Work experience

Sat in a lecture in Northumbria university for my work experience. It is about how juksterpositions can be used in fashion to give an overall vibe of something. This made me think of my media magazine and how I can apply some of the techniques I have learnt to further better the vibe of my magazine.

Noel NME front cover

This front cover I believe is a perfect blend of what conventions I like about NME magazine and Q magazine. Firstly what would be the stereotypical colour scheme of Q magazine has been applied on this cover, this could again be because the colour red is associated with class, quality and danger. I am definitely going to consider this colour scheme when making my magazine. This cover is slightly unconventional in the fact it contains two photos, this is a difficult factor to pull off as it can sometimes make the page look a bit cluttered. I don't think I am going to do this when making my front cover. The writing on the left is written in hand writing font - like a signature, I have noticed this convention is becoming more popular on magazine front covers and will definitely try and incorporate this into my front cover.

Vibe contents page analysis

This vibe contents page is a perfect example of the kind of image dominated page I want to create for my magazine. The title 'contents' has been left justified but the one word has been unhyphenated and put into three lines. I like this decorative feature, however if I were to mimic this convention on my contents page I would fully more the text to the left and organise the letters better so they filled almost equal lines. The colour scheme for this page is very dull and pale. This works for an image dominated page as it is not to be mistaken for an article and should stand out as a contents page. I might do something similar to this on my contents page however adding some of the house colour just to liven up the page.



Q issue 284 contents page analysis

For Q magazine it seems to be conventions to clearly name each magazine by its issue number. On this contents page it clearly says at the top 'Issue 284'. I do not think I will be copying this convention as I don't think it is a factor that is essential. The layout of this page is a blocky format - however the pictures have been laid on canted angles as if to be popping out of the page. This makes the page more eye catching and unconventional. I like this approach to the blocky layout, this makes me want to rethink my initial idea of doing a completely image dominated contents page. Finally the small detail added to the bottom right corner of the page is a key detail. I like how the page number, issue and date have all been put together in this corner as it adds extra embellishments to the page. I am definitely going to do something like this on my magazine pages as it helps to make the product overall look more professional.

Update on initial ideas for front cover

This is my updated version of my initial idea for my magazine front cover. I have use the conventions I have picked up from analyzing the other magazine font covers and applied them to mine.

Mojo contents page analysis

This contents page is left justified, all the pictures are on the left side of the page and all the writing begins on the left as appose to the right when it is on the right. This layout makes the condense page look clear and concise making the information easy to view and interpretate. This is known as the "blocky look"; unfussy and masculine.
For my magazine I think I'm going to use a more image dominated look as I don't think the blocky format goes well with my genre as it looks too formal and boring. I would refer less of a minimalist approach and make it more fitting with the front cover.

The top contributors have been shown at the bottom of this page. This is a convention of contents pages - they usually show a bit of insight to either the writer of an article of a photographer.
For my magazine I think I will copy this convention as I have noticed it have been used in most contents pages of music magazines crediting the contributors.

A three colour scheme has also been used. The three colour scheme is perhaps the most common convention of any magazine as it is just generally more aesthetically pleasing. Too many colours and it looks tacky and too busy.
I will definitely be using a three colour scheme through my magazine as it is a classic convention. I might however consider using a house colour as it is iconic and recognizable.

The font used is sans seref this means it has no flicks. This is fitting to the masculine vintage vibe of the magazine, Flicky writing just looks feminine, like a little girls neat hand writing.
For my magazine I think it is too soon to decide my font as I will decide in when I choose my model as I think with feminine models more seref font is used and with males more sans seref is used.

The used of the dotted dividing lines are there not only to make the page clearer but there little things just add to the overall look of the page it looks alot more professional with there's thoughtout dividers.
I will be using these when I make my contend page as they are conventions of a contents page and I don't think it would look very professional without them.

Initial front cover layout ideas

This is my first sketching of my initial ideas for my front cover layout. Soon I will be posting a more detailed mock up!

50cent contents page analysis

This contents page is image dominated with a huge picture of 50cent taking up majority of the page space.
I like the more image dominated contents pages however a blocky look can extremely effective as it is clearer to read and contains more information. House styles can also be shown clearer in a blocky format.

The actual image itself is cleverly show it has been with narrow focus so all detail is shown - especially in the hands - the aperture is also fully open to let in large amounts of light and show shadow. A low angle is normally shown to make someone look powerful however in this shot 50 looks quite guilty. 50 is normally shown covered in 'bling' and surrounded with beautiful women - not here though this shows a more serious side to him, completely stripped down and bare. This applies to the story "coming off the LOSES of a crew member and a sales battle". He is posing with his hands together as though he is praying - religious iconography is all throughout this photo. The lighting applies to this in the sense it looks like a halo from above, this combined with the guilty look his giving, makes him look like a fallen angel.
In my music magazine I think I will use some kind of iconography as I think its a clever technique that makes the whole page initiatively linked together in one semantic field. However although the religious iconography used here is good and applies well to the artist and story I am doubtful I will use this theme as I'm not planning of making my article as down to earth as serious as this.

The text "is he still a menace to society?" Is a good use of a rhetorical question as because it draws the reader in thought intriguing them to think what's he done to make me change my general stereotype opinion.
In my magazine I am going to use lots of rhetorical questions as I think they are a useful way to express the magazines opinion through sarcasm without directly saying what they think. 'Sitting on the fence'.

Forever blogging

Love the Lana Del Rey covers - thinking of styling my model like this

Lana Del Rey Q and NME front cover analysis

For this analysis I have decided to do it a little different then before. Instead of analyzing the covers separately I am going to compare the two magazines. Both magazines feature the same cover star and are aimed at around the same market and music genre.

 To begin obviously the same model has been featured on the cover but how she is presented is almost entirely different. Both Q and NME have chosen to dress her in a white dress. The connotations of white are purity and innocence – If you’ve heard any of Lana Del Rey’s music I’m sure you’ll be thinking ‘innocent’ isn’t quite the word you’d use to describe her. Ignoring the face of both magazines the first impression is that it is an innocent ‘teen pop’ star. However interestingly both have chosen to add some kind of edge to the look; Q have dressed her in typical innocent princess attire. The tiara has specifically been used, as she’s a princess, a queen has power and is an established woman, a princess is seen as a spoilt perfect girl how gets what she wants. However they subvert this stereotype by her having blood down her face. This intrigues the reader as they see it and wonder, “What’s happened here?” This image of her is very much in key with her music – slightly grim and depressing. Fans of her could see this side and potential fans would be interested by the image and want to read on.

NME has chosen to instead of have her looking still innocent they have presented her in a strong dominating pose and pulling a face to the camera like she really doesn’t give two – she is also stood in front of the American flag. This is an iconic image normally connected with presidents (the most influential people in America), this is fitting to the headline “The true face of a modern American icon.”

 For my magazine I may use symbolism like this to show insight into the artists tastes. I like the idea of subverting the stereotypical image and connotations associated with a princess.

 Both Articles refer to sanity in some way through the headline

NME “I’m a psycho!”

Q “Everybody’s mad for Lana Del Rey”

This refers to her twisted music, the sound of her music is very soft and gentle but like most songs if you listen to the lyrics properly you’ll find it has a completely different meaning. The titles reflect this well, it is a connotation for music magazines to play on the artists lyrics or personas, puns are normally found here – more so in tabloid papers than music magazines.

For my magazine I may use some kind of lyrically reference in my headline but only if I think it will apply well. I will NOT use of if it is cheesy or made to fit. If it is too long to fit on the cover it could be put to better use on the double page spread.

 The colour schemes are although entirely different though: Feminine vs. masculine. Q have stayed true to the princess concept and played with the stereotypical pinnacle of femininity – pink. Soft pastel colours have also been used with the conventional three colour scheme. NME have however chosen to use a soft pastel blue as their main colour. This challenges the conventions of what is deemed as feminine.

 For My magazine this will be useful as it shows any colour can be conventions can be successfully challenged. However in both of these style models pastel colours are predominantly used, not sharp colours like electric blue.

 Finally the last point of comparison is the placing of things. On NME the model is behind every piece of text, she is almost completely covered in text. Whilst Q seem to have a more thought out layout as she weave through and over the text.

 For my magazine I prefer the Q approach, as it overall looks classier, although the NME looks more edgy and exciting I think perhaps its slightly too cluttered. 

Q Adele issue front cover analysis

The designer has specifically chosen to go against the usual connotation of the Q logo in the top left corner. Usually the Q is placed above the artist showing its importance - not relying on the cover star to sell the magazine. However on this cover Adele's hair slightly overlaps the Q. This not only makes the magazine look aesthetically nicer and make it flow better as a page. It is showing the brand power as people will still see the iconic Q logo more then the artist.
For my magazine I think I will have my magazine name slightly overlapped as it overall gives a more professional finish showing an ounce of thought has been considered when placing the photos on the page.

The whole page gives quite a simplistic minimalist look, the centre of the page is almost fully taken up by the image and the text has all been placed around the model. Nothing comes close to touching the face. The colour scheme also confides to this minimalist look, a three colour scheme has been used however only one colour stands out out of the three in question. The house colour red. Red signifies passion, danger and lust this fits well to the magazine as it makes it something the reader desires.
For my magazine I think i'm going to challenge this connotation of simplicity as I think this particular magazine looks more like a fashion magazine because of the modern minimalist approach. I think a music magazine should be more busy and energetic. However perhaps it depends on the artist featured. Someone like Adele creates soulful pop music I suppose this look is fitting to her as an individual. Whilst artists like Coldplay have almost a completely different style of music - thus the connotations change. I like the idea of a consistent house colour being used throughout the magazine. I think I will use this in mine as it ties in the whole magazine as one, creating an iconic recognisable look for the magazine. Although the red is an effective colour I think it is somewhat overused throughout magazines so with my magazine I will be experimenting with different colours.

Adele is shown to be looking directly into the camera; her eyes being the main focus of attention. This intense glance she is giving draws the reader to the magazine. Most magazines have their model looking right into the camera as it almost creates eye contact between the artists and the reader. The photo will have been adjusted to get it to its final state of 'perfection'. The skin has been completely smoothened out to give keep with the connotation of quality that the magazine portrays.
I will be using photoshop to edit my photos as I want them the highest clarity and the most visually pleasing possible. I will also take care to cut out my photo to the highest standard no matter how long it takes. I learnt this from my school magazine as i didn't have as much time so wasn't as pleased as I could be with the final outcome.

The final thing I liked about this magazine was the "plus" ..."open here". Small details like this are important to the overall finish of the magazine.
I will be using things like this over my magazine, I also like the use of the arrows pointing to open the magazine. The use of symbols instead of words is also a nice technique I will use. It makes the page look less cluttered and breaks up the text.

Q Coldplay issue analysis

The very first thing that stood out for me on this magazine was the big bold bright logo in the top left corner. This logo stays in this place throughout every issue of Q. The red is ALWAYS contrasting to the rest of the page this is good as it makes the magazine look more important, creating a connection with the reader: Q = quality. However the artist is partially crossing through the logo. This takes attention away from the brand and focus's it on the model.
I am going to do something similar to the in my magazine. I think the bold contrast of the logo is highly important as it creates an iconic look for the magazine. Making audiences remember the logo.

The model is the next thing I noticed on the page. 'Chris Martin', the lead singer of globally renowned band Coldplay, is featured on the front of the magazine. it is extremely important to notice that it is an article about a band... But only features the lead singer. This portrays a clear high archly of importance between the members and that the magazine only features the best. - on another note I doubt under a fifth of the population can name another member of Coldplay aside from Chris Martin. The model is shown in a long shot and looking away from the camera. A long shot had been used to how his whole 'dance pose'.
I like the idea of using one model as it makes the page look less busy, making it easier to mild the text around the model. More interesting images can be used as well because there is less of a space issue.

You can also tell the photographer has taken a lot of time and consideration when capturing this image. It weaves perfectly into the page. The arm crosses smoothly through the Q - almost as if he's holding it. Chris is shown to be looking down at the "50 albums of the year" this draws the reader to the title and captures them to make them interested.
Although I think the eye line match used on this cover is clever I think I would prefer to have my model looking into the camera as it engages the reader more.

The font used is quite signature-like, this seems to be a convention of Q making it look like the artist has signed the cover - there approval in some ways. Other fonts used are sans serif, the use of these bold uncurled letters is good as it stands out against informal flicky handwriting.
I really like the signature effect of these font and think I will use this convention in my magazine as it is interesting and really stands out for me.

The barcode is placed in the bottom left corner. The connotation changes a lot, the barcode content doesn't change but the position often changes. The barcode always contains the date, price and website - and of course the actual barcode.
My magazine will have a barcode just like this as my magazine will not be free - free music magazines simply don't exist.

Beginning my research

Today I am starting analysing my magazines. I have chosen to make my magazine a similar genre to 'Q'. This means it will be about people who are big in popular culture. Artists like Coldplay and Adele are recent features.

Evaluation of school magazine

This is my finished magazine front cover. I stuck closely to the main conventions of a school magazine as I think by challenging them it would remove the youth value and the academic vibe the magazine tries to put across.
In my style magazines happy attractive models were used to portray a positive vibe straight away from the cover. I copied this vibe however used a sixth form student and a school student to show the schools diversity. Even though the two a barely linked they still unite under the same name using the same magazine. The models take up majority of the area with the heads overlapping the title. This convention is used to take the importance away from the school and focus it on the models.
I have also gone with the three colour scheme - coincidentally the school colours, the colours being blue, red and white. These colour have high contrast so can easily be read and noticed.
As for the actual text I have included two stories on my front cover with vague blurbs of the story to entice the reader and make them want to read. I have also used alliteration on the "shadow a sixth former" this is a linguistic device that I got off one of my style models.

Before actually photoshopping my photos I needed to first achieve the perfect photos that suited the design brief. The brief specified that the photo must be a medium close up including one of more 'attractive' models from the school.
When taking the photos I had to take into consideration exactly how I pictured it looking on the page. I did this to a certain extent - however could have thought more about it as I had to make my photo fit into the space I wanted rather then having it just fit as desired.
Photoshopping: finally after achieving the photo I wanted I had to edit it.
Cutting out my image was perhaps the biggest issue I had to found it difficult to cut out the image exactly how I wanted. But with a lot of time and effort I eventually achieve the finished look I wanted. My photo needed little editing aside from cutting it out but every photo looks nicer with a small amount of adjustments e.g contrast, brightness an saturation.

Photographs Before and After Photoshop

For my main photo I needed a medium close using between one and three models. I chose to use two models one from sixth form and one from high school to show the schools unity. The headline story also connects with the picture well instead of it applying to the image vaguely. I carefully cut out my two models as my style model magazines had down, however I took a lot of time making sure to make it a clean cut so it looked more professional. I also adjusted the contrast and brightness of the photo to make it look more vibrant and attractive.

Because all images had to be original photographs I had to take several pictures of things like the school. I overcame this obstacle by photographing the logo on the uniform. This proved tricky to cut out on Photoshop as it had no clear outlines and took some time however in the end I was satisfied with its outcome.