Thursday, 29 September 2011

Preliminary task: front cover textual analysis

Denotation: I see a picture of a happy boy holding books looking directly at the camera. It is medium long shot, the background is a black backdrop with a slight grey-ish circular light in the centre, behind his head and shoulders. The photograph covers the whole of the magazine; behind him is a ‘college’ masthead with seven cover lines in yellow and white. There is also a barcode in the bottom left hand of the magazine, underneath showing pricing of US 4.99 & CAN 5.9



Conotation: This boy is happy which represents that school can be a fun place to be, also that you can be ‘cool’ as well a hard working student, hence the law, business& Society. The masterhead is bold and bright yellow which captures the eye of the reader. Furthermore the simplicity of the masterhead is more effective because although the masterhead is bold and captures the reader it doesn’t draught attention away from the image or coverlines.



Prop: The young man is carrying books which support the image and representation of education & learning, this compliments the magazine as it gives a clear idea of what the magazine is about. Also without words presents education to us through visual imagery and therefore is one of the first thing that draughts the readers attention other then the bright bold font .
Costume: The young man is wearing, which looks like a black leather jacket with all buttons open, a white v neck t-shirt with dark coloured jeans accessorised with a long chain with a cross and a brown a silver watch on his left wrist. The watch may represent organization and time keeping which is linked to school and education to show that the young man on the cover is a responsible organised model student. Additionally the chain could also represent religion that a model student can stay true to there religion and also work hard. The young mans costume on a hole is smart but casual, which appeals to all different types of audiences, to again illustrate that you can be hard working but cool, which challenges the idea of a ‘model student’ being smartly dressed for example suit an tie. Hence the student is wearing jeans, but still appropriate for learning environment.
Setting: On the front cover of this school magazine there is no setting it is just a dark backdrop which maybe because the setting is not important, the designer desired for the reader to focus more on the image and cover lines on the magazine.
Lighting :The lighting on the front cover is a low key lighting, there’s very little lighting, and only a slight spot light at the top of the cover near the young mans head and shoulders. The lack of lighting is effective in not distracting the attention of the front cover all to the lighting behind, we mainly concentrate on the image and cover lines, as the writing is brighter then the lighting in the background.



NVC: He using direct eye contact which makes the reader feel he is addressing to them personally. His stance is slanted slightly with his hand in his pocket which gives of a calm, relaxed feel, that invites the reader to read the full magazine as having your hands in your pocket is quite informal which contrasts the idea of school and education which is formal. Also he is smiling showing happiness and enjoyment about education this also encourages students to read the magazine as he shows that educational magazines can be fun as well as other magazines.

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