Final Double-page spread.

Final Double-page spread.

This is my final double-page spread, designed based upon my research and layout designs.

Final Contents Page

Final Contents Page.

This is my final contents page which I designed based on the use of my research which I did throughout the process.

Final Cover

Final Cover.

This is my final music magazine cover, based on my research and planning into my spider diagram. For the creation of this magazine, I used the images I had taken and put a glow around them on Photoshop to make the targets in them stand out. I also included a barcode and issue number below, also stating the date. I used text which I thought was appealing and suited to the theme of the magazine, based on my original plans of my magazines, and embossed it on photoshop to make it bold like a newspaper. I coloured it white for the same reason. I included band names and features on the left third of the cover and spread around the page and the main image so they would be seen but would not get in the way, and used kickers variously on each for emphasis and attraction to the reader. I used bright attractive colours, including red to contrast with the white title and to give a sense of importance to the reader. I believe all of these features make an appealing and relevant cover to my chosen audience, using the right conventions throughout.

Double-page spread ideas.

Double-page spread ideas.

From the research that i did on double-page spreads, here are 3 designs that I have created for my magazine, using features which I liked from each piece of research that I did. I will discuss each one, stating finally which I will use for my final design.

The first idea that I came up with, included the idea of text on one side and images on the other, as I thought this would be easier to follow for the audience. I also included a primary colour throughout the pages, including in the masthead, to make text stand out where needed without complication of too many colours used. I liked the idea of large text at the start of the paragraphs of text, to bring the audience in, and so I included this to see the given effect.

The second idea that I chose to use was inspired from my research of a magazine double-spread, surrounded by text with a main iconic image in the centre, which I decided to include using a band image I would capture with a camera. This was to give attraction straight to the image, whilst including large text at the start of the paragraphs to bring the audience equally into the story. I used a quote at the bottom to personalise the image asif the members included were talking to the audience, as I thought it was a good effect.







The final idea that I created, included a quote underneath the title to make it personal to the reader, an iconic image of the band/subject being interviewed in the centre so the reader knows who is being talked about, and a division of questions and answers spread around the page, the questions in red or another colour font and the answers in one main colour such as black to match and give the audeince a clear representation of what is being said by who. I used the layout of a double-page spread from research that I had, as I thought this was an appropriate layout to use, as it included all of the right features to make the contents of the pages clear to the reader, and was interesting and attractive to look at.


The final idea that I have decided to use is the last, as although it is very different from the first 2 ideas, it is clear for what is happening to the reader, as it is an interview, and this is shown by the seperate question and answer boxes, represented with colour and boxes. The quotate personalises the image and text to the reader, making it feel direct to them, and both the image in the centre and title above are instantly recognised and attractive to the reader, overall making it the right layout to use.

Contents page ideas.

Contents page ideas.

Here are my 3 contents page ideas that I designed, again influenced by my research, in which I looked at the layout and key features used in each.

The first design that I created was based on the same font used that I decided to choose for the cover. I also had a similar style layout with the random boxes to continue the theme, as I thought this was the best presentation to use to give continuity and follow the ideology. I decided to include numbers at the side to clearly divide each piece of contents, to make it easier for the audience to follow.




















For this design, I again numbered the pages at the side, as it gives easy direction for the audience. I also had the pages laid out underneath each other neatly, as a pose to the first design with randomly placed boxes. The text that I used for the title 'contents', was random, in the style of a horror font with the text running like ink. I also included a box at the bottom for spare text included. This is a much neater design compared to the first, and gives the contents page itself a different approach.
















The final design which I created was with a fancier font to experiment with a different look to contrast with the cover. I also thought that this looked classy and traditional since the theme of the magazine for the 'issue' is songs of 2009 for the new year. I did not include numbers this time for a different approach, and this time placed the title of 'contents' in the top centre of the page.















The final design that I decided to use, was the second design, but with the text of the first, as it gave continuity from the cover, whilst the layout was not too hectic for the reader to lose direction. The numbers at the side gave direction and made it clear to follow with ease, and the page as a whole looked appropriate for what you would expect for this style of cover.

Cover Ideas.

Cover Ideas.

Here are 3 cover ideas which I came up with, based on my research of magazine covers and their layout.

This first idea was based on the typical layout of a magazine, with the text surrounding the main image to give focus upon each thing individually. For the masthead, I picked a font which resembled that of 'Kerrang magazine's, as I thought a rough and grungey look would also be appealing for my own cover.

The second design that I created had the masthead in the centre, the main image on the left and the text on the right around it. This gave a look of a newspaper article, but i wanted to experiment to see what different presentations I could come up with. The font that I used for this cover was called 'College', and resembles college and everything stereotypically involved in that. As my magazine is aimed at young adults, I thought that this would be appropriate to use.

The final idea I created for my cover included the main image placed in the centre, and the cover lines randomly placed around it for a different effect. I liked this idea, as it gave a more 'rebellious' look, rather than it being neat, referring to the theme which I had chosen. The masthead resembled a tattoo or a heavy sketch of a picture, also resembling the theme, so that is why I chose this.

After creating these ideas, I decided that the one that I would use would be the first, as although the second represents college, and the third appeals to the theme, the first has the masthead which I feel is the most appropriate. However, I think that the layout of the third magazine, with the random boxes to again represent the them is the best to use, and so I will combine this with the masthead idea for the first cover to create my magazine cover.

Spider diagram.

Spider diagram.


Here is a spider diagram of ideas which I created, using LIIAR to guide me. I had inspiration from my research of contents pages, double page spreads, and music magazine covers, which helped me think of my own. Below this are extra ideas which I thought about for the magazine, including props, camera shots and other theme ideas.

Evaluation for Preliminary Task.

Evaluation.

In this evaluation, I will discuss the process of creating my music magazine, including the analysis stages, the shots used, and why I chose my final designs.

For the first stage in creating my magazine, I planned out a list of what I would need to do to create it to guide me along the way. I then began to analyse music magazine covers and compare them to ordinary magazine covers, discussing the conventions in each, such as the masthead, the iconic colours and the barcode and price. After this, I analyzed 3 different music magazines, discussing what makes each different and again the conventions each contain, talking about target audience and how this is put accross to the audience. I then did this with 3 contents pages and double-page spreads.
After looking at each, I decided that I would next look at mastheads and use of colour, as they were very important to distinguish the target audience and the gender of the magazine. Knowing this, I analyzed another 3 completely different covers discussing this and how each display them differently.
After gaining knowledge in these things, I put my first ideas into a spider diagram, under the headings of Language, Institution, Ideology, Audience, and Representation, key ideas being the rough and rugged masthead design, as I decided that I wanted my magazine to be prodominently for males, and got inspiration from 'Kerrang' magazine. I also discussed the type of audience, which would be young adults, meaning the colours and imagery would have to be appropriate for them, but also to the theme of the magazine. These ideas also spread onto another sheet. I then created a mood board showing images relevant to the magazine I was making.
Next, I looked at story structure to help me with my double-page spread, analysing another 3 double-page spreads using LIIAR and discussing the key features in each.
I then looked at the different types of camera shots, explaining what each is used for , and finally talking about which would be appropriate for my magazine based on my previous research.
Now that I had researched about the conventions music magazines contained, mastheads and use of colour, analyzed music magazine covers, contents pages and double-page spreads, looked at camera shots and filtered my ideas into a spider diagram to refer to, I was now ready to begin creating my cover ideas. This was done by me referring to comments I wrote at the end of my analysis about the 3 covers I looked at, saying which layout, colours and any features I liked or disliked to guide me. I designed 3 different layouts from this method, with a different style masthead in each. I then discussed each, finally stating which I preferred and thought was appropriate to use. I did the same for my contents page and double-page spread deisigns.

The final things that I did was take the photographs for the magazine which I thought were appropriate, using the correct shots I had chosen, and getting my 'subjects' to pose in the right way to suit the theme of the magazine. I then selected the ones I wanted to use for the pages. It was then time for me to create my final designs of each page for my music magazine. Using the layout structure chosen for the cover, I applied the chosen masthead, using a font which I downloaded which I felt was appropriate, inspired by the 'Kerrang magazine' masthead, and placed my chosen photograph for the cover in its correct place. Using colours I had planned, I placed more font over the images as cover lines and filled them with these colours, also placing a feature line at the bottom. I did the same for my double-page spread and contents page, using Photoshop to manipulate the text and images to create an appealing page to look at.

Things that I changed during my final versions of my magazine pages, were the colours, as I did not have many ideas at the start, but came up with more that I thought were appropriate during the final creations. I also did not have many images selected to use as I did not have enough time to take more pictures, however I thought that the chosen pictures were appropriate for the pages I put them on.
Overall, I think the final product of my three pages was successful and attractive, appealing to my target audience of young adults, and representing my chosen theme of rough rebellion. However, in future, I would select more photographs to use to give me a wider variety, and also experiment with more colour combinations for my magazine to give different looks to the pages.

Photographs.

Photographs.

For my magazine cover and double-page spread, I took different photographs using the shots I had chosen to get the desired final image for each. In this post I will show these photographs, discussing why I had chosen them.

The first image I decided to use was of a group of my friends for a band picture, as I would be featuring one in my cover and double-page spread. I decided to capture them having fun, as that is what bands typically do. It did not need to be too formal as the subject was not, and it was for a music magazine, something which is stereotypically seen as 'laid back.' As there are lots of people in the picture, I decided to go for a wide shot rather than a medium close up or mid shot, as it was more appropriate to get everyone comfortablly in the photograph. I decided to use this picture for my magazine cover, as it is attractive, bold and big to capture the reader's attention upon first glance.







The second image that I chose was for my double-page spread, and was a medium close-up/mid shot. I decided to use this picture for my double-page spread, because I wanted to include an interview of the band in these pages, meaning the audience would need to know who was being interviewed. I thought that this image showed this clearly, as it was eye-catching and captured enough detail for the audience to recognise.

Analysis of 3 different double-page spreads, using LIIAR.

Analysis of 3 different double-page spreads, using LIIAR.

I will now look at 3 different double-page spreads, discussing the features included in each, and how each are suitable or unsuitable for my magazine.






The first double-page spread that I will study is advertising a new band called 'The Hours.' This shows that the ideology for these pages is that 'The Hours' are considered important in the magazine. We know they are being advertised, as they are being interviewed on these pages, shown in the text with bold font for questions and thinner font for their answers. These pages could be for both genders, but the colours and image used indicate it is aimed at males. When first looking at these pages, I instantly notice the large title representing the band, designed in thin old style capital letters. The next thing I notice is the image of the clocks which spread accross the page underneath the title. These give reference to the title, which includes font that resembles old script used on clocks, again to relate the image to the title. The start of the image of the clock , and the title above it are all included in a black block sectioned off on the page, so the the first page is half black and half white. Since the font is white, it gives a contrasting look on the black background, giving something interesting to look at for the audience when turning to the page. It makes the page look eye-catching and appealing, so there is more chance they will read the next page. There is also white font used on the black background, for contrast and easy reading. The use of these colours gives a feeling the magazine is aimed at males, as they are not stereotypical bright colours used for females, but are basic and straightforward. The font is smaller so not to take the attention from the image and title, yet the colour still symbolises its importance. On the other half of the first page is a quote in large red text, to show this is what is being said by the band, and to give interest to the reader before looking at the paragraph of text below. After this quote, there is a large image in a banner style spreading accross the first and second pages, to show the audience what the band look like. This is so they know who is being interviewed, and for iconic value if listening to their music in the future. There is then an interview accross two large paragraphs on the second page, with red text for the questions and black for their answers. This divides the question and answer format to simplify it for the audience to avoid confusion. The background on both pages is white to divert attention from it and keep emphasis on what is happening in the interview and the band itself, and to focus all the attention on the two pages. Overall, this double-spread page uses text in the correct way to appeal to the audience and guide them through what is going on in the pages, and uses large images to get the right attention, whilst giving the audience knowledge of what is being talked about.

The idea of the different fonts and colours used for the questions and answers in the interview is something which I like and will think about when creating my double-page spread, as it is a quicker way of getting to know the band and the subject talked about, and diving what is being asked and what is being said to give knowledge to the audience of this.








The next double-page spread that I will look at is telling the story of a new band that has joined together and talks about how they formed. The target audience for this magazine is prodominantly male, as they mention 'mid-life criseses' in the text, which are usually things which males get more than females. The colours and font used are also a big part of this imprssion. Since the topic is about the new band, the ideology in these pages is clearly that bands are considered important in the magazine. When first looking at the pages, I notice that there is not two main pages which are clearly divided, but they join together and look like one, much like a poster. This is because the main image of the men in the band and the logo which represents them, is placed in the centre of the pages, with all text placed around them. As the pages have a fold in the middle, this is a risky choice, as some of the images and text underneath may get lost in the crease, meaning the message being coveyed to the audience may not be clear enough or understood properly. The font underneath is in large white font, and says 'it's never too late, to start a band!' It is done in this way in quotation marks to show it is being said by someone in the band, giving the audience a personal feeling like they are speaking to them directly. There is large white font at the top left corner of the first page, stating about who the band are briefly and making clear that this is their story. This is to give the audience a brief summary of what the pages are about, so that they know weather or not they will be interested in reading the rest of the text. This is a good technique for instant contact with the audience, yet if the audience do not like the first few lines of this text, they will not read the rest, meaning the other smaller text around the page does not get a chance to be read, when it could potentially be interesting to read. The background used is green and black, and is multiple prints of the band's album. It is designed with black to blend in as a background so that the text can stand out, yet the green still gives some attention to it so that it is still recognised by the reader. Overall, this simplistic layout of two pages gives appeal to the audience, using quotations for personal value and the logo of the band and their album used as a background for attraction and interest. The larger white font at the top summarises, yet can be a risky technique as it could determine weather the rest of the text could be read or disregarded completely.

This magazine has good basic values to get the right message accross successfully and simply. I like the idea of the quotation marks and the iconic images to represent the topic used within these pages, and will think about this when creating my own magazine.









The final double-page spread which I will study is based on the them of art, giving the ideology that art is considered important in this magazine. The target audience for the magazine is unclear, as the text and colours involved can appeal to all genders and agegroups. It is clear that the pages are about art when first looking at them, as the large title on the left page represents this, with the line 'Art at your fingertips.' This is done in a greeny gold colour, in large bold text, to give instant attention to the audience when turning to this page. 'Fingertips' is the only word in this sentence not in this colour, but instead designed in a thinner black font, making it stand out on its own to make you think about what is being said, giving a clue that we create art with our hands and fingers, and making a pun about this idea. This also attracts the audience and makes them interested in what will be said next. The whole first page contains the story included in the double-page spread, and the second page contains all of the images showing people's artwork to give continuity and reference to the text. This also makes it more interesting for the reader, as they can seperately read the story and then look at the pictures to avoid distraction and keep a clear picture in their head of what is being said in the text first. This is a good way of presenting both text and images, as each individually get attention from the reader, and stand out in their own right. On the first page, there is small black font with a white background for the story. This is done to stand out and to not take any attention away from the story itself and over complicate it with bright colours and editing. The first two words of the paragraph are larger and bolder than the rest, capturing the audience and taking them straight into the story, like a fairytale book does with children. The word 'feature' at the side is also eye-catching to the audience, as it symbolises something new and important to read, making them more likely to read it. In the centre of the paragraphs on the first page, is a square space which contains quotation marks, giving the audience a feeling something is being said directly to them, and is presented in bold black text to stand out to the reader. The key features of the quote are presented in the greeney gold text used in the title, to match the theme of colour on the page and give emphasis on certain words. This is a good way to get the audience to notice key words, making them then want to read the rest of the story. At the bottom of the first page, there is also a box with information about past artists relating to the text in the same greeney gold colour, for another matching effect and to divide important information from the rest of the story, another good idea to gain audience's attention. The use of the different colours and boxes breaks up the mass amount of the story being read, to make it feel like there is not as much and to make it look more interesting. When reading the second page, it is more simply laid out and easier to read, as it only contains pictures of artwork and underneath, small sentences stating what they are, who they were created by and any other information. The names of the artists are again presented in the greeney gold colour, and the rest of the text is in small black text, a white background behind to draw the attention to the images and text, rather than anything else. Overall, the breaking up of large amounts of text using bold colours, boxes of text and quotation marks makes an interesting read to the audience, also making it clearer to follow and better to look at. The division of images and text on two different pages also keeps ideas from each in the reader's head to get the message fully accross and avoid confusion between the two. The key sentences used to refer to the images also gives guidance to the reader, giving them the right information clearly.

This magazine breaks things up in the right way for the reader, making things clearer. I like the idea of seperate images on a different page to text in this magazine, and how one primary colour stands out throughout the page to give key words out to the audience for quicker reading. I also like how words are bold at the start of the paragraph to take the audience into the story. I will think about these things when designing my magazine.

Story structure.

Story Structure.

When planning where my story will be on my double page spread of my magazine, I will need to know how a story is structured in other magazines to give me ideas and information. I will look at 3 different magazine stories and talk about how they are structured.





The first page I will look at is for 'Top Dirt Mag UK' magazine, which is prodominently for males and talks mainly about bikes and different types of vehicles. This shows the ideology in this magazine is that bikes and vehicles are considered important. We can tell this by the main image and the way that the page is presented, using black bold text and basic text for a simplistic look. This is the representation of the magazine. When first looking at this magazine, I notice how the main images are mainly accross one page, the other important images on the second page being the bike mentioned and the man who is being interviewed. This is an unusual thing to do as usually text is shared accross both. This gives appeal to the audience and grabs their attention when turning to the first page. The institution is unknown, but would probably be produced by a company which produces similar themed magazines, as they will have experience in this kind of production, hence the creating of this magazine. The next thing I noticed was the bold black text on the other page, and then the white text on the picture page. This contrasts with the picture and page colours, giving a smart yet unusual look, again appealing to the audience. The story underneath the black text is one big paragraph, presented with small simple font for a straight forward look, to get the right message to the audience without over complicating it. The next thing I noticed is the next paragraph spread accross the rest of the page, an interview with the main in the image at the top of the page about the bike in the image next to him. The use of the interview with the two images clearly tells the audience who is talking and what they are talking about before even reading the paragraphs. This isuccessful as it is implied before it is said, giving understanding to the audience simply.
Overall, this design of double page spread is successful, as it is simplistic and straightforward to the audience, giving them what they need to know in the magazine without over complication. The page of pictures attracts the audience straight to the next page, and the paragraph in simple small font on the next page gives a basic informative look, making it easy to follow.






The next double page spread I will look at is based on the theme of 'self obsession', mainly targeted at women, and shows a model on the first page. This is made clear by the image used and the style of text. The ideology of the pages is that self obsession is something considered important to talk about in the magazine. The representation of this theme is shown by the main image on one page, and the paragraphs of text on the next page. When first looking at this magazine, I notice that one page is used just for the main image, of a model posing. This presentation gives attraction to the audience instantly when turning to that page. The background is blank exept for some small text to indicate 'following' to the next page, which shows paragraphs of small simple text. This is done in this way so not to overcomplicate the page and get straight to the point, as it can be a serious subject which the audience may have experienced, so needs to be presented in the right way. The background on this page is also blank to stress the serious issue of the two pages, also giving a smart approach which will guide the audiences attention to what they are reading. Overall, the simple layout of the pages gives an appropriate feel to the serious issue mentioned, as does the simple font to put emphasis on what the audience is reading rather than the way the page looks. The blank background creates the same effect, and all of this together gives greater impact on the story.





The final double page spread I will look at, has the title 'The Pink Girls', giving the impression it is mainly aimed at women. We know this from the colours and images used, and the way that the text is presented. The ideology on this page shows that 'The pink girls' are considered important. When first looking at the pages, I instantly noticed the large font stating the title. This is clear to the audience, as it is done using bright flowers within the text, with a bright red coloured background behind it still within the text. The use of this attracts the audience when turning to the page, which is prodominantly women. We know this, as flowers are stereotypically something which women like, which is why the text is designed in this way. It is a smart way of subliminally attracting women to the page without them realising. The font is also designed to be large, another way of getting the audiences attention instantly before reading any other text. The next thing that I notice is the main image on the opposite page, balancing out the large font and image, and giving a similar feeling to the image, as it is designed in the same colours. This bright image attracts the audience to the story, as they are intrigued as to what the image represents within the story, and what it is really about. This use of image is also a good way of getting the audience to read the story without them realising they are being attracted. The background is white on both pages for a simple look, as the image and font attract within themselves, and the black text matches the background. This gives a neat and tidy appearance to the magazine, something which women stereotypically are, again showing another technique to appeal to the audience. The story starts in a small paragraph on the first page underneath the large title, and then continues to the second. This gives continuity and keeps the audiences attention, rather than them losing it if it was all placed onto one page. The text is small and simple to get to the point, as the story is the main focus, and is designed in black to represent this. Overall, this magazine uses clever stereotyping techniques to appeal to the audience without them knowing it. Large font is used to attract instantly, and a matching image guides the reader into the story. Simple font in the story is used to keep the purpose within it, and a blank background is used so not to distract from the other features. All of these key points together makes a successful double page to read.

Camera shots.

Camera shots.

There are many types of shots that can be used for the main image and the images throughout the magazine. I will discuss these shots, talking about how they are appropriate or inappropriate for the magazine to give clear representation to the theme which the magazine follows.



#1- Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)

This shot is taken from a distance to show the surroundings of the photograph, and is not intended for the main subject of the image. It is used often as an 'establishing shot'-the first shot of a new scene, to show the audience where the action is taking place.

It is also known as an extra long shot (ELS) or extreme long show (XLS)

-This shot would not be appropriate for my magazine unless discussing an area like this in my double-page spead, as it is too far away for a main image shot on the cover, and would not be suitable for a contents page.







#2-Wide Shot (WS)
In this shot, the subject of the image takes up the full frame. In this example, the girl's feet are almost at the bottom of the frame, and her head is almost at the top. She does not take up the whole width and height of the frame, since this is as close as we can get without losing any part of her from the photograph. The spaces below her feet and above her head are known as 'safety room', as this is just the right amount for the girl to comortably fit into the picture without getting cut out of it.

Some people would see this shot as a Very Wide Shot (VWS)-much closer to the subject than an Extreme Wide Shot, yet still much further away than a Wide Shot. The emphasis here is, rather than seeing the subject, focused more on placing her in the environment. This also allows plenty of room for action to take place, or for multiple subjects to appear on screen.








-This shot is too far away, though the subject is clearer than the last. It is possibly suitable for a contents page, but not for a double page spread, as is not giving enough detail on the subject to relate to the topic.









#3-Mid Shot (MS)
The Mid Shot shows some part of the subject in more detail, whilst still showing enough for the audience to feel they are looking at the whole subject. This is an approximation of how you would see someone if having a conversation with them, as you would not pay attention to the lower part of their body, so that part of the picture is not needed.
This shot is best used when the subject is not showing too much emotion or concentration. The purpose is to deliver information, which is why it is frequently used by news presenters. Often, you will see a story begin with a MS of a news reader (providing information), followed by closer shots of interview subjects (to show emotion and reaction).
As well as being a comfortable, emotionally neutural shot, the MS allows for some movement and hand jestures.


-This shot is suitable for both a main image and double page spread, as it gives just enough detail to show the subject, whilst not being too close to make it inappropriate. It can also be used for a contents page.









#4-Medium Close-Up (MCU)
The medium closeup is half way between a mid shot and a close up. This shot shows the face more clearly, without getting uncomfortably close.

-This shot captures just enough detail to show the subjects emotions and appearance. It relates to a subject clearly, so can be used for the cover, the double page spread and the contents page. It is the perfect shot to use.






#5-Close Up (CU)
In the close-up shot, a certain feature or part of the subject takes up the majority of the frame. A close-up of a person usually means a close-up of their face (unless specified otherwise.)
Close-ups are useful for showing detail and can be used as a cut-in (Like a Cutaway, but specifically refers to showing some part of the subject in detail.
Can be used purely as an edit point, or to emphasise emotion etc. For example, hand movements can show enthusiasm, agitation, nervousness, etc.)

Close-ups also exaggerates facial expressions which convey emotion. The viewer is drawn into the subject's personal space and shares their feelings.


-This shot is a little too close for a contents page or double page spread, as it gives too much detail on the subject's face rather than showing actions with their whole body to relate to the subject. However, it can still be used as a main image just to show facial expressions if appropriate.



#6-Cut Away (CA)
A cutaway is a shot that's usually of something other than the current action. It could be a different subject (eg. this cat when the main subject is its owner), a close up of a different part of the subject (eg. the subject's hands), or just about anything else.

The cutaway is used as a "buffer" between shots (to help the editing process), or to add interest/information.

-This shot is not really appropriate for any of the pages, as it does not directly relate the main image to the audience. The only time it would be appropriate is if it was related to the theme.

#7- Over-The-Shoulder Shot

Looking from behind a person at the subject, cutting off the frame just behind the ear. The person facing the subject should occupy about 1/3 of the frame.

This shot helps to establish the positions of each person, and get the feel of looking at one person from the other's point of view.

A variation of this shot can be a bit wider and include the shoulder of the person facing the subject

-This should is only appropriate if an interview is taking place, yet does not properly show both subjects so is questionable. It would be better to show both subjects directly, so would not be appropriate for a cover or contents page.

#8-Point-Of-View Shot (POV)

Shows a view from the subject's perspective. This shot is usually edited in such a way that it is obvious whose POV it is (see the example below).

These are all shots from different perspectives and angles to give different effects, depending on the theme and situation of the photograph. I will consider all of this, and whether it is appropriate or not for my magazine cover.

-This shot is not appropriate unless again relating to a subject mentioned. That is the only time it would be appropriate for the cover or double page spread.



Of the shots which I have studied, the Mid shot, Medium shot, and Close-up are the best to use for the pages I am designing, as they are direct and give just enough detail for the audience to understand, they can relate to a theme that is mentioned in the magazine, and show just enough emotion to appeal to the audience. These are shots which I will think about when capturing my images.

Mastheads and use of colour.

Mastheads and use of colour.

For my studies of this, I will look at three different mastheads and discuss how they are used successfully, also noting colours used throughout.

The first magazine is not in english, yet has a very appealing masthead which is instantly recogniseable. The font used appeals to a younger audience, as it is curvy and light, as appose to thin and smart and more serious for an older audience. It is also very colourful to appeal to younger people, mainly a light blue with one letter red, a part of the image in the centre. This is rare as not many fonts do this, so makes it unique to look at. Also, one letter is smaller than the others in conclusion of this, making something interesting to look at as a whole. These colours are also used in the main image and the coverlines used underneath, to again give a similar attraction throughout the cover to the reader.

Overall, the colours used here all match to become an item as a whole, yet are still very interesting to look at, and are instantly eyecatching, making a successful and popular magazine.

The next magazine I will study is Allure', a fashion and beauty magazine, containing many stories and tips on this. When looking at this, I can instantly tell that it is designed prodominantly for women, from the style of the font and the colours used on the cover of the magazine. The masthead is large to grab the reader's attention, but is designed to look like a print, giving reference that it is a lipstick print from a woman's lips, again to represent that it is mainly targeted at women. The colour is a bright fresh pink, as it is popular with women, and the coverlines are all white to match this. Overall, this magazine gives strong reference to the audience it is targeted at, and makes the audience sure of this. It cleverly gives reference through colours and the font used, and matches colours to give more appeal when seeing the magazine, making a popular women's magazine when on the racks.

The final cover which I will look at is for 'Rise Up' magazine, a unisex based magazine, themed on human rights and justice for people. This is instantly clear from looking at the coverlines at the bottom stating issues like this which are discussed inside, and the main image used represents this clearly, as it shows one combined picture of different people's faces from different gender, race, and ethnic background. The colours used are reference to skin colours and how they are all used together as one to make something impressive, to show how people together can join to do something for the better. The clue from this ideology is used in the masthead, as it matches with the main image. The colours are matching and look smart yet appealing to the audience, which could be varied of all ages, and the font used also varies from small and thin to large and bold. The masthead is also used in a sentence with the smaller text, a unique thing to do as most magazines just have one main title, though as this magazine does not talk about just one main issue, it is unique in itself, so the idea comes from this. The white coverlines are bold and 'tall' to give emphasis and attraction on the lines. Overall, all of these ideas together are reference to the idea of people joining to produce something successful and good for humanity, making it a very popular choice for a mixed audience.

Analysis of 3 different contents pages, using LIIAR.

Analysing 3 different contents pages, using LIIAR.

The next thing that I will now do is study 3 different contents pages, noting the key points which each contain to make them successful.

The first contents page which I will study is in celebration of film and T.V icons of the silver screen, a suggestion that this is targeted at an older audience that were present in this time, and making clear that the ideology shows that film icons are considered important. We can tell this by the main image used on the right hand side of the page, representing the theme and attracting enough attention to be noticed, yet not distracting away from the purpose of the contents page itself. The font and layout of the page also make the theme clearer to the audience.

When first looking at this, I noticed the main image and the large masthead at the top, again representing the theme. This is presented in gold coloured text, giving a professional and original feel to the page. Underneath this is a subheading, done in red thin text for a smart look. This magazine is not designed for young children or teens, so is designed smartly and suitably for the theme, whilst keeping the layout basic for the reader to easily follow. Underneath are red numbers to the left of thick black font, for bold representation of stories being advertised on this page for the reader to look at, including thinner text underneath this to outline what exactly the story is about or for extra information. Overall, the layout of the page is simply set out for easy following, yet following a theme and continuing this through the page, making it a popular choice with the right audience.

The next page that I will look at is set out in a comic style, with animated pictures yet with an adult sense about them, mentioning drug use and alcohol. I am unsure what the basic theme or purpose for this page is, yet I am guessing that the audience is for young adults that have an interest in the life of rockers or carefree celebrities that follow this rule in their life.

When first looking at this page, I notice all the bright colours used in the pictures, making it instantly attractive to the reader. The background looks painted naturally by someone to give a personal feel to the magazine and to the reader, as it gives the impression the drawings are all drawn by one person rather than edited by a company, making the audience feel closer to them and the magazine. The ironic comedy in the pictures show humour that is mainly appealing to an older audience, with an interest in 'rebellious' celebrities or people like themselves, showing the ideology is that music and rebellion is seen as important. The signature at the bottom right shows that the institution could be by this person, as there is no other real reference to this, and the representation is similar to the theme. This is a unique layout of a contents page, as the pictures dominate, with the actual contents crammed into on side of the page at the top, however bold writing is used to make it stand out individually enough. The colourful title showing 'contents' makes a clear yet attractive sign for the reader to follow, yet this page's downfall could be its unique design of the page itself.

The final page that I will study, is designed to be very basic, as it is relating to one topic; science and culture. This is the ideology that science and culture are considered important in the magazine. We get this idea from the stories numbered in the contents, which are presented in simple thin yet smart font, giving the impression that this is for a more mature audience, as the font is not childlike or bold and bright in any way, yet stands out on its own to get its message accross simply. The background used is very marbly, referring to things we might see or use in science, again relating to the topic. The masthead at the top is done in the same way, yet larger to attract more attention and give guidance to the reader. There is also a large image at the bottom with a small caption underneath, to give an idea of what will be contained within the magazine, and to interest the reader on the first page. This is a good idea as it keeps their attention from the start, yet the presentation of this could be improved at it is at the side, when it could be in the centre with embossment or some kind of editing on it to give more attraction. This shows that the institution of this magazine could be a cheap company or someone on a low budget that is creating a magazine purely for education and information, rather than the presentation and appeal of the magazine to the reader. It could be used in schools for students as it is smart and simple to follow. Overall, the page is representational to the topic, set out very smartly to get the message accross successfully without complications of editing, and is presented in a way that is useful to many audiences (school students, etc). However, in future I would make the layout of the page more appealing, as even though that is not the aim of the magazine, it will attract more readers and make it look more interesting to read.

Mood board.

Mood board.

This is a mood board that I created with pictures relating to the topic of music magazines that I am studying.

Analysing 3 different music magazines, using LIIAR

Analysing 3 different music magazines, using LIIAR.

To further my studies of music magazines, I will look at 3 different magazines and, using LIIAR, compare them, discussing the features each contain and what I can include from each in my own magazine.

The first cover that I will study, is the 'Rolling Stone' magazine, a successful american magazine for people with a strong interest in music and the latest bands and news. This magazine has been ongoing for many years, which makes is a popular and successful choice to the audience. It is reasonably priced under its circumstances, meaning it can be bought by many different people, and is an iconic magazine recognised in many places all over the world. As it is so successful, it gives the impression that it could be mass produced by a magazine company and advertised through adverts in other magazines or through the media all over the world.
When looking at this cover, I first notice the iconic masthead designed in a curvy font which is never changed to give a traditional yet professional and original look, as the audience trust the experience of the magazine and know that the contents within it is enjoyable. It has a golden colour within it, giving it a high class, royal look, giving an impression that it is important and better than the rest. There is also a large image placed slightly over the masthead, for importance and to grab the reader's attention. It does not matter that the image is slightly over the masthead, as most of the masthead can still be seen, and will still be recognised as it is so iconic to the audience. Stories and extra features are listed in bold large black text at the top of the magazine, with red stars listing them as bullet points, again to attract the audience so that they are not forgotten. The text is also still small enough for the masthead to be seen on the racks. The magazine has a white background to make the main image and all other text stand out, and looks smart as the people in the main image are dressed in black suits. The coverlines are all done in a similar way, with large white font for the main title, and then smaller red font underneath for extra information on the story. As the background and images are black and white, the white and red fonts are both seen very well on the magazine, however the white is needed to be placed over the black image of the suits so not to blend in with the background, which could be something to be changed on their next cover. Yellow font is also used in a stamp style next to the image to give a comic yet important look on the magazine. All of these things included in the cover give the idea that there is an ideology of music which makes people live their everyday lives differently, as the masthead, colours used, and text included all give the idea that it is a music magazine, although done in a much smarter way than most other magazines. Overall, I think that the production of the magazine is very well planned and designed, yet for my own magazine I would think about which text would complement the background colour so not to risk it becoming invisible if blending. This also affects the position of the text for the cover lines which is noticeable, another thing that I would think about. However, I like the idea of the large image slightly over the text, as it looks more 3D and stands out, making it eye-catching to the audience. I also like the iconic masthead and design of the text, something I will think carefully about when designing my own.

The next cover that I will look at is 'Clash Magazine', which is slightly less well known than the 'Rolling Stone' magazine, yet is still popular in england with people that have an interest in different types of music and artists. It is designed quite smartly, so is not aimed particularly at teenagers, yet the bright colours to contrast with the white background gives an exciting approach, appealing to more than just one audience. The main image is the first eye catching feature to the audience, as it is an extremely famous and well-known artist, Paul McCartney, giving familiarity to the reader, and giving the magazine a more experienced and higher class look. The coverlines are done in black and grey colours to match the white background, again giving a smart and professional look, and the featureline at the top of the magazine is done in small black font, giving a designer approach. The ideology that music is considered important in this magazine is clear, as the main image and coverlines clearly represent this, also giving representation to the person in the main image. The magazine is very simply layed out, yet this is done succesfully as it gives a very smart look, attracting people other than just teenagers or one audience. This magazine has a high standard and the audience will note this when looking at it on the rack.

The final magazine which I will study, is 'Top Of The Pops' a magazine aimed at teens and young adults that have an interest in music but also celebrity news and stories. We can tell this from the content of the magazine, the way that the coverlines are written, and the colours and text used in the cover and throughout.

When first looking at this magazine, I instantly noticed the bright colours of the cover, prodominantly greens pinks and yellows, and the expressive text used for the masthead, in the style of a timewarp to represent going back and forth in time, as 'Top of the pops' has been around for many years. I also noticed the main image of the 'Twilight' characters, popular with the target audience of teenagers and young adults, giving an instant attraction to the magazine as the audience will want to read more about them. There is a small BBC sign in the top left corner, showing that the institution is that it was produced by the BBC. The magazine is set out with boxes containing text, and images beside them. This gives a unique look for a music magazine, as the ideology behind it shows that music is considered important, yet this is combined with the idea of a chat magazine, which is a feature also included within the magazine. The background used is white, giving emphasis on the bright colours and images, also making an attractive cover to look at. The text used in the cover lines are also bold, yet smaller than the masthead and feature line to show importance. Overall, this cover is appealing to the target audience, attractive to look at, using bright colours and appropriate font to suit the masthead, and has interesting content in order to be a successful issue on the shelves.

Conventions of a Music magazine and a normal magazine

Conventions of a Music magazine and a normal magazine

Before creating my own music magazine, I must first study other music magazines and compare them to regular magazines, stating the codes and conventions each share, in order to gain knowledge and ideas to contribute towards my own.
When first looking at these two magazines, I instantly noticed the colours, mastheads and main images used in both , and how they are placed uniquely on the covers. The first magazine I will look at is 'Kerrang', a rock magazine prodominently for males who have an interest in music and want to find out news and stories about their favourite bands. We know this from the style of the font used in the masthead and coverlines, and the actual coverlines themselves. The general price for this magazine is around £2.50, suggesting it is a reasonable price that can be afforded by all classes, not just people with a lot of money.

The main image on the cover is placed in the centre, and used as a background for the cover, with the coverlines over it, and the masthead layered underneath. This gives an importance of the image and the person in it, yet the size of the masthead still gives it power and attraction to the reader. The font used for the magazine and the title is iconic as it is used continuously, and is designed as a 'cracked mirror' style, to show rebellion, stereotypically something which represents males, again referring to the the gender of the magazine audience and to represent the genre of the magazine itself. The masthead is placed at the top of the magazine so that it is instantly recognised by the audience when on the selling racks, making it iconic and attractive to them. The colours used are again stereotypical to the gender, as darker colours complement brighter harder ones to give a harsh feel to the magazine, rather than a light elegant feel, stereotypically for the female gender. Overall, this magazine uses the right colours, text and imagery position to relate and attract the audience, whilst representing the genre and making it iconic.

The next magazine I will look at is completely different to the first, and is a women's gossip magazine, the audience age ranging from around 20-40 onwards. It is a more expensive magazine because of the content, though still aims at being within a reasonable price range, as typically the audience targeted is housewives or women that work and want something to read in their break. We can tell all of this, from the genre of the magazine, the style of the font used for the masthead and coverlines, and the bright attractive colours included on the cover, appealing particularly to the female gender.

The layout of this cover is different from the first, as it shows a title behind the main image, again used in the centre and as a background for the cover, to show importance and give attraction. There is a smaller image beside it, which shows relation between the two people within the images, and the cover lines also relate these. Other images are listed down the left side of the cover, as features inside the magazine, instead of using alot of cover lines, a unique way to present a cover as we do not see this technique used often.

Although the title is covered a little by the image, it does not matter, as it is an iconic sign which the audience recognise. The white colour used for the title is done to represent a newspaper, giving a straight forward look that shows importance and urgency to be read. However, using this style, although effective is a risky choice, as with no emboss or outline included, it could be potentially overlooked when it comes to the racks.

The colour behind the main image is in a gradient style similar to the first, although uses lighter and softer colours to give the idea that this magazine is prodominently for females, unlike the first which is dependant mainly on the male gender.

When looking again at this cover, I notice the coverlines are more like sentences accross the page, whereas the first is key features more like notes, listed on the cover which will be included inside the magazine. The use of extra images replaces this, making it unique, and it is done in a successful way to connect with the audience and get this accross to them to gain understanding, yet again is a risky idea, as if not related in the right way with them, could be confusing and unattractive, as they would not understand what features are included in the magazine. The cover lines used on this cover are smaller than the rest of the font and in bold white, relating to the title and again giving a sense of importance, whereas the main coverline which represents the two images shown in the centre is in large, bold font, in the colour yellow. It is slightly embossed to give bold effect to stand out, and is done using a bright colour for attraction and importance. Finally, the barcode is also included, though is placed horizontally rather than vertically like the first, again for a unique effect and to save space on the page.

Overall, though the magazines contrast in many different ways because of their genre and target audience, they share similar features which make them successful, such as large images used for a background, bright bold colours for the title and cover lines to give importance and urgency, and an iconic title and main image, as both will instantly attract the audience when on the racks. These features are all things that I will think about and include when creating my own magazine.

To-Do List:

To-Do List:

-Compare conventions of a music magazine and normal magazine

-Analysis of 3 different music magazine covers using LIIAR & looking at conventions

-Analysis of 3 different music magazine contents pages, using LIIAR & looking at conventions

Analysis of 3 different double page spreads, using LIIAR & looking at conventions

-Mastheads and use of colour

-Story structure

-Camera shots

-Photography

-Cover Ideas (x3) (I.T Drafts)

-Contents page ideas (x3) (I.T Drafts)

-Double-page spread ideas (x3) (I.T Drafts)

-Spider diagram

-Mood board

-Final magazine cover

-Final contents page

-Final double-page spread

-Evaluation

Brief

Main Task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine. All images and text used must be original, produced by you - minimum of four images.Presentation of your Work The presentation of the research, planning and evaluation may take the form of any one, or combination of two or more, of the following:
a presentation using slide show software such as PowerPoint;
a blog
a podcast.

Final Magazine Cover.

After much research and planning, this is my final cover. I changed this before printing, as I added text using DTP for the story lines on the cover. I am satisfied with this cover, as it is simple, smart, and a product of my research which I believe appeals to the target audience in the right way.

I.T Draft

I.T Draft Of magazine cover.

This is the I.T draft of my magazine cover which I created. I will next produce the final version of this using Photoshop and DTP. I will use colour, text, and image to create an appealing look and cover to suit the target genre, which is a college magazine, and my target audience-students and teachers.

Draft of contents page

Draft Of Contents Page.

After researching differnt styles of contents pages and looking at the features each contained, I designed a mock up of what the layout would look like for my magazine. I did this based on my research, and the ideas I selected to use from them.

When looking at the two other contents pages I had researched, I liked the idea of the paragraph of story titles, and then page numbers beside them, which is why I decided to include this in my mock-up design. I also liked the idea of the large font at the top of the page for the 'contents' title, which is also included in my design. The things which I did not think were appropriate was the large image in the centre or at the side, as I thought it may be too distracting for the reader of the magazine, as the purpose was to give information and news about the college through the magazine, and the magazine would be there to provide that information simply to the reader. I thought that too many unnecassary images would get in the way and the right message would not be successfully delivered, so I did not put an image in my design. I also decided against the colourful headings for the story paragraphs, as there would not be specific story 'types' in my magazine, so would not need to be sorted out into columns/headings of any sort.

My finished design for my contents page is basic, to-the-point, and provides all the important information for the reader telling them where they can find what they need. I believe that it is successful, and would be attractive if designed.

The reasearch that I did was helpful in the process of my contents page design, and gave me useful information and knowledge of what I would need to include based on the theme of my magazine.