Signs in magazines & their conventional meanings

High: Authority/ dominating

Head on: Challenging / rebellious

Low: Inferior / subservient

Side on: Teasing / villany / aversion / flirtatious / enigmatic

Position / Point of View

Front: Ageless / bland / nondescript

Back: Gives depth / emphasises pattern / creates contours

Top: Youthfulness / spirituality

Side: Unsure / indecisive / morally ambiguous

Angle of lighting on image of person / location

Blue: Authority & law, the sea, cool, often associated with men

Pink: Traditional femininity, innocence, sweetness & tenderness

Red: Danger, sin, warmth, passion, fire, excitement Black: Dark, dangerous, sinful, serious, dramatic, sad,

melancholy, documentary, truth Purple: Luxury, royalty, decadence Yellow: Bright, happy, sun, cheery, mellow, heat White: Purity, hygiene, hospitals / doctors / nurses, innocence Green: Earth, natural, country, fresh, fertility Gold: Precious, rare, wealth

Colour Signs

I will consider these conventional meanings of signs / images when analysing music magazines to understand why different signs are used.

These conventional meanings are also important when creating my own music magazine in order to determine the connotations and denotations that will be portrayed to the audience. I will refer to these when taking photos, positioning and choosing the colour scheme in order to give the impression desired for my magazine depending on the genre.

Linking to my analysis of music magazines & creation of a music

magazine