Evaluation

Overall

I began this project wanting to make a magazine based on dance music.



After doing a lot of research and looking at other magazines; as well as making a questionnaire I discovered that alternative music was the most popular music genre that people read about.





This is why I changed my magazine to an alternative inspired one, as I have based mine around NME's...

http://www.nme.com/

Magazine Double Page Spread Progress

I started my double page spread by firstly, adding the images I wanted to use in the places I wanted them. I put my main image in the centre which is why  it is the largest image, and placed the other 4 around it and on top of each other to make it seem more interesting as well as chaotic; which goes well with the article.

I then placed my title in the bottom left hand corner of the page, and the description of the article underneath it. I ensured that the main title was large and in bold to be the most attractive thing on the page, and made the description in bold as well but also made a certain part in red to make that stand out from everything else.

The next stage was to start my article off by adding the first letter, which is always bigger than the article writing in every magazine I had looked at. I also made it red to make it stand out even more.

I then placed my article along the bottom half of the pages in columns. I also made one part in bold to show that it was a question, to make it more appealing for the reader.

Next, I placed a red box in a corner of each image, and wrote a small description of what the image  was about; using white writing to make it stand out.

I then wrote under the images and in line with the first column, the names of the people who had 'taken the images'. I made the names red to make them stand out.

Finally, I added a pull quote in the top left hand of the main image to make the reader want to read the article and find out what it's about. I also wrote it in a different font style to make it different to the rest of the writing.
I also placed the date and page number in the bottom left hand corner as this is typical of most other magazines, and also informs the reader what page they're on.

Magazine Contents Page Progress

I started off my contents page by adding the title and date. I chose not to simply call it 'Contents page' as this is not as interesting; and the date is placed near the title as this is typical of most magazines.

I then added all of the images I was using where I wanted them, and placed a shape (triangle) over each bottom right hand corner of each image; to create the effect that they had all been snipped off.

Next, I added the page numbers in each bottom right hand corner of each image, so that my reader would know where to find the stories.
I also made the numbers red as it makes them stand out more, and will be easier for the reader to see where to find them.

I then added 3 circles to the bottom left corner of my main (largest) image; using 2 red circles and one black one between them to make it more interesting, and attractive. I then placed the word 'WIN!' in the centre in white and bold to make it stand out and 'shout' at the reader. I also tilted the word to the side to create the effect that it was stuck on.

Next, I added captions to my images; making the titles/ quotes in bold to stand out more than the descriptions underneath, as this is more likely to interest the reader in that particular article.

Finally, I placed a long red shape in the bottom right of the page, to make the subscription section stand out more that any other part; as this is both typical of most other magazines and important for the magazine to ensure that it continues to sell to its customers. I mostly made the writing white as this stands out against the red, but made certain words such as 'subscription' in black as this stands out more and makes it easier for the reader to understand what it actually is.
I also added faint lines between each article/image to separate them all, and to continue to make it easier for the reader to look at.

Finished Double Page Spread

The image of Mike singing alone is the main image, as the whole article is about him going solo; so this fits in well with the story. The other images also fit in well with the article as it's about him going around Liverpool, and as they were taken in different parts of the city it also fits in very well. I also used the same effect on the images to make them all seem quite similar with their colours.

The headline 'TOOK TO THE ROAD' is the biggest writing on the page and in bold, in order to make it stand out more than anything else. The caption of the title however, is what actually explains what the article is going to be about. I also wrote the caption in a different font to make it seem more interesting; as well as making the 'author' of the article's name in red, to make them stand out towards their reader.

My article is in 3 columns which spread across the bottom of the page, which I think makes it look more professional. The start of the article also has the letter 'A' in a bigger size and colour than the rest of the article as this is popular among magazines to do; and by  including this in my own it makes it seem even more professional. I also made the question that AMP asks the artist in bold as this is also a popular thing for other magazines to do, and it makes a different section of the article stand out which would draw the viewers eye more.

Underneath the images I wrote names of people that 'had taken the images' because, it is more information for the audience to see and makes it look more interesting.
I also placed the date and page in the bottom left hand corner as this is also popular, and ensures that my house style is consistent. By making the page number in bold it makes it stand out towards the reader, and informs the reader where they actually are in the magazine.

In a corner of each image, there is a small red box with a small quote in it from the authors of the magazine. I got this idea from an NME article because, I think it's a good idea and adds more to the page to make it even more interesting for the audience.

Furthermore, the pull quote I used, 'I WANT TO BE AS FAMOUS AS MICHAEL JACKSON' is there to make the article stand out, and to make the reader want to find out more about the artist. I also placed it in the corner of the main image to make it more central to attract peoples eyes, and because it is easy to read on the clear background and fills in the gap that was there.


I have placed a line down the centre of the double page, to show where the crease would be. I know that images are popularly placed in the centre of double page spreads in magazines, such as NME so I knew it was acceptable to allow the page to crease on the image.
However, they do not usually crease on the words of the article, so I had to make sure that no words would be effected by it.

Finished Contents Page

I chose the title 'WHATS HAPPENING THIS WEEK' because it's a lot more interesting that simply, 'Contents'. The font is also the same as the front cover masthead to keep the house style going.
I also placed the date at the side of the title as most other magazines put their dates there so I know it is a popular thing to do.

My main image is of a gig, which goes well with the story to 'WIN GIG TICKETS' so I thought it was an appropriate image. I also created a sort of sticker which I have placed at the side of the image which says 'WIN!' and the fact it's on a slant makes it look even more like a sticker. To create the circle affect I placed 3 circles on top of each other to make it look like it has a black ring on the outer section; And by making the circle predominately red it makes it stand out more.

The captions of each image are written in both bold writing and normal writing in order to make the main story stand out towards the reader; and make the page seem more interesting.

On each image I placed a white triangle shape in order to create the effect that the corners of the images had been snipped off. This was so that I could place the page numbers close enough to the images that the audiences knew which page number was for which artist. By making the numbers red it also makes them stand out more because this is an eye catching colour.

The subscription section in the bottom left corner is popular among most music magazines, so I felt it was mandatory for me to have one myself. By making the shape it is written in red, ensures that it is one of the most attractive aspects of the page. This is important to a magazine as ensuring that their audience continues purchasing their product is essential. I also certain words colours in order to make them stand out even more to the reader.

I also used faint lines to separate the different sections to make it more simplistic for the reader to understand.

Finished Front Cover

I decided to call my music magazine 'AMP' which stands for 'Alternative Music Press' (which is written in the letters). I put the name in the top left hand corner because this is where people commonly read from so it is the first thing that people notice; and I've also made it the largest writing on the page in order to make it stand out even more. Also, the fact that the title is in bold makes it stand out even more.

In the very top left hand corner above the masthead, I placed the date and the price in very small font size to ensure it doesn't attract too much attention. 

I also placed the website for 'AMP' underneath the masthead.

The stories I placed around the sides of the image are inspired from other magazine such as NME which is my main inspiration. By using different fonts and sizes for specific parts ensures that the main attractions stand out more than anything; as well as making more variety to attract the audience.

By making the 'MIKE SMITH' larger than the other artist names informs the reader that this is the main story in the magazine, which also relates it to the front cover image. To make the shadow affect on the 'MIKE SMITH' I layered two different ones on top of each other, making sure the black one was underneath for the shadow affect. 

I also placed a bar code in the bottom left hand corner, because this is where they are commonly found when comparing to other music magazines.

My house style colours are red, black, yellow and white. This is because it makes certain parts stand out more than others to show the reader these are the more attractive part of the magazine. I also had to choose carefully where to place certain colours as if they were placed wrongly, it would have been difficult to read certain parts so it makes it more clear for the audience to read. Another reason I chose these colours is because, when looking at other magazines it's clear that these are attractive colours; as mainly red and yellow are eye catching.