Evaluation

Hey guys, Well this is the end of my project and here is my evaluation. I'm very happy with how it turned out. Below is a link to my evaluation presentation.

Finished Double Page Spread



The picture above is showing my rough cut and below is my finished double page spread. As you can see the text is relatively hard to read in the article so I changed this by removing the transparent box I had behind the text and replaced it with white that covered one side of the double page. This allowed me to change my font colour to black which made it far easier to read. I also had a lack of text in my rough cut due to time so I was able to fix that by bulking out my article and adding a small introduction. On the right of my finished double page spread I added a pull quote from my article  as I did not like the blank space above my model as it looked to plain.

Finished Contents Page

This was my rough cut contents page to the right and I have placed it alongside my finished contents page to show it's progression. On the right in my rough cut you can see the lack of photos as well as the lack of actual features. I had also suffered a font problem when I submitted the file and made the mistake of not checking it.

However below in my finished contents page,  I was able to rectify the font problem by reinstalling and deleting the font. I was also able to implement more colour into the page as my rough cut was massively lacking colour. I added a regulars column as this was a prominent convention of the magazines that I used for my research.  Another convention that I noticed was the page number being placed in the image itself so as you can see I replicated this. I then included an instrument/tech as this was also common in DJ magazines.

Finished Front Cover

Hey guys just to keep you updated this is my finished front cover, it has not changed much from my rough cut. It has included all of the conventions of the magazines that I researched, and I am very pleased with it.

Double Page Spread Update



Hi guys this is my double page spread right now. I have removed the text as I am currently rewriting my article to make it longer and to correct any grammatical mistakes in it. I am experimenting with this background as it is slightly similar to a double page spread I was influenced by. Once the text is re written I will test it on the background to see how readable it is, and to see how it looks. I still also need to add a few more features to my DPS after I have added the text.

Contents Page Update


Hey readers. I still need to change my photos and take some new ones, however this is my contents page as it stands. I have changed it a lot since my rough cut and I think that after I get my photos sorted then it will look quite good. I am going to add a photo of some equipment in the bottom left and then two studio shots of artists in the empty space. I am also going to seperate these photos with white lines to divide them, I will put the page number that the photo relates to on the photo also.

Double Page Spread idea update



Hello guys, quick update here. I have taken influence from this mixmag magazine as it is very easy to read and it and in my opinion looks  great. I like how the cross on the page with the text matches the crosses in the image background. I will attempt to replicate this as my double page spread features a very prominent "Z" that could be manipulated into backgrounding my text.

Peer Project review

Hi there, a fellow student has peer reviewed my work and this image shows their comments. I will work on the negatives that they have set.

Double Page Spread Rough Cut


Hello viewers, here is my double page spread for my rough cut. I like it however it needs changes, I need to add another column of text. The transparent purple overlay and the white text also do not work as the text is hard to see. I am happy with my picture though but I will be changing this page

Contents Page Rough Cut


Hi again guys, this is my contents page rough cut. I had problems with a faulty font so when I exported my file all of the font resized and got all messed up. I had no pictures for my rough cut as I was rushed with time.

Front Cover Rough Cut

Hey guys this is my front cover rough cut, I've taken influence form the magazines that I have researched. I am personally very happy with my front cover and don't think I will have loads of work to do before my final cut.

Double Page Spread Rough Sketch
  This is roughly what I want my Double page spread to look like.

Double page spread - Joris voorn



Joris Voorn is pictured in casual clothing while in a leather chair, this is a simple combination but it shows importance. He is looking straight at the camera, the photo is also a long shot. To his right in white is a quote that he has said which effectively pulls our eyes towards the right side of the page.

The title is large, bold and underlined and the stars name is red, which shows significance. The text is set out in 4 columns and is black on a white background. There is also a drop capital to start the article off. Amongst the text inbetween the second and third paragraph is a small photo of Joris clapping, this photo is angled and has a caption.

I will put a quote on the side of my page with the photo as I believe it was used very effectively here.

Raveline magazine- Daft Punk



Hi guys,

In the DJ genre the artists often like to wear masks and hide their identity. They do this so that it prompts the audience to focus mainly on the skill and talent.  The background is all black so the text is therefore white, this makes the whole magazine slightly brighter because it is mainly dark. one of the duos head is in the middle of the split, I personally wont do this as I don't think it looks as good as it could. The title is simply there logo and is in a odd position not the usual top of the page. This double page spread is very minimalist which I think suits it and works well. I will try to keep my double page spread minimalist also.

DJ magazine - Brooklyn calling



Hello there,

This magazine yet again follows the image on one page and the text on another, I will definitely replicate this in my magazine.  The gold colouring on the title matches the models outfits. The text columns are set in 3 columns. They are separated by small paragraphs which are titled in the same colour as the title, a sharp gold. This shows a new topic since the colour represents significance. The drop capital matches the title colour also.

Underneath the title there is a small paragraph that gives a general rundown on who "Brooklyn Calling" are. The models are posed in a long show and are both fully in frame. Their outfits are ... old fashioned and one of them is wearing a mask.

I will give my magazine a drop capital as it is common among this genre of magazines.

mixmag double page spread - The shogun saga



The main image dominates the whole left hand side of the magazine, "Shogun" is dressed in casual clothing. The main title is written in a bold stylistic font which draws attention towards it. Then there is a small teaser underneath the title.

The text takes up the other side of the page and there is a huge drop capital. The text is a relatively plain font and is a small size allowing there to be lots of it. It is split into small paragraphs. The colour of the background allows the white font to show through quite well.

On the far right there is a an overview for every song on Shoguns new album. It has its own column and the song titles are bold and a large size.

I will copy the layout of text on one side and image on the other, I like how the title is on the page with the image.

mixmag double page spread- The Duke Abides



For the layout the model is on one side of the page and then on the other side there is the text and title. The text has been placed over a transparent box so that you can still see the background through it. Since the text is white it is easy enough to read on the black transparent box.

The fact that he is "The Duke" is shown through his outfit as he is wearing a suit as well as the location of the shot. The location is most likely an older style house with a classic staircase in which he is posing on, in an almost noble like way as his title would suggest

There are two columns of text which are separated by tiny dotted lines, no page number is visible. The title is relatively plain however it stands out and is dominant among the page due to its colouring and size. Then underneath the title there is a tiny pull quote from the article.

I like the layout a lot with the overlay on one side and the image on the other. I think the amount of text is also just right.

Here is a very rough sketch of what I currently want my contents page to look like. I have modeled it on the common features of contents pages in my genre and from what I think looks good.

Mixmag Contents Page- November 2011



This is a darker contents page with white text allowing it to stand out. I like how the date is in a gold as it contrasts the page numbers on the left. The images are also relatively bright which makes them show among the darker background. The female models bright makeup also stands out massively and draws your eyes towards her and therefore the centre of the page.

I will try to replicate the placement layout of this magazine as it is common and looks very professional.

DJ  Contents Page 2



This contents page follows the standard "DJ Magazine" format. It uses appropriate colopurs to show important parts. The numbers in the picture also show which page to turn to if you want to read more which is a nice feature in my opinion.

I like the way the page numbers are in a separate column and are separate from the text as this make it more clear to read. I will try to replicate this feature as I feel it looks more proffesional. I dont like how some of the text is in a light colour with the light background as it makes it look less important as it is harder to read.

DJ - Contents Page



This Contents page is quite busy and there is a lot going on. There is a large amount of images and text. The colours that show the topics are clear however and this makes it easier to read. This contents page is much brighter than the previous 2 which allows them to have darker photos.

There is a little description about the features which is helpful for the reader as it gives a short rundown of it. A section of equipment is also included which appeals to the DJ readers.

I like the photo placement in the bottom left, I may also replicate the small rundown for my features.

Mixmag Contents Page January 2011



The model for this magazine is also a female , like the last contents page. This one however is brighter and the image is relatively colourful, whereas the background is quite dark. The image dominates the contents.

The page features a website link in the bottom left, it also features the date on which the magazine has been released for. The features are in a bright white which contrasts the black and stands out making it easier to read.

I will have a female model for my magazine and try to make the image colourful and bright. I will also try to have a similar number of features as I like how minimalist it is.

mixmag Contents Page - Feb 2013

This mixmag contents page is very dark hence why the text is white which makes it stand out and is therefore readable. There are really only two main colours - white and black, this contents page follows a bi-colour scheme.

The main image dominates the page and is quite colorful however that is mainly the models clothing, the model is also not looking at the camera and is in a crowd. This is like an action shot and shows an excited crowd which will appeal to the audience.

The stories are in a vertical list and contain a small sentence that basically gives the reader an idea of what it is about. This list is also numbered appropriatley.

I like the positioning of the image, in the top right. I also like how the image dominates, and the fact that the text is easy to read due to its colouring.

Rough Sketch Of Front Cover

Hi there, this is a sketch of what I want my front cover to look like which will most likely be following a pink, white and red colour scheme. The side stories will be in white as will the title and a barcode will be placed in the bottom right hand corner.

My background will be a bright pink that will be darkened by adding a gradient to it. My text will also be back grounded with a black highlight as it is common on front covers. On the magazines I reviewed none of them had issue numbers on the front cover so by adding one I would be breaking the conventions, so I wont add one.

Hi there, I have begun to consider the name of my magazine and am currently considering "BPM" or "bpm" which stands for Beats Per Minute which reflects the DJ scene. I also like "BounceMag" or "bounce mag" however if I follow the conventions of a lower case title then I believe that "bpm" looks better.

Avicii - DJ Magazine

Avicii is looking away from the camera and fills the whole front cover, the background is natural. He is in focus whereas the background  is  not, this draws our attention to him. Yet again he is also in a black t shirt, I will definitely replicate this.

The text is also placed on the sides of the cover and feature bright colours that are easy to read. The whole front cover is minimalist making it more simplistic. The magazine sticks to a tri colour scheme and Avicii's hat contrasts the "DJ" title

I will place my stories towards the sides of the magazine, most likely in white as this is a common convention of DJ magazines

Elektro Magazine Front Cover - David Guetta

David Guetta is looking directly at the camera which seems to be a fairly prominent theme in DJ magazines. His white headphones contrast the side stories and the quote. The magazine follows a bi-colour scheme.

The background is a plain blue which makes us focus on the main model. I have noticed that putting a colour in the background to bring focus to the model  is common theme among DJ magazines. The front cover is slightly dark however his headphone cable is neon pink which reflects the DJ scene.

I will keep the slightly dark theme in places as it seems to be reoccurring and I will also have florescent colours as there is typically a splash of bright colour. Guetta is also in a black t shirt, another reoccurring feature which i will replicate in my magazine front cover.

Elektro Magazine Front cover

The main image is large and clearly the centre of attention. He is also using his turntables and had his headphones on. This was done in my last post and is a reoccurring feature of dance magazines, so perhaps a convention of DJ magazines is to show them while they are producing music rather than when they are idle or posing.

Also none of the text has capitals which is showing that the dance scene is laid back. My previous 2 posts which were mix mag magazines also didn't have capitalised titles. So it is therefore likely that I wont have a title with capitals when I make mine otherwise it will be breaking conventions.

The background is quite bright however tiesto's shirt is black which contrasts the darker parts of the background. I have also noticed that in the last magazine I posted about the main model was also wearing a plain black t-shirt.

Mixmag front cover - SCUBA



The magazine title is large and fills the top of the page, its colours also contrast that of the headline as they are both white. A reoccurring theme with mix mag magazines is that the magazine title is always white, this is the same with the stories on the side as the text is typically white, however their titles are brighter colour with a black background. The stories are also typically on the side surrounding the main image, a feature I will replicate.

The main image is centred as it shows importance and the main story of the magazine.
"Scuba" is also not looking at the camera which shows he is focused on his work, the fact that he is standing next to his mixing board also backs this up. His black top is also contrasted by the subdued background.

The background is also quite empty and plain which draws our eyes towards the main image and the side stories.I like how the front cover is not crowded with to much content, it is simple and therefore personally more appealing to me.

Mixmag front cover - Steve Aoki




Steve Aoki (the model) is centred in the middle of the page showing he is the main feature. He is also in the air, as if he is jumping - this suggests that when you go to a Steve Aoki concert or listen to his music then you will also be jumping. The background of the image is plain which ensures that the reader will be focused on the content.

There is a simple re-occurring colour scheme that is used for all the text. The colours are switched around and the same red colour is used for sub story titles to bring attention towards them. Aoki is also dressed in the US flag which will appeal to the audience and perhaps draw them in due to its patriotic nature. The relatively bright colours also reflect the uniqueness of the "dance and clubbing" scene. I personally also like how the colour scheme is cohesive with  Aoki's clothing (red,white and blue), I plan on trying to replicate this if possible.

I would imagine that the audience of this magazine would be the younger adults as it is a "new" style of music. The clubbing scene also seems fitting for the younger generation as it is mostly linked with them.

Music Magazine Front Covers

• Large image covering the page
• Capitalised title with colours that stand out
• Additional stories on the sides of cover
• Includes a statement or a question
• Bar code in bottom right
• Free CD in top left hand corner
• Midshot
• Large text
• Sticks to a colour scheme

Hello, my name is Ollie! This is my media blog that I will use to record my AS coursework - producing a music magazine. Initially I am thinking that I will go for a DJ/Dance music style as I like the way that most of them look and wish to have my own go at it.