Image Deconstruction: Magazine covers

 This is the front cover of an issue of Kerrang magazine that is for the genre of alternative rock/ rock artists and bands. From this cover, you can see a very large, central image of a woman (Hayley Williams), This is a very strong image that takes up most of the cover and even covers part of the Masthead and title which suggests the main article in the magazine will be about her and her band. Her facial expression is very much one of being carefree backed up by the fact she is using her fingrs to swear at the camera which shows rebelliousness and 'Teenage angst' but her face and body language shows that she is unbothered by it. The cover has very bold colours on it, with he bright red top that Hayley Williams is wearing Matches the colour of her hair. The word "Paramore" is prited largely across the middle of the page, which again, suggests to the reader that they are they main feature of the magazine. There are images of males and females on the cover so this means that the cover would appeal to both male and female audiences. Having said that, the fact that Hayley Williams is such a large image and that she seems like a strong, bold figure, is hinting towards women power. She is making eye-contact witht he camera which makes the image more engaging and connects a lot more with the reader of the magazine. The title "kerrang" Appears to be broken or smashed, which reflects the madness and mayhem of the Alternative rock genre or, because the slogan for Kerrang is "Life is loud!", it could also be that the music is so loud that it is cracking the title like glass. The cover has more lures on it, with advertisements  of Free posters and other articles on other bands on the inside, so it has far more appeal to a wider audience of readers.

This magazine cover is different to the cover of the Kerrang Magazine but also in some ways it is similar.  The background theming is in the style of an amplifier which immidiately tells the reader that this is a music magazine. Amplifiers such as the one in the background are usually associated with Rock music because they are used for electric guitars, so the reader might make that link and think that it is just another rock magazine. However, The main feature on the cover is Pixie Lott, who is infact a Pop artist, so when the potential readers see that aswell, they will make a link to Pop music. So, the amplifier that suggests the Rock genre and Pixie Lott who suggests the pop genre tells us that there is a more diverse style to the magazine and that it does not just fit to one specific genre. Looking at the front cover, you can easily tell that this is aimed towards a male audience, as there is an attractive female wearing little clothing spread across the cover. she is giving the camera a very sudductive look and this, coupled with the lack of clothing, gives the cover a great sex appeal which would grab the attention of most males. Having said that, the fact that there is a female on the cover would also mean that it appeals to females aswell as males as there are women involed in the magazine so it is not purely based around the wants of men. Also, she is making eye contact which makes it more appealing and helps to connect with the reader or potential reader of the magazine. Mainly across the cover, the colours involved are very basic blacks and whites, which means that when you look at pixie Lott, you are instantly drawn to her bright Purple bra as it stands out very well against the blacks and whites surrounding her, which also ties in micely with my previous sex appeal point. The title of the magazine is done very well, it is made to look like part of the amplfier by putting it where the amplifier's brand name would usually be which makes 'FHM' Look like the Apms brand name, giving it a really good authentic feel. Also, if you look at the little read switch on the Amplifier, you might be able to see that it is glowing read, which shows that the amplifier is turned on, which could be a little well disguised pun, seeing as the Main image and magazine is prodominantly aimed at men, and the image has great sex appeal, that men could be 'Turned on' by it. This is a fairly basic cover, although it does have the amp theme, it doesn't have a lot going on witht hat same crazy feel that Kerrang covers often have, it is a more relaxed sort of cover. So overall, you can see that this cover holds some similarities with the Kerrang issue but in many ways it is different also.

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I really like this Cover, Mainly because of how the colours have been done, Most things on this cover are filled with Bright, vibrant multicolour, for example, the Title 'NME' is in bright pink and his jacket is brightly multicoloured. the background is white though, to make the bright colours stand out alot more, making it very eyecatching due to the bright colours. The only thing that isn't brightly coloured ( besides the background ) is Jimi Hendrix himself, who is in black and white. This could be to keep the classic feel or it could be suggestive to the time that Hendrix came from, showing the age or even the timelessness of his music. but ultimately the fact he is not in colour makes him stand out fromt he rest of the cover from the bright colours and is just generally a really good effect that has been used exccellently. The colours make it very eyecatching and would instantly interest the readers from the moment they pick it up. It's the ' Jimi Hendrix 40th anniversary special' which, obviously, means that the theme throughout the magazine will be Jimi Hendrix, so the target audience for this specific genre will be Hendrix fans. Also, Typically, Hendrix fans tend to be older, and from his time period, so the it might be aimed at an older audience. However, that is not to say that younger people won't find it appealing either. As in the other Covers, he is making eye contact which makes it more engaging and really connects more witht he reader. It's a very strong image and he is standing with his hands on his hips, looking like the cool customer he always was. He is surrounded by little senteces showing key times and events of his life and career, such as his "Isle of White set" which sort of curve around his body, further highlighting him. to a hendrix fan, who might have heard, or even been at such events, this would be a very good and interesting techniqure and effect to use as it will draw their mind back to the ebent or knowledge of the event and depending on the memory being good or bad, maybe encourage them to buy the magazine. It is more simple then the Kerrang cover, despite being brightly covered, but still has more going on than the FHM music issue cover, so it somewhere in between the two, which i have been looking at possibly doing myself for my own magazine cover.