1. Complex Magazine Analysis

2. Complex Magazine Analysis: Front Cover
The colour scheme for this issue of complex is Above the masthead, a skyline is used which
going against all the conventional colours within contains the important features included in
Complex’s colour scheme which are red, white and the magazine that are likely to draw the
black (a very common colour scheme). With the reader in on first glance as this will be easily
bright blue, pink and green colours making this visible on the magazine shelf as it is at the top
issue stand out completely on the magazine shelf, of the magazine so will be visible over the
the masthead is almost completely visible so that magazines stacked in front of it. The bright
people can still identify the magazine as Complex as blue patterned background should instantly
their recognisable red masthead is not in use. catch the audiences eye and the skyline will
Complex, as a magazine, tend to break their colour provide them with intriguing information
scheme quite often compared to the likes of NME about the magazine which may make them
who tend to stick to their colour scheme a lot more. choose to purchase this magazine if they are
I think the colours used on this front cover really not a frequent buyer.
reflect the personality and music of the artist, Kid
Cudi as he tends to have a vivid imagination and
produce some ‘wild’ music. The colour of the masthead could have been
chosen in conjunction with the colour of the
artist’s watch to form a colour scheme.
The image itself is a mid shot which appears to have
been taken from above the artist as he seems to be
looking up at the cameras slightly. The pose he is There are not many cover lines used on this
pulling fits the genre of music he is associated with front cover and I think this adds to the effect
as his pose implies he is opening his jacket in such that this issue is focusing mainly on the artist
as way to reveal possible illegal items he may be in the main image. Therefore, having little or
selling and hip hop as a genre tends to revolve no cover lines obscuring the audiences view
around illegal activity such as drugs. of him may represent the fact that their wont
be anything obscuring him inside the
magazine resulting in the artist having a large
section of the magazine about him.

3. Complex Magazine Analysis: Contents Page
This Complex contents page is simple yet effective
as it given the non-conventional name of “Table Of The pictures on the contents page all fit
Contents” oppose to the conventional “Contents the genre the magazine is and all feature
Page”. This implies to the audience that the the artists wearing high end fashion
magazine is trying to be different and could be items with the focus being more on
targeted at an alternative more niche audience what they are wearing rather than
with interests similar to the magazines contents. themselves as people. The bottom left
image could be encouraging the male
gaze as the woman is attractive and is
The colour scheme for this issue of complex is a stood in an arguably seductive pose.
conventional three colour palette consisting of This fits the target audience of the
white, black and yellow. This is some blue used for magazine as it is mainly aimed at men.
text but not as often as the three main colours.
Although Complex’s traditional colour palette is
white, black and red, this is often broken by the
magazine with the use of different colours in
various issues. This gives each issue of the The pictures and text are separated by
magazine a different edge and could make the numerous straight black lines in an
magazine more visually satisfying for the unorganized fashion creating a quirky
audience. image for the magazine implying that the
magazine will not conform with all the
This contents page is heavily picture dominated as conventions people assume to be on
the top and bottom thirds are made up of four contents page linking back to the title
different pictures all relating to an article within being a little different and out of the
the magazine. The amount text is small in ordinary also. This reflects the target
comparison to the images but still provides audience as the perception of the target
information for the audience on where to find audience is that the less you try , the
specific articles under three sections. The use of ‘cooler’ you may appear and the
colour throughout the text is a lot more magazine may be trying to conform to
interesting than just plain black text and the text this stereotype of the target audience.
highlighted in a different colour intrigues the
reader and draws their eye towards that article.

4. Complex Magazine Analysis: Double Page Spread
This Complex double spread uses a
slightly unconventional four colour The article itself is an interview and
palette of white, black, red and blue the questions and answers are
which represents the American flag in show through the use of red for the
this case. The white background allows questions and black for the
the majority of the text in black and red answers. This allows the audience
to be read easily whilst the eye catching to easily distinguish who said over
quote is blue is still easily read. The the course of the interview and
quote is placed is blue to catch the allows the interview to be read
reader’s instantly and draw them into easily.
reading the full article.
The pages in this double page
spread work well together and
The picture to text ratio is around half compliment each other as the use
and half with one page being of colour in the Obama like picture
predominantly image and the other page on the right are emulated in the
being predominantly text with a bit of text on the following page to create
text and few images on either page. This a colour scheme throughout the
is conventional amongst magazines of double page spread which shows
similar genres and is something I am the audience that both pages are
going to seriously consider in the design connected and that this is a double
process of my magazine as I believe it is page spread and not two separate
the right balance for a double page articles. This also gives a sense of
spread and looks the most professional if continuity to the audience over the
done right. double page spread.