한국 뷰티매거진 표지디자인의 조형적 특성과 의미 연구 - 향장 잡지의 사례를 중심으로 -

Abstract

Beauty magazines reflect women's aesthetic values and social perception. This study aims to analyze the formative characteristics and meanings shown in the cover design of a Korean beauty magazine in each period. In the research method, this study conducted a frequency analysis of the formative elements of 304 cover designs of "Hyangjang" from the 1970s to 2021. The results are as follows. Regarding the formative changes found in the images, in the 1970s, glamorous and westernized aesthetics were visualized through the figure size, close-up, and props, while framing, size, composition, and color changed gradually as a result of mixing traditional and modern values. Since the 2000s, changes were noticed in bust shots, facial expressions, and background space, emphasizing minimal and natural beauty in a modern and urban way. Regarding typography, fonts, arrangement, and layout changed remarkably from the traditional and conservative styles, since the 2000s. This trend is also found in color, as vivid colors of images and texts have been gradually replaced by black and white or muted colors. These design characteristics are reflected in the images of women represented on magazine covers, projecting the values of the times. While the 1970s were characterized by representing women who were aesthetically idealized rather than realistic, as found in stereotypical and westernized images of women, the 1980s appeared as a mixture of the traditional and dynamic images of women as a result of social change. The 90s were dominated by an urban and active image of women following the spread of digital media and video culture. Since the 2000s, the new androgynous and natural image of women appeared on magazine covers based on the changed perception in society. The formative characteristics of magazine cover design are meaningful in that they represent social perception and build a myth of the era related to the image of women according to society's aesthetic values.