Front cover moodboard

Most conventional front covers have a large main image of the artist who is featured in the main article. The image is generally either a close up or a mid shot to make it feel like the audience is coming up close with their idols. I believe that every cover is based around the main image as it is always in the centre of the page with all of the other conventions surrounding it to denote that this is the main aspect of the page and connote the importance of the article it is representing. I also believe that magazines specifically chose the artists they wish to feature on their front cover as they need to have the right look and reputation to make them fit with the magazine itself. the artist must also be popular and well known to the target audience as they could be the difference of the audience buying the magazine or not, if someone who the target audience is not interested in is the subject of the main image on the magazine cover they will be less likely to buy the magazine as it wont appeal to them.

The poses of the artists on each cover will be individual to them to connote something about the artist and the magazine. For example on the 'We love pop' magazine cover shows the girl group 'Little Mix' with smiles and pulling funny faces which connotes happiness and fun to the audience, this is appropriate as this links to the bands reputation and the music genre of the band and magazine. A different example is the cover of 'Cosmopolitan' where it displays the artist 'Miley Cyrus' dressed in more mature clothing and posing fairly seductively, this connotes that the magazine is aimed for older people but also that the magazine has a more glamorous theme, this pose and look also links with the heading and various sub headings featured on the cover, I think this is a very smart thing to do as it links the cover together.

Some magazines use more conventions than others, as shown in this mood board Pop magazines which are aimed at a younger target audience tend to use a lot more sub images than for magazines aimed at a slightly older audience, this is done as younger individuals will be attracted to a magazine more if it has numerous images on the front which will appeal to their liking and feel like they are getting more for their money where as slightly older people will like a more mature looking magazine as a front cover with only a main image on the front cover connotes that there will be more mature themes and more educated words used inside the magazine. I personally prefer the magazines which use a single main image to attract the audience accompanied by the title, a heading and various sub headings as I think this looks makes the cover look neat and tidy and look more professional.