Final Music Magazine

I have decided to upload my final front cover, content page and double page spread onto PhotoPeach.

Feedback from the class

Last lesson we had a feedback lesson were our front covers, content pages and double page spreads were on the board and we were told to fill in a sheet of feedback to other people in the classes covers, content pages and double page spreads. Overall, the feedback that I have received from some classmates is very positive. This states that I have a clear understanding of the codes and conventions of a typical indie rock magazine. The target audience my classmates thought the magazine for was correct as this is what I was aiming for. I have looked at the comments of improvement on my magazines and decided to leave the improvements as I thought that the double page spread was a lot like a typical magazines. Other than the critical comments, my classmates have said that I have a clear development of technical skills but they do not elaborate on what are the technical skills that I have used.

Development of double page spread

I have started my double page spread by putting it in an A3 size. Then, I made a line and inserted it in the middle of the page splitting it into two pages. I have evolved from my first design of my double page spread I did and done a different design of my double page spread. I changed the design of it because I looked back to the double page spreads I have analysed and they didn't look the same way I designed it, so I decided to change my idea. I have put the model on the left hand side of the double page spread because I looked at the magazines I analysed, Q, NME and Kerrang!, and their artists/bands were on the left hand side of the double page spread. I put in the artists name 'Cara Young' on the right hand side of the page, as that is where most of the artists/bands name are, just above the main article on the artist. I have put the logo on the top right hand corner as I saw Q magazine do it, but theirs was on the bottom right hand corner. I have also included the numbers of the pages at the bottom of the page, one next to the model and one on the right hand corner. I decided to use this photograph of the model as this one worked the best for the double page spread. I had to make the background white to make it blend in more with the double page spread.

I have included my stand first for the article just under the name of the artist. I have used the same layout as NMEs double page spread of The Vaccines. I tried to make the stand first as appealing to the readers by putting in a rhetorical question. Under the stand first I have typed up my actual article. I have put them into columns as the magazines I analysed mainly used columns on their double page spreads, I inserted a line between them separating the two paragraphs. I made the first letters of the two paragraphs bigger and in a different colour as I saw NME do it, and I thought that it was very effective as to drawing the readers into it and want to read the article about this artist.  

In the big space I left just above the second paragraph, I have inserted a 'band quote' that the artist had said in the article. I have put in this specific quote because I wanted to draw the readers into the article, they may be curious as to why she has said that. Another reason is that she could be reaching out to her youthful fans, she could be their inspiration as to say that 'she doesn't need anyone to make her successful.' 

Development of my content page

 I have started off by adding titles onto my content page and the image of The Vaccines that I will briefly talk about. I have used the NME content page that I analysed as inspiration to create my own content page. I have included a band index that NME uses but I have changed 'band index' to band list. The black box on the bottom will be used for a advert for the readers to subscribe to the magazine. On the right hand side I have divided the content by putting in different titles to make it easier for the reader to find what they want.  

I have included my first content onto my content page under the title 'news'. Beside the names of the artists that I will include in my magazine I have made a shape that says 'on the cover' to make it clear for the reader to find what they saw on the cover, the reason they got the magazine, and read the story. I have put the page numbers on the left hand side of the artists names so that readers can find the specific page. I have put in a brief sentence to tell the readers what the article on their favourite artist/band will be about. 

    I have included the rest of the content, I have included bands names that I haven't mentioned on the cover to make it look like I have not only spoke about the feature stories that were on the cover. Under the 'features' title, I have put information on the front cover story of Cara Young. Underneath the features I have also included a 'plus' section to show other stuff that will be in the magazines which readers may like to read about. 

I have included my brief paragraph on the gig that The Vaccines played at the peel back in December. I have got the inspiration to do this from the NME content page I have analysed. I have also filled in the black rectangle at the bottom page and I have put in an advert for readers to subscribe to the magazine, and offered a deal for it as well. I have also got inspiration for this from NME.

Lastly, I have included a band list on the left hand side. I got the inspiration from NME, as they always include a 'band index' in their magazines.  I have listed as many indie rock bands as I could think of, I have also researched indie rock bands to include online. I added different page numbers on the side, for the readers to find the specific band they want to read about easily. 

Development of my front cover

For my magazine front cover I have included my logo on the top left hand corner. I overlapped the model so that her head was in front of the logo a bit, I simply moved up the layer of the model and put it above the layer of my magazine logo. I have also included the artists name on to my magazine. I have used the same technique I used to layer the model above my logo for the artists name. I added a dropshadow on the font so that it would stand out more on the white background. I have also included the cover story of the magazine just underneath the artists name. I have also added a dropshadow onto the font to make the writing stand out more.

I have added the first feature story inside the magazine. I have made the title of it red to match the genre of my magazine, and I have put a brief story underneath the title in a different font and made it black to stand out.



















I have started to included a shape for one of my feature stories, in my front cover analysis I have noticed that the magazines use shapes on their front covers, to make a certain feature story stand out. I have used two different fonts and colours for this to also match the genre. I have layered the model in front of it to make the model stand out more.


















I have added two more feature stories on the front cover of the magazine as usually magazines include three feature stories as well as the cover story on the front cover. I have also includes an additional feature, including artists that will be inside the magazine but I haven't included a sample of the actual article like I did for the other feature stories. I layered the model a bit over this feature story to clarify that the model is the main feature of this front cover.















Lastly I have included the barcode on the bottom right hand corner of the magazine and included the date of the issue and how much it costs. I have used the same price as NME magazine for my own magazine to make it more professional and realistic.

Edits of photo shoot

I have edited the pictures I have took for music magazine photo and I have uploaded it on PhotoPeach. 

Content page photograph

For my content page I have decided to make a brief article of The Vaccines gig at the Peel in Kingston on the 11th of December 2013. This will not my double page spread story. I will only be using this photograph and it is my own photograph that I have personally taken when I went to this gig.