Evaluation - Question 1

Evaluation question 1 from beccaweight16

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

CONTENTS PAGE

FRONT COVER

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD CREATION

I created my DPS on two separate A4 canvas' so that when I finished with them on Photoshop I could put them together. Below I have shown the process of the creation of, firstly, the left page and then the right page. In a post further on I will show what they look like together, when I have the resources to do so.

First of all, I made the background of the page a white brick wall. I did this because when I was creating my front cover, a plain white background was boring, in light of this I thought it would be a good idea to add some texture to the page.

I then added my headline. I used a pull quote from the magazine 'I LOVE music and everything that comes with it' because it gives the reader a feeling of the positivity coming from the article and may encourage them to read it. I used the font 'Orator Std' because the spacing between letters makes it bold and effective. Also I used purple because I am continuing the colour scheme throughout the magazine to promote continuity. I also added a grey looking box which is where I will put the body text for my article.

The next step was to add a sell line above the headline. I used a grey box and reduced the opacity so it would make the white writing bold but also because the background is white, it makes it stand out more and highlights the contrast. I used the word 'Exclusive' to make the reader want to read the article because they may feel like they will find out something thy don't know which is intriguing.

Below the headline I put a stand-first/into to give the reader a brief insight of what the article will be about. I used the same font because it is effective against the white background.

The next step was to add all the text. I started with a drop capital and then began to write my body text. I used white lines to separate the columns and wrote the interviewer's comments in black font and the interviewees comments in purple font - I did this so I was still following the colour scheme but also it stands out against the grey background.

I also added a white font, pull quote because this stands out amongst the rest of the text and again, creates a contrast between white and grey.

The final thing I did was add a folio to the bottom of the page, including the logo, page number and date. Then I began on the right page.

I chose the image I wanted to use from my main photo shoot and spent a while editing around the body and mostly, hair. I then put the image on a white background and duplicated it and flipped it around so they were mirrored.

I then got another image I wanted to use that was less active than the other one. I edited around it and then placed it in between the other two..

I deleted the bottom half of the images legs because I am placing a film strip below these images and the legs may be visible so in order to avoid this problem I thought the most proactive thing to do was to delete them.

I used Google to search for a film strip I could use. I rotated it on the page so it looked interesting and when it's slanted a bit it seems more real, rather than just being straight. Then, the same as I did on the other page, I added a grey box to the bottom of the film strip so I can place my text on top of it.

I added images I took to the page, placing them inside the film strip. I used one image of my model with a guitar and another with a close up of my model with some Bowie vinyls in the background, because she refers to him in the article. Lastly, in the middle I used and image of Venice (one I acquired when I visited the city previously) because she refers to there in the article and I thought it added something different to the page and make it appeal to a wider ranged audience.

I proceeded to add the text of the article, this continued from the left page. At the end of the interview I included information of her world tour, as suggested by my body text response.

The final thing to do on this right page, the same as the last was to add the folio again. I made a mistake during the process because there is a difference of brightness on the background image (brick wall) so I had to flip the image so the brightest parts met in the middle and the dark parts were on the outside of the page. The final outcome is below.

CONTENTS PAGE CREATION

To create the contents page for my magazine was a little more challenging than the front cover because the text was difficult to align and look neat at the the same time, because there is so much of it. I tried my best for the contents magazine to resemble well known magazines such as NME (because that is my favourite layout) but also to interpret my theme as well. I have documented the process below.

The first thing I did was add the logo, title (Contents) and other info. I added the logo and arranged it so it was in the same place as it was for the front cover. I then added a line - using the 'Line tool' and increasing the width - running alongside the logo and making it the same navy blue colour. I used the text tool to insert the word 'Contents' above the line and I think I made it look good as the text looks neat and aligned well.

I then added an image of my model with a guitar but she was wearing a top that did not match the colour scheme so I discarded this idea and used this simple, but effective, image instead. Underneath I typed her name 'Olivia Ashley' and page number in a bold font so it catches the readers eye.

After that I added a 'Features' column with an image of a young man with a guitar in black and white, and also included page numbers and info of what's on those pages. On this page I have decided to put the page numbers in purple and other text in black.

Below that I did a 'News!' column with more info about what's inside the magazine.

Lastly, I did a final column labelled 'Reviews'. Along with this I made a line next to the 'News!' column in order to separate the text from the text I inserted below the image. I did this because without it, the text all blurred into one, now it is easier to read and it flows easier.

I created a 'Band Index' on the right side of the page. I used purple page numbers and black text to differentiate the information and make it clear to read. I searched famous indie bands as well as using some from my own knowledge to create a variety or artists.

Below the band index I inserted text saying 'Get in touch...'. Below that I inserted the logo of Instagram, Twitter and of my own magazine 'RPM'. The page number is also in the corner.

On the left hand side of the page, below the three columns I added another section labelled 'Plus'. Here I added more information about what is accessible in the magazine and tried to make it look intriguing and stand out alongside all the other text on the page.

The final thing I added to the page was an advertisement. I placed an image of the front cover I created inside a black box made at the bottom, middle of the page. Then I inserted the text 'Subscribe today for just £5.95 a month! Offer ends in just 5 days. Go to RPMAG.co.uk or (phone number). Terms and conditions may apply...'. I added this so that the page look as real as possible and is representative of other music magazines being sold today.

FRONT COVER CREATION

Below I have showed the progression of the creation of the front cover of my magazine, which I made via the software; Photoshop. Alongside each screenshot I will explain the procedure of how I created the page, including Photoshop tools and creative techniques.

The first thing I did was create an A4 'New Document' with a white background because I want a plain landscape to start my front cover. At the bottom of the page I created a black strip because my image will be placed just above this so it makes it easier to construct the page.

This image is one taken from my main photoshoot which I have used because I think it looks interesting and will comply with the theme of the magazine. On a different window on Photoshop I placed this image on a 'Transparent' background and edited around it using the 'Eraser tool' and 'Magic Eraser tool' so the image did not have a background. This made it easy to copy and paste onto my font cover window.

In the screenshot above I put some text in the strip 'Win tickets to Reading and Leeds festivals!' because this is a feature of many famous magazines. Also, I created a barcode on a different window on Photoshop by getting an image of a barcode from the search engine 'Google' and adding my unique price, date and web address; 'www.RPMAG.co.uk', 'February 2016' and '£3.25'.

At this point, I thought I would have a plain white background for the front cover of my magazine but then I thought this would be too boring. I decided I would have to add something to the page to make it stand out and also look unique. I searched 'club background' into google and I scrolled through many images but could not find one I liked until I came across a smokey feature. I continued looking through 'smoke' looking images and found the one I have placed on the left (and below, right) side of my model. I like this because it adds a mysterious vibe to the page and as this is my first issue of the magazine, this symbolises that the reader is unsure of what they will be encountering when they purchase the magazine. Also the black effect adds more character to the page whilst also sticking to my theme.

I was able to rotate the smoke my copying and pasting the image and then using 'Free Transform' (Ctrl-T) to rotate it 180 degrees clockwise, this is so it is opposite to the other image and creates an interesting effect.

I then added my logo to the top left hand corner of the page (on a previous post I showed how I made my magazine logo on Photoshop).

Once I had the image, barcode and logo on the page I started to add cover lines etc to make it more similar to published magazines. I added a puff to the top right hand corner; I made it purple using the eyedropper tool (to make it the exact same colour as the purple on the jacket) and the fill tool.

I added the date and issue number alongside the logo because these are the sort of credentials that are included at the top of the page on most magazines.

The screenshot above shows the main cover line. I used the 'Horizontal Type tool' to insert text.  I typed in 'Olivia Ashley' in a bold, purple font on the top half of the vinyl and on the bottom half I used a pull quote in white to make clear the purpose of the article to intrigue the audience.

The final step in the process was to add the finishing touches. I added cover lines to both sides of the model. They are short and punctual because the page is busy enough with the large image, colours and background. The cover lines vary in colour and font to add versatility to the page.

I altered my magazine after this point, I gathered opinions from people and also took a step back for a day or two to see if there was anything I wanted to change and below is the final product:

Main Photshoot

I did a photoshoot of my main model Olivia, the main outfit is the one I have shown below which will feature on the front cover and DPS. The photoshoot took place in my living room because I wanted to use natural lighting and there is a plain wall as the background. I will use the software 'Adobe Photoshop' to edit the background so it is plain (no sofa or window etc) and the model is the only one on the canvas.

I used this camera to take the pictures:

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The pictures I have shown above were taken primarily for my DPS because the movement is good and I could create a creative effect with the hair - flicking. Also the long shot image will look great on the DPS as it will give it more character as you can see more of the body. My favourite ones are the ones with a red star * next to it. The others are not really significant enough or blurry which is why I don't think I will use them.
The outfit looks good on my model because she fits the 'fresh' and 'sporty' look with a good physique and abs. Her make - up also fits the theme of my magazine because although it is glamorous it is bold and paired with the clothes it makes the look even stronger. I am making an indie magazine, but the generic look for an indie magazine is 'grunge' usually with dark colours and clothes etc, I didn't want to go for this look which is why I have tried to make it look bright and alternative.

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The images above are mid - shots of my model with a vinyl as a prop. I decided to take photos like this because they are bold and interesting; different from the norm. My favourite ones are the ones with the red star * next to them. I think I would use one of these as the main image on my front cover because they stand out and the colours coordinate with my colour scheme.