4 Main mags to get me started

I have decided first of all to research 4 different car magazines, just to get me started on what i am looking at creating and how the final piece will roughly look like. All of these have been produced for online as well as for print, although they are the same in layout they may not be the same in size.

AutoCar

This is my first magazine I looked at, not a very well known car magazine but as all the information on all the new cars and the standard articles seen in many others. I have noticed they do put imagery at the top of the cover rather than just the magazine title, this sets them apart a little. Also instead of listing the titles on the imagery of the most important articles that are included they have decided to make the full front page image all about the main article. I believe this sets them apart from most magazines, not just cars. This magazine also includes all the bar code, issue number, price and date of release on the front cover leaving the back cover fully open and unrestricted to advertising.

Next I chose to look at Auto Express, I believe they are a low expense magazine, this is due to the over crowding of imagery which I believe is a method used to try and attract the customers eye. Next I realise that they have gone for a colour theme of red yellow and blue, using the primary colours attracts attention due to the intensity, however makes the magazine once again look a little too desperate to try and attract the customers eyes. With this cover they have also chosen to use the barcode, issue number, etc. to free up the space on the back.

This is a higher end magazine shown by its large, simple imagery and the illusion of space. However they have used the same technique as the first with  the main imagery as the main article. Although they have used the more traditional articles around the edges, they have used four articles rather than bombarding the whole page which would make it look cheap like the magazine above. I believe this magazine stands out more than the other two due to its use of type colourings which have been taken from the imagery itself, this means that the whole page fits together more subtley and its not too in your face as Auto Express is.

The final magazine I have chosen to look at is Fast Car. This is where I get most of my inspiration for this project. Being a vivid reader for a few years now, I believe that this is a magazine aimed at the younger audience, taking into account more of their imagery is modified cars rather than just the new and up comming sports cars or family cars to buy. They try to show that the modifying car scene is a fun place to be, that its cool and something to get your friends involved with. They are trying to escape from the 'boy racer' stereotype and prove that it is not about showing off and racing any more, it is about having a good time with your mates and just generally showing people the hard work they have put into their cars. Within the photo shoot's they try and get the owners involved in the imagery showing them with their friends and generally having a good time showing that their car is a fashion accessory and that they have so much pride in their cars. Within the cover image they choose to use the main article from the magazine that month, HOWEVER they use different images and so you do not get a repeat of the same imagery within unlike most magazines.. Although not on this issue Fast Car tend to put all their barcode, issue number, etc. on the cover so that the full back cover is reserved for advertising as in the other three magazines shown.

In conclusion the easy way to make a magazine look more upper market is to use simple colours taken from the imagery, make the imagery really stand out and be quite simple with no over complicated patterns. Also try not to over crowd people with all the information on the front page otherwise you will have too much to concentrate, therefore loosing their concentration.

I believe that my magazine is going to have most of its inspiration from the Fast Car magazine as this is the audience and social standing I wish to aim my magazine at, however the main difference is that the magazine will be aimed at both men and women racers, and so shall include no naked women or men. Also the magazine is aimed at purely modifying, doing modifications for cheap at home, basically the full package on how to modify, do it cheaply and also make it look professional. I believe this is what people are missing, how to create this alone and how to make it look professional.