College Magazine Contents Page Plan

MY FLAT PLAN

Following my research on a variety of contents pages, I decided to begin creating my own. I took my inspiration from this example...


Particularly, this one stuck out to me because I love the way the portrait photograph elongates the size of the page and I think that this layout looks particularly glamorous. I love it when photographs slightly overlap headings! Another thing I like about this page is the colour scheme, which looks professional and simple.




I decided that in order to make things easier for myself by the time I create my contents page on InDesign, I would make a flat plan to follow whilst using the program to remember my desired layout.

This is my contents page flat plan...

College Magazine Evaluation

My College Magazine Evaluation

One thing I feel went particularly well during my magazine creation were the photographs that I took; the good, clear, sharp quality gave me a nice image to work with on Photoshop when I came to construct my front cover. Although many people experienced difficulty achieving focused shots, I was happy with the result of my photos as I focused them manually. Looking for a plain background to take my photo, I decided to use a blue wall as this would still be plain enough to make the magazine writing visible, but less boring than white. Next time, I would also take some photos outdoors as this would provide me with a warm, natural light. Ultimately, I think I had a nice variety of photos that I could choose from which really helped me when I came to create the magazine front cover; I could choose the most appropriate photograph.

I took this photograph which I really liked however I did not use it as my front cover image; the background was too busy and as a result, any text used would not stand out against this intricate backdrop. However, I still liked the image and thought that it looked aesthetically pleasing to the eye, therefore I could use it on my contents page.

Clearly I learnt a lot about the software I used; I have very little experience with Photoshop therefore I am glad that this project furthered my knowledge in this important program that I will be using often throughout the course. There were a few bumps along the way however I feel that the best way to learn is to practise and try out the different tools in order to understand what they do as well as how to use them. Firstly, I edited my chosen image on Photoshop so that it looked the best it could. For instance, I increased the contrast so that the image stood out more against its background. I also added a slight yellow tint to the image in order to make it look warmer and more natural as the artificial light I shot the photo in wasn't nice. One thing which I noticed looked good on this edited photograph was that on the top of my model's head, there was a bright light which actually appeared to be a sun ray. This worked well in my attempts to enhance the photo by making it look more natural. After editing the image, my first mistake was 'opening' my image in Photoshop as opposed to 'placing' it which caused difficulty when applying each effect. On the other hand, when I placed my photo things ran very smoothly and I got used to adding different layers to my work so as to avoid making a mistake on one area and consequently having to scrap the whole thing. Next time, I would try to edit the photograph a bit more; one thing that I really like on professional magazines is when the person depicted in the image covers part of the title, adding depth to the cover. However, I could not do this as I chose to have my title in a thought bubble as this would look more interesting to college students. I am happy with this decision so would only try to have the image overlapping the text to try something a little bit different and further my editing skills.


Overall, I think that my finished product looked good and professional; it would not look out of place among other magazines of sorts.One thing which was really important to me about my product was that the font was clearly visible on my background therefore I think that the yellow font worked very well. it contrasted greatly with my blue background. Furthermore, I edited my font, adding a 'Bevel & Emboss' and 'Stroke' which I think contributed to it being eye-catching. The black outline surrounding my text also did this as the text looked clear and bold. My main reason for choosing a blue background to take my photograph on was that already, my magazine would stand out against others. I knew my background needed to be plain so that the text stood out easily however if the plain background was white, I think that it would look more boring and sparse. The blue is more upbeat and consequently more appropriate for a college magazine. On the other hand, one weakness of my magazine-which perhaps did not display the effect I was looking for-was the thought bubble. I struggled to insert a regular bubble shape onto my document as I could not 'Copy' and 'Paste' my desired shape from Microsoft Word or the Paint program. Next, I tried to add an image of a thought bubble which I created and saved as a JPEG however it had a white background which would not look right against my blue. In the end, I drew my bubble on and while this did not detract from the professionalism in my magazine, it is not as regular as I would have liked. Although, one could argue that a college magazine is not supposed to be "regular" but fun and upbeat therefore the fact that I drew my own thought bubble could connect with the artistic article in my piece. I do think that my magazine looks convincing, particularly with the barcode which I added as this really goes a long way to make the product look real and professional-like it is really on sale. On the other hand, one thing which is present on my style models would perhaps be a price on the front although I thought that this looked rather tacky on some magazines and gave the impression of a gossip magazine as opposed to my professional-looking product. For this reason, I chose not to incorporate it onto my finished piece. I think that my text and colour scheme are appropriate; I have achieved a good balance between upbeat and too "in-your-face". The size of my title is great as it can be read from a long distance away. Also, I added effects to my font in order to make it look 3D and eye-catching. I added a black outline to my text so that it was clear and stood out more. Moreover, I transformed the shape of my title into an arch template so that the word "TERM" was the biggest. This also helped to make the title look like an actual thought coming out of my thought bubble.

I came up with the idea to my magazine and I think that it sounds professional and relevant. Originally, I thought of "TERM TIME" in order to link with what has happened in each term at college however I began to play on the wording of this name. I know that many magazines and newspapers are called "..... Times" such as "The New York Times" therefore I decided to call my magazine "THE TERM TIMES" which sounded more professional as well as fun.

One thing which I would have done if I had more knowledge on the software is that on one of my images..........

.......I would have made the image black and white apart from my model's bright red hair, which I would have left in colour. This would have looked eye-catching and interesting therefore the magazine article about art and photography would have looked as creative as the actual piece.

One of my influences was obviously my style models as these really gave me an insight into how my product SHOULD look in the end. For example, my inspiration to place a barcode on my work came from an example which I had seen previously as I admired how professional this made the magazine look. Additionally, I researched the Student Magazine which is a professional example. Whilst I liked aspects of this, I thought that their product actually looked quite amateur in some areas. For example, their text boxes were just plain+white where as it would have looked more professional to add transparency to some so that readers could see the image behind the text as well, although that is simply my opinion. Ultimately, I chose to create my magazine to look upbeat as I think that this would be more popular among the target audience. For instance, at first I was planning on creating a very formal magazine with articles such as "Interview with the principal" although it dawned on me that the majority of students would be looking for scandal and gossip. Due to this, I changed the outlook on my magazine to be more informal, switching this article to "Principal to resign?!" as this looks and sounds much more interesting, attracting a larger readership.

College Magazine Front Covers

Front Covers

During my work on the preliminary assessment, I researched some examples of college magazines, choosing three favourites along the way. Each of the magazines I chose are unique and developed to a high standard.

1)I think that this magazine looks very professional; the whole thing ties together nicely and is a product that looks worthy of purchase. Moreover, I think that the title is straight-to-the-point and catchy, as well as looking good on the page. The colour of the font is red and as a result the product is eye-catching. Additionally, the text is capitalised to portray its importance and bounce off of the page. The sheer size of the title is perfect; it can be read easily at a distance. Mostly, I like the way that the person in the photograph is wearing red in order to maintain the colour scheme and ensure that she fits in with the product itself. Furthermore, I think that the placement of the article titles is well-chosen because it does not detract from the focal point of the girl displayed, but can be read easily against the different coloured background. It was important to me when creating my own magazine that the article titles were in a colour that was in a great contrast to the background to avoid losing their prominence. However, one disadvantage of this magazine is that the shot used is a mid-shot and our brief requires a medium close-up.
                                                                

     2)    I like this example of a college magazine; particularly the position of the girl photographed as this suggests that the magazine is very laid back and an escape from the busy college life as opposed to a reading session much like that of a revision guide. One thing that I really like about this college magazine is that the text is transparent therefore we can see the leaves from the photograph through the title. This hints at a natural, calm side of the magazine and is appealing to the eye, consequently making people want to buy it. In addition, the barcode seen on this magazine makes it look professional and inspired my decision to place one on my own work. The fashion decision on the front of this cover also reiterates a laid back feel to the example; it demonstrates that college fashion can also be relaxed and therefore looks like a more approachable and light-hearted magazine. On the other hand, I do not think that yellow was a suitable choice of colour for the article titles as I believe it blends into the grassy background too much and consequently does not stand out.

     3)    I find this example of a college magazine fascinating in a completely different way; to me, this reads more like a gossip magazine for the students and is therefore appealing to a wider group of students who would be interested in the “scandals” associated with college life. I think that the title is catchy and I like the alliterating of “Prior” AND “pick” as this conveys the sense of these articles being snappy and ideal for a quick read during a free period. I like that bright, bold colours have been used to name the articles as this really separates each one from the next and creates the illusion of the magazine being more full. I have to say that my favourite article would be the “100 college outfits” as fashion is a worry for many new college students who want to look cool as well as being practical. Finally, I like the fact that the boy photographed is wearing sunglasses as this really reiterates the idea of this magazine being cool.

Psychographic Mood Boards

MY MUSIC MAGAZINE

My Psychographic Mood Boards

The following images depict the three music genres that I would be interested in creating a magazine about: Indie implying individuality; Pop for popular and Jazz to swing while you're winning.

#1

Firstly, I researched Indie music and collected some of the attributes of this style. During my research, one important thing I looked into was the setting often seen in Indie music videos: a grassy hill. I believe that if this were the setting I used for my front cover, then it would portray the natural sense of Indie music. Relating to this, I found some daisy-chain head garments which would be an interesting accessory for my front cover model to wear in a setting like this as it really ties in the idea of relaxed vibes. Stereo-typically, Indie music revolves around women which is why I looked into products and images that would attract this target audience although, undoubtedly, when I create my own music magazine, I would like it to appeal to both males and females. I began by researching common hairstyles popular to this genre and discovered the braid. Concluding that in this style of magazine, girls would like to create this look at home, I thought that it would make a good article in my magazine as a "How-To" guide. Following on from my research into popular hairstyles, I decided that - seen as indie regards individuality - females may not want to look the same as EVERYBODY else with the popular braid, but unique and quirky. As a result, I decided that Schwarzkopf would be an appropriate brand to advertise in my magazine, seen as they specialise in eccentric, vivid and bold hair dyes. The instrument most commonly associated with this genre is clearly the acoustic guitar however I would not choose to include an "average" model of guitar. Due to this, I found a guitar that was florally patterned, again reiterating that this style of music can be enjoyed calmly as it is very laid back.



#2

Collecting my thoughts regarding pop music, I created my second mood board incorporating things widely associated with the genre. Obviously, pop music has evolved throughout the decades; the popular music of each generation is very different. However, I believe that the two most prominent decades in the ever-changing life of pop music would be the Eighties and the Noughties, each with their own iconic stars such as Michael Jackson...the KING OF POP! Seen as pop music means something different to each generation, I came to the conclusion that my own pop magazine should encompass all that is great from each decade as this would provide me with a wider target audience and consequently a larger profit margin. For example, young readers would be interested in streaming music therefore "Spotify" would be an excellent program to advertise in my magazine; it appeals to my main target audience as well as encouraging readers to stay in touch with the music they love most. Undoubtedly, one icon of current pop music is Rihanna and she has been an asset to the genre, keeping up with and even inspiring the on-going changes in this style. Gradually, pop music has become more glamourized and Rihanna portrays this through her fashion sense as well as through music videos.  As a result, Rihanna would be an appropriate celebrity to incorporate into my finished product. In order to gain older readers, I would include the most famous form of music entertainment from their generation-Top of the Pops! This popular programme produced over 2000 episodes and actually overlaps generations; it first aired in 1964, finally ending in 2004. For this reason, this would be a fabulous programme to include in my magazine as it appeals to my ENTIRE target audience. There are many products commonly related to this genre of music although I think that the perfect brand to advertise would be "NOW" as they often release remixes appealing to all readers.



#3


















Understandably, there are many magazines produced specifically for the pop genre, making it a disadvantage to create another as the target audience would be slim. On the other hand, one favourable genre of music is swing and jazz and there is a huge gap in the market for a magazine that would appeal to that target audience. Consequently, a magazine appropriate to this genre would be well-received by readers and welcomed by general music lovers. However, despite there not being magazines for this style, the following of this genre is still much smaller than that of pop music, meaning that less profit would come from this magazine. Despite this, I started my research. The first thing that pops into my head when I think about this particular genre HAS to be the flapper girls as they played an important role in this movement in the 1920s. Heavy make up is commonly associated with these figures of history therefore I decided that an appropriate brand to advertise in this magazine would be Rimmel London. Recently, they brought out a line of lipsticks perfectly suited to this style (talk about red, red, red) which would appeal to my readers. Furthermore, I looked into the instruments associated with this particular genre therefore I concluded that the perfect front cover for this magazine would be an image of the swing band with cellos, double basses and trombones but focus being on a female singer with a beautiful, vintage microphone. The reason for this is that this photograph would completely portray the vintage style to my swing music magazine. At the forefront of the image, dancers may be seen doing the popular dance of the jazz age-the Charleston. I own a flapper dress therefore recreating this image would be easy for me and I could come by the interesting instruments from my college's orchestra. Therefore, this would be a unique idea for a music magazine in Media Studies.

An Introduction to AS Media

AS MEDIA STUDIES

Introduction

Welcome to my Media Studies blog! My name is Lauren Heslop and I am an AS student beginning my coursework. Firstly, I will be posting about my preliminary task which will be a magazine for the college. Following this, I will begin work on my music magazine which I have already began preparations for. Watch this space...