Final Drafts

Final Decisions for Drafts!

Front Page
The fonts I have used on my cover are ones that I hadn't actually previously considered, however when I found them I felt they were very appropriate for my magazine.
I decided for my front page to use the font Illuminate for my masthead. It is an almost scribbled font which I felt worked well but I font that by making it bold it became solid and made more of an impact.

The font I used for cover lines was similar to Illuminate, in that it looks scribbled. [ank]* is a very scribbled font. I think it looks really good on the page as it's distressed look is different.

The colour scheme I decided on was dark purple, white and black. With black and purple being dark colours they contrasted well against bright white which made the text really stand out. On a cover line I had to switch from white to black to allow the text to be read against my model's dark clothing, I think this has a really eye catching effect.

My image was a mid-shot which I hadn't considered in my mocks but as I found whilst making them it was hard to find space for the text I wanted around a large, full image. Also it really fits to the conventions of a magazine!

Contents
I used [ank]* again on this page too, as well as the same colour scheme, but as the heading font this time. I wanted to repeat the font to keep continuity through the magazine. I also used Helvetica to present the magazine's content, it is a good font which I will repeat for my double page spread as this will also be continuity which reflects professionalism.

Double Page Spread
For the heading on this page I used one that I considered originally, Monbijoux. I chose this font because its eye catching and pretty cool, and even though its quite decorative it's still got a rockier feel as it's random and really quite surreal. Also it helps to convey personality in the article.

I used Helvetica for my actual article. It is a nice, clean font which is easily read so it was very appropriate for the task.

The colour scheme I used for this page was new. I decided on black, white and a darkish turquoise, blue. I used white for my background as the other colours contrast nicely over it. As you can see I alternated the other colours in my heading, I felt this would break up and add more of a effect to the reading and the repetition. I used black for the answers in the article and the bluey colour for the questions, this helps to differentiate the two elements of the article and makes it more colourful and interesting.

Draft Contents

Test Shot, Mock Ups!

This is my first mock cover, it is not one of my paper based ones but a new creation that was inspired by one of by images. I have added a free item as a lure for my magazine, and I chose a CD as it is a regular item for a rock magazine to give for free and fits with the music.  

I really like the fonts I have used as they are scribbled and look rough. Especially the masthead font which I think really fits with the genre of rock. 

I have desaturated the image to give it the darker look which I think reflects the rock genre and looks really nice.

This mock was create from one of my flat plans. I really love how the picture has worked out, I think it looks really eye catching and different and I love the positioning of the different features. This image is unedited and I think it is probably too bright for the genre, so I will have to play with desaturation as before.

I think the dark red is a great colour and works well as the masthead.

What I don't like about this cover is that there is no actual room for the masthead to spread across the page, which I don't think looks as good as the previous mock where it fills the top third.








This is a mock contents page I have created. I have used an existing photo from the internet with the kind of space in the background that I would want on mine. However although the image is very fitting in the rock genre the colour and lighting is not in keeping with the images that I have taken myself. When taking an image for my actual contents I will need to be sure the images look relatively consistent.

I like this image because of the space which allows text. Also I really like the pose and clothing as it fits in with the rock genre, also the pose is more action which I like.

The font I have used is a continuation on the front page. I think this works well because it will keep consistency which helps professionalism. The text I used for the words was Helvetica which is a clear, easy to read font and will work well as the font through out the magazine.



This is the mock DPS I have made from my flat plans. I have used a bold, decorative text in the heading to help the page and the actual title and subject stand out.

The large image I have used works really well, I think it is a good picture and really shows the artist. However this is not following my mock plans as I intended to have more than one image but which such a statement image, multiple images on top of this doesn't work too well. I my have to re consider this to show more of the artist and photographic skill.   

Flat Drafts

These are two rough (disproportioned) drafts of possible magazine covers. I wanted to incorporate cards into the designs as they are quite a cool prop, however I'm not sure how well they will work and so will try them out in a mock of my magazine. Also I incorporate them talking influence from Alice in Wonderland which I think has many excellent artistic influences. In the first design the cards are showing a winning hand of 21 which I could use to emphasise my artist has won over the industry. In the second design the model is reaching out to the ace of spades it is an iconic card. Around the rest of the image I have the idea to photoshop cards falling. The cover lines on both are kept to a minimum which I think is good as it doesn't clutter the page.



This is a draft of my contents page. I have decided to make an image the background of the page and the text then sit over the top, like in the Vibe contents page I analysed.

This is my rough draft of the double page spread. I have tried to incorporate both of the DPS's I analysed using columns in the text however splitting the pages into image and text. I have drawn more than one image to help the personality of my artist come across.

Contents Page Analysis

This contents page is one from Q magazine. In the top left hand corner we can see the magazine logo which is very recognisable, and instills the magazines identity. The bold red backgrounds around the sub-headings help to make them stand out which allows the user to easily find the main contents and the large red numbers also help them find each part of the magazine and which part which part will interest them. The contents is in a column form which makes the contents easy to read, it also creates a good layout for the page as everything fits together neatly. The 'Oasis Special' box is a good idea because as it singles them out it will attract their fans and they can then go to the specialised pages. The main image on the page is regarding one of the main articles. Using a large image on the contents draws attentionto the main article. Also good idea is to number this article on the picture using a tagline directly from the article. The review section is helpful to the music fans of an established magazine like Q as they will trust them and enjoy their opinions. The use of another image is good as it will draw the eye to this section and it directly address those who are already fans of this artist.

The next contents page I have chosen is from Vibe magazine. I like this page as it makes the image the focus. I like this because it makes the page more interesting and animated than just having mainly writing. Having more interest on a page draws a reader in to actually pay attention to the page. Another main point of the page is the title 'Contents'. It is arranged in a very different way which also adds more to the page to attract the readers attention. The actual contents listing, like the rest of the page, is very simple with only a few sub-headings and then mainly one word pieces to go along with the numbers. It allows the reader to know what is in the magazine without making it too busy which can confuse readers. The colours used are also very simple as they are monochrome, black(and white in the image). The simplicity also adds elegance to the page which makes the magazine look good, this elegance will probably reflected throughout the magazine.

This contents from Drummer magazine is a design I really like. It includes features from the previous pages like the simplicity of images and text and the large masthead from the contents to instil the identity of the magazine. The main features of the page are the images. The largest imaged is obviously relating to the main article of the magazine and it includes the word 'Exclusive' on it to plug the article and draw in the reader. The other images surrounding the page also help to plug their relating articles. The numbers on the images are bright and bold which easily focus's the reader as to what page the article is on. The main contents listings is in a singular column, this allows more space for the images which I feel attracts a reader more than text does as the flick through a magazine. The actual listings are quite detailed even though the numbers and headings are bold to instantly attract the reader there is a large amount of description to allow the reader to know what is in the article after reading the tag lines. I think using a tag line is a good idea as it means the reader will get an idea of what the article is about and gives them an incentive to read it.