Advanced Portfolio - Analysing a Magazine Front Cover

• Images - Who or what is represented?  How is this representation achieved?  What meanings are created?  What is the body language of the subject?  What mode of address is used?  How is the subject framed?  What lighting is used?  What is the location?  Are props used?  What type of focus is used?  Are any effects used?  What title accompanies the image?  (If there are secondary images you can ask the above questions of them too.)
• Design / layout - How is colour used?  How many colours are used?  Is there any pattern to the use of colour?  What sizes of text have been used?  What styles of text have been used?  How is text and image(s) combined?  How much space is there?  How is the left hand (most important) side different from the right hand side?  How is the potential reader attracted?  Is there a lure (a story or interview that continues inside)?  How would your eye move across the page?  Where are the most important elements positioned? What do you think are the values (e.g. fearless, trusted, fun, sexy) of this magazine?  What is the 'house style' (consistent elements that you might find from cover to back) of the magazine?
• Text - What is the title?  What does this represent? (What meanings are created?)  How is the titlepiece styled and positioned?  From how far away could you read the title?  What words are used in the coverlines?  What meanings do they create?  How does the magazine address the reader?  What benefits for the potential reader are offered?  Is there anything for beginners or new readers?  Are there any incentives (e.g. special price, competition, free gift etc.)?  What writing style is used? (e.g. colloquial, authoritative, hyperbolic)  Is the text serif (pointed embellishments finish off the strokes of the letters) or sans serif (without the embellishments)?  How are the beginnings and endings    of text aligned?  Is the text upper or lower case?  How much space (leading) is there between lines?
• Audience - who do you think is the target audience for the magazine and why?