Font and Colour Analysis

FontI have been primarily looking at Mixmag and Dj Mag as they are the only two current printers of house music magazines. The magazines vary so much each month that it is really quite tricky to categorically say what fonts are used, however the fonts may change but they manage to keep a common theme that matches with all house music styles,

Both have the mastheads the same each week as it keeps things standard and recognisable. The font is unique, Mixmag’s is curvy and free flowing. DJ mag looks almost neon and electric.

Both magazines use fonts that are quite informal and almost robotic. You would associate the fonts with perhaps sci-fi. This again gives the magazines the electronic edgy look often associated with the genre of music they are all about.

Font The fonts within the house music magazines follow the fonts that are shown on the current issues front cover. If the front cover had a very squared off cover the DPS will then use very squared off fonts for the main articles. The fonts used.

DJ mag tends to use more techno looking typeface as it is trying to emulate the space invaders era. DJ mag tends to try and have more of a strict regime when it comes to fonts whereas Mixmag will use any front that fits.

Mixmag uses a very different font to that of DJ mag generally speaking. Mixmag uses a much more youthful looking font as they are trying to attract a younger audience as opposed to DJ mag’s more mature audience. The fonts are more fun in a sense that they vary in shape and style, switching between serif and san serif.

Both magazines are very good at having fonts that seem digital and augmented.

ColourThe colours used in the house music genre are very bright and in your face. This is to represent the type of music. Electronic music has a reputation that involves psychedelic drugs such as ecstasy again the drug has strong connotations with wild colours that pop and are vivid and varied.

The colours you could say use the primary colours heavily. Especially the brighter variant of each of the main colours. The colours are loud and attract attention of people. Other magazines that cover other genres have a more standard and reserved colour pallet but house music magazines have wild combinations and no two magazines are the same regarding colour choices. This is to represent the great variation in house music and no two songs are the same or have to follow any rules.

Again Mixmag has a more immature colour variant as they are targeting a younger audience who are open to the bright vibrant colours. It attracts them more. DJ mag doesn’t experiment with colour as much. They have standard tones such as the navy blue and rich red. You don’t often see vivid yellow or green on a DJ Mag issue.

What am I going to use

I would like to follow Mixmag in the sense of colour choice. I like bright popping colours especially the blues and yellows. I feel it will fit in well with the summer house genre. The type of article I aim to write will go hand in hand with bright colours as well as my photoshoot pictures.

For my choice of fonts I would like to combine the DJ mag mature retro electric with Mixmag young and fresh look. I feel if I cant pull of both I will revert to Mixmag again as I am targeting a younger audience that I can experiment and try ideas with.