Thoughts on House Style

Today I researched House Style and how it effects the formation of magazines. I learned that House style is the way a publication chooses to publish in matters of detail—single quotes or double, use of capitals and lower case, when to use italics, and so on. (Wynford Hicks and Tim Holmes, Subediting for Journalists. Routledge, 2002). The house style of a magazine refers to the specific usage and editing conventions followed by writers and editors to ensure consistency in a particular piece of work. These rules apply to the way words are spelled, graphic design, formatting, and more. House style is used by almost every publishing agencies and organizations to give each magazine a specific layout and design. 

I think that the idea of having a House Style is important in creating uniformity in the style of publication, which can help to build the brand because it is now more memorable. For Instance, if Essence magazine is known for their colorful cover page with large mast headings and uniform aspects in certain spots, then audiences can easily make associations between the specific layout and the brand. I believe that house style is very effective and makes it so that consumers don't have to look around and search much because they know what to expect the cover to look like. this in turn, can help to grow the brand and increase sales.

Just like any medium of publication, genre is a big deciding factor when it comes to style and design. In particular, for house styles in magazines the genre of the magazine can make all the difference. Different magazine categories tend to have different house styles. This change in house styles depends on the impressions that certain magazine genres seek to convey. For example, a magazine specializing in decor, design and renovation might have a very colorful house style filled with aesthetically pleasing graphics and large text to appeal to its intended audience. On the other hand, formal publications, such as current news magazines might have a more formal and minimalist house style with few large texts and pictures to leave room for more information. Adhering and adapting house style according to genre is crucial because if an invalid impression is given off to the public, people may doubt the magazine's credibility.

After my research, Ive gained a new perspective on the designing process of magazines. Learning about the thought process that occurs when magazine creators are developing house styles, shows the intricacy and attention to detail put into each piece of work ultimately growing my appreciation for magazines. 

 

Conventions of Magazines

Today, I decided to expand my knowledge and learn more about the structure and conventions in the magazine-making process. There are general conventions in any medium, and are also genre specific. All magazines don't necessarily follow a specific format or structure in writing the articles. However, they all share similar features and conventions that build up the magazine. Those include: 

• Cover page - cover pages are visually appealing and is what sells the magazine 
• Cover story - the cover story is the beacon in any magazine. It may refer to a story in a magazine whose subject matter appears on its front. 
• Subheading - describes other stories or features within the text. 
  
•  Mast Head - The mast head is the magazines title (usually in larger text) and is often the first thing readers see. This is a feature of magazines that remain constant.  
• Main Image - a large image on the cover of a magazine that will be the main factor to try and catch the readers attention. 
• Sell Line -  information on the cover of a magazine that tells the reader what to expect to read if they buy the magazine.
• Barcode - usually in the lower corners and indicates date and price.
• Magazine header bar: Includes information about more minor articles inside the magazine

 

Here is what a magazine cover looks like with the main conventions indicated:

 

 

https://imagethatimage.weebly.com/magazine-front-cover.html

 

 

Additional aspects to consider: 

• Use of Color - the color scheme chosen convey messages about the texts genre and often about the target audience. 
• Font style and size: related to the genre and can be sophisticated or cartoony, depending on the target audience. 
• Text positioning: contribute to the overall style of the publication. 
• Lighting - the way in which an image is lit helps to convey a mood 
• Layout and Design -  can be informal or formally constructed and depend on genre and intended audience.
  
• Editorial - Magazine editorials give opinions on important social, political,  economic, or legal issues and aim to persuade readers to side with a particular point of view.
  

Sources: 

https://en.calameo.com/read/005837167eeeb75724e0f

https://silo.tips/download/significant-learning-outcomes

 

History of Magazines

 

 

Before we dive into creating a magazine of our own, lets learn a bit more about how this form of media came to be. In 1731, an Englishman named Edward Cave published a periodical called The Gentleman's Magazine. He invented the word "magazine" from the Arabic word makhazin, which meant storehouse. Magazines began to take flight and flourish during the late 18th century, where over 100 magazines had appeared in the nascent United States.The first illustrated magazine was created years later by British newsagent Herbert Ingram created the first illustrated magazine, in 1842. 

    As the years progressed, literacy improved, and more and more Americans could read. So, with time comes change, and magazine style took a shift for the better. While early magazines focused on improvement and reason, later versions centered around amusing readers.  In addition, in the 1830s, publishers began taking advantage of a general decline in the cost of printing and mailing publications and started producing cheaper magazines to appeal to a wider audience.Taking advantage of this newly expanded audience, publishers began offering a wide array of magazines such as family magazines, children's, and women's magazines. 

    In particular, lets learn a bit more about women's magazines, which circles more around what our topic is about. The nation's first "women's magazine" was actually founded in Philadelphia in 1792. Women's magazines have played a significant role in American politics. Women's magazines published stories about women's suffrage, the sexual revolution, women's pay, women's legal right, and many more. That blend of the personal and the political, has always been what women's magazines have always been successful at conveying.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/14/womens-magazines-go-political-but-really-theyve-been-political-since-1792/

https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/5-2-history-of-magazine-publishing/

https://www.encyclopedia.com/media/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/magazine-industry-history

https://www.britannica.com/topic/publishing/Magazine-publishing

 

 

 

Genres of Magazines

 The arrival of the 20th century brought with it new types of magazines, including news, business, fashion, women' magazines and many more. Today, there are thousands of magazines worldwide. They inspire, inform, educate and entertain audiences across the globe. Some of the major genres of magazines include:

• General Interest Magazines - This type of magazine is published for a wider audience to provide general information and the focus is on many different subjects of current interests. These articles are usually written by journalists or freelance writers and are often heavily illustrated with photographs.
  
• Special Interest Magazines - magazines directed at specific groups of readers to cater to any specific interests or pursuits. Some examples of special interests magazines include: 
• •  Business magazine - they explore latest news and reviews on current trends in the world of business and provide information related to particular business areas like accounting, marketing and sales, real estate, small business etc.
    
  •  Women's magazine - The outlook of a women's magazine is an intelligent perspective that is focused on personal style - the way women actually look, think and dress. They reflect the spirit of today's woman and have become an arena for debate and promotion of education for women.
  •  Sports magazine - features articles or segments on sports comprising of many photographic images and illustrations to take fans inside the game and provide a mix of columns, profiles of their favorite players, scores, and analysis of the game.
    
  •  Children's magazine - The main aim of children's magazines is to engage children to learn new things through entertainment and to provide memories that last a lifetime. The content is delivered through colorful images, read-aloud stories andvarious fun activities
  • Environmental magazines - They provide information from the big issues like climate change and renewable energy,  to the topics that directly impact the readers' daily lives such as population and poverty. 

 Sources : https://silo.tips/download/significant-learning-outcomes

Image made using :  https://www.canva.com/design/DAEIxLFMYqs/M_JL2JdsE76AKi7XVVwCHw/edit

 

 A BIT ABOUT ME ! 

 Hello ! My name is Adrienne. I would describe myself as a very compassionate, ambitious, independent, and intelligent individual. I have always enjoyed learning new things, and adopting new passions and interests. I recently learned of my interests in the arts such as drawing and painting, which I am actually very good at. I decided to take this class to continue to expand on my creativity through producing a source of media and learn how the media affects our daily lives. My future plans consist of different aspects of each industry. As college approaches, I want to explore each of my interests to determine which can turn into my career. I hope for this class to open my eyes to all aspects of the media industry and teach me transferrable skills.

Some of my hobbies and Interests include: drawing, having fun with friends, owning a business, educating others, and most of all playing my favorite sport, Volleyball. 

 

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Reflection on Syllabus

 

    I chose this class in hopes of putting my creative side to the test and creating a media product of my own. I'm looking forward to learning all I need to know to grasp all concepts and fully understand the production process. Lastly, I am excited to reflect on my growth and progression from my very first blog to my last. 

    I can admit that there are a few aspects of the course that make me nervous. I am a bit anxious about the written paper for the test. I am also anxious about the outcome and if it is going to come out as planned, but I  know that with proper preparation, I will do well.  Lastly, with the uncertainty of this school year, I'm a bit nervous that it might affect my learning but I will do all it takes to ensure this will not hinder my progress. 

    All in all, I hope to finish off this course with improved editing skills and further knowledge about the media industry and its various components. I cant wait to explore all the creative and technological aspects of executing my media product ! 

 

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Welcome to my Blog!

INTRODUCTION ! 

   Hello ! My name is Adrienne and welcome to my blog. 

    I am taking AICE Media Studies, and as part of my portfolio project, I have chosen to work on and    create a 4-page magazine. I will be collaborating in a group of 4, but I will submit an individual project. With this component of my media area, I hope to learn the art of analyzing media products and self-evaluation,  by applying knowledge on how to create media products using technical and creative skills.

The main tasks to create my magazine include: 

• Analyze fellow magazines to serve as inspiration for ideas in my individual magazine. 
• Plan and take notes for the production and creation of my magazine.
  
• Research and critically construct all elements of the magazine to include an introductory, research, planning, product and reflection. 
• There will be at least 4 images. All images will be original and edited in order to create my final piece.  
  

In the end, I will reflect on the process and outcome of my blog. I will be posting weekly blogs to show my creation and progress. 

 

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