This deconstruction is of an article from 'Kerrang'.
Layout- This article has one column. Its position on the far right is due to the large image. Although this is not something I will use in my own project, it still works effectively here. Basic conventions are not followed here, e.g. the headline is at the bottom and the kicker is way above it at the top. I do not find this inspirational as I do not like the layout much, but it is still effective.
Image- The dominant image is of Simon Neil, the lead singer of the band 'Biffy Clyro'. He is looking at a menacing version of himself in the mirror. This connotes that he can be a wild person. His tattoos suggest he is experienced. The reflection appears to be mocking which connotes he is shutting out his demons- this is reinforced by the headline. The bands new album is called 'Opposites', so the image is even more suitable. As I am not doing the rock genre, my image(s) will be toned down and much less excitable. There is a caption underneath the kicker which names the photographer. I will need to use this convention.
Headline- Red is a colour associated with Hell so it has been effectively used for this headline. The font is creepy, yet exclamatory because of the exclamation mark. I do not want to use punctuation in my headline, but it will still be appealing. The two letter 'O's are on top of each other, making it look like a pair of eyes looking at the reader. It is like you are staring into another set of eyes, just like the man in the image is doing. The headline is worded like a ritual- like the singer is trying to start a fresh.
Kicker- Its position is unusual at the top of the page. The name of the band is in red, but the rest of the text is in black. This connotes that it is an important factor in drawing readers in. The words 'Hard road out of Hell' create imagery of them shutting out their demons which is reinforced in the image. It is informative as it is telling you about their new album. My kicker will be similar to this as I will be partly talking about an album in my article.
Composition- It is not as easy navigating around this double page spread as it is on others. People may not think there is a kicker as they are instantly drawn to the headline, which is right at the bottom. The text on the right hand side is easy to find as it is introduced by a drop cap. In fact there are two drop caps in the text, both in a different colour to spread out the colour palette. The white background makes everything else have more presence as it increases the effect of the lighting. My composition will be more conventional and easy to follow. I will achieve this by making my main image smaller and having my headline nearer to the top.
Colour- The colour code is red, white and black. The red is very dominant because words like 'Hell' and 'demons' refer back to it. I will use white and black as part of my colour scheme, but red would not work in my article, therefore I am using green or blue. I may use green and blue, but green would most likely be the more dominant over the two.
Narrative voice- The article is in the third person, however when Simon Neil is talking, it changes to first person. This is conventional in articles as it is not always just an interview. There is often some background information and then input from a celebrity or celebrities. This is the format I am going to follow, but I do not want it to be too detailed as that would not be suitable for the target audience.
Pace- Not much of the text is Simon Neil's words, but there is still background information done by the writer. There are a range of sentence types. There are short sentences like 'They live in a caravan'. These are informative, but are supposed to provide light humor and create imagery. Complex sentences are more descriptive and in here, they are used to describe the work done by the band and what they have experienced in the music industry.
Language- The word 'They' is used frequently near the bottom of the text which is like a list of the different things Biffy Clyro have done whilst on their road to success. There is swearing too which determines it as an adults magazine and at the same time is letting the reader know that the image is not all humorous- it does have a tone that is perhaps personal to the band and especially the lead singer in the image. I will not include any language that may be deemed unsuitable as it is not what my target audience would expect to find when they read a magazine. I will need to avoid repeating words too as it can bore the audience.
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