My front cover page is a medium shot of a student studying in a library featuring books, folders and a globe, this image is a A4 size this highlights that it is the main image. By using these features for my front cover shows that they are indexical as the books and folders suggest education while the globe suggests worldwide options for your future.
The target audience for my magazine cover and contents page is meant to appeal to sixth formers going to university and GCSE students deciding on their futures at college, sixth form, apprenticeships and many other options. The magazine stands out by using a range of colours to draw in the audience. This appeals to the target audience as the primary colours are for the younger GCSE students which show the connotations of a sense of fun and interest in the magazine, however by using colours that blend into one another like the dark and light blue and the pastel cream and brown colours, suggest that there is more advanced information for pupils at a higher level. As well as a section for the younger students.
The masthead of my magazine is 'Your Global Future', I used this title as it shows denotation of the word 'global', proposing the idea that you have many options in life to choose from and can explore different availabilities for your future life and career. The title also links with the images used on both the cover and contents page as they are both pictures of globes; one taken for my main image and other to show that the contents is apart of my magazine this clarifies the particular theme.
In both the cover and contents pages, there is a large range of different typography used to express the contrast in size, font and colour. On my front cover I developed a slogan; 'Explore your choices, discover your future' this outlines the connotations of the masthead and two images of globes, as the slogan is based upon your worldwide possibilities. The slogan is in bold, capital letters with a maroon coloured background, the font colour is black to help it to stand out as it is small in comparison to the title (which is just below it). The masthead is a large font size, bold and in black font. Around the letters are tiny white dots which signifies sparkles and dust sprinkled over the lettering creating the title to be polysemic as the word 'global' is about your opportunities in the future, while the dots around the lettering suggest an exciting adventure on a quest to explore your imagination. The dots may also represent fantasy as they would be recognised if used in Disney animation film as fairy dust. Which suggests because the dots are used in this real life magazine that your hopes and dreams can become reality. By using specific fonts and use of language highlights the connotation as you can elaborate more on the subject and theme of your work. I combined the two background colours at a central angle shows a contrast in colour, it also enhances the colour changing from one to the other, proposing that people move on in their academic career and strive to achieve the best.
To make the text stand out, I placed the text in a symbolic image such as a thought bubble, to see what students may be thinking. By using intertextuality this thought bubble refers to most students because usually they have a dilemma deciding on what to do after their education, because there are so many options. So by including the words "Deciding on what to do after your GCSE's and A levels?" helps to relate to most adolescents. This sentence is a rhetorical question, I situated this into my front cover as I don't need the target audience to answer because I already have the answer and details for the question waiting for them in my magazine. The reply to this question is underlined, has bold and larger font size compared to question, change in colour and has three exclamation marks. The reason the answer has more emphasise than the question is because it is the result, using the words "LOOK NO FURTHER" sounds like a relief after searching on what to do in the future, you have finally found out your personal options and what appeals to you the most.
Throughout my contents page I constructed my work to appeal to all school students. I used a wide range of primary colours because i presumed that it would encourage many students to read it, as the colours attract attention. I separated the columns for GCSE and sixth form students to identify the difference between age categories. I also used bright, distinctive colours (blue and green) for each, to establish the information for each section. However, each column had the same format/structure which signifies their similarities that they are both important stages of your education and should be treated equally whether they are difficult or more manageable.
My background image for contents page represents a lined paper school book, this is symbolic as it outlines straight away it is educational as all students use books and paper. It also is very distinctive as it makes the page have a 3-D effect due to the spiral coil binding on the left hand side. The image used for the contents is a colourful globe held by a pair of hands. However the globe is brightly coloured while the hands have be captured in black and white colour mode, the image is indexical because even though both images are identified the focus is the globe.
The masthead is on a diagonal slant, heightening who the target audience is as it conveys that this magazine isn't formal and appeals to the younger generation by changing the direction of words and positioning, making it seem more entertaining to read. The title is in capital letters, bold and large font size proving this is the main title. The lettering of the word is slanted and has white inner colour with a thick black outline portraying a shadow effect. The lettering and colour effects combined is polysemic as it reveals that their are different ways of learning by the way you structure and present your work and that the masthead is directed to younger and older pupils who are creative. The border around the masthead has thick, dashed lines in different primary colours, they are artistic as they look as if they are sewn into the page this highlights the masthead even more.
The text around the image of the globe is curved to fit the shape, this shows intertextuality as the slogan "Your choices are endless" refers to the image because it displays your world wide advantages in the word "endless" as the earth is circular conveying that there isn't an end as its continuous. the font stands out as it is bright red and bold, unlike any other piece of text on the page. I wrote next to most pieces of text a number to make the magazine more realistic. The numbering next to the columns of GCSE students and sixth form students is done specifically. The GCSE students are towards the front of the magazine because they are younger, while the sixth form students are towards the back because they are older.
Overall, I am very pleased with my work as I have strived to achieve my best. I would consider my magazine to be very bright and imaginative usually more appealing to younger students than what my magazine was based on (GCSE and sixth form students). However, as a sixth form student I would find this type of magazine much more appealing as it more captivating, in comparison to a plain, more formal magazine which is what many people would consider a sixth former would like to read because of their age.
