the consistent layering throughout the cover. The use of multiple images is interesting as most music magazines don’t always include this however works well in correspondence with their specific cover lines that have been included at the bottom of the page.

Issue number and date- Although this is included on the cover page it is usually included in the contents page also as a part of various conventions.

Image- Images on this contents page are obviously the main cover stories and the inclusion of these on the contents page is to build additional interests and also to create a sense of fascination of the story. In the Ozzy Osbourne image I like how the back ground has been cropped behind the subject and appears as if the Ozzy isn’t a part of the image and is layered to look layered which similar techniques are used on the cover page. These images are obviously set up from a photo shoot and are not natural images that the editors have decided ti use however have deliberately taken these specific pictures as a part of creating this page and to enthuse the consumers to read the articles available.

Folios- The Folios are the most important key element of a contents page as it is what navigates the reader to each article therefore they must be informative yet look attractive. They are usually characterized into sections, either alphabetically, chronologically and also by contents. Usually folios can be organised in terms of the content and similar content can be grouped together and in this instance it is clear that the editors have used this method to organise their folios and each article has been put into a category e.g. news, feedback etc. The folios have been formatted in the centre third of the page, there is no specific convention to follow in terms of format on the contents page as it is not visible when displayed, therefore the editors have decided to place it in the middle third to draw attention from the two cover features above and below, it may have also been placed to balance the composition of the page and to fit in the gaps between the two articles.

Subtitle- This subtitles has a layout and overall impact very similar to the contents page however has no specific conventions limiting the position on the page as long as there is an obvious sense of flow especially focused on the text, in this case does not affect either.

Title- in this case the title is very large and colourful against the background it has a sans serif font which is considered more modern and represents the magazine well. The title is one of the first things that the eye of the consumer see’s first however in this case is probably focused more on the image however the title Is just as effective because of the size, contrast and vibrancy against the background.

Pull Quote- a Pull Quote is a piece of text highlighted and emphasised in an article said by the articles subjects. Pull quotes generally break up the large amounts of text and create a focus point within the bottom right section of the page. It also allows the reader to feel personally connected with the subjects.

Image- the main image represents the interests of the intended audience and is not the main cover story however its importance seems inflated through the use of imagery. This image represents a “Fall out boy” concert and by showing this image would appeal to the target audience due to the colours and the overall impression. The image flows over both pages and fills almost all of the page which states its importance. The image has been formatted so that the main band member is focussed towards the text which allows the article to flow in terms of how the consumer will follow the content.

Folio’s and editor credit- These are followed throughout the magazine in the corner, it is not visible on this photocopy however does feature on both of the corners of both pages. On the bottom right side of the second page there is a small quote of the editor which states their names along with their photographers which does not change the layout of the page and just discreetly gives the information which is usually visible to the reader when they turn the pages due to its clever placing.

Columns and formatting- Columns on these pages are featured in a landscape format however in small columns which flow in the way that the consumers eye wonders which allows good flow and a tidier page along with a more accurate informative article as it is fully understandable in the order it has been placed. The articles and all the text on this page has been written in a sans serif font which looks informal way to attract the reader more.

Drop Cap- Drop cap is usually where one specific letter has been emphasised to stand out specifically at the beginning of an article or paragraph to encourage the flow of text. These Drop caps are usually emphasised through colour, scale and also font. In this case there Is only one of the entire page at the beginning of the article.

Stand first- A stand first is a brief intro to the featured article to entice the reader to continue to be interested in this page and its contents. It is usually emphasised through font, size or colour and is similar to a synopsis. This stand first is very short and snappy to get straight to the point and uses colour to enhance the band name.

Mast Head- Is large and formatted behind the main image which follows codes and conventions as usually longer mast head titles are formatted behind the image. The title “Total Guitar” is more of a factual name to obviously state the theme of the magazine.

Price/Date/ Issue Number- These vital elements of a magazine have been cleverly placed within the masthead as a part of the word; this is convenient because it doesn’t waste space on the paper that can be filled with more content

Strapline- In this case the strapline is almost like a slogan to advertise purchase, It is also factual along with decorative. Some other straplines in this issue have been placed in to appear like a puff for example under the main cover line which can visually attract the consumer to read the straplines.

Buzz/Puffs – There are multiple of these on his page that are effective in their content for example “free digital edition” is a good form of advertisement as the consumer feels that this magazine is a good value for money and also connects with them through something that they relate too, in this case technology. The use of vibrant colours are very effective to catch the eye of the consumer because there is multiple colours on this page however there are a few elements that standout more than others which is effective upon selling this product. The use of different puff shapes in this issue is also very effective as the page doesn’t seem like it has been filled with repetitive content and is different to the usual standard puff shape.

Banner- In this case the Banner is not as obvious as it is not separated from the page by colour or by a box which works well in this magazine and advertises many different products that can be found within the product which is effective in selling; to be able to sell an wide variety of produce; which would enthuse the buyer. It is formatted at the very top of the page under the codes and conventions because it can be visible from the shop shelf and advertises this product just buy showing the very top third of a page.

Cover line- This magazine is limited in these and has focussed on one dominant cover line which is large enough to fill the left third of the page and perhaps even more however is very eye grabbing in response to the image through its scale and colour. It uses a famous name to gain attention from the reader that would be an influential figure in this genre of music. The smaller Cover line is a lot less emphasised probably because of its less known contents in response to “slash” however can still be eye catching because it has been placed in an empty part of the page as an attempt to fill the page and to equally balance the composition.

Image- The main cover story image has been formatted similarly to “kerrang” on the right side of the page to balance the cover lines with the image and also not to interrupt the mast head too much. It is a medium close up with a direct gaze into the camera. Their use of props is appropriate for the magazine due to its genre and also title therefore attracts a lot of readers.

Background- Although there is not much colour in the background there is still evidence of shadows and gradients in the background which personally I think is very interesting as it’s a subtle a change in colour however I think completes the page as it fades into the cover lines. I also think that the background contrasts the masthead very well as they are complete opposites however I think works well to emphasise the mast head as much as possible as well as creating a clean and finished feel.

Barcode/ Date/ Price and Location of printing- Although some of this information has been repeated elsewhere in the magazine it still follows the codes and conventions of the media in magazine production as the barcode records purchases and requires date to the manufacturer and is usually placed In a corner of the magazine usually in the bottom third somewhere where it is easily located for the ease of the shop sales representative. Although it is quite large it has been easily disguised by the inclusion of a coloured banner to distract attention away from it.

Colour scheme- In this page the colour scheme is unusually not continued throughout the pages however is similar as red and orange harmonise each other and red is the fundamental colour along with yellow to make orange therefore they can link in a similar way to this. This page is very much limited in colour as there is only a few different colours that are important on this page.

Title- This contents title is a very basic font however is very bold and clear, this draws most of the attention along with the image and subheadings however is dominantly more eye catching than these.

Folio’s- In this case the folio’s have been organised in chronological order for efficiency as this magazine is greatly formative therefore this organisation would be more appropriate although there is a separate category for features alongside the monitor category this shows that feature and effective organisation has been considered when arranging these articles. The Folio’s on this page has only been formatted on the right hand side of the page alongside the main cover story image.

Image- The editors have used a similar main image to the cover page which suggests that these are linked and it is the main cover story therefore suggests why it is the largest image on the page so that it is the main focus of the magazine to advertise this specific main cover story along with the other less important articles. This main photograph is larger than the traditional cover page medium-close up hence the reason that it Is the contents image and not the cover page. There is no specific reference of direction of eye contact suggested by this photography other than the guitar that points to the folios suggesting the connection and the change in focus. The three smaller images is obviously not studio based photography and do not connect with the camera like the main photography does which suggests that they are not as important as the main “slash” cover story, this is also obvious due to its format, three consistently smaller images at the bottom of the page, there is no special eye catching subject matter in any of these images.

Reviews- There is very little article reviews in this magazine and only includes short/brief explanations of each article however does not describe any particular article in a lot of depth including the main cover stories therefore all of these elements suggests that this page was planned to be organised and not specifically appealing to the eye. Every magazine will usually include some kind of review when describing the folios of the magazine it is vital for the consumer to understand what they are buying which is the purpose of the contents page and its reviews.

Editorials- Usually in magazines there are multiple letters from the editors however this issue does not include an editorial however does credit the editors name in the bottom left hand corner which suggests that they did not want to emphasise this in anyway as it would be difficult to include any more information on this page without possibly deleting a image which then wold leave the over appearance and composition of the page unbalanced.

Date- The date of this specific issue has been placed in the bottom corner of the page which is usually included in the contents page through a series of codes however this has been very subtly placed in the corner in a small font which suggests that this information is not important as it has been repeated on the previous page therefore it is unnecessary information and has not been placed for the reader.

Image-The image is very visually attractive and the main focus of the both pages due to the intense background colours and the contrasting foreground colours of the yellow and purple tint. Although the subject is not facing the article the lines in the guitar are and this linear shape focuses the attention to the article along with her pose is bent towards the article and therefore distracts the reader from the image then to the article which is the intension.

Advertisement-There are various advertisements on this page, the most obvious is on the right side of the second page as an advertisement for guitar accessories which is very eye catching due to its strongly pigmented colouration however balances the colour from the other page so it does not appear to look empty. The other advert is in the top corner of the first page where it is advertising Shaw Taylor’s Tour in a very discreet and informative way.

Title-The title on this double page spread is very similar throughout the magazine including the front cover, however it contrasts well with the white background and boldly stands out. The first focus on the second page is the title due to its format placing is within the top third similarly to the cover page and this placement creates flow within the page and the articles due to our culture.

Folios and editorial credit- Similar to Kerrang there is a small section on the bottom of the page that gives credit to the editor and identifies the issue date. This has been placed here so that it does not distract attention away from the image which is the main focus on this page along with the overall article.

Column format-There is only two columns on this page and flows very well with little interruption from drop caps and pull quotes. This positioning works well to continue the flow of eye contact, it also continues the geometric flow as the whole double page spread has been generalised in a column format. The use of informal language relates to the reader and does not over complicate the overall article. This article has been written I a continuous font which is a serif font of some form which is believes to appear more formal and tidy which continues the idea of keeping a clean and informative feel.

Stand first-The stand first in this page is clearly identifiable under the main title and is a different colour and a much smaller scale. The shortness of the sentence looks visually attractive from a distances and breaks up the dark colours on the page It also links to the colour scheme.

Drop cap-There Is only one drop cap on this double page spread which is again at the beginning of the article and unusually is formatted in a sans serif font which is different from the rest of the article which isn’t a unusual however the two fonts have completely different social opinions as to the mood they portray.

Pull Quote- There are no Pull Quotes included on the second page within the article and instead has been placed within the image next to the subject which works well because it can connect the quote to the subject more and it feels more personal for the reader to be able to make this connection.