Plans for my Magazine - front page

Below I have created a plan for the front cover of my magazine on a computer. It's very simplistic and I have not done it in colour, just to show where I will be placing the main components of my magazine e.g. masthead, main image and cover lines etc. In the post above labelled 'Magazine Inspirations' I have shown why I have structured the page as I have.

Below is my hand drawn version of the front cover plan. I have drawn my model with the cover lines anchored around her and the main cover line will actually extend further than I have shown it to - like it does in the magazine inspiration post. I have written possible cover lines but will change names and fonts accordingly. I think the background of my model (and the page) will be white because this will emphasise the contrast of colours placed on top e.g. purple and black. The small image at the top right will be from a concert I attended to show the focus of the magazine is music! Also in the strip I will advertise the free CD available inside and on the skyline, or possibly as one of the cover lines, I will show what competition lies ahead for the reader.

Front cover inspirations

I have found a few magazines which have inspired a few elements I will be using when creating my magazine - disregarding the colour scheme and other crucial factors. I am showing them in this post because I want to explain my choices for the way I am structuring my magazine front page, e.g. why I place the main cover line where I have.

The image of NME magazine which I have shown above has encouraged me to structure my cover lines in a similar way. In my post below labelled 'Plans for my magazine' I showed a computer created and hand drawn plan for my front page of the magazine which will show how I am planning for it to turn out. The magazine above has a main image of a man, waist up, and surrounding him are cover lines. The cover lines on the right are smaller than the ones on the left which represents the importance of the information, which I will be doing. Also, the main cover line is a lot bolder than most things on the page (except the masthead) and is positioned across the whole bottom third of the page - across the image of the man and in white amongst the black background makes it stand out a lot. I plan on making my magazine share similar structure to this because I think it is an effective way of showing the audience which information is the most important and intriguing.


The other magazine I have mean inspired by is a different issue of NME magazine. Although I will not be using the same colour scheme and font choices the layout of the page is what I am interested in. The main image is Noel Gallagher shown mid-torso up which is the position I am planning on my model to do, however her body will be facing forward. Also cover lines are positioned in a similar way as the previous NME magazine which I am interested in adapting for my own. There is a small image in the top right hand corner which is intriguing because it shows the versatility of the magazine so I will have an image in that position as well, one I have taken myself of course. One thing that is featured on these front covers that I will not be adapting is that main image overlaps the masthead, which is acceptable in an infamous magazine such as NME, however my niche audience will not be able to make out my masthead if the main image goes over it. Therefore I will not be doing this.

Final Font

I have previously shown the font I planned to use from the website DaFont.com in my post where I used social media to chose between possible font ideas. However, I decided my magazine would have a more unique and specific vibe to it if I created the masthead myself. Therefore I used Adobe Photoshop to construct my own font which I have shown the process of below. I was inspired by the previous font I chose which was most popular through the social media aspect, so I based my original making of the new font of the simple design of the original one.

Below I have shown how I created my masthead through a step by step process. I am pleased with my final design but to test this I will ask a few people what they think of it and post the results to be sure I should use this on the front cover on my magazine.

Rpm slideshow from beccaweight16

Response to final font:

I asked two people to write down their thoughts on my final font/masthead and I got the following response:

Final Ideas

Font and Name

I made this font because I thought it would be representative of the genre I have chosen (indie). This is because it is unique and the way it is structured works well with the name of my magazine (RPM) as it is initialised. I created this font and I have shown this process in the post above via a Slideshare. The colour I have decided to use is kind of a navy, black and white combination to really capture the edginess of the magazine.

Colour Scheme

My final colour scheme I have decided to use is shown on the right; purple, grey, black, navy and white. I like this colour scheme because the colour purple will stand out and as I reflect on my post labelled 'Colour' I see that the colour purple has connotations of independence and creativity as well as symbolising power and ambition. I like the idea of featuring purple on my magazine because of the reasons above as it will intrigue the niche audience and also be unique to other magazines on the shelf. The other colours contrast well with purple and I think this would look good altogether by looking at the moodboard I created. My masthead is navy and white as well as colours of grey and black being featured on the front page, maybe as cover lines. I do not want my magazine to end up resembling a pop magazine at all, which is why I will be careful when considering where to place each colour, especially purple.

Price

I have decided to make my magazine worth £4.25. I have come to this decision by considering my questionnaire results and focus group. The results showed that no one would pay more than £5 but less than £4 would be too cheap due to the fact I will be using good quality paper and the magazine will also include a competition. I think this is an appropriate price because most magazines range from £2 - £6 so a choice in the middle of that seems okay. I will either display the price alongside the barcode or below the masthead to make it in a place easy for the reader to see, but will experiment with this while using Photoshop.

Audience

I have decided that the audience for my magazine will be males and females aged 19 - 25. I think this is an appropriate audience because the colours featured on my magazine vary in the sense some are dark and the purple stands out which means for a mixed - gender audience because they are not gender specific. Also I think the audience will be in the age range of 19 - 25 because at this age people are interested in media and what's going on around them now, also the main model of my magazine is a young girl so the audience will  be able to identify with her more because they are also young; older people generally tend to not be interested in what younger people are doing.

Clothes possibilities

This ski jacket is one of the jackets my model tried on in the previous post. I like it because it stands out and is alternative and will fit in with my colour scheme.

I paired the jacket with some sports wear, a sports bra and 3/4 length leggings as well as some white trainers I have shown below. The grey will comply with my colour scheme, and the look I am going for will be achieved by my model wearing these clothes; I want the magazine to look fresh and interesting.

The outfit together looks nice together and I think I will be able to achieve the theme I m aiming for my magazine.

My Model - make-up and clothes test shots

Meet my Model

My model's name is Olivia, she is 17 years old and is studying for her A-Levels.  I have chosen to use her as my model because she has stunning facial features, amazing hair and would look good on front of a magazine cover. When people first look at her, they may think she is suits the pop genre more, however I believe her look is versatile - depending on makeup and clothing choices which I display below. She is also confident and up for a challenge which is another reason why I chose her, when completing my photoshoot she will be able to follow instructions and even offer new ideas because of her creativity. She is not shy and will be willing to adapt to different poses regardless of where the shoot is. I am confident with my choice of model and think the final photoshoot will turn out looking very aesthetically pleasing and professional.

Make Up:

Above I have displayed all the makeup I used on my model. I used primer, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, eyeshadow and all these brushes. I used this because I want my model's make up to look amazing and professional. The better it looks the more it will contribute to the whole look of the magazine, which is crucial.

The images above show my model experimenting with different makeup choices. The image directly above shows her with different make up on each side of her face so I could see which one looked better on her. I used purple eyeshadow because it goes with the outfit choices I present below:

Outfit 1:

         

This outfit consists of an aztec style jumper including colours such as; purple, orange, red, green, white and black. My model would be wearing grey or black sports leggings with this in order to continue the casual theme. I could add sports trainers to this look or use casual shoes like Converse. The colours in the outfit blend in with her makeup which make her look trendy and in turn will make the magazine look better, as this will also contribute to the colour scheme of the page.

Outfit 2:

  This is my second outfit choice, it consists of a lilac ski jacket which I could pair with high waisted jeans and a tight vest. I am not keen on this outfit because I think the colours are minimal and boring which would not excite the reader and make them buy the magazine. When the niche audience sees the magazine I want them to look at the clothes and think it is something they may wear, however these clothes could be quite generic and would not necessarily appeal to any specific groups of people, which is why I don't think I will use this outfit.

Outfit 3:

This is the third and final outfit choice. I am only showing the jacket because I was only experimenting with colours, as this will be the main piece of clothing. I would probably pair this with a sports bra, ripped jeans or leggings and sports trainers. This is my favourite outfit because I feel like it would really fit my magazine theme of indie because the model will be easily distinguishable, especially with this clothing, and give of a unique and independent vibe. These colours really suit my model, as do the clothes and I think the final outcome of these, when I complete my final photoshoot, will be great.

My Moodboard

I created a moodboard in order to present my ideas for the colour scheme for my magazine, ideas for fashion, location, inspirations and so on. I hope the end product of my magazine is reflective of my mood board. In order to achieve this I need to research how to use these colours so they are in harmony and create interesting mixtures on the page which will intrigue the niche audience. I also need to dress my model in similar types of clothing, whilst sticking to the colour scheme, this may be challenging but I am motivated to create the best media product I can.

Focus Group

Even though I created a questionnaire and showed the results, I decided to undertake further research in order to obtain more insight in to what other, unbiased, people think about my ideas. By creating a focus group I was able to see what others think in more detail as well as seeing their facial expressions towards possible ideas. Here is the transcript of the focus group between Matilda, Emma, Ellie and I:

Me: Do you like the name of my magazine 'RPM'? Do you think it fits the genre?

Ellie: Yeah I like it and think it's appropriate

Emma: It's okay but I don't understand what it means so I can't tell if it fits the genre

Matilda: I think it sounds professional but yeah what does it mean

Me: It stands for 'Revolutions per minute' which represents the revs of a record which was more widely used years ago

Matilda: Oh yeah then sure, it looks good!

Me: So, do you like the idea of my colour scheme of Purple, Grey, Black, Navy and White?

Emma: Yeah it sounds like it would look good but I would have to see it before agreeing completely

Matilda: I don't think it sounds very interesting but yeah same, I would have to see it first

Me: Where do you think I should do my photoshoot for my DPS and for the main image on the contents page?
Matilda: Well I like the idea of a creative vibe because of the clothing choices and colour scheme so your idea of Shoreditch is probably a good contender
Me: I know but it is so generic for an indie magazine to have an 'edgy' vibe because a lot of music scenes are in Shoreditch so I am trying to achieve something different
Matilda: You could pull it off anywhere I suppose, did you have any ideas?
Ellie: I like the scene of like a chilled out and relaxed sort of scene, could just be sitting in a room with good lighting and props...
Me: Yeah I was thinking that I like the idea of being free... my model (and music artist for the magazine) creates indie music which represents the freedom that they have with their label to create the music they desire. So with that in mind I had visualised my model being in an environment that is vast and symbolises having the space to do what you want; maybe in the countryside somewhere?
Emma: Yeah I like that idea! And it's good that you can justify why you have chosen that location
Matilda: Yes that could look good

Me: How do you think I should dress my model?

Matilda: Well what's her name and what does she look like

Me: I have not yet decided what her 'stage name' is yet - I was thinking Beatrice - she is average height, like dark blonde/light brown hair, is healthy so has a good physique etc

Emma; Hmm, I'm not sure. What is your main idea and I'll tell you if I like it or not

Me: Well I was thinking to have her look kind of sporty, so in a white/grey sports bra with this sort of ski jacket thing which is white and purple, also with like leggings or maybe ripped jeans with sports trainers

Ellie: I think if she has a nice body then you could pull it off because it would attract the audience and I think the colours used for clothes would fit in well with the color scheme you want to use

Matilda: Yeah I agree

Me: How much would you pay for my magazine?

Ellie: I don't know, if it would be up to a good, professional standard then I'd probably pay up to £5

Matilda: No more than £4 I think

Emma: Probably in the middle, so about £4.50 ish

Me: Yes it would be up to a good standard and will also include a competition with the chance of a prize inside

Matilda: Oh well if there's a prize then I would pay about the same as Emma, I don't know why but £5 just seems too expensive

Me: On my DPS the story was going to feature the main model, on tour describing her experience. Do you like that idea?
Emma: Yeah it could be interesting if you consider the detail
Matilda: Hm dunno, maybe if you make it fun and compliant with the genre and niche audience
Ellie: Yeah I think it is a good idea because it would intrigue the reader as to what they are up to now
Me: Yeah that's what I was thinking

Me: Well thank you for your time! I will consider your input and make necessary implications to my magazine.
Matilda/Emma/Ellie: Thanks.

Questionnaire Results

Question 1 shows the most popular colour scheme was C - Purple, Grey, Black and Navy. I agree with this as I believe the colours are different to other music magazines and would offer a fresh insight in to the genre. However, I will also probably use white as well because it is a neutral colour that would also tie in with the colour scheme. On Question 2, E (£4.75) was the option picked the most which means that is what most people would pay. I think this is an appropriate price, but I also think £3.25 is as well but will discuss this in the focus group I create.

Question 3 shows that about 50% of people who took part in the questionnaire chose Shoreditch as the preferred location. I like this location because it is notorious for being an arty area with lots of personality and appropriate for the sort of pictures I want to take. Although, I feel that given my time frame to create this magazine, I may have to rush things to get the photoshoot to take place in Shoreditch which I do not want to do. Therefore when I am planning my magazine I will brainstorm more ideas that would be suitable for my magazine. The fourth question shows around 85% of people asked, chose the option of a monthly issue compared to a weekly issue which I agree with because there would not be a high standard of information to release weekly, whereas monthly the magazine would be jam-packed.

The fifth question confirms that the audience is unsure of whether the magazine should include a free CD. I sent texts to a few people to see what they think about the idea and this is their response beside:

Because of this response, I think I will include a free CD, because it means more people will buy the magazine (if they are interested in the music I am advertising). Question 6 shows that the most popular cover lines are D (The reinvention of...), A (First major interview of...) and B (Interview from...). These cover lines are appropriate, but I will probably amend them and add to them whilst I go along.

Question 7 represents 80% of the people who took part in the questionnaire saying no to me including competitions for concerts and gigs inside the magazine. However, I think it is a good idea because I am hoping to intrigue people who are enthusiastic about this genre of music and by including the chance of winning a ticket/s to a gig, it may encourage them to buy the magazine. Also I allowed the 50 people I gave the questionnaire to, to add suggestions for competitions and the most popular suggestions included money, meets and greets and free merchandise. I think these are all appropriate ideas which I will consider when creating my magazine. The eighth question, I think, is not important. I no longer like these names and when dressing my model and discovering her identity, I will come up with a suitable name.

The ninth question shows the most popular choice of clothing is A, however I don't think I should commit to one style. I will experiment with different clothes which will suit my model in different ways, which I think is the most sensible choice. Question 10 shows a split decision between all stories. I think the most interesting story would be my model is on tour, because I could ask an array of questions regarding her life, career and the tour so I could cover a variety of subjects which would interest the reader the most.

Questionnaire

I created a questionnaire which includes various questions that are appropriate for an audience to answer. I gave the questionnaire to approximately 50 people including males and females from the age of 19+. I have shown the results in the post above.

Font ideas

When discussing the genre of my magazine I knew I had to make the name of the magazine reflective of the music industry and particularly suited regarding typography. I visited the website 'DaFont.com' and found various styles that I could use to make the name (RPM) seem professional and eye-catching whilst suiting the genre.

Below, I have shown six fonts which caught my eye when looking through the website. I feel like they are reflective of the indie genre as they are unique and alternative, much like my chosen genre:

I like all of these fonts however I think a few of them are impractical. The top right style of 'RPM' is not clear as the R is reversed which makes it difficult to read, especially when there is an array of colours and other distracting words featuring on the front page. Also the bottom left choice of style is unclear as the letters are warped and amongst other colours it could be difficult to decipher. 

In light of this, I deleted these two options from my list and put the rest on my Twitter account to see what other people thought of my choices.

Social Media Response:

As shown above, everyone who replied chose the first or second option (top left and top right of the Twitter choices). This means the last two are being disregarded and will not be used for the name of my magazine. After looking through the options again I decided that my favourite option is the first one (top left) because it is clear, bold, eye-catching and is unique to my magazine. However, I will not be using this exact font because I want to make my own that I will be able to make specific to my magazine. I did this social media response work to see which font people thought looked best, in order for me to be inspired by it and base the font I will make on the design of this font. I will later show how I create my font but below I have shown the font I will be inspired by: