Double Page Spread Progress

I had two different ideas for a double page spread and I was unsure of what idea I wanted to choose. The first idea I had was a concert review from a concert I went to over the holidays. I took some photos and would choose my favourite ones to use in the double page spread. The other idea I had was to have an interview with the star of the cover. Since the cover of my magazine featured an interview with a singer, I thought it would make sense to do the interview as the double page spread.

Concert Review

This is the other idea I had for a double page spread. I thought about using my favourite pictures and using them in a concert review. I made the title larger than the other text on the page to make it stand out, and I also made the review introduction text red. Again, to make the different text stand out. 

Cover Model Interview

This is one idea I had for my double page spread. I chose to have the questions and responses from the interviewer in red text and the singers answers in yellow text. I also made the title and the article introduction/description a larger font size than the questions and answers so that it stands out more as it is more important. There are still a few changes I will make to this cover. For example, I will probably need to retake the photos when I am wearing different clothes as it is very unlikely that a model wears the same clothes throughout a magazine or photo shoot. I feel as if this idea is better than the concert review so I will develop this into the final double page spread.

This is the finished double page spread. I have rearranged the pictures, retaken some pictures and edited the text. I wanted to rearrange the page to try and fit two pictures into each side of the page. I wanted to do this so that the smaller image in the first draft didn't look to out of placed or squashed. I also changed the clothing I was wearing for one of the images as it is very unlikely that a model would wear the same clothes throughout a whole magazine. Finally, I have made some of the text bolder and larger. I did this as I found that the text may have been to hard to read, so hopefully it is easier to read now. Finally, I made some adjustments to the text, I added some quotes to break up the text, changed the masthead so that it wasn't just "Bad Boy Boaty - Exclusive Interview" and made it so that it doesn't directly give away what the interview is, that is put in the article description. I wanted to use profanity in the interview as I think that is the language that my target audience would use.

Contents Page Progress

The top picture is a draft I had made. Before this I had all of my text aligned in the middle with pictures scattered around the sides. After looking at my research, I found that the text is usually separated into clear sections with clearly visible divisions and categories. I think the first draft I made is good, but I thought that I could do better and make it so that the text was in two separate columns. So I made the bottom picture. I think the bottom picture turned out better than the first draft. There are clearly two separated sections with a good spread of pictures throughout the contents page. Finally, for the page numbers, I wanted to have the letter P (short for page number) larger than the page number. Then I needed to get the sizes right to make them fit neatly on the page.

This is the final version of my magazine contents page. There were numerous things that needed changing with the first draft and mid-point versions. Firstly, I decided to match the colour scheme with that of the front page. I thought that it would be a good idea to keep a common colour scheme throughout the pieces as having the front cover mainly white and the contents page mainly black wouldn't conform to the conventions of a magazine and could give the impression that they are from separate magazines. Using a white background also allows for the important text to stand out as black against white stands out and red against white stands out as well. Also, I decided to try and structure the page a bit better, before there was no real structure to the page and the pictures seemed out of place. To try and solve this issue, I divided the page in half to create two sections, one for text and the other for images. Finally, I changed the font style used so that the smaller text wasn't in block capitals. This now gives the text on the contents page a range of importance. So large, bright red text is the most important, large black text the next level of importance, and lastly, smaller, non-capitalised text is the least important information on the contents page.

Double Page Spread and Contents Page Photo Selection

This is a Prezi I have made about the different pictures I have taken for my magazine contents page and double page spread. I have included the photos I considered using on either my magazine contents page and double page spread and have justified my selection for either using them or not.

Front Cover Feedback

I have shown my final magazine cover to people who fall into my target audience and have received the following feedback. It is important to see how my target audience feels about the final magazine cover as it is them I am trying to appeal to.

What would you say is bad about my magazine cover?

- The text in the puff needs to be easier to read.

- Maybe use a different shape for the puff.

- Although the price is clear, it could be made bolder to stand out more.

- Make the bold words stand out more.
- Make edition number and date clearer or bigger.
- Make taglines stand out more
- Since the title colour is black, it is hard to read letter going over the models hair. For example: the R might look like a B
- There is a black background behind the text and in the bottom right hand corner, it conflicts with the models jacket.
- There not be enough writing or text in some places.

What are some good points about my magazine cover?

- Laid out and organised well.

- The font is easy to read against the background.

- Good colour scheme.
- Nice title and use of alliteration in "Bad Boy Boaty". Makes it sound catchy.
- Different use of fonts.
- The price is clear.
- Good use of different colours
- Nice overhead title.
- Title stands out
- Title font looks good.
- Attractive to look at.
- Good image.
- Like the spaciousness of the cover.
- The model clearly stands out.

Magazine Cover Progress

This is a Prezi I have made on the progress of my front cover. I have a first draft, a mid-point and the final cover and have analysed all the different parts of the magazine cover and why I have used them.

Double Page Spread Research

Q Magazine Double Page Spread

The clothing that Jay Z is wearing could be seen as representative of the genre of music which he creates and sings, rap. He is wearing a chain, what looks to be a plain black T-shirt and black sunglasses. All of these items could be associated with rap music. Also, the page is 50% text and 50% image. I personally don't think that is a great idea as, although there will need to be a lot of text, too much text in one place can put people off reading it. Also, it seems like the colour scheme includes red as the image is shaded red on the left hand side and there is a big, bold J in the middle of the text page. The J draws the attention of the reader and the letter J would have been chosen as it is the first letter of Jay Z's name and you usually see in articles that the first letter of the article is usually made bold. The colour red would have been red as the main  colour of Q magazine is also red, so the colour scheme is continuous throughout the magazine.

Rolling Stone Magazine Double Page Spread

The page is split unevenly as the picture is larger than the text. There may not be enough text on this particular double page spread, but I think that having a larger picture is a good thing as it looks more evenly spread out. Continuing, the title of the double page spread has been made bold, black and quite large. Because of this, the title stands out against the background and draws the readers attention. There is also what may be the magazine title or edition as it says "women who rock 2012". Finally, since the colour scheme is black and white, the picture of the model draws the readers attention, not only because of the size of the image but because there is no other competing colours on the double page spread. This makes the picture of the model the main feature of the double page spread.

Kerrang Magazine Double Page Spread

For this double page spread, the different pieces of text are clearly separated by the question being asked being in a different colour, pink, than the answer. Again, there is less text compared to the image. Finally, there are 2 different boxes in the top right hand corner of the magazine and the bottom left hand corner. The box in the bottom left hand corner is a quote from the interview as it reads "I'm not one for advice, I'm one for mistakes" and the box in the top right hand corner may be the bands name so that the reader can easily see what the double page spread/interview is about. I have looked at other images of the double page spread online and the text in the top right corner box says "The Pretty Reckless", so I assume it is the band or singers name.

Billboard Magazine Double Page Spread

Finally, this double page spread also has different sections of text separated, but instead of a different font colour showing the different separations, some of the text is made bold. There is more text compared to the image, but unlike the other double page spreads, I think that the text still looks quite evenly spread and nicely laid out. This may also be because there is text either side of the image and the text isn't all on one side of the magazine. I like the look of this double page spread and I may take inspiration from it when I make my own.

Mojo Magazine Double Page Spread

In my opinion, I think that this double page spread look good. The image and the text fits neatly on the page and is quite unlike most other magazine double page spreads. However, it shares features with the other double page spreads as it has the text separated into clearly divided columns and there are also quotes and other bits of text which stand fill in the wasted space.

After looking at these double page spreads, I have an idea of what I will do for my double page spread. I will try and do an interview with the main model of my magazine cover, Bad Boy Boaty. I will try and lay it out in the same way as the Billboard and Kerrang magazines have been. I quite like the idea of the text being like separate boxes, but I think I may struggle to organise it neatly as well as the pictures. The Mojo magzine double page spread also appeals to me. I think it is different and the text and the image all fits neatly on the page.