Front Cover Development 6

I have tweaked the design of my cover just a bit to make it look, in my opinion, more aesthetically pleasing. I will ask my target audience when I get back which they prefer and I'll use that one.

Front Cover Development 5

The cover is basically done it just needs the main photo behind all the text. I may then have to add a drop shadow to some of the text or change it to another contrasting colour to make it stand out from the light and dark areas of the photo.

Front Cover Development 4

I have added this skyline which includes another story/article represented by an eye-catching red quote. It is left vague to entice the reader into buying the magazine to read it and find out what it's about. There was a lot of black space on the right and I thought since it's a vital convention of a magazine to have the price, date and barcode on the cover and/or back I put it here, it also stands out against the black. There is still some black space where I may put a photo but probably not as the space is to small to accommodate a good photo.

Front Cover Development 3

I based the cover lines off the NME cover also as I think they look quirky with their alternating fonts and also having bits in bold or a different colour highlights the important info to the reader which is useful and aesthetically pleasing. I also like the block with the artist names as it displays the rest of the information in a compact way which allows for more photo space.

Front Cover Development 2

As always I started with a guide layout to make sure everything is lined up and looks professional. I think I will put my masthead and main cover line on the left in line to make that side look fuller as I don't have that many stories/features to fill it.

Like that. Notice that I've used the same contrasting black and red colour palette to stand out from the white background. I have based the cover line off the NME one as its very large font size of the name I think captures the readers eye and it's obvious that it is the main feature. I have also put the issue number and date under the masthead as it looks neat, compact and the info is easy to find for the reader as it is next to something eye-catching.

Front Cover Development

I have decided to make a start on my front cover even though I do not have a main image for it yet, this is due to my wanted model Ellis always being busy or not being free when I am. When I have Ellis I would like to take a close up or medium close up photo and put this in black and white as on the NME cover as it looks moody. This is due to the model not looking directly into the camera which takes away the personal connection and creates an air of mystery and this suits the indie style well.

Front Cover Design

I have decided to alter my previous flat plans and base my front cover off the NME style as I feel it is closest to the style I want for my magazine because it manages to be slightly quirky with its alternating fonts yet still looks neat on the page and is eye catching to the audience with the contrasting red, black and white colour palette- which in fairness I was already using so this just reinforces my use of it as I have evidence of it being a common convention of a magazine front cover of a well established publisher.

My new flat plan looks like this:

Photo Edit Change

I have recently decided that for my contents page I do not want the photos to be in complete black and white as the page itself is already very minimal in terms of colour so I don't want to further this. Instead I will only drop about 50% colour and leave some parts of the image very vibrant and saturated to attract the audience's eye.

Photo Analysis 2

What is in the centre of the image?

In the centre of the image is once again the model's torso, which again I don't think is meant to be the focus of the image as this would be unusual, especially as there are no outstanding characteristics of her torso.

What is on the periphery?

Behind the model there is a white backdrop which looks to be from a studio photo shoot, there was probably a background in the original photo such as a white sheet but this would have been edited out on Photoshop so that the image doesn’t look amateur or messy.

Has the photo been staged?

The photo has obviously been staged as she is looking directly into the camera, proving she knows she is in front of it, her hands are also on her hips which is not a natural position. This implies she has been posed this way purposely for the photo.

What do you think that happened directly before the image was taken?

The lighting may have been checked or refined and then the model was positioned in that way and asked to look directly into the camera.

What do you think happened directly after the image was taken?

The photographer will probably have the model pose in a different position and take another photo, this will continue until they have enough shots to work with.

Is the entire photo in focus?

The entire photo is in focus, no part of the model is blurred or unclear, and this makes the image look professional and crisp and shows that all parts of the image are equally important.

Is the lighting bright, dim or shadowy?

Generally the lighting is bright which creates a happy almost shining atmosphere; the lighting also accentuates the sequins of her top. This represents the model nicely. There are some areas such as the very side of her face, chest and leg which creates contrast and outlines her silhouette.

Is there any cropping?

The bottom of her legs are cropped as it is a medium-long shot.

What age, gender and ethnicity does the model appear to be?

The model appears to be a female of about 20-30, she is white.

What can you tell about them from their dress?

The bright sequin top and pink lipstick shows the audience that this is a Pop singer.

Are they looking directly to the camera or looking away signifying distance?

She is looking directly into the camera which gives the audience a connection to her and the image, it entices them in as it feels personal.

Is the photo taken at a high or low angle?

The photo is neither a high nor a low angle.

What is their posture? Does the posture hint at other activities?

The hands on the hips looks almost playful and enticing, as if she’s saying “come on”.

Where was the photo taken?

The photo was obviously taken in a studio as the lighting looks to precise to be natural, implying the use of studio lights, the white background also suggests this was taken in studio conditions.

Is the setting real?

There is no setting, it is blank.

Why was this photo taken?

The photo was taken as part of a shoot for a magazine feature, it is part of a set.

Where could you see your picture appearing?

It would likely appear as a side image on a double page spread or as the main image on the cover.

Photo Analysis

What is in the centre of the image?
In the centre of the image is the model's torso which I don't think is meant to be the focus of the image as this would be unusual, especially as there are no outstanding characteristics of her torso, however slightly above centre on her t-shirt is the word 'FOXES'. This tells the audience who the model is.

What is on the periphery?
Behind the model there is a red backdrop which looks to be natural, perhaps pained red wood. However it is possible that the image was first taken on a neutral background and pasted onto the red using Photoshop.

Has the photo been staged?
The photo has obviously been staged as she is looking directly into the camera, proving she knows she is in front of it, her arm is also behind her head which is not a natural position. This implies she has been posed this way purposely for the photo.

What do you think that happened directly before the image was taken?
The lighting may have been checked or refined and then the model was positioned in that way and asked to look directly into the camera.

What do you think happened directly after the image was taken?
The photographer will probably have the model pose in a different position and take another photo, this will continue until they have enough shots to work with.

Is the entire photo in focus?
The entire photo is in focus, no part of the model is blurred or unclear, this makes the image look professional and crisp and shows that all parts of the image are equally important.

Is the lighting bright, dim or shadowy?
Generally the lighting is very bright which creates a happy almost shining atmosphere which represents the model nicely. There are some areas such as the very side of her face, chest and leg which creates contrast and outlines her silhouette.

Is there any cropping?
The bottom of her legs are cropped as it is a medium-long shot.

What age, gender and ethnicity does the model appear to be?
The model appears to be a female of about 20-30, she is white.

What can you tell about them from their dress?
The patterned shorts and large hat imply an artsy creative vibe which works as she is a Pop singer. The fact that her name is printed on her shirt enforces this to the reader as it is obviously important and famous.

Are they looking directly to the camera or looking away signifying distance?
She is looking directly into the camera which gives the audience a connection to her and the image, it entices them in as it feels personal.

Is the photo taken at a high or low angle?
The photo is neither a high nor a low angle.

What is their posture? Does the posture hint at other activities?
The arm behind the head looks casual and innocent.

Where was the photo taken?
The photo could have been taken in a studio with a makeshift portable red backdrop or outside against a natural red wall.

Is the setting real?
The setting appears to be real as the lighting on the model matches the colour of lighting that would come from the red wall however this can also be easily done in Photoshop with an imported image of a red backdrop.

Why was this photo taken?
The photo was taken as part of a shoot for a magazine feature, it is part of a set.

Where could you see your picture appearing?
It would likely appear as a side image on a double page spread.

Contents Page Development 3

Using the same guide layout tool as my previous design I constructed a grid to shape the layout of the contents on the contents page, the even amount of columns to allow for text one one side and images on the other.

Half of the features are on the left and half are on the right to add interest to the page. The red rectangles are where photos will go which may also have captions in and of themselves.

For my feature text I have the title in red this time against a white background for a bigger contrast. The info text and page number is then black to add further contrast. The title is in a slightly larger size font and in ultra weight to grab the readers attention. They are all in the same font as the masthead logo to maintain continuity and a strong recognisable style.

The feature titles are puns or references. Titles like "The Grass Is Greener" attract the reader because it's almost like a challenge to see if they can finish the saying. As the titles are somewhat vague this also entices the reader to read on so they can understand it.

I brought in the skyline with the page name and magazine date/issue as this is information that is vital to the reader, I put it on a black rectangle backdrop for contrast to the rest of the page so it is easily seen.

Complete view:

Contents Page Development 2

After consulting my target audience and peers I have decided that whilst my previous design for the contents page matched the artistic and different style of the indie genre and presented images in an aesthetically pleasing way, it wasn't the best when it came to displaying text as the spaces were too small.

I will come up with a different design and again ask my peers for their opinion.

Practice Photo Edit

I have taken this photo to edit as it is similar to the kind of image I want to use.

I have decided to put it into black and white (pressing ctrl+shift+u) as some of the colours are distracting and it would look more artistic and moody which are key components of the indie genre.

Then I took care of the person in the background as I would in a final image by using the clone stamp tool to grab the bush texture from the left of the image and paint it over the top of the person. I then used the clone stamp tool again to make the tree look more natural.

Some details of the photo are still distracting from the model so I created a new layer, filled it with a faded dark blue and changed the blending mode to lighten. This dulled the distracting elements and gave the image a more stylised look which I liked.

This is how I will edit the majority if not all of my final images.

What's Next?

Contents Page Dev 1

I first made a guide layout so that I could make sure everything was precise and in-line. I left a 1cm margin around the bottom and sides as a gutter so the reader doesn't feel too overwhelmed. I left a 2cm margin at the top as I knew I wanted some sort of text to go here such as 'Track Contents' and put a guide in between this margin so I knew if the text was perfectly centred. I then filled areas of the grid with different coloured rectangle tools to mark out the different entries. I knew I needed a mix of images and text from my research into other contents pages such as NME and so the smaller boxes will be for the text and the larger for images.

I then took my Masthead logo, shrank it down to the average readable font size- 12 and coloured it white to contrast with my charcoal grey background. I used the same font as the logo to type the word Contents with the text tool in the same size and colour and put this alongside. I then created a separate text tool and typed the issue number and date as this is important info especially for collectors. I put this in 2 different weights but still in the same font to distinguish between not only the issue and date, but also from the other text on the page which would mostly be Ultra weight.

I used the text tool to create titles for my image sections, still in the Alright Sans font. The titles are ultra weight and 24px and the smaller description text is 12px and medium weight to keep a neat ratio and so it doesn't look too big and overpowering on the page. The images of the named people will go behind this text. I will add page numbers when I work out a way for them to look good. The blank boxes will most likely be for text.

Magazine Logo Development

I have taken the advice of my survey and am using Alright Sans in the Ultra weight as my title font. But it looked a bit generic and a strong logo is usually a recognisable shape so I decided to use the photoshop warp tool to get an interesting shape.

I selected wave as it looked best and negatively distorted the text the least. This wave shape variant will only be used for the name of the magazine, normal title text will have no warp. I will use it on my contents page and maybe double page spread.

Masthead Font Survey Result

After showing the class this list of fonts, here is the general consensus:

Number 1 was considered unpleasing on the eye because the bottoms of the letters are not flat.

Number 2 was said to look 'rocky' and messy.

Number 3 was generally well received.

Number 4 was not bold enough and would have trouble standing out.

Number 5 was well received.

Number 6 was too retro and looked almost like a ransom note which doesn't suit the somewhat laidback feel of the magazine.

Number 7 was too round but generally liked,

Number 8 was way too futuristic for the indie genre and already looked dated.

Given these results, I am considering using font 5.

Masthead Logo

I have put together a list of fonts that I think would suit the masthead of the magazine and I will ask people in the class which they prefer. They are thick so that they stand out. I personally prefer number 5 as it is thick enough to stand out but is also simple and timeless unlike the more modern looking or retro options.

Style Models

NME

Little White Lies

I have selected a combination of NME and Little White Lies as the basis for the aesthetic of my magazine, I would like a mix of the sleek professionalism of NME and the slightly organic quirkiness of the Little White Lies. I may create this by having neatly set out pages but with bright colours and fun image editing techniques such as halftone and colour overlays. Although I am using sections of these magazines for reference, I will of course have to alter them to suit the genre and feel of my magazine.

Double Page Spread Flat Plan

Contents Page Flat Plan

Front Cover Flat Plan 2

Front Cover Flat Plan 1

Reader Profile

Magazine Pitch

Questionnaire Analysis

From the questionnaire I have learnt that my main audience should probably be something like 16-20 year olds as this is the majority and as I fall within this age range I can make the themes and aesthetic of the magazine appropriate.

I have also found out that the ratio of males to females is roughly equal so I could try to include features aimed toward each however it would be more inclusive to those who identify otherwise if I were to just make everything gender neutral.

As the most people noted Katy Perry or similar as their favourite artists, this suggests that more edgier artists would be most suited to the audience.

As the average reader only buys music magazines, each issue may have to be lengthy to tide them over the whole month.

The least favourite feature amongst my survey audience was adverts, so these will be the least abundant feature in my magazine. It will rely heavily on interviews and reviews as these were the most favourite.

As it is not important to my survey audience that the cover model(s) is conventionally attractive, this means I will feature ordinary people. This may also increase the 'personal identity' gratification of my magazine.

I think my magazine would cost £2.50 as this is a enough to keep the magazine running without losing customers due to a high price.

NME Reader Profile

Billboard Reader Profile

Q Reader Profile

What is a reader profile?

Choosing The Magazine Name

Before I begin choosing any fonts I had to decide on a name. I first thought of Backtrack as this reflected the retro magazine concept I was running with at the time of the consumer being possibly older and looking back at their favourite songs from their era and seeing where their favourite artists are now. I have now decided that this target audience is fairly niche and so sales wouldn't be as large as say a young peoples pop magazine who are more likely to buy magazines anyway. I have now decided that my magazine should be for all ages and genres and so the title will be simply Track. I think this is a good name because it suggests keeping track of music, being up to date as a result of the magazine and its contents.

I will next put together a list of potential fonts displaying the Track name and get a general consensus from my peers. The most liked font will be used on the final product.

Magazine Publishers

Questionnaire

Marjorie Ferguson Facial Expressions

Double Page Spread Analysis

Magazine Contents Analyses

Uses and Gratification

Magazine Cover Analyses

Initial School Magazine Design

For my preliminary task the brief was to create a school magazine for my school, Heworth Grange. It would be aimed at a niche audience of the about 1000 pupils.

Testing, Testing, 123

Hello and welcome to my media blog, this is where I'll post updates on everything I'm doing and hopefully you like what you see. Don't forget to like and follow if you like that kind of thing and, uh, see you around.