Minor Images for Double page spread

Progress: Incomplete: Photo shoot

These are just photos that I have taken in preparation for my double page spread. It is not a definate decision over the photos, as I feel they should possibly go for a upbeat rocky idea instead. These images would be very small, down the right-hand side of my second page, and would be used for the gig reviews/album review (undecided). The photo of the reviewee would have a small statement beneath with their verdict.

Double-Page Spread Research: Kerrang Magazine

After carrying out some research into double-page spreads, this is a definite favourite that I found. I feel the composition is really well displayed, and the main image on the left page highlights the band, if 'MCR' wasn't a big enough indication. The colour scheme works really well, as the red text stands out against the black and white images. This technique would be really effective for my double-page spread, as it follows the same format that I have chosen for my magazine. 

My Final design: Music Magazine Contents Page

Progress: Complete

I have since included an arrow, instructing the reader to turn to a particular page. I feel this is an effective and useful item to use as it is helpful for the reader, suggests that there are interesting features to read and it also adds more colour and interest for the page. I also included the date that the magazine will be distributed as this is useful for the reader and was included on most popular music magazines: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvpeeZziPc1hh-YoR4VgCBo4OobsPv3lvnJ2VdUMCDHBuJJgdjJuiaF6YEclpcdVn5MowZl9TaHRNzR61DBL_yU0LzUhY0-hR_wPybwmNznQfu5iljQp-FEUjh612asVbtvb8mF2UxKWk/s400/q+contents.jpg
Overall, I am very pleased with my contents page. I am particularly happy with my simplisitic format and the clear divisions for my composition. It is clear where to look, and I feel this is particularly useful for a contents page, as these are used so you know where to find features etc in the magazine, therefore a simple format is needed for ease. I included lines in my contents page, as this helped to divide the page up and add to the simplistic format. Lines are also seen on popular magazines, which is good connotations for my magazine.

Audience Feedback:

Positives:
+ I like how the images are on one side and the text on the other
+ Interesting and appropriate photos used
+ Easy to read
+ Really effective use of another issue for the subscription
+ The subscription article in grey highlights it compared to the rest of the page
+ Looks good how the central line goes through 'Alt-Wave', as if representing the divide of different styles of rock
+ The angled small issue image for subscription, very realistic and draws attention to the image

Negatives:
- Arrow looks very slightly pink instead of red
.............
But NO OTHERS?! Wow...

Contents Page Progress

Progress: Incomplete

This is the image I created for my 'subscription' article. I made this as on a subscription article, it is idealised and also useful to include small image of another magazine produced by the magazine company. Therefore, I felt I could not use the front cover I have created so far for my project. I decided to manipulate my front cover further, by changing the copy and sell-lines. I am pleased with this, as it adds to the professional appearance of my magazine, and is similar to that of other magazines of this genre.

Contents Page Progress

Progress: Incomplete This is my magazine contents page so far. It follows the structure of sketch 1 I designed, as this was a simplistic design and follows a similar simple composition of my front cover. I like the simple design, as this is the composition of what other magazines of my genre use. The simple layout for my contents page means I can easily emphasise key, popular articles and features I feel are important and would appeal more to my audience. Also, as a contents page, I feel a simple structure is the most effective, and should be used, as the main use of a contents page is to read to see what the magazi ne contains; therefore, if I were to use a more complicated and graphical contents page, it may not be very clear and easy to read for the reader. I have continued to follow the colour scheme of black, red and white, which adds to the professionalism of the overall appearance of my magazine. The photos I used cover one third of my page, which I feel is a good proportion as, personally- and from my research, I found the most effective contents pages had more text than image. I have used a 'subscribe' article, in order to enhance the sales of my magazine for frequent readers of 'Alt-wave'. I have also included a 'band index' article which was not part of my original plan in the sketch. However, I feel it works well for my contents page, as it is appropriate, adds to the appearance, and would also be a convenient and useful index for the readers. For each subheading, I put them in black boxes, highlighting the different sections and what the magazine entails. Finally, I used red numbering for each article, as this highlights to the reader that the magazine contains many enjoyable articles to read.

Photoshoot:

These are six images I took for my contents page. I varied the mise-en-scene to make the different bands seem more realistic, and the mise-en-scene for the background also represents each of the different bands. For example, the woods represent the 'Decode' music video by the band 'Paramore', and the brick background represents the london background that 'Kay-Ell' have. In the four images of the girls, I used a spotlight to give the shot a professional look, similar to that of other popular magazines. I am very happy with this photo shoot for the minor images of my contents page.

Contents Page Sketches

These are the two sketches I have designed for my music magazine contents page. They both follow the same layout of having a large, main image on the left of the page. I chose to use this idea as from the research I carried out into existing music magazine contents pages, the majority of the most successful pages used this layout. In both sketches, they include additional photos, which I would take of 'bands' from the 80's, 90's and today. However, these would be taken in a photoshoot I am soon to be carrying out. Similar to this, my main image for both of these would use an individual from a rock band, holding a microphone. The expression of my copy I will have to decide during the photoshoot as during my previous photoshoot my subject went through a trial of different expressions, as the original idea did not work. Despite this, I would like my copy to connote the idea of a 'rocky' energy, excitement and slight rebellion, typical of my genre of alternative rock music.

After much deliberation, I have chosen my second sketch. I feel this would suit my magazine better, as it is a simpler than the first, which then makes it similar to my front cover, as this also follows a simple composition. In the first sketch, I tried using a masthead I found whilst researching, that I felt worked well. But after sketching this, I now feel it is not appropriate for my magazine. As my masthead for the front cover follows a simple style, on one line, using this vastly different masthead would not mean it did not match, and mean it did not look as professional. I also like the idea of a 'subscription' advertisement for my magazine, as this helps to promote my magazine further to readers, and adds to the professionalism. For the features column, the numbers will be large, meaning they stand out from the page and means it is also attractive.

Finished Music Magazine Front Cover

This is my final magazine cover that I have edited and manipulated using Photo shop. I used my audience feedback to help perfect my front cover. I put many constructive comments to use, as you can see, such as the Paramore sell-lines and the enlarged word 'The' sell-line. Hopefully now my audience would be more satisfied with my cover as I have encorporated different views other than my own.
Overall, I am very pleased with this as a music magazine front cover, and feel it is very successful. I feel without designing a school magazine front cover, this project so far would not have been as successful, in particular my skills on photoshop. Practising taking photos for the school magazine front cover also enabled me to get a greater understanding for the effectiveness, focusing on the angles, lighting, distance, eye contact etc.The areas I am most pleased with are the shot itself. I like how the copy is centralised in the page, with the copy's arm and guitar dividing the page further. The shadow created from the spotlight works really well, as I feel it adds to the professionalism of the photo, whilst casting a the light across his face which enhances it, meaning it stands out to the reader. I also feel the spotlight works well as it gives perspective to the copy, as the copy's clothing is brigher nearer his face and masthead, which again enables the reader to be drawn to the key areas of the front cover. The images i used were photos I had taken from a previous gig, therefore the quality of these are not fantastic; in particular the image of Josh Franceschi which is slightly yellowed in colour. I tried to use Photo shop to manipulate the image, however, in the end I felt the image in more-or-less its original state works best as it also goes with the black-red-gold theme I have used.