SCD Magazine Preliminary Task

Here are the print screens of my preliminary task to create a college magazine.





Front Cover






























Contents Page:

Blog 12 Double Page spread

I had to upload the photo's to my blog as I had difficulty uploading to google docs.

Blog 11 - Target Audience Commentary

To get a better picture of how my magazine may come across I decided to show a selection of people my magazine to get their views and opinions on it. I decided to use both male and females around the ages of 14 - 18 as that is my target audience.

After showing these individuals my front cover, contents page and the double page spread these were there written responces

Emma (Female, Aged 14)

"the front cover has bright pretty colours which is very attractive, the contents page has a lot of detail and personality. I love the double page spread I really like the photo's he has taken it gives the page a sense of happiness and warmth"

Aimee (Female, Age 17)

"I really like the photo included on the front cover, I think it's cute, warm and welcoming which would attract me towards the magazine. The contents page is very bright, I think the contents is very much like other magazines but it works well keeping it simple. The spread is my favourite part of this magazine, the article drew me and the photo's selected really reflected the feel and mood of the article"

Alex (Male, Age 16)

"The front cover is very bright and girly which I think may put some male readers off but the cover still looks good. The contents page is very simple and basic which I like, it does it's job and doesn't look compact and over crowded. The double page spread is the best part of the magazine, the articles are well planned and the images are happy and positive which will relate to the readers."

Blog 10 - Final Evaluation

Final Evaluation

Overall I am pleased with my finished product and think the images, colours and font types and styles bring reflect on the magazine genre and that it will relate to the target audience. I based my colour schemes on previous magazine's I studied, my contents page colour scheme and layout was influenced a lot by a cover a Mizz magazine. The process of selecting my final images for the front cover, contents page and the double page spread was rather tricky I had taken around 57 images in today, so to get a better feel I printed out a spread sheet with all 57 photographs and picked photographs that stood out more, I also wanted photographs that would reflect the mood and the vibe of the magazine so the majority of the images chosen were those of smiling. I also wanted to experiment with different locations and costumes to give a better variety. The fonts used became a slight problem when coming into the final stages, I experienced some problems with the downloading of fonts from www.dafont.com therefore I had to make some changes and use fonts already installed in the program. Also I had to do this, the original fonts are still included in my font blog and also my flat plans, I was going for a flamed themed font for the title as it reflected the title of my magazine "pop fever".

Similarities between my magazine and magazines I looked at were the contents page colours and layout, I also took the imagery inspiration from Top of the Pops magazine with the smiley happy images. However differences between my magazine and other magazines is more the content I wanted to have within my magazine. With my double page spread I wanted to make it unique and different to most spreads. So I decided to firstly Include a few varied images of my featured act. I also used an interview based question and answer article. I also included headings with personalised responses, my main unique point was my top 20 pop-tastic pop tunes section I wanted to the magazine/spread to have something special and different that would attract readers to it.

As my magazine is pop themed, it is mostly aimed at a target audience of 14 - 18 years, It was also gender biased more towards female readers than male, this is why the colour scheme is pinks, purples and brighter colours and shades more gender orientated colours. The imagery I selected was happy, positive and cheerful to reflect and show the happy mood. I also had to consider the use of language within the article, I wanted to keep the language simple and understandable for all age groups as the magazine varies.

Publishers that would stock and sell my magazine would be mostly major establishments such as Asda, Tesco's etc It would also be stocked my smaller branches such as sweet shops. I think they would stock the magazine as there are not a big variety of pop genre magazines in shops today apart from Top of the Pops, so I think it would be a perfect opportunity for them

The target audience for my magazine is individuals between the ages of 14 and 18 years, the magazine is also more biased towards female readers than males but can be readable for both genders. The audience would also be targeted to individuals from working class backgrounds as the magazine wouldn't be that expensive also the audience would have to have an interest in po music and genre. To get a better feel to who my target audience would be by researching into Smash Hits magazine and Top of the Pops magazines, there target audiences were similar to the kind of audience I wanted my magazine to be aimed towards. To attract my target audience I decided to use brighter colours and smiley and eye popping images. To attract the readers eye to the magazine on a shelf for example I used bright colours for the font on a less bright background colour. In addressing the reader I tried to use pull quotes and sub-headings to draw the reader into reading the magazine.

During the process of this project I learnt how to use Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop, I found the programs extremely tricky to use and grasp especially InDesign, I felt like this made me unable to do as much technical detailing towards my magazine although I felt like I done the best that I could have.

Looking back in preliminary task I feel like I have learnt a lot more in my Abode InDesign and Photo shop, My use of design skills has also improved I also have found out that my analysis skills have improved and my knowledge of magazines and the industry. My use of language has improved also as I had to write articles targeted to a target audience that is maybe out of my comfort zone.

Over all I am rather pleased and happy with my progress and the final pieces I have uploaded. If I could change anything during the process I would have done a better planning process and also keep up to date with the blog work. I found it so easy to get behind with the blogging or behind. I would also have just been better at time management.

Links for my final pieces are shown below.

Link For Front Cover: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_QUfHy0ObHTYjFkMTM0MWEtOTg5YS00NjQ4LWE5ODAtYTkwMzg0ZTM3ZjQw&hl=en

Link For Contents Page: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_QUfHy0ObHTZDgyNzljNGYtMzQ1Ny00ZjBkLWE5NWItZWYyNGMxZGYwNWIz&hl=en

Link For Double Page Spread: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_QUfHy0ObHTMjlmOTJkZmMtMTgyNy00ZDg1LWFiMWEtMzQ2YmVhZTI3Y2Zk&hl=en

Blog 8 - Planning and Evaluation of Article

Evalution of Article 1 - Top of the Pops magazine

Top of the Pops magazine for this article have used a style of an Interview for the spread, the written article consists of Questions asked by the interviewer and then the answers given by one of the band members. The tone of the article is quiet happy and upbeat with lots of use of Exaggeration! this gives the text a more happy, hiped and upbeat feeling which relates to the genre the magazine specialise in. The text is written in-formally which relates and will attract audiences from around thirteen to seventeen/eighteen. They also use other aspects within the articles like small articles on a different topic but still relates to the main feature which in this case is The Jonas Brothers. this technque benifits both the magazine and the featured artist as it contains subject of a larger capacity on interests and also advertises other parts of the featured artists, in this case "Camp Rock" a movie with Joe Jonas starting in.

Evaluation of Article 2 -Taylor Swift Spread from Mizz Magazine

This article has been writte, styled and based on a similar style to the Top of the Pops magazine. The main article is based upon a given topic or area with Taylor Swift answering them in detail. The article also contains a factial section which is very personal and detailed, this gives the article a sense of uniqueness and speciality. The article also contains a big question where quotations from Taylors answers have been written, this makes the article come across more personal and more "juicy" to the readers. By using this the article has become a lot more interesting to readers as there wanting answers and will want to read on to get all the details. the formality of the article is in-formal as it represents the magazines main focus and target audience, Taylors answers are also written in an upbeat happy and friendly way "You know whats it's like..." gives the reader a sense of understanding and makes them feel included and even special like there feeling are just the same of Celebrities in these magazines. Like the Top of the Pops magazine they also use Exaggeration to make the wording more happy and uplifting.

Ideas For My Featured Article.

Idea 1) Article Interview Based

Popfever: Thank you! for coming to chat with us Lilli we're so syched to have you here

Lilli: "no thankyou! it's a honor to be asked!"

Popfever: So four months the world have pop had never heard the name Lilli Woodthorpe how does it feel to have your name known all across the UK?

Lilli: "It feels so strange still! four months ago I was busking outside my local shopping centre with my guitar because I just love music and I'm so lucky that I was discoverd and signed! It's a dream come true"

Popfever: You've already had huge success over here with 3 top 10 singles including a massive number one, How do you plan to top that?

Lilli: "I know I would have been happy with a top 20 single, let alone 2 top 10's and a number it's just made my year really! I'm planning my UK tour this summer so that's something I'm terribly excited about but also nervous I have not been away from my mum for that amount of time"

Popfever: Were so excited about your tour, I'm sure it's going to be one huge summer for you!

Lilli: "I hope so, I am really nervous but also excited to finally meet the amazing people who got me where I am today! it's my way to give back and say thankyou"

Idea 2) Topic Questions

Her Fashion Sense

"I love fashion, ever since I was a little girl wearing my mums high heels and dress's I instantly had a passion for it. I love the feeling a women gets when she's in a beautiful number and you feel on top of the world."

Her Music Tastes

"I'm obviously a massive fan of Pop music, bands such as Girls Aloud, Pixie Lott, La Roux and The Saturdays, although what many people might not know is I also have a big obsession with Indie and Acoustic music, I'm very much into Paramore at present times there great! I remember seeing them at the last festival I went too and I screamed like a little girl"

Blog 7 - Photograph Changes

Photo Editing.

As I have decided to use this image for my front cover I decided to edit it using Adobe Photoshop, after experimenting with the different tools and effects I decided to edit the contrast and colour of the image, to do this I went to "image" then "agustments" and then "contrast and colour" I think the edit makes the image stand out more as I have brightend it up. This should reflect the mood and style of the magazine and be more appealing to readers of my target audience.

Before. After.

For this image I've decided to use it in my double page spread, I decided to crop the image as it had some background props which would not look right in my article. I also repeated the process of changing the contrast and colouring, to brighton up the photo as it is a little bit darker than preferd.

Before. After.

For this image, I decided just to do a simple crop, I feel that it's appropriate the way it is for the article.

Before. After.

This photo I have selected to feature as one of a few smaller images to be in my double page spread, I cropped this image as it had a door on the left hand side, and I also ajusted the colour and the contrast.

Before. After.

This photo is going to be used for one of my main photographs in the double page spread, I decided to crop the image down a bit to enlarge Lilli moren to draw the attention of the reader.

Before After.

Blog 6 - Photographs

Photo 8) Another photo shoot using colour changes of black and white, I decided to do this for this particular location as the black and white really shows off the patterns on the bedding and the pattern on her costume. I think the black and white tone makes the imagery more articulate. I really think this image would be affective in my magazine, but I'm not sure if the black and white would clash with the colours used.

Photo 7) I chose to take a close up as close ups are normally a good choice for a cover of a magazine. Majority of Pop magazines use covers of close ups with bright and happy smiles to reflect the mood and vibe the magazine gives off to it's readers. So that's why I went for this type of photograph, I will consider using this photo or one similar for the front cover of my magazine.

Photo 6) For the photo shoot I wanted to change location as well as change costume and pose positions, I decided to photograph in this location and scene as it's very bright and colourful which relates to the Pop Vibe of the magazine. The innocence of the pose makes the photo welcoming and happy which will interest and welcome readers. The bright pink wall emphasises Lili perfectly and pulls focus to her.

Photo 5) I also wanted to photograph in a cutesy way, like most pop magazines so with a cute smile, and with innocent like body language. I think this kind of pose and photo works well with Pop magazines as it's open and welcoming to readers and tends to have a positive vibe to it.

Photo 4) In the photo's to catch a variation of different images I decided to photograph Lili in motion. Using movement and body language to express and portray emotions instead of just a simple smile. I think this works and will have a better and more positive effect on the readers.

Photo 3) I wanted to include props in my shoot, so I decided to photograph her with a guitar, this relates to magazines topic of music. I also wanted to include photographs including actions/movements. This will hopefully engage the readers better than just a solid front shot. I think it will give the spread a more artistic vibe but at the same time not taking the topic away from Pop music.

Photo 2) I wanted to show variety and versatility in my shots, so I decided to take several images of my subject in different styled outfits to help reflect different tastes and styles. I decided to take a variety of close ups and body shots to have a good mixture for when I come to select my final few images.

Photo 1)
I decided to experiment with colour for my photo shoot and take a series of black and white shots. I also decided to capture my subject in a natural pose and emotion, I thought that this would make a more honest and open connection to the target audience. However black and white images are not usually in Pop orientated magazines I think it would make my magazine more unique in comparison. I chose this specific costume for the black and white shoot as the colours intend to stand out against the white backdrop and I thought it would give Lili more of a presence within the photographs.

In total for this photo shoot I took 57 images, I've uploaded a few of my favourite images here in this blog, although some may or may not appear on my final design for the magazine.