Colour Testing

PURPLE

Purple, amongst other things, represents royalty. By using this colour on my magazine, readers will view this magazine and hopefully see a level of importance which will stand out from other magazines on the shelf. It is also a dark colour, meaning it will be easy to see against light and darker colours a well, which would be beneficial as the wardrobe for my models is all black.  Purple also shouts power and leadership, something that would subliminally attract potential readers to my magazine if they saw it on the shelf.

PINK

Pink is stereotypically a feminine colour, so as my magazine is aimed at both sexes I feel this colour will make males reluctant to purchase it. This colour font would be more suited to magazines whose main audience is female, such as “Top of the Pops” magazine for young girls.

GOLD

According to psychologists the colur gold represents success, achievement and triumph. As my main magazine article is centred around my fictional upcoming duo “CD”, I think this would be an appropriate colour as it represents the present and future selves. Gold is also a colour associated with royalty and R&B is a music genre that dates back very far and a genre that is still heavily represented in today’s music industry, so I feel gold is reflective of this. Richness can also be represented through the colour gold, so the idea that the magazine will be CD’s first big interview can be reflected through the use of gold.  If I were to use this colour, it would most likely be as an accent colour, as I think over using it would decrease it’s effect.

BLACK

This colour is associated with mystery and death, however it also connotes elegance. Black is also a colour that contrasts against any other colour, so choosing colours to accompany it will be easier. I want my magazine to have an element of sleekness to it so I think using black on my magazine will help this. I would use this colour for the text, such as the masthead, because it is a bold colour that would stand out against the page. As my artists CD are a new band there is also an air of mystery surrounding them which the colour black can reflect.

WHITE

The colour white often represents purity and innocence. I think this colour would be appropriate for my magazine and I would most likely use it for the front cover or double page spread. CD are 16/17 and they have just started their career so they are new to the music industry, the colour white would therefore be a good colour choice to represent their “innocence” and newness to the industry. In magazines the colour white gives an open and minimalistic, feel which allows the magazine appear to be more organized and clean cut.

BURGUNDY

Burgundy is a colour of class and sophistication, which is the look I am aiming for with my magazine. It is also a colour that favours both men and women, so it will not exclude any of my target market. I would use this font for the masthead and as an accent colour, like gold this is a colour I feel needs to be used in moderation in order to be appreciated.