Final Draft (Front cover , contents page and double page spread)

Final Draft (Front cover , contents page and double page spread)

Front cover

 Masthead

My masthead is an acronym for "Rhythm and blues"and "hip hop"this can be found in my slogan just beneath my masthead establishing the genre of the magazine . I created my masthead by using "ariel black" font this font allowed all my letters to be alingned aswell as stand out . The last two letters "HH" I changed the colour from black to pink to higlight a special edition female issue ,as pink can be said to be a common colour assoiciated with females. The effect bevel emboss and the use of a drop shadow has given my masthead the edge  making it the most eye catching convetion on the page . 

Coverlines 

My front page consists of only one cover line "Annalisie breakthrough artist ... meet the star herself".The choice to change the colour and give the main coverline an outerglow was to make it clear to the reader of the main feature article found  in the magazine , Also highlighting the connection of the article to the photograph.

Titles 

Instead of coverlines I featured artists names to fill the rest of my front cover .This idea was inspired from an XXL magazine(Chris brown issue) were only the artists names apart from the main coverline were the writing amongst the page. This technique provides the reader with more insight to the content in the magazine . Choosing the colour pink to tie in with the female edition theme but using grey to break away from the pink as it became very animated which can be seen in my first draft. I continued to used "ariel black" for the font of the names with the blending option of a drop show giving the names a platform to stand out.

Photograph & background

There were many complications with finding a background to suit my photograph as I found it was becoming lost amongs block coloured background .To create my background I blurred the original background from the photo taken and found that out of all the backgrounds I tried to create it looked the best .

Other conventions

I included a date as well as the the type of issue in the top right ear of the front cover .The date is in all black as its not of greatest importance but still needed to be included .I used the same effect used for the main coverlinefor "exlusive female edition" just changed the font to italics to give it a feminin touch.Finally the barcode placed in the bottom right hand corner .

Contents page

Masthead ,titles and headings 

My masthead is repeated onto the contents page placed in the top left hand ear again followed by the magazines slogan this time in all black . The second title is presenting the contents page to the reader with the words reading "this week..." in white writing to stand out and the use of one pink letter tying in with the female theme this can be found in the page numbers and key words in attemp to draw in the reader .

Much like my front cover instead of shocking headlines I used the artists name in bold black and any shock factors highlited in pink. 

Design features

I provided black rectangles as backgrounds for my contents list, my title and competition feature to divide different sectors separating them from the articles at the same time giving them the platform to stand out as as much as the features are important so are the other info provided. On either side of my masthead pinstipes a design feature aswell as a space filler complimenting the colour scheme.

Photographs

The biggest photograph is an indication of a popular artist or a big article , the smaller photos again more favoured artists with an eyecatching story.Also an image of the front cover can be found on the contents page advertising and persuading readers to suscribe .

Fonts and content 

- Bernard MT condensed is the font used for my page list a font that even when small stands out 

- Anne boleyn the font used for my article headlines gives a suttle tone against all the other bold quite edgy fonts .

Double page spread

Titles/Headlines

My double page spread consists of two Headlines the first introducing the article "RBHH MEETS ANNALISIE" Still including my masthead theme with the first two letter being black this is in order to identify the magazine if a reader were to see the double page spread stand alone . The second heading an introduction to "Annalisea's" timeline of her journey as a star . Although both different fonts, to seperate each other from article to time line. I used fonts that were clear and consise for the reader to identify them as headings.
Context
To start of my article in the beginning and after the pull quote I used larger font for the first letter of the first word. This was a way of letting the reader know as to were the article began. Throughout the spread you can find information about the upcoming star and her history .In order to draw away from huge blocks of writing I featured a questionnaire with the questions in pink this allowed for my text to be Broken up to keep the readers focus. My pull quote another convention to break up the text and draw them in by giving them a taster if the content this can be found in 90% of magazines of any style or genre .

Photos
For my double page spread I used the same image to cover both pages but the use of the "flip horizontal" and fading on the right not only took out the feeling of repetition but my article could be read at the same time instead of throughout my research I commonly found article on block coloured backgrounds . The other three photos featured on the time line were another for of interest a brief visual if readers didn't have to much time to read the whole article .The photos also supported with a date and what they each represent .

Photos used for music magazine

1.Front cover

2.Contents page

3.Double page spread

Music magazine evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 

How does your media product represent particular social groups? 

My magazine represents a particular social group by specifying the genre of the magazine in the masthead and the slogan "Rhythm and blues Hip -hop  "  it also targets the social audience of females by having a female model on the front page and throughout the contents page and double page spread follows the theme of the colour pink a colour heavily associated with females .

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? 

i wouldchoose Harris  because they are distributers of one of the most successful hip hop and rnb magazines this means a chance at success also a great opportunity to have direct contact with hip hop and rnb stars weather it be for interviews or photo shoots  also high rated bloggers for the promotion side of the magazine.

Who would be the audience for your media product? 

My magazine being a female edition would require the audience of die hard hip hop and RnB fans as the genre is very male dominated to enjoy the magazine you would have a knowledge of some of the females on the uprise in the hip hop and RnB scene although being a female edition doesn't restrict it to just female readers as men do take interest in females in this genre .

How did you attract/address your audience? 

To attract the females i used pink all throughout and by making this issue a female edition  and for the other fans of hip hop an RnB having well known names in the industry on the front over and by having an upcoming star on the front cover causes curiosity .

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? 

From previously using word and then onto use photoshop i found it was a lot quicker and easier ways to get things done .in photoshop it was about learning all the keyboard shortcuts to make putting together your project lot easier it was also about learning how to make your product come alive there is only so much you can do with word whereas in photoshop the possibilities are endless and it was all bout playing around to what best suited your magazine ideas 

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? 

I've learnt that every detail is key especially as in Photoshop everything is very realistic so it made me very aware as to weather my product looked realistic or not .I have also found there are quicker ways to put elements together rather than a long winded way round which allows more time for fixing and smoothing 

Music magazine (Front cover , contents page , double page spread 1ST DRAFT)

FRONT COVER , CONTENTS PAGE , DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD (1st draft)

 

Music magazine drafts

Music magazine drafts

Mood board (music magazine)

My mood board made up on key images I feel represnt my genre and feel of my magazine I have the feminin symbol as my magazine is a female edition also follows the pink colourscheme of my magazine , also cosiding with the pink theme a new era cap very a hat very popular in the hip hop scene and pink headphone (beats by Dr Dre) an icon in the hip hop industry. Also in my mood board I have technology thats very big amongst the hip hop community boombox , vinal and Dj decks . I have several posters incorperated in my mood board firstly parental advisory which can be commonly found on Hip Hop CD's due to inapropriate content ,secondly a "rhythm and blues" poster besides this this poster and microphone these are the only photos that can express RnB as Hip -Hop is more a culture movement .Along with this movement comes street dance and graffiti the flaunting of money and jewlery .

Ideas and inspiration for Music magazine

Ideas and inspiration for Music magazine

The background of this issue of XXL is what inspired the background for my magazine , the mention of names too be featured in the magazine without any cover lines apart from the exclusive interview ,i think it is a different way to draw in readers and doesn't look to messy or to busy ,it also a nice design feature from your usual cover lines left right and centre .  

This vibe issue another influence for my magazine this is a "sexy issue" and have four of the current individuals in the hip hop industry this then gave me the idea to make an all female issue to appreciate the women in the industry as they can be looked over also support great talent . 

 The page finder on my contents page is inspired by the one found in this NME issue. All artists names are listed on a bar on the left hand side rather than the name of articles it allows the reader to know exactly were it is they want to read as well as influence from the contents list i also used the same positioning for the masthead sitting right above it the list in the top left hand corner .

My double page spread instead of having the image of a model on just one of the pages i incorporated the images on both pages but on the left hand page the image has faded to allow for an article to be visible. on the right hand side i the original photo and created a time line down the right hand side this an  idea i found on a double page spread in Q magazine to show different stages in the artists career .