Double page spread sketches

With my first design the main focus is on the artist as it is a large image that takes up alot of the right side of the page above the main image is a few smaller images of the artist. The headline also takes up alot of the page aswell as the artist is new i want this to stand out to the readers. Under the headline is a quote this is a convention of magazines and the text will be larger then the interview to make it stand out. I then added the column of texts where i wanted them. To finish the design i added the album cover as this is a convention i have noticed in magazines.

For my second design i kept the headline in the same place however i used a smaller image of the artist at the bottom of the page and on the right side, the readers will see this picture when flicking through the magzine. Above the photo will be a quote from the text larger then the interveiw text so it stands out more. I then fitted the main text under the headline and around the main image in the middle of the text i added another quote. In the top right corner is 2 smaller images and in a box: exclusive interview on the right side so the readers see that when they flick through too.

My third design is completely different to my other 2 designs, The main interview text will be on the right side of the page taking up most of it. The artists name will be in the middle of the page with a quote underneath and at the bottom the album cover. On the left side of the page is a long shot of the artist will smaller pictures at the side going diagonally down the page i have also added another quote. This time exclusive interview is on the left page. I do not like this layout/design as the artists name is in the middle of the page going straight through the centre line which will make it difficult to read.

Questionnaire results

I posted a questionnaire on my blog to find out what my target audience wanted out of my music magazine and what appeals to them most. People visited my blog and answered the questions now i am going to analyse and evaluate the results to help me create the right look/appeal for my music magazine.


Are you male or female?

The majority of people that answered my questionnaire were female this helps me as i now know that my target audience is aimed mostly towards females.


Which age category to you fall under?

The vast majority of people that answered this question were 15-18 with 81% so this indicates i should be aiming at females in their teens however not to young.


What is your favourite genre of music?

The most preferred music by the people that answered this question is pop, r'n'b and indie which is good as i dont want my magazine to have just one genre of music i want it to be mostly pop with hints of indie and r'n'b to attract a wider audience.


How often do you buy magazines?

37% of the people that voted buy magazines onece every so often so i could include features what will be happening in the next issue which could encourage readers to buy my magazine every month.


How much would you pay for a magazine?

53% of voters are willing to pay £2-£3, so this gives me a rough idea of what to price my magazine.

What do you look for in a magazine?

The most common thing people look for in a magazibe showed to be stories and interviews so for my double page spread i will use a story of an artist or an interview with one.

What do you dislike in magazines?

The votes show that 53% of people that amswered dislike crowded pages the most so i will try to keep my layouts  simple and tidy so they are easy to read and follow.

How do you listen to music?

The vast majority of people that voted with 93% listen to music on an ipod.  So to attract readers i could include a competition to win an ipod or something related.

What colour scheme would work best for my pop/indie music magazine?

I added this question a little while after i created the questionnaire so it didnt get as many votes as the other questions.  However the most popular are: Black, pink and light green and Black, red and white.  

Font - front cover

1.


2.



3.


4.

I found these fonts on the website: http://www.dafont.com/ and selected a few i think would suit my magazine best these were the 4 fonts it came down to.

1. Is my favourite one as i think it would suit my magazine as it is feminine but not to feminine so it would attract a larger audience it also reminds me of the rap up magazine font.

2. I liked this font as it reminds me of music notes which would indicate music magazine however i dont think this would suit my front cover as the layout is simple so this font might be abit too fancy,

3. I really like this font as it is bubble writing and gives a pop feel to it and the stars represent the stars in the magazine the artists, i just feel that this would be too girly and too pop.

4. Very similar to number 1 i like this font too however a bit to plain and not very feminine.

Initial idea's

Possible Magazine names

After looking at a number of different music magazines i came to realise that they are quite short and easy to remember.

Here are some possible names for my magazine:
-Pop Beatz
-New Edge
-M! (for music)
-New Beat
-Live!
-Just music
-STEREO

Colour schemes

Black, red and white
Black, pink and green
Pink, grey and white

Artist names for front cover
-Lexie
-Marie Lott
-Ellie Lott-Emily Lott **

The artist featured on the front cover will be Pixie Lott's younger sister, becoming an artist.

Front cover stories

- New girl on the block...
- Emily Lott unleashed (pun: new upcoming album called unleashed) **


Double page spread

- Story of Emily coming into her own and how she feels being compared to her sister and her rise to fame and about how her childhood was with her sister.

Idea for front cover

For the idea of my front cover i want quite a simple layout not too busy or overcrowded. Simple and sophisticated. The title NEW BEAT will be at the top of the page.  The artist featured on the front cover will be Emily Lott as 'Pixie Lott's ' younger sister. My model is blonde and of skinny build similar to pixie lott so this will reenforce that she is her sister. I will use a long shot of her and want her to be in the same style as the picture of Pixie Lott below with the curly messy hair, sequin shorts. I will use a mid shot and also like the picture below i want to use a microphone and wrap the wire around her  and with both hands like she is pulling it and being unleashed connotating the name of her new upcoming album: 'unleashed' the title being 'Emily Lott unleashed' also connotating the album name.

The colour scheme i have chosen for my front cover is white, pink and black.  I want to create a simple layout not too busy or overcrowded, using left to right column allignment like the popular music magazine blender does and also vibe.  This issue of blender is how i want my front cover to turn out with the mid shot of 'Emily Lott' in the middle with the microphone trying to be unleashed and breaking free. With a background of white fading to light grey towards the bottom of the page.  Black title with pink outline. And black and pink text either side of the main image.  This issue of vibe is also the same look i am going for with the white, pink and black and the background also fades from white to grey.

Front cover idea's

Cheryl Cole has a rock look to her with the messy hair dark eyes which is common when going for the rock look.  I like the way she is standing and also the props used, the lighting in the background enhancing the rock feel and the old fashioned stereo player and the way she is holding it like she doesn't care.  I am defiant now that i was a rock edge feel to my image and like the idea of using a prop like a stereo or microphone.

I like this photo of Pixie Lott as it really suits my magazine and the clothes she is wearing is casual yet glamourous with a rock indie edge to it with the smokey eyes and the microphone wrapped around her. I like the pose and the idea of including the microphone as mine is a music magazine so this idea i could use.

This picture of Britney spears gives of a 'rock' edgy feel to it that i like. I like the clothes she is wearing and the way her hair is being blown back. This is the kind of photo i would like on my front cover and the feel of it.

I came across this picture of Pixie Lott and i really like the style of it. The way her hair is all messy and being blown around and the dark smokey eyes and pale pink lips. The positioning of her hands on her head i also really like and think this would look good as a front cover of my music magazine.

Target Audience

This is Lily she is a typical candidate for my target audience for my music magazine She is 19 years old and lives in North London. She attends London college of fashion studying fashion, textiles and design and has a saturday job in HMV. Some of her hobbies are singing, song writing and shopping and making items of clothing for herself and friends. At the weekends and in her spare time she enjoys going out socialising with her friends by going to the cinemas, going to bars or clubs or staying at home chilling and watching movies. Some of her favourite films include: Twilight, The Hangover, Step Up and Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging. When Lilly has free time to watch T.v she likes to watch skins, shameless, friends, hollyoaks desperate housewives and family guy and being human, these programs feature on e4, channel 4 and bbc3. Her favourite places to shop are Topshop, New look, River island, Miss selfridges and smaller fashion boutiques. Sometimes Lily would also like to shop around Camden market and online such as Asos. She dresses like an average girly teenager as she is studying fashion she has a good dress sense and also dresses uniquely as she likes to be different to everyone else. Her role model is Lady Gaga and draws designs of clothes suitable for her role model hoping one day she will be famous for her unique designs. As well as shopping in high street shops Lily also likes designer brands but unfortunately is unable to purchase anything as it is too expensive for her. Lily listens to a wide range of music however mainly indie, pop and r'n'b. Lily does not listen to rock or classical music. Her favourite artists are Pixie Lott, Emily Dares you, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo.

Audience Demographics are vital when launching a new media product as it is the starting point. They need to find out the impornant elements of their target audience before launching it and trying to make it successful. The vital elements of audience demographics are: age, income, type of employment, where they live and others that are relevant in determine how to get the product to the consumer. The more they find out about their target audience the more they can base their product to suit there wants and needs which will help to determine how successful the product will be. Before creating my magazine i will conduct a questionnaire on my blog to gain insight on my target audience and their preferences therefore i can design and create my magazine aimed specifically at my target audience which will help to determine the success of my music magazine.

One influential tradition in media research is referred to as 'uses and gratifications'. This approach focuses on why people use particular media rather than on content. It assumes members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds audiences responsible for choosing media to meet its needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for the viewer’s gratification.

Information
finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world
seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices
satisfying curiosity and general interest
learning; self-education
gaining a sense of security through knowledge

Personal Identity
finding reinforcement for personal values
finding models of behaviour
identifying with valued other (in the media)
gaining insight into one's self

Integration and Social Interaction
gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy
identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging
finding a basis for conversation and social interaction
having a substitute for real-life companionship
helping to carry out social roles
enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

Entertainment
escaping, or being diverted, from problems
relaxing
getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment
filling time
emotional release
sexual arousal

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid, with the largest and lowest levels of needs at the bottom, and the need for self-actualization at the top, also the needs for people. This thoery was created by Abraham Maslow.
At the bottom of the pyrimid is the basic human needs to survive then going up is turning from needs to wants with luxuries at the top of the pyrimid.
This theory can be applied to media products as magazines would be at the top a luxury item as people do not need this to survive nor is it an essential everyday item.

Q double page spread

The main image on the double page is of the artist Shakira. The image represents an independant woman at work. The setting and environment makes her look like a normal working woman and also comfortable in that environment. Opposite to the main image is a smaller one contrasting with it as she is naked and more made up and posing for the camera rather then a natural snapshot, this indicated how she can versatility change her image from business woman to performer instantly. The image of the working woman also suggeststhat we now live in a world where females are considered strong working women. The headline 'Danger! Shakira At Work' also adds to image of an independent woman. On the other hand when we look at the text it seems to have a plain essence about it a making it seem normal for a woman, been independent. This would appeal to a female audience, however, Shakira has a sexual appeal for men, the fact she is independent would also add to this kind off appeal for men. The text has been put on a white background to make it stand out much more. The title of is 'Danger Shakira at work' the word danger suggests panic. The article starts with a drop capitals, as most do as this is a main convention of articles and double page spreads. There is a small caption under the smaller picture of Shakira, "wouldn't you know it her clothes have fallen off again", this adds a hint of humor and could portray that Shakira is not just all work she also likes to "play". The article starts with a drop capitals, as most do as this is a main convention of articles and double page spreads. The text immediately starts with information about Shakira at work in the studio. You then begin to know that the text will be about her music and particularly her new song "she wolf". This requires a small amount of prior knowledge of the singer but not a lot as the article introduces what she does and gives information. If we deconstruct the text we realise the mode of address is very informal, like the article is interacting with everyday people, and particularly teenagers and Shakira fans. The article also sells Shakira as an artist; "she wolf the album is due for a 5 October release - will contain two songs recorded in both English and Spanish", this informs the reader and even impresses them to make them want to know more about Shakira and buy her album. The article discusses Shakira's recent work but then also includes quotes from her, to add a personal touch, it is not a full interview but is made to look like one, with things such as; "I used to be a shy girl", this is on a more personal level with the readers.

Kerrang double page spread

The main image is large taking up most of the left page it is also it black and white which fits the colour scheme of the pages and also represents the band as they are a rock band. The smaller images at the bottom of the page are also black and white. The double page spread is dominated my images and there is only a small amount of text on the right side of the page. The text is white to stand out from the black background and is a contrast. There is also hints of red throughout the page. The red also works well against the black and stands out. The white text box also will catch the readers eye they will probably read this first as it stands out more then anything else so this probably has the most important information on it. The headline is at a slight angle which contrasts the page as the rest of the text and images are straight. The font looks slightly worn out wich suits the punk/rock theme of the band. In the top left corner there is a little banner saying 'world exclusive' this makes it seem unique to Kerrang so the readers will want to read it.

Lily Allen double page spread

This is a double page spread of Lily Allen from NME. It is a very simple layout so the readers foucus on the text and the picture of Lily. The title is made to look like the letters have been cut out of a newspaper as it is all in upper case and is white on black writing, some of the letters appear to look lower case but they are just all different sizes as if they have been taken from different newspapers.  This could be connotating the fact that Lily Allen is always in the newspaper and not always for positive reasons.   This title is seemed quite playful and informal.  The picture of lily allen covers the whole right hand side of the page. Her clothes match the colour scheme of the feature with her dark hair and her red checkered shirt, her checkered shirt shows masculinity and that she is more masculine than feminine. She's stood with her hands on her hips, however her wrists are pointing up to show the reader her tattoo. This shows her to be quite rebellious. She is looking directly at the reader connoting that she's strong and demanding attention.  The way that she is leaning forward towards us aswell looks like she could  be trying to tell us a secret.

Kerrang contents page

Kerrang has a simple contents page even though it is quite busy and a lot is going on in the page, it is layed out in a simple way that is easy for the audience to read. Many images have been used on the page however to make it not seem to overcrowded they have been set out in seperate boxes drawing the readers attention to each individual image. They have placed the photos in squares to make them stand out. Adding to this effect their are 8 smaller photos surrounding the larger photo in effect framing it and from this it indicates that the larger image in the main sell line. The masthead is situated the top right hand corner with black background for the text contrasting with the white plain background. Yellow text is used to make it stand out. The font styles used on the contents page are quite bold and simple, the subtitles are written in yellow and have a black background behind it to make the yellow visible and stand out to the reader. The contents is split under different sub headings which are: feedback, news, live reviews, features, K! icons, album reviews, gigs, swag and famous last words. Like many conventional magazine contents pages there is a little note from the editor. The type of language used is informal and chatty helps to relate to their target audience and reach them on a more personal level and connect with them. The editor also signs their name at the bottom as it builds up a friendship.

Vibe contents page

For my second contents page i am analysing Vibe, this is one out of three contents pages within the magazine and as it is the first i have chose to do this page as it is probably more important than the other two, as i feel they descend in importance. Another indication if this is Ciara is the main feature of the page. The masthead stands out to the reader as it is in bold white capital letters and this contrasts with the black background the title 'contents' almost uses enjambment however it has no meaning as the word contents is not broken up into syllables so this gives off a sense of confusion to back up this feeling on confusion which coincides with the different nature of the page this could be linked to the fact that Ciara, the main feature is laying upside down. This could also add to the confusion. To make the audience know that she is the main feature of the magazine and an important part of it she is wearing clothes the same colour of the background of the magazine. This could also represent her sexual, seductive image as one of the main thing that draws in our attention is her bare flesh. The position she is laying in with her legs in the air add to her sexual image and the way she is looking at the camera like a deep stare. This whole image that she has been given will attract women as she is a well know r'n'b artist that women admire and attract men as well. As i said the colour of the clothes she is wearing blends in with the background so her flesh stands out, her jewellery also fit in with the nude plain colours. Her hair contrasts with the background colour, making a shadow effect like the way the background fades from black to white almost looking like a shadow too. The position Ciara is laying in creates shadows around her body and highlighting parts of it indicating she is a sexual curvy woman. Although Ciara is the main image her legs are made to be a main feature as the light is reflected off them highlighting the lighter areas, then the contrast of the dark shadows around her legs highlighting her sillohuette. At the top of the page there is a thin white outline of the letter 'V' representing vibe the white used contrasts with the black background. Ciara's feet fit in the shape of the letter helping it to be noticed more.

NME contents page

The colour scheme of this contents page is red, white and black. In the top left hand corner is the title of the magazine bold red, with a white outline defined itself as a logo so it is easily recognised. The title is kept in the left corner same as the front cover to keep the contents page similar and keep the magazine flowing. The colour scheme is the same as the front cover and contined onto the contents page to make the magazine familiar throughout all the issues and give it its own style. The design of the magazine is quite simle howeveing including alot of information and well layed out. At the top of the page besides the title, 'THIS WEEK' is in large bold font, bigger then the title. Black on white making is stand out more to remind the audience that it is a weekly magazine putting the point across more then the typical 'contents' and also to appeal more to their target audience by using less informal language. The contents is set out under different headings such as; news, radar, reviews, live! and features, all of which is located down the right side of the page acting as a column. The main headings have a black background and white writing to make them stand out and to make it clear for the reader the different sections of the magzine at a quick glance. Down the left side of the page is a 'band index' which enables the reader to easily find a specific band or artist they are looking for in the magazine, also continuing with the colour scheme they use a red background which may connotate the 'hotness' of the bands or the power of the magazine and black writing highlighted white to make it easy to read and stand out. Down the right column there are red arrows pointing towards stories, articles and features that appeared on the front cover. If the reader was particularly interested in a story that was featured on the main page, this would help them to be able to find it more quickly and easily. In between the two colums are two images and a preview of a story that will be included in the magazine. The preview of the story is like a little taster for the audience making them wanting to read on and find out the rest as you can see from the '...' at the end of the opening of the story, also including a well known band makes the audience interested and urged to continue. Below this is an advertisment that boasts their subscription offer. It is in a black box to make it stand out from the plain white page, 'subscribe today' is in bright yellow writing, this also helps to make it stand out as it is the only yellow featured on the page and is the brightest colour, this could connate that subscribing to NME is a bright idea.

Rap-Up front cover

For my third magazine front cover analysis i chose Rap up as it is different to the other two i have analysed. Unlike Q and NME the masthead is in the centre at the top of the page. It is in bold black print which attracts the reader and furthermore tells the reader the genre of the magazine and in this case, rap. To make the title more fun and to play on words the 'U' in the title has been extended up into an arrow pointing upwards. I would say the colour theme of this magaine is quite plain mostly black, white and silver with splashes of bright colours such as pink, orange and yellow. The three girls featured on the front are Keri Hilson, Solange Knowles and Teyana Taylor. They are described as ‘The R&B chicks of the moment’ which indicated to the reader that these girls are new to the R&B industry and are currently quite well known and popular. Solange Knowles is featured on the front cover this makes the reader interested to read as it is her sister Beyonce that is normally on the cover of music magazines. To help make the girls stand out they are wearing items of bright retro clothing. All of the colours they are wearing fit in with the colour scheme as Keri Hilson in the middle is wearing black and white and just one black glove tying in with the main black and white theme. Solange Knowles is wearing one leg orange and one leg yellow fitting in with the background highlighted colour of the names of Teyana Taylor and Keri Hilson she is also wearing silver which ties in with the colour theme. Teyana Taylor is wearing black, white and silver the main colours of the front cover. Also wearing hints of pink on her top and the glove which matched the highlighted background colour of Solange Knowles name and little details on the front cover such as the arrows at the top seperating the names of the artists that will be featured in the magazine, the word 'summer' and the + sign down the bottom of the page. She is also wearing orange shoe laces. The 3 main artists as we can see match the colour scheme really well making the front cover match really well. Seeing as this is a summer edition the colours used help to give it a summery and bright feel. Although bright colours have been used on the girls, the background is black white and fading to grey/silver on the right side, this emphasises the colours used on the girls helping them to stand out and attract the readers. Although the girls have been made to look similar using the same colours but are clearly all different with their type of clothing and positioning. The layout of the front cover is different to the others i have analysed as it is kept very plain and simple. It is easy on the eyes for readers and this may appeal to some readers as it is easy to read and less busy and complicated. This very simple effect could make the magazine seem mysterious to readers and want to read the magazine as they are not informed of every detail of what will be featured in the magazine. There are a few small sell lines advertising the names of the Celebrities that will appear throughout, ‘Rick+Ross, N.E.R.D, Leona Lewis, Flo Rida’. These are written in plain font just as plain as the front cover and capital letters this could be as it makes it easy to read and thats obviously what they want to acheive or it could be to make the sell lines more important and capital letters make text stand out more. Although this magazine has sell lines telling the names of the celebrities featured in the magazine, they may not be enough to make a reader want to read on. For example other magazines usually have sell lines with either rhetorical questions, unfinished advise or sentences that can only be understood properly if the reader reads the whole article inside the magazine, they usually include '...' after the end of the sentence as a teaser making the reader feel the need to continue what they started to read.

NME front cover

The second magazine front cover i chose to analyse was NME. The masthead is red with a white outline on a black background, all bold colours and writing make it stands out. Which fits in with the conventional 'three colour rule' in this case of white, black and red. The main image is not the conventional one main artist or group taking up most of the page, it is a mixture of different artists and groups like a collage as if they are coming out of the page. The artists fit in with the indie genre and would appeal to their target audience. The pictures also take up only have of the page and the other half is dedicated to the title making that stand out to the readers therefore as the text takes up most of the page and '2010 is the biggest, this is this issues selling point. ' The albums of 2010 is in bold writing helping it to catch peoples attention. ' The albums of' is white bold text on a red background still sticking to the theme of the front cover and '2010' is the main feature of the page taking up a lot of space where usually the cover story only occupies a small space on the front cover. The black on white text makes it really stand out. The 0 in 2010 also acts as a pug as it includes text inside stating what the issue will include. The theme of red continues as there is a line seperating the ' The albums of 2010 and what artists will be included. The artists names are in black on white background with red bullet points in theme colours. Artist names are in bold as they are important and stand out to the audience. The names also go from big to small. A yellow pug is also included as there is a special offer.

Q front cover

The first magazine front cover that i analysed was Q. Straight away you can see that the main colours used on the magazine front cover are red, white, black and grey. The red represents love and passion which ties in well with the seductiveness of the main image of Cheryl Cole. The black and the grey fit in well with the genre of this magazine which it rock with a slight gothic and indie edge. In contrast with the black white is used to make it stand out. Overall the main colours give a dark, sexy feel to it, which would appeal to their core audience, men. The three main colours chosen for this front cover also connotate sophistication and sexy. The masthead is situated in the top left hand corner of the magazine, bright red background and Q in white. The Q is in itallic font and this connotates sophistication. This magazine cover unlike NME uses the right and left collumn allignment which connotes organisation and sophisitcation. The close up image of Cheryl Cole is very different style to what the audience is used to seeing her like, this will encourage the audience to read the magazine as they are interested in seeing her this way. The way she is made to look here portrays a rock/gothic look which is completely different to the Cheryl Cole that the audience is used to as when she was in girls aloud this was the complete opposite type of magazine she would be featured in, as Girls aloud was a pop group they would have featured in music magazines such as top of the pops for example so this new look that we are seeing on the front cover indicates a whole new Cheryl and music career that the audience will be anticipating to see. The red of cheryl coles lips matches in with the colour scheme, which connotates sexy, seductive etc. The grey of the blade ring on her finger also matches in with the grey in the colour scheme. The water falling on cheryl cole, the smoky eyes and the open mouth, tongue touching the blade ring also help to connotate sexiness and seductiveness of the front cover and give it a risky edge. The smoky eyes also tie in with the gothic/rock dark theme of the magazine. As they have not gone for the usual hairsyle of Cherly Cole one of her significant features her volumnous hair, they have created the effect of her being outside in the rain with wet hair this implies that they want her main face features to stand out as they have concentrated on her eyes and lips to stand out and attract the audience. The colour of cherly cole's skin is almost a grey-ish colour fitting in with the colour scheme also helping to make her features stand out. The word 'rock' stands out as it is in large times news roman red font showing that the magazines genre is rock. They also include "The UK's biggest music magazine" this helps the audience understand that they are reading a professional magazine of a good standard. The coverline is 'Three words' in which there is a pun used as the name of Cheryl Coles new album is 3 words, and there is actual three words on the front cover are 'Cheryl Cole rocks'. The words also go from big to small making 'rock' the biggest word as Q is a rock magazine. This text will catch the readers eye as it is bold and red.

AS Media Brief

The front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine.