Contents

Above is my contents page. I used similar themes and colours to my double page spread. On this page, I have seperated the page listings to either side of the page and used the middle space for images assoiated with various 'main' pages to be looked at. The image at the top shows, yet again a picture of the main feature band who are focused throughout the magazine. There image portrays them as 'peeking' into the page to make a reference to their importance throughout the magazine. I have attached page numbers onto the images for readers to be able to connect them with what they might fancy reading which if I was a professional editor, I would emphasize on what I'd thought attracted more readers.

Contents

My Double Page Spread

Above = Right Page, Below = Left

Image one (Page 10) is the left side of my double page spread, and vice versa with Image two (Page 11). I planned to use a lot of writing in my double page spread as I believe these pages should be the 'main' feature of the magazine and should include more than other pages and certainly more information. I decided to base it on the fake group I created for my main image on the front cover. As in the magazines that I studied previously before starting the project, the double page spread featured directly in the middle basing it's (most of the time) interview on its front covers main image. I thought an interview would be a good way to keep audiences interested, I made them speak about a new album which should certainly attract fans and interest them even more. I kept the theme simple and the same as my previous pages which is a tan, red and orange theme which represents a kind of 'student' aspect of an audience, especially with the teenage band members on the page. The effect on the images was done by photo shops 'filter', I used this effect firstly because I wanted to add interest on the pages and also to create a professional 'glamourous' effect that seems to be used in more and more magazines.

Finishing my Front Cover...

As for my final draft, I have included a main title, main heading, sub headings, a price, free offers, a main image and a bar code. My main title ; 'Musick' is situated (like common conventions of magazines) at the top, as big and broad as anything else on the page, obviously to attract eyes of passers by and to also state the trademarked company of that particular magazine. For colours, I used a range of red and yellow with the added theme of black and white which relates to the contrast of the boy and girl members of the band being a two person group. The main heading, 'Melody Society' was my own idea for their group name as I tried to come up with a music related name using their initials 'M + S'. I also added various pop-up headings such as the free CD (at the top) and the 'Also' bar at the bottom which includes more band names (self-made to relate to 'indie' music). The Price and bar code are located at the top left of the cover, not an enormous size but relatively visible for those wanting to know the price and also for shop workers having to find where the bar code is easily enough.

Adding my title.

As from the image above, I have added my main magazine title at the top, I have enlargerend it to create effect and recognision for viewers of the cover. The colour red allows it to stand out dramaticly and catch the readers eyes.

Magazine Front Page Start

I have now began designing my front cover after taking pictures of my close friends who allowed me to use them in my project. As you can see from the image, I have began by editing the image using the black and white tool and moving the image to where it suits the most.

Magazine Title :MuSick

As my magazine is aimed at students, based on the 'indie' genre of music, I have decided to use a slang spelling for Music and also to create meaning with it's new spelling. I have chosen the spelling Mu-Sick as the first obvious clue is the sounding of the word 'Music'. I changed the end to 'sick' for a couple of reasons, due to my personal experience and according to 'urban dictionary's' definition , the word 'sick' means: "if it is sick its totally awesome" . The word is commonly used for age ranges such as myself (15-24). Also, the meaning of sick could connote the sense that music is contagious and addictive.

Contents.

Here are some various examples of contents pages from non-music magazines. I am going to analyse the two images above to help me with my own creation. The two images above both share some common similarities, these are; strict detail to magazine features and their page numbers, several images relating to the magazines features, a theme presented through colours and/or shapes and similar use of font. The differences between the the two images above are: space within the page, contrast between the quality of fonts, and layout structure. Item A (Left) portrays a contents page over wildlife and has a very tightly packed structure with a high mass of text and image that pack everything together. This makes the page look complicated and therefore reduces reading interest for buyers, whereas Item B (Right) portrays a simple, plain yet interesting choice of layout which require less work for readers to be able to understand. This is useful for me when creating my contents page as I know not to use too much however not to use too little. I will consider this when creating my contents page. Item A has a very dim colour scheme which is plain 'black and white' with various red fonts. This is very plain however there is a real sense of boredom that may be created just by its presentation. Item B has a very plain theme however, with its use of images and matching colour scheme presents a more visually interesting layout to readers and therefore increases audience's attention towards buying the magazine, maybe after flicking through it in a shop. Although item A has a lot of detail, maybe relating the the size of the magazine, it still conveys a tight hard-to-understand structure which viewers may automatically disobey after seeing the complicated layout, where item A is simple, quick and easy, also visually entertaining to view.

Constructing The Mag Title

For the construction of my main magazine title, I couldn't find asuitable text that I liked or that would match with my theme of colour, style and genre so I researched into other options of font. For my final idea, I used the site; [Picnik] to contain and style my chosen font. I had first resorted to downloading a suitable font but due to the moving between college and school, the font was unavailble for both locations, therefore I relied on an only website to construct my titles where ever I was.

New Titles.

After studying the available fonts on photoshop, I have resorted to other soft ware to help me manufacture my fonts, such as Microsoft PowerPoint which has a wider collection of typography for me to experiment with, If I find a more suitable font via other software, I can simply use tools such as Print Screen, Saving or Copy/paste to transfer my designs to photoshop. Above, is yet another image of the PowerPoint collection. I have also experimented with various colours of fill and outline.

Font Design.

I have begun studying different fonts on photoshop as I am up to the point of constructing my final cover. On the right are examples of some of my favourite choices of fonts as I have tried to experiment with various shapes, sizes and patterns whilst choosing my final choice, at the moment I am still in decision to which font I will use for my final title/headings as I am preparing colour and themes for my cover. My choice of colour will then reflect my use of font and style.

Focusing on Double Page Spreads.

Double Page Spread Analysis.

The main title on the double page spread has been able to increase in size due to its two page overflow. The size of the title therefore increases reader awarness and increases the importance of the the articles feature topic. I think when I come to design my own double page spread, I will think about sizes of titles, picutre locations and word placement etc as due to its advantage of two pages for the same article, I can then play around with my techniques to add interest and make information clearer and 'readable'. The picture however on this, takes up the full right side of the feature. This could potentially be because there are less words therfore, room has been taken up by the image, or because due to it's size, it makes the article more eye-catching.

I began the deconstruction of a magazine.

Main Heading.

The main heading is simply 'Madonna'. This is clearly noticeable by its thick corresponding red colour and also by its size. Before readers notice the main heading, they probably notice the main image first which is what the heading relates to. There are a couple of smaller headings either side which say 'All Interview' and 'Stupid Question! Next', these titles and quotes belong to the main heading but are not as visible as the point of the main heading is to gain the immediate attention of viewers and then therefore, the readers will then read the small white headings around it when they become interested.

Sub Headings.

The use of subheadings has doubled then the amount on the first magazine that I deconstructed. There are many sub headings which reference various bands/artists that will probably featured in the magazine, although the headings are small, they are still noticeable due to their bold 'second look' effect which will probably be the next thing people see after the main heading.

The use of colour on the magazine is similar to the main heading and various sub headings; there is a match of colours to effectively allow the writing to stand out and to make the layout visually appealing. Again, the sub-headings are not to create an element of interest. The magazine is a mix of black, white and red which is useful as the magazine is very simple with colours therefore not too colourful which could cause the cover to be confusing or complicated as some readers may want something simple.

Main Image.

The main image of the cover is ‘Madonna’, this is clear to viewers due to the main heading and also by recognition (if audiences do recognise her face). The size of the image also determines the main articles’ topic as it is probably the main visible aspect of the magazine that takes the attention of the public in a shop for example. The effect of the image is also a unique selling point as it is an A-listed singer and this will therefore attract fans. The presentation of the image takes up almost the majority of the space and also takes over the title of the magazine slightly, and also follows the rule of thirds as her eyes match the line approximately a third of the way up the page, this gives the image it’s ‘main’ look.

The effect of the celebrity is that she is looking directly into the camera; therefore there is an immediate connection between viewers of the front page and her (or the article featuring her).

The target audience, in my opinion would be for young adults. This use of colour connotes the theme of ‘indie’ and ‘student’ music. The use of feature bands also applies to this target audience, “Rolling Stones ect.”, however, there is a feature of ‘Girls Aloud and Little Britain’ which could be featured for teenagers, this article argues my opinion as this type of music/tv would be aimed at more of a younger audience due to the fan base they probably have. The magazine could also be aimed at girls due to its free gift and woman feature.

I began the deconstruction of a magazine.

Main Heading.

The main heading; ‘Lily Allen takes on the world’, is situated next to (almost about to cover) the main image. This effect allows readers to associate this title to the main illustration if they are unaware of who the main image is. This then clearly helps readers to understand more about the magazine’s articles and therefore provides a clear reason of purchasing the item. It also stands out clear due its bold, ‘chunky’ effect that is almost distorted in an interesting way to make it seem more interesting and visually appealing and therefore able to attract the eyes of the public to the main feature. Appearance and effects are key into attracting readers as people do ‘judge a book by its cover’. The ‘white on black’ technique makes the heading unique and distinct from the surrounding sub-headings, the ‘less important’ sub headings in terms of detail and features and also distinguishes the topic of the main feature. The black and white effect also keeps the heading plain as the interesting squared shape has its own effect, the use of more colour would either distract this effect or take away the ‘bold’ impression that the black and white present.

Sub Headings.

Although this front cover lacks in many sub-headings, the two shown on the left both share the same effects. The first effect is the size, the two headings are diminutive in terms of font size, this gives viewers the clear effect that they do not play a part in ‘the main feature’ which is Lily Allen. The use of font size used is to connote to readers the other topics featured in the magazine, however not being the main article, it gives readers more interest and more of an insight into what else is featured throughout. Although the size does not suggest the importance of the subject, it is to inform and attract audiences into buying the magazine with a promise that there is more to read about if the public do not take interest in the main feature, (Lily Allen).

The use of colour is similar to the main heading, it has a contrast of colours to effectively allow the writing to stand out. Again, the sub-headings are not the major element of the cover however, the contrasting colours used in the main heading could have been used to improve awareness, the colours used in these sub-headings could also suggest a form of importance however, with the use of a different colour (yellow), we are now able to realise that the headings differ in topic to the main heading as does its colour, or even a form of less significance.

Each heading has also been surrounded by a circle, suggesting it’s some form of importance to viewers as it makes them stand out slightly, rather than just having the words floating around, unable to read, the editor/designer of this cover wants the audience to notice these headings at some point through scanning over the front cover.

Main Image.

The main image of the cover is ‘Lily Allen’, this is clear to viewers due to the main heading and also by recognition (if audiences do recognise her face). The size of the image also determines the main articles’ topic as it is probably the main visible aspect of the magazine that takes the attention of the public in a shop for example. The effect of the image is also a unique selling point as it is an A-listed celebrity/singer and this will therefore attract fans. The presentation of the image takes up almost the majority of the space beneath the magazine title and also follows the rule of thirds as her eyes match the line approximately a third of the way up the page, this gives the image it’s ‘main’ look.

The effect of the celebrity is that she is looking directly into the camera, therefore there is an immediate connection between viewers of the front page and herself (or the article featuring her). The use of clothing of Lily also suggests that the magazine is aimed at students/young adults as the chequered pattern on her shirt is a common style for the age range of around 16-24.

The target audience, in my opinion would be for the age range ‘16-24’ or to be more specific; ‘students’. This is clear due to (as mentioned before) the use of clothing in the main image. The colour of the clothing also ties in well with the colour scheme which is red and black (with minute use of added yellows). This use of colour connotes the theme of ‘indie’ and ‘student’ music. The use of feature bands also applies to this target audience, “The Prodigy…Franz Ferdinand ect.”, however, there is a feature of ‘David Bowie’ who was featured during the 60’s, this article argues my opinion as Bowie would be aimed at more of an older audience due to his era of work.

Researching into elements suitable for my magazine.

In todays lesson, I began to start my [PENCIL + PAPER] second draft magazine (which has not yet been scanned onto the computer), Throughtout designing my last draft, I only designed my layout and where I would like to place my main heading/image etc. however on my second draft, I began to think of a name for my final magazine. I chose the name; 'Musak' as it is aimed at students and the title therefore gives it a 'slang' approach relevant to the age range.

I also began to think of colours suitable for my magazine cover, although I have not yet finished my second draft, I am currently still researching into other famous magazine companies for help and inspiration however not to copy.

Drafts for Music Magazine.

I am now beggining to draft my music magazine in terms of layout. I began using pencil and paper to set out my headings, picture and title ect.

My intentions for the first draft are to choose the layout and to desrcibe the space on the cover. As for my next draft, I will redraw my 1st draft with the use of changes that are needed from my original. I will also begin to add colour descriptions to my 2nd draft.

Constructing a Survey

In todays lesson, we began to construct a questionnaire as part of our research material for our final magazine.

I began by thinking of questions, suitable information that I may need to help me for my final project. My first couple of questions were the basic 'about the survey taker' questions. My first few questions were 'Gender' and 'Age'. This will help me a great amount as I can see the opinions of both genders and also of the age ranges. The information I receive from these questions are vital in creating my own magazine as I can choose what my target audience will be and how their opinions effect their viewing of a magazine.

The next few questions of my choice were becoming to tie in with readers views on the effects of buying magazines. The questions included; 'Favourite genre', 'suitable price range' and 'the effect of music magazines on clothing style'. This information will help me see the audiences views on different types of music and what I should include for my age range.

My final questions were based on why people buy magazines, what they like about the topics inside and what attracts them to a particular magazine. This helps me decide what articles to include in my magazine contents page and even for my double page spread. I hope to print out enough copies of my survey and have them all back, completed and ready to write my conclusions and draw up graphs to help me evaluate my data.

Looking at Music Magazine Covers that we think could be similar to our own.

We searched via the internet looking at front covers of famous magazine in which we like the layout of and that could help create our own. Here is an example of my research. I analysed the cover in terms of colour, layout, size, headings and more. I will hopefully start my magazine soon using this and others as a guide. I will soon, analyse more and also begin creating my own magazine using the codes and conventions I have analysed today.

Deconstructing a Music Magazine.

19th October 2009
Today, we looked at several music magazines in attempt to deconstruct the codes and conventions of them. The magazine I had chosen to do was 'Q' from April 2001. The main image was a member of Aerosmith pointing towards the camera as if to reach out and grab the readers attention. It also gives a clear description of what is inside the magazine itself.
There were no other images on the front cover which could suggest the fact that readers must focus only on the main image. The only main heading was 'AEROSMITH' is giant yellow letters which obviously sets up the main story of the magazine.
There were other headings also that give more information on what is included in the magazine itself.
The only promotional feature of the front cover was a rating of the magazine which was five star. This helps promote the magazine as readers will realise that is a big selling, high rated magazine.
There was a massive range of articles in the magazine that included;
-Mail
-Top 40 Albums
-Gossip
-Strangest Songs
-The rise of Anastacia
-Famous last words ... and more.
The target audience in my opinion is adults, mainly males as most of the adverts inside range from car adverts, to beer, loans and the navy to medicine and men's deodorant.
After deconstrucing the codes and conventions, we began looking at front covers we liked on the Internet.

Music Magazine Research

I have now began working on research for music magazines. With only a bit of time left at the end of the lesson, I managed to have a look at two major music magazine brands which were 'Q' and 'NME'. I am using the montages shown above to compare and contrast, analyse, and also to help gain experience into what is presented on a music magazine. Either in my own time or in the next lesson, I will be researching more magazines and also buying them for my own personal view to help with contents pages and double page spreads. I am focusing on student (target audiences) related magazines, a good exapmle for me to look at is NME. The style and themes of NME inspire my own designs. I like the particular designs.