Music Magazine: Contents Page

Music Magazine: Front Cover

Music Magazine: First Draft of Double Page Spread

This is a print screen of my first draft of my double page spread. There are many ways in which I could improve it, for example, I could make the text smaller so that I have space for images; this would make it look more appealing. I could also include a sub-title underneath the title so that the audience know what the article is about prior to reading it.

Music Magazine: First Draft of Contents Page

This is a print screen of my first draft of my contents page. There are several ways in which it could be improved. Firstly, I could include more images so that it would look more appealing and the audience would have a visual understanding of what certain stories are about. Moreover, I could also include an editorial note,as this is common in most professional magazines and it would give an insight of the editor's comments and views of the magazine and also give some information on what the next issue will be be about.

Music Magazine: First Draft of Front Cover

This is a print screen of my first draft of my music magazine front cover, in which I have analysed and considered many ways in which it could be improved. For example, I haven't included many sell lines, therefore I could add a few more so that it would be more appealing to the audience prior to them actually purchasing the magazine. I could also include a puff,which is common in most music magazines; this could make a particular feature of the front cover stand out more than other features. I also need to include the issue number and the date, so that the audience are aware of what issue they are purchasing and the release date of the magazine. Finally, I need to include price and barcode, so that the audience know how much the magazine is and a barcode due to the fact that it is common on all items that are purchased by the audience.

Experimenting with Font Styles

Analysis of Double Page Spread 2

The choice of band featured in the article suggests that the target audience for this magazine are people who have an interest in the rock/heavy metal music genres; this is due to the fact that the band presents themselves with the ‘rock’ look with their long messy hair, beards and the style of clothing.

The article is written in the form of an interview, where fans have asked the band questions and the band answer the questions. The language is somewhat colloquial, in which the band have made use of slang, such as ‘goons’ and ‘no way!’

In this article, the colours used could symbolise different things. The colours used are black, white and green. From looking at the article, the connotations of the black and the green are darkness, rough, monster and rock. On the other hand, the white is a big contrast, where it could symbolise the fact that although they are a rock band, they may still have a soft and nicer side to them, particularly the one on the right, as he is wearing white and is also smiling.

The article makes use of different styles of text, in which they suggest different things. For example the word ‘scarier’ is in a large messy font size; this is for emphasis on the word. In addition, the rest of the text that goes with that quotation is in a smaller font, as it is not as important. Moreover, the interview is in a much smaller yet readable font, in which the questions have been highlighted with a green background.

The double page spread is laid out very clearly, in which there is a large image on the left page of the band, and with a quotation across the bottom; on the right page is the actual interview. The image and the interview are both in proportion, due to the fact that the image takes up a bit of the right page and the quotation takes up the bottom half of the left page.

The sort of tone that the magazine is using when addressing the reader is as though they are close friends. This is for the reason that the ‘interviewees’ have asked some personal questions and the band have answered in an informal way, using some inappropriate language.

The band is presented through the images to the audience with the stereotypical casual ‘rock look’, as they are wearing very casual clothing with beards and long messy hair. By presenting themselves in this way, this suggests that they are the down to earth, stereotypical rock band.

From looking at the front cover, where the double page spread is from, I can see some similarities and some differences. An example of a similarity is that the way the title on the front page and the way the word ‘scarier’ are on the page both look messy and patchy. On the other hand, the colour scheme doesn’t look the same, in which it is hard to identify what magazine the article is from. Overall, they both give off a rock/heavy metal theme, through the way they have been presented and produced.

Before reading the interview, the magazine gives some prior knowledge about the band. For example, what the band have been up to recently, before going into the actual interview.

Analysis of Double Page Spread 1

In this article, there isn’t a specific band that is featured on it. However, the images that are on the article indicate that the target audience are those who are interested and regularly go clubbing/partying; this suggests that these people are very outgoing and fun people. On the other hand, it could also be targeted at those who care and worry about the safety and well being of our planet, as the article is about how clubs are not ‘green’.

In this article, the type of language that is used is very informational, in which it includes statistics, such as, ‘35,000 clubbers will take to the dancefloors…’ The article also includes quotes from people giving their opinions, in which to some extent slang is associated in their speech, for example, ‘if a club doesn’t play cool music, then nobody will go.’

I have noticed that in this article there is a big contrast with the colours. They have made use of bright and bold colours, such as yellow, green, blue, white and red; this is contrasts with the black background. The contrasts of colours suggest that although clubbing may be all fun and enjoyment, in the long run, it is destroying the planet.

The article uses several different styles of text, in which they suggest different things. The title of the article uses a very unusual, funky style, which suggests that the article is going to be about something fun and good. In addition, the first letter of the first sentence of the actual article is also quite groovy, disco looking, which gives the reader a suggestion that the article is going to be good. However the rest of the article is in Arial, which is quite plain and boring, which indicates that the article is dealing with a matter that is quite serious.

The double page spread is laid out in an understandable way for the reader, in which the title is located in the middle of the first page in a big font size; there are a few images on the page also. On the second page, there are more images and some animation; then the actual article is at the bottom of the second page. The majority of the double page spread is taken up by images, in which one and a half pages are used for images; the half of the second page is taken up by the article.

The sort of tone that the magazine is using when addressing the reader, in this article is as though they are a member of an ‘in’ crowd and an informed, intelligent person. This is due to the fact that, the article uses a lot of statistics and that the article would appeal to some people.

The different images on the page are presented to the audience, indicating that they are very fun, happy and cool people.

From looking at the front cover of the magazine, where the article is from, I can see a lot of similarities in the style of both. For example, they both have the same sort of colours incorporated and the font styles are in a way the same. Moreover, the main image on the front cover are two people who look like they are going partying/clubbing and they also look like very fun people; this relates to the article.

Finally, the article doesn’t demand any prior knowledge when reading the article, due to the fact that all the information and knowledge is put into the article already.

Planning a Music Magazine

The target audience for my magazine are going to be young people both male and female between the ages of 14 and 19. I have chosen a wider range for my magazine, so that the majority of young people can buy and read my magazine.

My magazine is going to be based on a variety of music genres, depending on what is favoured most by the target audience, in which a questionnaire will be handed out, so that I can see what is required for me to include in the production. By having a magazine based of a variety of music genres, it is more likely that the magazine will appeal to a wider audience.

An issue of my magazine will come out fortnightly. This is due to the fact that there will be stories and gossip in the music world coming out very often; therefore the magazine should produce an issue as often as possible. However, I have decided to release an issue every fortnight, because some of the reader’s may not be able to purchase or afford a copy every week, as they are still young and not working. My magazine will cost approximately £1.50; this is due to the fact that every issue will be packed with the latest from the music world yet the price is considerably good for young people to buy.

The magazine is going to be a glossy magazine, due to the fact that a glossy magazine stands out and looks more appealing than a newspaper; I want my magazine to stand out more than other selling magazines.

Questionnaire Results

Questionnaire

Preliminary Task: Contents Page

This is a print screen of the contents page of ‘The Bishop Star’, in which I also created using Adobe Illustrator CS3. From looking at the page, straight away I can identify ways in which it could be improved. For example, the page lacks images, in which I could add some images to make it look more interesting and eye catching. Although the page is similar to the front cover, I could also make use of bold colours to make it more appealing to the eye. Moreover, I could make use of more than one font, as I have only used one or two fonts; this makes the page look somewhat boring. In addition, I could add more pages into the magazine, as I have only got 17 pages in the magazine, according to the contents page.

Preliminary Task: Front Cover

This is a print screen of a magazine front cover called ‘The Bishop Star’, which I have created for sixth formers at Bishop Challoner. I will be explaining how I produced the magazine and pointing out ways, in which it could be improved. For the production of my magazine, I used Adobe Illustrator CS3; I also used Adobe Photoshop CS3 for the editing of images. I made use of a variety of tools such as, magnetic tool, marquee tool, magic wand and type tool. Furthermore, from looking at the magazine, I can see that there are several ways in which it could be improved. For example, the main image looks quite normal and plain, in which I could airbrush the image to make it look more appealing. Moreover, I think that the colours used on my magazine are not very bold, therefore does not make the front cover stand out at all; this could easily be improved by using bold colours so that it would appeal to the target audience more. Also, I could add some ‘puffs’ and some ‘buzz words’ to make the magazine look more professional and appealing to the reader.

Analysis of Contents Page 2

From looking at the magazine, I can see that it has made use of several images, in which they relate to certain pieces of text on the page. They have been constructed so that the text is either on, beside or underneath the image; some of the images have been edited in which graphic features have been used. For example they either have a border, or have been tilted to make the page look more interesting. Another graphic feature has been used for the background of the date, in which it looks like a scrunched up piece of paper. From looking at the page, I assume that the magazine is mainly about the rock/indie genres, as the people on the page look somewhat scruffy and rough, in which these are connotations of the genres mentioned. This indicates that the intended audience for this magazine are those who have an interest in the rock/indie genres; also maybe have the rock/indie style in the way they dress.

The colours that have been made use of are red, yellow, black, white, orange and blue. The use of the colour yellow to make certain words stand out is noticeable. On the other hand, they have made use of a variety of colours that stand out; however, I think that they have used too many colours, in which too much is going on; the reader will not know where to look first. I have also noticed that there is more than two font styles used, which adds to the confusion that the reader will not know where to look first.

Furthermore, the main information is organised so that it takes up the right side of the page, in which they are then organised into different sections. The different sections are ‘News’, ‘Radar’, ‘Features’, ‘Reviews’, ‘Live!’ and ‘Gig guide’; each section is in a different colour, so that it is more visible to the reader. This indicates that this magazine is organised and easy to read to some extent.

Moreover, the logo for the magazine is located at the top left of the page, however is not as dominant as the image in the centre of the page. A promotional feature is located at the bottom of the page, in which it promotes the magazine itself.


Finally, the overall style and colour scheme is incorporated throughout the page, in which it makes the page more easy and understandable to read. On the other hand, the use of more than three colours makes the page look somewhat messy, in which it confuses the reader, as they won’t know where to look first.

Analysis of Contents Page 1

The magazine makes use of several different images. They have been constructed to fit the page, in which they are quite large and stand out more on the page than the text. From looking at the page, I assume that the magazine is specifically about the rock genre; therefore the target audience for this particular magazine would be those who have an interest in rock type music.

The main colours used on this contents page are black and yellow with a white background. The use of these particular colours make the text stand out. The use of a white background allows the text to stand out dramatically, as they have used a very bright colour, yellow, for the text, in which all of the yellow text has a black border/background. Also, the text that is in a small font size is in black, which indicates that it isn’t as important as the text that is big, bold and bright. The colours and font styles don’t really relate to the style on the front page, due to the fact that the front page makes use of a different colour scheme than the contents page; the fonts used on both pages are different.

The information is organised in an understandable way; the reader knows where to look. At the top is the editor’s section; then on the right side is the contents and on the left there are images that relate to something in the magazine, which the page number and what it is about is located above, under or on the image. On the bottom right of the page is a promotional offer. The way the page is organised indicates that there is going to be a lot of images with text, which means that it will be easy, understandable and interesting to read.

There aren’t really any graphical features used to draw the reader’s attention which is a downfall, as makes the page look quite boring and not very attractive to the reader’s eye.
The logo of the magazine isn’t placed anywhere on the page. From what I can see, there aren’t any other franchises being promoted on the page.

The overall style of the page relates to the front cover, as they both have a rock type of vibe through the images and text.

The Evolution of Britney Spears 3

This image has been chosen so that the reader can look deeply into her eyes, in which you can sense sadness, in which the use of black and white is significant, as it demonstrates that she is in a period of her life that is not going too well. The image has been cropped to fit her face onto the whole of the front cover, in which her facial features are the main focus, in particular her eyes.

The type of relationship Britney wants with the audience is a close relationship, in which she can bond with the reader and talk to them about her troubles.

The Evolution of Britney Spears 2

The image has been cropped to focus on the top half of her body and framed to focus on her, as she stands out dramatically from the background and the rest of the image. The type of shot that has been used is a medium long shot, which indicates that she is a young woman who is not so vulnerable anymore and has somewhat matured, because the reader is looking straight at her, rather than looking at her from a superior point of view.

She is wearing white and pink frilly underwear, whilst she holds a white shirt against her chest. She is posing between two walls, in which she places her hands against one wall and rests the bottom half on the other wall. From the costume and pose, she is proposing that the type of relationship she wants with the reader is somewhat up close and personal.

The setting that is used is a white backdrop and two very close white walls. The connotations of this are purity, innocence, closeness, these suggest that she is still innocent, although her costume does not agree with her innocence and it also indicates that she wants a close relationship with the reader.

High key lighting has been used to create shadows, particularly on Britney’s body to emphasize certain areas. It allows her to stand out from everything else, in which the lighting is focused on her, as you can see that there are shadows in the backdrop.

The colours that are used are black, white, red, purple and blue. The black, red, purple and blue colours suggest quite dark and a somewhat negative vibe. In contrast to this, the white sends out a positive, bright and pure vibe. The contrasts between the colours indicate that there are two sides to Britney, a good and a bad side.

The Evolution of Britney Spears 1

The image has been cropped to make the reader focus on the top half of her body, in which part of the legs have been taken off and the image has been enlarged. The type of shot that is used is the high angle shot, in which the reader looks down on her, which therefore implies that she is young and vulnerable. The type of magazine this is typical of is that of which attracts the male audience, particularly those who are interested in her music; the image attracts them to the magazine.

Britney is wearing a white shirt that is open, revealing her chest area, in which she is wearing a black bra and she is also wearing white knicker shorts with a bow and black dots. The top half of her costume suggests that she is a young woman, whereas the bottom half suggests that she is still a girl, due to the fact that her clothing looks as though it is something that a teen girl would wear. This would particularly appeal to the male audience, due to the fact that they would be attracted to this sort of thing.

Britney is using two props that suggest very different things. The first prop is a teletubby bear, in which it indicates that she is somewhat still a baby/child. The second prop is a telephone and this could suggest two different things; it could be that she is a teenage girl on the phone to her boyfriend or something, or it could imply that she is a woman working in an office on the phone.
The settings of this image are a pink silk cloth, a bed. The connotations of this are girly, warm, innocent lust and passion.

The intertextual references that are being made are, ‘Inside the heart, mind & bedroom of a teen dream’. This suggests that she is innocent in some ways and quite sexual in other ways.
The colours used are black, pink, white, grey and purple. These colours have been used to portray innocence, love, purity, femininity.

Analysis of Front Cover 2

The main image/model of the magazine are looking as though they are looking directly at you; this is also known as direct mode of address. Also, the image is a mid-shot, which you can notice that the majority of magazines use a mid-shot image for the front cover, to show the majority of the body; to also allow readers to actually see the model’s face. Whereas, if a long shot was used for a front cover, then the models face would be less visible. Moreover, she is wearing a white/ pink costume which goes with the anchorage text, ‘BEYONCE’, in which she stands out on the page.

From looking at the front cover, the reader is able to identify where and what the title is, due to the fact that it is in the largest font size. It also stands out the most on the page, as it uses a bold colour, red; therefore can be identified as the title. Also, the ‘Q’ has a shadow behind it, which is used for emphasis.

The slogan for this magazine is placed at the top of the magazine; is used to attract readers. For this magazine, they have used the word ‘SPECIAL’ to attract the attention of the target audience. In addition, the sell lines are used to attract and persuade the audience into buying the magazine; they often use words of exaggeration such as ‘EXCLUSIVE!’ Puffs are more than often found on every type of magazine, which it can be identified as a circular shape with information inside of it, in which it is used to attract readers; it is usually related to something that the reader’s can keep.

The colours used are black, white and red. The black and white are not as dominant as the red, in which it allows the title and the puff to stand out, as they both have red incorporated in it. The barcode is located on the side and is quite small, due to the fact that it isn’t used to attract or do anything for the reader, in which bold colours have not been used.

The overall style of the page is very simple, in which they have incorporated a few colours and one bold colour to make certain areas stand out more than others. Also, the use of one font makes the page more understandable and not too messy.

Analysis of Front Cover 1

From looking at the front cover, I can see that this is a music magazine, as it has a music artist on the front. Also the title hints that it is a music magazine. I think that the target audience of this magazine would be teenagers aged between 13-18, as Chris Brown would appeal to that age group the most, due to the fact that he himself is a teenager.

The main image uses direct mode of address, in which Chris Brown is somewhat looking straight into the eyes of the reader. In addition, his head overlaps the majority of the title, which suggests that he is the main focus of the front cover and possibly the whole magazine. Chris Brown is on the front cover, for the reason that he is well known and would attract the target audience for this magazine.
The anchorage text states that the main image is that of Chris Brown; the text is a rhetorical question, in which this technique makes the reader want to read the magazine, as the answer would definitely be inside. The use of italic writing emphasizes the word ‘that’ suggests that it is one of the main focuses of the text. Also the way the name of the artist as the main image is larger than the rest of the text, in which it is the second largest font size on the whole of the front cover, which suggests that it is the second most important feature on the page.
The message that the artist is giving the target audience is that he is laid back, very open and keeping his image cool.

The design of the title block indicates that the magazine is a cool, young and fresh magazine, due to the fact that the style of writing somewhat looks youthful.
The title of the magazine tells us that the readership of the magazine is young people, as I don’t think that older people would want to read a magazine called ‘VIBE’. It also gives us a young and fresh outlook on what the magazine is all about.

The puffs suggest that the magazine will contain subjects that are hip pop/R&B music related; this tells us that the type of audience the magazine want to attract are those who favour the hip pop and R&B music genres. The use of colour to emphasize certain words such as ‘CDs ARE DEAD’, ‘30’ and ‘MEGA MUSIC’, advocate that they are important and or the main focuses of the texts. The main colours used are red, white, green, yellow and black, in which I find these colours quite attractive as they are bold, bright and stand out. Moreover, I have noticed that the main image of Chris Brown relates to the colour scheme, as he is wearing a red top and red is the colour that stands out the most, in which it allows him to stand out.