Oh Comely: Close textual analysis
Front cover
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
The typography used for the title clearly suggests to the audience that this magazine is artsy, creative and thoughtful as it can be said that it looks like brush strokes, like a painting of sorts.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
These words suggest that the Oh Comely reader is arguably slightly pretentious as they tries to be overly creative, which gives it an aggressive, in your face vibe, in perhaps a similar way to that of the magazine.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines like "mischief" create enigma as it is a code to the reader,making them think about what the magazine is about as well as give us an idea of what kind of people an Oh Comely reader is like. That being a creative, slightly hipster, feminist,young audience.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The costume is quite sophisticated, clearly portraying an interest in fashion and the arts, both very creative subjects, that of which are trying to be covered in the Oh Comely magazine. The use of retro earrings also help portray a sense of old fashioned things being relevant and trendy, perhaps like how Oh Comely is trying to portray itself.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
It can be argued that there is an element of it rejecting that as there is minimal make up use compared to that of mainstream women's lifestyle magazines, therefore rejecting conventions of these types of magazines.
Feature: speaking out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The headlines are seemingly quite empowering to women as it uses words like power, wisdom, strong etc. which are normally used for that of stronger powerful things therefore empowering women.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The page design is not very conventional and I think that this is done to make it look like the photos are being displayed in an art gallery. This was arguably done to display just how creative and open minded Oh Comely and its readers are.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
All the photography used is very colourful and vibrant which is what Oh Comely has done deliberately in order to show how creative and artistic the magazine as a whole is. Each women in the magazine is portrayed slightly differently such as Fahma who is wearing religious clothing with a bright yellow headscarf and Megan who is seen wearing very little clothing, both of these images however are used in a way to make them seem more vibrant and bright.
Feature: more than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This article gives us a new representation of gender and identity as the person that this article is about changes gender and identity as the person in the article changes depending on how he/she wants to be seen.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comelybrand?
The writer and photographer of the article is also an editor of the magazine "Entitle," which covers similar subject matter to that of Oh Comely.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
There is some nature photography in the feature, with different roads and pathways, these can be refer to that of the different pathways and choice that we make in life as well as relate very closely with the choices that the gender fluid person in the article.
4) What representations of the trans lifestyle can be found in this feature?
There is a clear representation of it being very gender fluid,in that one day the guy decided to be one gender, then the next day deciding to be the other. Although a negative representation could be that the person is quite indecisive and can't make his mind up about something so significant as gender.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? ( Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
Adds to the minimalist feel of the magazine and the idea that it is aimed at a reasonably niche audience.
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
The typography used for the title clearly suggests to the audience that this magazine is artsy, creative and thoughtful as it can be said that it looks like brush strokes, like a painting of sorts.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
These words suggest that the Oh Comely reader is arguably slightly pretentious as they tries to be overly creative, which gives it an aggressive, in your face vibe, in perhaps a similar way to that of the magazine.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines like "mischief" create enigma as it is a code to the reader,making them think about what the magazine is about as well as give us an idea of what kind of people an Oh Comely reader is like. That being a creative, slightly hipster, feminist,young audience.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The costume is quite sophisticated, clearly portraying an interest in fashion and the arts, both very creative subjects, that of which are trying to be covered in the Oh Comely magazine. The use of retro earrings also help portray a sense of old fashioned things being relevant and trendy, perhaps like how Oh Comely is trying to portray itself.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
It can be argued that there is an element of it rejecting that as there is minimal make up use compared to that of mainstream women's lifestyle magazines, therefore rejecting conventions of these types of magazines.
Feature: speaking out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The headlines are seemingly quite empowering to women as it uses words like power, wisdom, strong etc. which are normally used for that of stronger powerful things therefore empowering women.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The page design is not very conventional and I think that this is done to make it look like the photos are being displayed in an art gallery. This was arguably done to display just how creative and open minded Oh Comely and its readers are.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
All the photography used is very colourful and vibrant which is what Oh Comely has done deliberately in order to show how creative and artistic the magazine as a whole is. Each women in the magazine is portrayed slightly differently such as Fahma who is wearing religious clothing with a bright yellow headscarf and Megan who is seen wearing very little clothing, both of these images however are used in a way to make them seem more vibrant and bright.
Feature: more than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This article gives us a new representation of gender and identity as the person that this article is about changes gender and identity as the person in the article changes depending on how he/she wants to be seen.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comelybrand?
The writer and photographer of the article is also an editor of the magazine "Entitle," which covers similar subject matter to that of Oh Comely.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
There is some nature photography in the feature, with different roads and pathways, these can be refer to that of the different pathways and choice that we make in life as well as relate very closely with the choices that the gender fluid person in the article.
4) What representations of the trans lifestyle can be found in this feature?
There is a clear representation of it being very gender fluid,in that one day the guy decided to be one gender, then the next day deciding to be the other. Although a negative representation could be that the person is quite indecisive and can't make his mind up about something so significant as gender.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? ( Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
Adds to the minimalist feel of the magazine and the idea that it is aimed at a reasonably niche audience.
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