contents page mock ups

I decided I needed to create some mock ups for my contents page because they really helped me with the design and codes and conventions of my front cover and double page spread. I asked several people that fit into my target audience (including my family and classmates) what they think of each one and which one they think should be the layout for my contents page.

I decided to go with the first design shown here. I think this is the most effective and unique layout and it will make my target audience want to read on to find out what all the pictures (as the background) are about.

Second contents page analysis

This is my second annotation of a contents page. I find this page a bit boring because i think there is too much text on it and not enough colour. this has helped me to decide that i dont want alot of text on my contents page becuase it could stop my target audience from reading it. I also thought it was bad that one of the band members isnt looking at the camera when all the other are; it makes him look like he is not really a part of the band.

Contents page analysis

I decided to analyse a contents page from an existing music magazine to help me understand the codes and conventions of a contents page. I think this contents page is really effective and unique because even though there is not much colour used on the page, the colours that are used are bold and bright so they catch the readers eye. I also like the way the images are all different sizes because it doesn't make it symmetrical. However i think the layout of this magazine could be improved by putting the page numbers in order; this will make it look more organised.

Final Double Page Spread!

I am really pleased with my double page spread :) I particularly like the main image on the left because I think it draws the readers attention to the page because the image is so unique and different. I chose to keep the sky as the background because I wanted a simple background but not white. It was difficult to make the sky merge onto the next page but I found a good way to do it on the software I used to edit my pictures which was Photoshop; i manipulated the background by creating clouds with the air brush tool.

I decided to delete the music note after the heading of this page because I think it made it look a bit 'childish'. I also chose to put pink dots around the images and around the quote to make them stand out more and also it makes the page look a bit more feminine because this interview is all about a female.

I thought about using the main image of this page for the main image on my front cover because I really like it; however I then decided not to because it fits in with the interview and it wouldnt of worked with the layout of my front page. It fits in with the double page spread because the quote is 'I haven't changed as a person and the image shows her still having fun etc. I also thought keeping this image on my double page spread would shock the reader when they turn the page to see this image on the double page spread :) Also if I had put it on the front cover I would have had to change my double page spread background and I didn't want to do this because I like the sky as the background.

Second Photoshoot

I loved taking these pictues! It helped that it was a really nice sunny day too :)

The only problem I had when taking these images was I kept getting a sillouette on my model from the sun when she was jumping on the trampoline and if I changed the angle, we would get the houses in the way (as you can see on the first image of this shot.) However, I actually like the sillouette! I think it gives off an effect of sun and makes the image look more natural.

Overall, I think these Images will look amazing on my double page spread and contents page :)

First draft of double page spread :)

This is my double page spread for my music magazine. I really enjoyed editing the pictures and moving them around to see where they looked best. I chose the main image to go on the first page because that is the first page the audience will look at, so they will instantly know who it is about.

I found a simple bold font for the title of this page because i didn't want it to seem too busy and overcrowded to look at. I decided to add the yellow music note in to keep the theme of music running throughout the magazine.

I chose a grey background because i tried a white one and it was too plain, so i tried a patterned one and it looked too 'fake'. Then i tried this light grey background and i am really pleased with how it looks :)

The interview was also really fun to wright up. I enjoyed thinking up different answers that i thought a R'n'B star would say.

Overall, i think it looks proffesional and interesting to read.

Double page spread layout

I decided to make a layout for my double page spread to help me when it comes to putting my double page spread together! even though this layout is fairly simple i really like it because instantly my target audience can see who the interview is with and (from the quote) what it is about.

Edited images

I decided to edit these particular images because i didn't like the background on them. I think they look allot better and more professional without any background at all. But then i thought it all looked too 'fake' so i added in a background with patterns on to see what that would look like.

I like the blue pattern background but it still looked too 'fake' so i added in a neutral grey background and i really like how that has turned out!

Second double page spead analysis

This is my second one. I Found lots of similarities in both of the two I analysed; the images are both big and on the right page, the text is all in columns and the title of the page is at the top on the left all where the audience woul expect it to be.

I think I am going to have my main image on the left page along with the title; this should make the image stand out more and it will be the first thing the audience see.

I am really looking foward to making my double page spread now!!

Double page spread analysis

I decided I needed to analyse a couple of existing music magazine double page spreads to help me understand the codes and conventions of the images and text etc.

Analysing this one really helped me to decide that I would have a 'happy' image as my main one to show the audience that the interview is a happy one. It also reasured me about using columns for the layout of my text. This makes the page look more organised and proffessional.

Final front cover!!!!! :)

Ahhhhh! I have finally finished my front cover and I am so pleased with how it looks :)

The only things I found difficult was adding the image in without making the cover lines disappear! Also I wasn't sure if I wanted the image to go over the masthead or for the masthead to go over the image but I remembered my codes and conventions and I chose to put it like this because it shows the audience that my magazine is confident enough to cover up the name of it.

I also tried putting the '150 albums to give away' in lots of different colours and shapes but I think this one looks different and unique (because normally you have a yellow circle/star.)

Cover lines and incentives

To finish making my front cover i thought i needed to experiment with what cover lines were going to be on it. I thought of a variety of different cover lines and incentives; i then asked my media class which ones they likes the best. This helped me pick the 5 best cover lines that i san use on my front cover.

I then thought i should experiment with the colour and font of the cover lines and incentives. Again, i asked my class which colour and font they liked the best which helped me to decide 2 different fonts and the colours of them which are red yellow and black. I chose these colours because they make the cover lines stand out.

Recipe for a music magazine!

Recipe
100g of images
200g of text
50g of buzz words
300g of colour
5g of incentives
20g of interactive things for the reader to do
500g of pages

Method
Cut buzz words out and mix in with text
Add 50g of colour to the text
Add 200g of colour to the images
Cut images and text to the 500g of pages
Mix the 20g of interactive things to the 500g of pages
Mix 50g of colour to the incentives
Add incentives to the 500g of pages

Music magazine title

I decided it was time to give my magazine a name!
I thought of lots of different words that had meanings connected with music and narrowed those down to 5 different words. I then undertook some quantitative research by asking my friends and family (so i know i could rely on them to be truthful) which name they liked best for a music magazine - The result was 'Tempo'.
'Tempo' is a good name for my music magazine because it doesnt relate to just one genre of music, it relates to a hybrid of music genre's which is the same as my magazine.
I then found a font that i liked and typed in 'Tempo' but i decided it looked better with no capital letters.
After this, i came up with the idea of adding in a music note as the logo of the magazine. So i experimented allot with where to put the music note. I thought that the 'p' being a music note looked to much like a 'q' and the 'p' and 'o' being a music note looked to much like two P's! I decided to go with the 'o' at the end being a music note :)
Then i experimented with different colours for the title and i also asked my friends and family which one they liked best; the result being the blue, green and red one.
After starring at my title for ages i then thought that the 'o' being a music note looked to much like a 'd' so i tried to change it to the m being a music note again but designing it differently.
After starring at this one for ages i decided it didn't look right because the 'm' was to spaced out etc. so i went back to the 'o' being a music note!

I am really pleased with my title for the music magazine, i think it is catchy and looks effective.