Double Spread Page Update

Since my last update I have made several changes to my double spread page. Firstly, I have changed the main image and article around so that now the model is looking off into the distance. This makes the picture more visually interesting for the reader and allows them to ask questions about the musician that they could not before. I have also created a gap in which I am going to insert a quote from the article. The title of the article is spread across the one page and I might change it so that it stretches across it both pages. The problem with this is that there would be less room for the article if I did this and I don't really want to cut off any of the questions midway. The stand first will need to be changed as it is difficult to read. I tried out several different font colours and this was the most visible- it will most likely need a black background like on the front cover or it will remain difficult to read. I switched the order of the smaller photos and I think they now blend together a lot better. I like the contrast; one has a blue tinge, one had a brown. My next step would be to add in the final details, such as the page numbers and magazine logo to add authenticity. I am considering adding in some of the brand identity stars, though I'm not sure where they would fit in and if they did, whether it would make the page look cluttered.

Front Cover Update

Since my last update I have added a background to my banner as I had considered, because it makes the text look clearer. I am going to add in some sort of free offer into the red/brown circle below it, but I'm not sure what it will be offering yet. I could either fit a lot of small text into it or a very small amount in a large font. I am thinking the latter because then I could include the word 'Free' in a large font which would be an incentive to buy for the readers. I have started a list of artists at the bottom which are broken up by red and blue stars. I want to use this as a sort of brand identity, incorporated throughout the magazine and used instead of bullet points. I am using the same font throughout for most of the writing so that all the pages are linked in the magazine. I have added a bar code and when I did, the cover immediately looked more authentic. I placed it on the far right which is common on all types of magazines. After trying the tagline at the bottom left and right, I put it above the masthead as it fitted perfectly in the gap between the 'P' and 'D' of the masthead. As in many magazines, I have placed the date and issue number right at the top and kept it a dark colour so as not to cover the feathers of the mask in the picture. I didn't want to attract attention away from the rest of the text on the page. My next step would be to fill in the coverlines and add in the final details such as the brand identity of the stars.

Contents page update

Since my last update, I have mostly focused on inserting text and choosing the best font for each purpose. I added in the title of the fictional artists album but have yet to decide which image I should use for the album art. I inserted all the artiles and filled in all the page numbers, which took me a long time as I had to work out how long each article would be and where about it would fit in the magazine. I inserted the dotted background behind 'regulars' and 'on this weeks cover' which is the same I used on the banner on the front page. This is a style I want to run through the entire magazine. I added in an editorial to make it look more professional and I am looking for an appropriate font for the editor's signature and I want to add in some pictures in the space above. I was planning to add in a section about magazine subscription but I can only fit a certain amount it. If I designed several different covers, I could include more pictures but at the same time, include a subscription section. 

Double Spread Page Update

I have started my double spread page design by inserting the images and the interview so I could get a feel of how it was going to look. I inserted the text and images in a very basic way but put the text in collums, unlike my initial designs where it was in one block. I like the idea of have a large picture on the one page but I could make the two pages overlap by stretching the title across both pages. I am considering reversing the order of the article and the main image because, even though it's effective as the model looks like she's reading the article, it might be more effective to have her looking into the distance as it makes the reader think more about the picture. I also may reverse the order of the two smaller pictures as they meet in the middle by the collision of the model's hand and the record, and it may look better if they meet with blank space so blend more. Im not yet sure what to do with the blank space at the bottom of the article- I could perhaps put a quote there but move the article down so the quote is more in the centre. My next step would be to arrange the images so I am satisfied and then the extra bits of info such as the main title and the standfirst. I may put the standfirst above the article or on the opposite page below the title. The page looks a bit like I've thrown everything on at the moment and I will have to make changes to make it look more professional.

Contents Page Update

This is the first update of the final contents page for my music magazine. The first thing I have done is insert the columns for the regular features and the articles mentioned on the front cover. I inserted the information on the article for my double spread page as a starting point and the artists name where the album cover is going to be. I then inserted the heading for the different aspects of the magazine but I need to think of two more headings to fill the space. I have placed black backing behind the text as this links in with the front cover and double spread, where I have also done this. This makes it look part of the brand identity. I know what page number the double spread is going to be on so I inserted that number as a reference point. I need to make the contents title a little more interesting and eye catching and I might move it more off centre. I could leave the background behind it blank or add in a pattern to make it more eye catching. I might insert and image into the blank space, though I have been considering including an editorial there instead. My next step would be to fill the blank space and insert the main body of text.

Front cover update

I have started my final design for my magazine cover. So far I have added the masthead (I choose a different font in the end from Dafont.com, as the one I had previously chosen didn't seem suitable) and a banner which mentions the featured artist. I am thinking about leaving the banner as I think it looks effective already. If I was to change it I would maybe put a darker background around it so it is clear and is visible over the photo. I also need to decided whether I want the tagline above or below the masthead. I like the feathers of the mask at the top of the page so am weary of putting anything over the top, so as not to ruin the image. I experimented with several different colours for the masthead before settling on white- partly because it was the most visible but also because it contrasts well with the colour of the model's hair. To get the masthead to sit behind the model's mask but not behind her head, I used Photoshop to erase the parts of the letters that covered the front of her hair. I wanted to re-edit the photo so that the hair colouring was neater but that would mean I would have to edit the mast head again and it took me a long time to do. The errors are not that visible so I think I will leave it as it is. The image I used was not one of the original ones that I edited but after trying out several, they were not suitable so I edited some alternate ones.

Designs Update

The colouring and the fonts are exactly right yet but I will have to tweak them on my home computer. I have chosen these three out of all my layouts as I think they are the most effective. I have added some detail such as page numbers etc. so I can get a general idea of how my magazine will look. I will most likely take these details off when I start my real magazine and add them on at the end. I will not be using the mast head font shown here as I do not think it is suitable.

Contents Page Initial Designs

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I have designed three different layouts for my music magazine contents page. I have done so very basically so I can see where everything might go without being distracted by lots of text on the page.

1.) I think this is my best layout as it is clear and the text and images are at an diagonal, making it interesting to look at. I would like to include a CD cover of some kind and this would not take much designing as I would need a basic image and an unusual font, the latter of which, I could find on the internet. I could use an image from my photoshoot as an album cover and the album could be the musicians that it featured. The small box in the top right could be where my magazine logo goes and it could be in the same place on each page.

2.) I like this layout the least as I think it looks the least professional. Everything looks a bit squashed and I imagine that as I included more detail, it would look too cluttered. The images down each side would have to be small to fit in the slim gap which would mean they would be too small to see the detail. I also think the contents would looked strange just stuck in the middle of the page and it would look a lot better to the side. If I was to have the images down each side, I could design it so it looked like the negatives of old photographs- adding to the vintage look of the magazine.

3.) I've kept the top of the contents page the same throughout as I have decided that is where the magazine logo is going. I like this layout as the text and images are broken up which makes it easy to look at. I think that maybe the contents box is too big, considering there is also a separate box for reviews and competitions and I'm not sure what I would fill it with. I could make the contents box smaller so that I could include another image. Having a lot of images would make the magazine more believable as it gives an impression of size and how many articles are featured.



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Front Cover initial ideas

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I have designed three front cover layouts for my music magazine. I added the background colour as this is the colour I have decided to use in my final magazine. I included the barcode which made it seem more athentic and allowed me to visualise the magazine. 

1.) The first layout design is not particually conventional as it consists of a set area for coverlines and two images, one underneath the other. This goes against the convention of one large image with the coverlines over the top. I don't think this design is suitable as I think there is a convention for a reason; it looks a lot more professional and if you go against it in the way my layout does, it becomes cluttered and unorganised. I like the layout of the masthead and the tagline in this design and I think that is what I will be sticking with. I also like the idea of listing the bands at the bottom as it leaves room for articles in the coverlines- this way I still get to attract my readers through the big music names. 

2.) This design is simple yet I think it's the one which is the most like the way I visilise my magazine. If I could change something it would be to put the tagline above the masthead rather than below it. I could have the masthead behind part of the image to make the picture look slightly three dimentional. The font I used on this layout is different and I don't really like the way it looks. I think I need to makes some changes to make the layout more interesting because at the moment, it is a bit plain.

3.) For this design, I put the masthead at the bottom rather than the top and I like the way it looks as it is non-conventional, but the page as a whole still holds many conventions, such as a large main image with the coverlines either side. There is rooms for a large image as well as a good amount of infomation above it. I think that instead of one large image, I could have four related ones together to make up a square. If I had pictures of the same artists pulling different facial expressions, or wearing different clothes in each one, this could be quite effective. 

Double spread initial designs

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I have designed three different layouts for my double spread page. I designed them in a simple way with indicators of where things might go so that I can get an idea without things becoming cluttered.

1.) This is the most simple of the three designs and consists of one main image that stretches across the two pages, along with a title and extra bits of info such as a quote. I think this is the weakest layout design as it immediately presents a problem; the text would be difficult to read because of the image in the background and the image would be difficult to see because of the text. If I could not find the appropriate font colour, I would have to mount the text on a coloured background which would obscure the image further. I do like the position of the title as it just slightly overlaps the opposite page and the quote being randomly placed within the article is an idea I'd like to use.

2.) I like this layout as the text and the images are clearly separated and so both can be seen. However, I don't think it is ideal layout to showcase an individual artists as there would not be room for a large close up of their face- I therefore think the layout is more suitable for a feature of a band as it could show a long shot of all the members. The quotation would be in the middle of the article and be interesting so that when the reader opened the page, it would be the first thing they saw. The title is large and clear although it would be better if it was on the left hand side because of the direction the reader turns the page- they would see the title first if it was on the left. The extra info at the bottom would be facts about the artist or something unrelated in the rest of the magazine.

3.) This is my favorite of the layouts and I inserted the article so I could get a clearer picture of what it would look like. I like that there is space for a large image of the artist which means the reader gets a better look at them but also room for another, long shot of them. The text would need to be ordered into collums as at the moment, it looks a bit plain and would put people off trying to read it. The title is large but would not obscure the main image and there is also room for a standfirst underneath. I think this will be the layout I use but I might try switching the picture and article the other way around.

Photo Editing: Hair colour change

On all of my pictures I edited the hair colour of the model to be more vibrant, making the pictures stand out. To do this I used Adobe Photoshop CS2.

1.) I first selected the paintbrush tool and chose the appropriate size to get accurate detail in the colouring. I then pressed 'Q' to create a mask over the hair and covered the area with this tool, pressing 'Q' for a second time once finished.

2.) I inversed the outline I had just created and then made a new fill layer, choosing a main colour and making the overlay softer so that it blended with the rest of the photo.

3.) I experimented with different colours to find one that suited the picture best and the chose the correct shade.

4.) Finally I adjusted the colour balance and used the selective colour option to make the red hair more vibrant and eye catching.

Photos before editing

I decided to upload the results of my photo shoot before I edited them so that the before and after can be seen. I will not use all of these images as I have decided I need one for the main cover, two for the contents page and three or four for the double spread page.

1.)I like the pose that my model is in in this photo although she is not looking at the camera so it would not be suitable as a cover image. The clothing she is wearing is bright and colourful and the mask is suitably theatrical and vintage. The image does create the question of what she is looking at which may make the reader think more about the image but if it was used, it would have to be used on either the contents page or the double spread as a smaller image.

2.) This image is of my model in action as she plays the piano and this definitely is not suitable for my cover image as there is not eye contact and the image isn't particularly interesting. I think the main problem is that you can't actually see that she is playing an instrument so it is unclear as to what she is doing. If is was to be included, it would be a very small image on the double spread page.

3.) I like this image as it is natural and shows the model's personality. She is not posing but just being herself allows her to connect with the reader and for them to empathise with her. It makes her look real and humanises her as a musician. The record and guitar are still present so the music references can still be see. This is not suitable for the front cover but may be used as a smaller image on either the contents page or double spread page.

4.) I like this picture as it is humorous and again, allows the reader to connect with the model. She is not looking at the camera so this would not be suitable for the cover image and I'm not really sure that the props used are appropriate. It does, however, show that the musician has quirky side.

5.) I really like the use of space in this picture. The model is on the far right with a black wall to the left. This lets the reader think about the image more and question it, rather than her being central. This is a possible candidate for the cover image as the model is looking directly at the camera, allowing her to connect with the audience and it shows off her personality and style (the guitar shows she is a musician and the mask and clothes she's wearing show off her quirky personal style. I also like the shadow of the guitar pegs as it makes it look like there are mulitple pegs. The fact that the model is looking out from being the mask makes her seems mysterious and the reader will want to know more.

6.) I really like the pose the model is in as she looks as if she's looking at something out of sight, which would make the reader think. The guitar strings and neck are only visible which also makes the reader have to look closely to make out what she's holding. This could be used as the cover image even though there is no eye contact as the image itself is interesting enough. I could also have the coverlines running down the neck of the guitar which would be eye catching and encourage the reader to look closer.

7.) I may use this photo as my main cover photo as the pose is interesting, there is a retro music related prop and the model is making good eye contact. She is also making a 'shush' gesture with her finger as if to say 'quiet and listen to the music.' The pose also makes her seem mysterious and makes the reader ask questions. The space is used well in this picture as there is still a good amount of blank wall visable (again, the model is focused to one side.) The reflections of light on the record are also effective and I could empathise this light when I edit the pictures.

8.) This picture would not be suitable for the front cover as it does not show the model's face and is quite a simple image. It would not raise many questions for the reader and would look quite plain. The amount of space surrounding her would be good as I would have a lot of room to include cover lines but the image isn't interesting enough to be featured. I could have it as the main or one of the smaller images on my double spread page though I would much rather it be used in a different way. I could offer it as a free poster to readers or use it as a cover for one of my artists albums. Even though it is not interesting enough to make the cover, it would be absract and interesting as an album cover.

9.) I don't think anything about this picture shows that the model is a musician and the props may confuse readers if this was featured on the front cover. Even though there is eye contact, the photo is too simple and uninteresting. I also think that the photo is too close to the model's face and there would be little space to include coverlines without blocking over her.

10.) I really like this picture as it shows all the music-related props. The picture is a long shot so it would be best used on the double spread page. I could use it spread across both pages and then overlay the interview (this may be difficult to see so I must consider visibility.) If I decide instead to use several images instead, I could offer this image as a free poster as it would be idea poster size.

Edited Photoshoot Pictures

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I carried out a photoshoot and took the necessary images for my magazine cover, contents page and double page spread. I have edited them but still need to make some adjustments before putting them on the final pages. These are the pictures I will most likely use on my final design although I took a lot more than these images to make sure I had the right shots. To edit these photos, I used Adobe Photoshop CS2.

1.) This first image would be perfect as a free poster or if I wanted a single image spread across the whole double spread page as I could overlay the interview. I think the colour of her hair really goes with the warm orange glow of the picture. To do this, I increased the contrast and then brought up the colour balance on yellow. 

2.) Even though the model is too the side, the main focus is still on her face. To do this I darkened the photo and then used the lens correction tool so that the light was in a circle on her face. This makes the photo look as if it is in the process of zooming in. I changed the hair colour but instead of darkening the photo to make it fully red, I kept it slightly orange so as to not loose the lens correction effect.

3.) I haven't edited the hair colour of this photo as I'm not sure I will use it yet. I do like the angle and I have darkened it so the objects and model are more in focus, but I don't know where it would fit in my magazine.

4.) I have again used the lens correction tool to distort this image and I really like the effect it has created; a circle of light surrounded by a blue darkeness. The circle of light perfectly complements the circular record. The blue effect (achieved by putting up the blue colour balance) makes the light that shines on the record brighter and in focus. The blue effect also makes the picture look more vintage and aged. 

5.) I have edited the hair to make it bright red (explained on my video tutorial) and after seeing how effective this looked, I changed the hair colour on all the photos. I corrected the focus so that the guitar string and neck because more vibrant and, like most of the photos, added a blue tingle for the retro look.

6.)This is perhaps my favorite. It has all the same features as photo 4 but the model's face is visable. The light is hitting off the record and you can also see the model's hand reflected. The hair colour mask is the neatest of all the photo's as, unlike some of the others, I have not gone over the edges.