contents construction

This is my conents page for my music magazine. To start of with i opened a blank document on Indesign and decided to keep the white background as i wanted lots of colored text and didn't want it to look to busy. Unfortunately at the time i had to make my contents page i had misplaced my memory stick with all my images on therefor had to use the same photo i had on the front cover. I placed this in the right hand corner quite large as i remember from previous research that a main photo on a contents page is quite effective. After  this i placed the title on a slant above my model to give it an edgy look but swapped the yellow and white around so it would go with my background.
Then i went on to create the text i wanted. As the background is white i wanted lots of bright colours for the text so it would look interesting. I used the 'Type tool' to create text boxes for the writing and then used the 'Apply colour' tool to choose what colour i wanted my text to be. I played around with different font types but decided on 'Rockwell extra bold' as this looked simple and easy to read.

How i made my feature

This is my feature. Unlike the other pieces of work i have produced i had to make this double A4 to make it look like two pages of a magazine. I first decided on a purple a white background, as i thought this wasn’t to girly for my male readers. When i had done this i went on to choose an image for my feature. I chose that photo as i thought it looked fun a quirky and would give a real feel good vibe to my work. I used Photoshop to cut out my model and placed it in the right hand corner.
After i had done this i began adding more images to make it look more exciting. I added three more images of my model performing at a gig with a white box behind to create a funky effect.
Then i began on constructing the text boxes. As my background is purple and white i thought it would be a good idea to continue with this theme and have the text boxes white too. So you can read the writing, i made the text black as i thought it would look too much if i made the writing purple too. To make the text boxes all i did was use the typing tool to make a text box and i then filled it white. I made these text box's slanted as i thought this would give it an edge and make it look less simple.
In between my text i have used quotes such as ' ' and ' ' as this is common in magazine articles and gives the readers a quick view of the material involved in the article before they start reading and it is something to bring them in.

Images and what photoshop tools used

Here are some images i took to go in my music magazine. I had to edit some of these photos so they would be suitable for how i wanted them and to do this i used Photoshop. I had never used Photoshop before i began As Media so had to learn how to use all the tooks quickly.

The tool i got most use out of was the lasoo tool. This is the tool that enables you to select certain boxes and images and remove it from the background. This helped me to cut out the image of my model and change the background to what ever colour i wanted. It is very useful.

Another tool which does something similar is the pen tool. This helps you to create straight or curvey lines around something you want to cut out and then enable you to change its background.

Another useful tool i used was the type tool. What this did was created a text box enable you to type a piece od text onto your photo.

contents page analysis

This a contents page for Kerrang magazine. It involves many images and lot of bright colours which i personally think makes it look quite busy. It does however make it look interesting as there are lots of things going on. The main image is off a band called Slipknot who are wearing all black and strange masks. This is a rather strange image and would draw people in to find out what it is all about making it a good image for a contents page. In the top left corner this is a photo of the editor and a little story about something featured in that issue. The beginning of the text is in bold making it stand out and show that this is a start of an article as this is common at the beginning of a piece of text.
There are 7 other images of varies different bands on this contents page and that is there to brighten up the page and give the audience knowledge of what kind of other things are going to be inside the magazine.
The text is in one simple column down the right hand side with bolder, coloured headings to help the reader find what they are looking for easily. The font is quite simple and all the same, as the photos and colours already make it look exciting enough.
I like there use of lots of bright colours as this makes it look exciting and would be something that would catch the audience’s eye. I also like how they have used a main image on the contents page and i would like to include this aspect in my own work as i already have an idea of what image i would like to use. is

double page spread analysis

This is a double page spread from the magazine 'NME' it features a band called Florence and the Machine, a largely recognised Indi band around at the moment. The main image takes up a lot of the feature and is the first thing you look at when you see this as she is pulling quite a fun, quirky pose playing round with flags in a long shot so you can see her whole body. I like how the photo is the main focus of the page as it makes the feature look less dull as the writing is only part of the focus here and I may consider this idea for my own work. The colour scheme is quite plain with white, black, pale green and red how ever this looks professional as it doesn’t look too busy. I also like how the text is all the same and simple and this fits in with the simplistic look they are obviously going for.

This is a double page spread on Hayley Williams for the magazine Kerrang! She is a massively famous female singer for the band Paramore with a huge fan base and is largely recognisable. Like the feature above the image is the main focus of the feature. It is a close us of Hayley Williams face while she is singing and is quite a cheerful photo. The colour scheme is black white and orange which is quite dark but has a cosy feel to it, and the artist’s hair matches the colour scheme making it look quite professional and neat. The text is in a simple font coloured white so it is readable on the dark background with a large sub heading above giving an insight of what material is going to be in the article encouraging there audience to read on. There is a smaller image on Hayley Williams and her band mates at the bottom of the page witch also fits in quite well with the colour scheme so this was a suitable photo used. This gives the audience more background knowledge on the singer as it shows you the other people she is associated with in the music business. I like that they have added more than one photo to the feature giving there audience something more to look at and I shall take this into consideration when I am making my own feature.

examples of magazines matching my genre

INDIE MAGAZINE

The magazine i am researching is called INDIE. This is an independent style magazine featuring cutting edge fashion and music which focuses lesson celebrities and gossip. This is a magazine that i really like as i can relate to the models that feature on the front. I like the font that they have chosen for the mast head as it is quite plain and boring however it contrasts with the bright colours underneath. I also like how every issue has a different blast of colour. It seems colour has a lot to do with how this magazine gets noticed as this was how it caught my eye. I also like this random and quirky images they have used as this is what gives it its originality, and also the accessories that don’t seem to fit in with the magazine as i think it makes it stand out. Another thing i enjoy is how they have put writing over the top of the image of the model. Because they have done this that is the first piece of text i read as it stands out. This is quite effective and i will r

emember this when i am designing my own magazine and want my main story to stand out. This magazine style is something i really want to include in my magazine, and it is the magazine that will influence what my magazines look the most as it ticks all the box's of what my genre of music is all about, i think the colours they have used with largely influence what my finished product will turn out like as i really like this aspect of these magazine covers. The style of the models have also given me an insight of what is the kind of thing that is expected to be on my model. 

PAPER MAGAZINE

These are examples of a magazine called PAPER. On there front covers they use interesting celebrities with a large fan base there for making them eye catching and interesting to there audience as many people know who they are. On the first front cover is Lilly Allen with big bright pink hair. This looks attractive and quite unique making it a brilliant image for a front cover as this is what is going to bring in there audiences attention. On the second front cover is Ke$ha pulling a face making her look quirky and exciting giving off the impression that the magazine is also going to be like this. Also on the second front cover they have changed the style of there masthead PAPER and put it in individual coloured boxes. I like this technique as i like there use of lots of colours as this contrasts with the plain white background giving off a good effect. I shall consider this use of plain backgrounds with coloured writing in my own production however will not consider using individual boxes as i feel this makes it look quite amateur.

NME MAGAZINE



This is NME magazine which stands for New Musical Express. It is a very famous indi magazine and has been running for many years. This magazine is very masculine despite featuring female artists on their front covers. On the front cover above they have used female singer La Roux looking striking in her pale make up with tears coming down her face. This image is very drastic and is good for a front cover as it catches peoples eye. They have used a very dark background and contrasted it with bright yellow and white writing for the masthead there for making it very easy for there audience to identify what they are saying. There use of these colours means they look more appealing to a male audience and i personally wouldn’t want to just appeal to one sex therefore i shall be following a different colour scheme to this one how ever i do like there used on contrasting colours as this to me looks very effective.