Article

I wrote my article on Microsoft Word, in order to put the article into the appropriate number of columns, on my double page spread, the article spreads into three columns. Also, I made sure that the height and width of the columns was a good size, therefore 5/6 words could fit on each line, in order to follow the conventions of a Rock magazine. I also did not do it like a question and answer interview, I looked at Rock magazines and how they read and were set out, and wrote about the artist, including quotes from the artist.

Drafts of Double Page Spread

This is the basic draft of my double page spread. I also used Photoshop to create this plan. With this one, I also looked at the magazine double page spread's that I have previously annotated and created the mood boards with. I made sure the pages had the appropriate conventions on, such as the main image being large and there being an overlapping title to link the two pages together. I also made sure there wfias a lot of room for text, because the double page spread always consists of an interview, or in the case of my Rock magazine, an article.

I chose this double page spread to focus on, then I had planned my ideas previously, therefore I could merge the two together. I liked the colour scheme on this double page spread as it is similar to mine, also I like the way the model was positioned on one particular side of the page, as I have tried to convey this on mine. I also like the lettering of the title, therefore I tried to do something similar, which would have the same effect on the reader visually.

Firstly, I selected an image which I though would be suitable for my double page spread. Then I used the tools to crop it and remove any excess parts of the photograph which I didn't need, I then positioned it on the left hand side of the page, as this is what most magazines do, also it is conventional to have the model take up half of the double page spread, so I also focused on this particular element.

I then added my article with the correct measurements. There are usually three columns in a rock magazine, therefore I chose to focus on this when locating my text. I also made sure, certain important parts of the article were highlighted red to make them stand out. I made sure that within the layout, there was still space for my title and quote to fit inside. Therefore, I made the text fill up approximately half the page, using the text boxes and dragging tool on Photoshop. I also used a drop cap, and ended it with how you can find and purchase her music, as well as tour dates and media sources that she will be appearing on, as I have seen this previously in my research.

Afterwards, I added my pull quote. I chose a quote which would catch the readers attention and they would be interested, as well if the reader does not read the article, they have the ability to scan for quotes and get an idea of what the artist is like. I located the pull quote in the centre of the page, in the centre column to show it's importance. I also separated it from the text by changing it's colour to red and grey, therefore it can be identified as a different convention.

Afterwards,  I focused on the quote which I wanted to apply to the top of my double page spread. I looked at the example double page spread which I was focusing on, and wanted to duplicate this title, but to fit in with my magazine. I chose the theme of red, to fit in with the important text, and applied a sharp, spiky effect, as this produces connotations of what Rock music is stereotypically like.

I made the less important words in the quote smaller, therefore these will not stand out more, whereas I made 'Female' large as this is significant.

I then used the same technique as I did with the quote at the top, and used the same sharp effect but changed the colour to black to separate it from the quote below. I applied the word 'ROSIE' as it is simple and short, and will not cram the page. I put if diagonally, as on double page spreads, this happens quite a lot, and produces the connotations of Rock being rebellious and not neat and tidy.

I tried to create the effect of Rosie touching the word Rosie, therefore this would link them together and look like she was leaning on the word.

I then tried to produce different backgrounds, to see if it would make any positive different to the look and layout of the double page spread. I chose white, red, black and grey as these are the colours that I have been using throughout the process of creating this magazine, therefore I wanted continuity. I applied a grey background, but I appeared to clash with the models jumper slightly, therefore it didn't have the same effect. On the white background, I think it looked quite planed and ordinary. On the red background, there was some clashes with the colour scheme as quite a large majority of my text was of a similar colour, as with the black background, as my article and the artists name are both in black, therefore they merged together.

I removed the text, as I needed to align it on the left hand side of the page, and still make sure that there was a reasonable amount of words of each line. I made sure that the three columns were of the same size, therefore it looked effective. I also changed the font as suggested to a sans serif font, therefore it would fit in with the rest of the magazine.

I then inserted the text back, making sure there was enough space for the pull quote to fit in. I located the pull quote in the centre, as this is quite an important aspect of the double page spread for the audience. I made sure that I still have a red drop cap to make the start of the article clear and visible.

Also making sure that the text was not too close to the photograph, edges or the title.

I changed the brightness of the photograph to more black and white by using the levels tool on Photoshop, this allowed the photograph to have a more black and white effect rather than a grey one, therefore it looked more effective and fitted in better within the colour scheme of the magazine.

I also changed the text to sans serif as this is the conventional text used, I also added the magazine logo, date and month at the bottom of the page as I had seen this in Q magazine and thought it looked good. I also realised I need to changed the font on the front cover to the font that is the same on the double page spread, as they are currently different.

Draft of Double page spread

When I was creating this draft of my double page spread, I used the lipsum website again to fill in the article spaces. I also placed on my photograph and titles to experiments and see what it would look like. When drafting I assured that the colour scheme I was using was being continued throughout the magazine, I applied conventions such as a main title and pull quote on this draft, as well as the main image taking up half of the double page spread as it steretypically does. For my real version, I will have to measure the page measurements properly as well as filling in the text and making sure the double page spread is of a good quality for people to read.

I also experimented with a text creator on the internet, to produce an eye catching title with good effects on it. I wanted it red to fit in with the colour scheme, therefore I just typed in the particular words which I wanted, then the website created the title. With the effects and  sizes I had chosen to apply.

I also inserted text, which I intended to be a pull quote. I left a lot of space at the top therefore I could spread the title out above the article. On this screenshot the main image is quite small, therefore on the next draft I had to enlarge it, to make it stand out more. I also had to consider the centre line of the page, as this was the aspect of the double page spread that I kept forgetting what I was inserting images and texts. Therefore, I have to make sure I don't locate any images or text across the line, that may be effect when the double page spread is opened and closed.

 I also used the lasso tool to make sure the edge around the image was quite neat. I also did this to make sure that the photograph would blend in well with the background. But, when doing this I also noticed that the words 'Love' on her jumper were cut off, therefore when I do another draft I will have to make sure that these words are visible, as this clothing was selected for the words to be on view. In this draft I also added the title, I continued with the red and white colour scheme and applied it to the title, and put a pull quote which was significant to the genre of the magazine.

This is what the draft looked like when I changed the title I have chosen above, and applied the new title I had created on the text website. I think it looks better and more effect on the double page spread, alongside the image, as it also fits in with the colour scheme used throughout. This is what my double page spread looks like without the text, therefore I had to leave space for my text to be situated in. I also used the colour grey this time when applying the title, as the model is wearing grey, therefore it would produce stronger connotations of the model and interview linking together.

On this version I made adjustments to the title, to make more space to fit the article in and look the layout of the double page spread look better. I also entered my article which I had written on Microsoft word into Photoshop. For this, I used a drop cap at the beginning of the article as well as an introducing line. I also applied a page title and a glass effect on the title. I have also made space for my pull quote.

Different titles

I used Powerpoint Presentation and various different websites (e.g.- cooltext.com) to create different titles, with different colours, shapes and sizes. I used my colour scheme of black, white and dominantly red when creating the titles, therefore they would fit it when I applied them to my front cover. I applied effects to the main title, main quote and pull quote to link them all together. I used the same font for my article and for the page title, to also link these two together. 

Drafts of Contents Page

Final Edits

This is a simple draft version on my contents page. I used Photoshop to create blocks which I added annotated with what I am going to insert here. I looked at the contents pages that I have previously annotated, to look for conventions and good ideas. I made sure that the layout looked like a contents page and did not look empty. This is a basic plan of what I intend the layout to look like, when I come to designing and creating my own.

I created this draft looking at the magazine which I annotated previously. I looked at the conventions on that contents page and tried to convey them onto my draft using my ideas and techniques. I used a colour scheme which continued from the front cover.I also used the lipsum website to fill in the text and page numbers, to give me a rough idea of what it would look like one I have actually created my text and written my page number in.

When creating the contents page, I used several different tools to edit the page and colours. In this printscreen I was inserting the page numbers into the appropriated place on the contents page, I had to edit the size and shape in order for all the numbers to fit on. Because, a monthly magazine has several hundred pages, therefore I had to portray this. I inserted photographs of Rock bands to make the contents page look more realistic and to show that I have knowledge of existing Rock magazines.

I also experimented with bright colours to make the contents page stand out, particular colours such as the red, orange and yellow. I also put an effect on the title to make it enlarge in the centre. I chose several different effects to see what each one looked like and to see if it looked effective by applying these.

I created this draft of my contents page as a continuation of the one above, the one above seemed quite simple, therefore when I looked at Rock contents page, stereotypically they are quire messy and full, therefore I added more text and effects onto the page to create this effect. But, I continued to use the colour scheme that has been used throughout the production of the magazine, as this is conventional.

Editing

I continued to use pixlr for the editing, as it is a software with similar tools and editing effects to Photoshop, which I could get access to at home. Therefore, I uploaded the images that I needed to edit, then cropped them to the appropriate size of a contents page. As well as adjusting the brightness and contrast, and making sure that the colour levels were bright enough to make the colours that I used stand out. 

Another draft

I also created this draft, where i used the polaroid website to create a mixture of photographs of model, to see what it what look like. I am not sure that the colour scheme works, therefore I am going to stick to my original contents page creation, as I think this suits the rest of the magazine better. On the particular draft I also added photographs of concert tickets to, to relate to the contents.

I added an extra with line of the left hand side, so there was enough space in the layout for the contents column to fit and not be squashed together. I also changed the font of the text in the contents column to a sans serif font, therefore it would fit in with the rest of the magazine. I also removed the word page from 'Page 50', as this is never seen in convention Rock music magazines. I also capitalised the titles on my contents page, as this is a conventional process seen in Rock music magazines. 

Then, I changed the rest of the font to sans serif font, to create continuity. I also added a signature to the contents page, as this is conventionally what editors do when they are signing the note off, as I have seen in different Rock music magazines.

I then changed the brightness of all four photographs which I had chosen to feature on the contents page, I occurred the same problem as before were the photograph had too much of a grey contrast therefore I made the photographs more black and white.

I then added a photograph of me onto the editors note, as I have seen this in several Rock music magazines throughout the process of my research therefore I added it. I also made the photograph black  and white as the bright colours in the photograph looked odd in contrast to the black, white and red colour scheme that I had been continuing throughout.

I then changed the logo on my contents page, to make it the same as the front cover and the double page spread. Therefore, I used the same effect and font but I just changed the colour to fit in with the colour scheme of the particular page.

When I was re-doing my contents, I decided that it would be better if I had a form of inspiration to look at whilst I was setting the contents page out, therefore I selected this contents page to base mine on. It also fit in with my colour scheme, therefore the colour scheme works too.

I used Photoshop to apply the title and date to the top of the page, and made sure it fit in with the colour scheme. Next, I chose the appropriate photographs, I also referred back to the requirement, therefore I made a collage of four different photographs of my model, to apply to the page. I also put a black and white effect on them, so the photographs would fit in with the colour scheme of black, white, and red. 

Afterwards, I applied the text and page numbers, I divided the contents into different sections, as this is conventional within different Rock magazines. Next, I had to decide on different colours and sizes, which would make more important text stand out, from the less important text. I also added a different number and title to the photographs of my model, to show that this is the main article of the magazine.

I then added a regulars sections, similar to how there is one on my example existing rock magazine, 

I also added an editors note as this is conventional, and the audience of the Rock magazine would be expecting to see a message from the editor. I also added the conventional section of a subscription deal, which is optional for the audience, but it also a persuasive technique, that is regularly used on contents pages.

Re-Adjusted Drafts and Front Cover Drafts

Final Editing

I removed all of the text, so I could change the location of it and change the font. I also changed the lighting of my model, so changed the contrast from mostly grey, to more black and white, therefore this would make a big different with the visual elements of the double page spread. I also needed to changed the font on the front cover to the font of the double page spread, to create continuity.

In this screenshot, I changed the brightness of the model, using the levels tool on photoshop, which allowed me to add certain amounts of white and black to the photoshop, resulting in a less grey effect afterwards. This also resulted in the model standing out from the grey background more, and continued the black and white effect from the contents page.

I inserted the text and assured that it was alligned on the left hand side of the columns, I also made space for my pull quote which I will insert afterwards. I also changed the font from 'Georgia' to a Sans serif font as this is conventional within other Rock magazines that I have looked at previously, therefore this is a recognizable font. I also inserted the magaizne logo, date, and page number onto the right hand side of the page, as this was also included in other Rock magazines that I have looked at, such as Q magazine which was my inspiration for this. I also wrote the numbering as '052' as this has also been seen in Q.

I then added my pull quote, I used grey and red to distinguish it from the article, but I used the same font as I used in the article to create continuity. I also made the quote centered, to also differentiate it from the article columns surrounding it. I also put the pull quote in the centre of the columns to make it stand out and be precise and clear.

I changed the font on the front to the same as the double page spread and stuck with the red and white colours, I also removed the masthead as I needed to change the fonts and I moved the date and moved the price so it was located near the barcode.

I then changed all of the article titles down the side to sans serif, leaving just the masthead, circle and skyline to change. I also tightened the text on the right hand side after changing the font and continued the colour scheme. I also made sure all of the text on the left hand side was on a straight line border and none was out of place. I also added a new grey circle as the previous one was untidy.

I then added text into the circle and added the skyline, as in a sans serif font to make it the same as the rest of the magazine. I made both of the texts black as this is continuing the colour scheme.  I made sure  that the text inside the circle was tighter and close together, instead of the words different distances apart. Therefore, this change made a big different, as I used the character tool and changed the spacing on Photoshop. 

I made small adjustments, such as changing the size of particular things. I decided the masthead would look better if it was a similar font to the main article therefore the audience can link the two together. I also changed the skyline and added extra articles to fill the space on the left hand side. 

When I was re-adjusting my front covers, I chose the base the front cover on an existing front cover for inspiration. I also wanted a red, black, grey and white colour scheme in particular, so I found a front cover which I could focus on, on this basis.

I then added my main image, and assured when using Photoshop, that my model was in front of the masthead to show her importance. I added the larger text first, such as the masthead and her name and title. I made sure that they followed the colour scheme, and made sure the name and masthead were the same colour to make sure that there is the connotation that they are linked together.

I then added the conventions such as the skyline, date and price. I placed these at the top, therefore when the magazine is placed in the shop, these conventions will be entirely visible. Next, I then focused on the conventions of the other magazine, and added the bar of text on the right hand side. I used a variety of text sizes and colours, like on the magazine I am focusing on, to make the text stand out.

I then added all of the text on the left hand side, I made sure that the text was in capital letters to make it stand out and make it clear. I also did a top layer of text red, and bottom layer of text smaller and white, and I continued this theme all the way down the page. Afterwards, I added small changes, such as the barcode and the grey circle (to create different shapes), and the date '2014' for added effect.

I used pixlr on my laptop, as I don't have photoshop at home. I did this so I could also edit my photographs with similar tools as with photoshop. I changed the brightness, saturation, contrast and colour levels to the appropriate level. I also changed the colour of my models eye to create a look of Rock. I also looked at Rock magazines for inspiration for the layout of the magazine, such as symbols, text and what alignment to use when setting it out. I also looked at colour schemes of various different front covers, the colours used regularly were red, blue, black and white. Therefore, I transferred this convention onto my front cover drafts.

How and why I created them

I changed the colour of her eyes several times, in order to choose one which looked good and realistic. I wanted to change the eye colour because rock musicians are stereotypically known for being a bit crazy and outrageous, therefore I thought this would be a good edit, when creating the draft front covers. I also changed the background of the images to an appropriate colour, for example on the pictures below the background was grey and so was her jumper, therefore they did not contrast very well, so I changed the background colour in order to compliment the text, the model and the model's clothing. I also changed the brightness and contrasting of the image to make sure it looks good and bright enough to stand out as a magazine.