7.) Looking back at your preliminary task (the school magazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?,

Since creating the preliminary task my knowledge and skills of using Photoshop have increased by a considerable amount. At the beginning I was a novice as I had never used Photoshop before but now I know how to edit my images and how to create elements to make my magazine stand out more. For example I now know how to use blending options such as drop shadows, inner glows and strokes. Also I have learnt how to rasterize layers so that I could make it look like the images where covering my text for example on my contents page the title of my magazine "Vengeance" is partially covered by my images. This gives my magazine a more 3D look which is more desirable and attractive to my target audience. I have also learnt how to brighten my images, how to add contrast and saturation. Examples of which can be found in all my images as I enhanced them all so they would look sharper and brighter. In addition to this I have been able to effectively gain a better knowledge on how to use layers as my magazine has developed and become more complex.

Overall I think that my understanding of Photoshop has vastly improved throughout this project especially as I had never used Photoshop before and now I have been able to produce what I believe to be a professional looking music magazine.

6.) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I used the college computers when constructing my music magazine. The other technologies that I used are:

This is the Nikon camera that I used to take my studio images on:

For the images I took at concerts to use on my front cover and my contents page I used this GE camera:

By using "Adobe Photoshop CS5" I have learnt how to edit my photographs and manipulating them into creating my magazine. Photoshop enabled me to edit my photos to enhance colour, add saturation and brighten my images. It also helped me to create layers so that I could create the rock attitude that is reflected in the style of my magazine.

I set up a blog account on blogger.com to post the research as well as to post my final product and evaluation.

Overall, throughout this project I have learnt a lot about technology and how to manipulate it through creating my magazine. Before this I had never even used Photoshop before so I am very pleased that I have managed to create my magazine to the standard that I have accomplished. However after this process I now feel confident in using all these technologies.

5.) How did you attract / address your audience?

As well as this because my magazine is slightly more aimed towards the male gender it is written in a way that attracts them similar to the style of "Kerrang!". I think the unique selling point of my magazine is that even though it is more aimed at the male gender, the writing style allows it to attract the female gender making it a unisex magazine.

4.) Who would be the audience for your media product?

Below are two images I have taken off of the Internet. They represent what the target audience for my magazine would look like.

The target audience for my magazine is females and males aged 14 to 25 with a male bias because of the look of the magazine.

Typically they would be young and individual in both mind and style. Their wardrobe would consist of band t-shirts, tank tops and worn out ripped skinny jeans. They would be permanently plugged into their ipods listening to their favourite rock bands and the non-commercial bands that have handed them leaflets outside of concerts which they would attend quite regularly, maybe once a month. Spare time would be spent hanging out with friends or at concerts. Most of their money would be spent on gig tickets therefore they would buy clothes from cheaper alternatives such as Primark and Matalan.

3.) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think that IPC Media would be appropriate to distribute my magazine because even though they already distribute well established magazines "NME" and "Uncut"they have a different target audience to my magazine. "NME" is focused on the 'indie' genre of people aged mid-twenties whilst "Uncut" is focused on the genre of "rock" which is the same as my genre however "Uncut" is aimed at middle aged men whilst "Vengeance" is aimed at the younger generation of rockers. This makes it ideal to distribute my magazine as there is a niche in their markets. Also with already having well established magazines they will have the knowledge to be able to target the right audience in a way that will attract people to buy the magazine.

I did consider using Bauer Media however they already have established magazines such as "Kerrang!", "Mojo" and "Q". Even though "Mojo" and "Q" aren't aimed at the same audience as my magazine, however "Kerrang!" is. This may cause conflict as they are not likely to create competition for one of their already successful and influencing magazines.

2.) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

 I have chosen to compare my front cover with one of "Big Cheese" that features the band "Bring Me The Horizon".

The image I have taken uses the forms and conventions of real rock magazines because "Andrew" and the central guy, "Oliver Sykes" from "Big Cheese" who have very similar expressions. They have the same facial expressions which is aggressive in style which looks like they are screaming. Also they both have the same styled hair where their fringe is long enough to almost cover their eyes. In addition to this they are wearing very similar clothing the only difference being "Andrew's" shirt has a lower cut to it. Both of these images were taken in a studio, however "Big Cheese" has chosen to edited the background and add a flame effect to the central guy.
Overall I think these images represent a young stereotypical social group that you would find linked to real rock magazines. They are average looking males who don't have a outlandish appearance.

1.) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

a.) The title of the magazine:-
For the masthead I used "Viner Hand ICT" for the font that I used to create "Vengeance". I choose black and red for the colours of my title because I felt they stood out more against the magazine. Also it give the title an edgy style which helps reflect the rock genre of my magazine.

I think my title follows some codes and conventions of real rock magazines. For example "Kerrang!" also has a rough edge to the writing and "Big Cheese" have included a border on their title to separate it from the background. However it also challenges the conventions of real rock magazines because I have added a drop shadow and a slight inner shadow to the writing so it looks more 3D. This also helps it to stand out from the rest of my front cover.


b.) Mise-en-scene of images:-
The mise-en-scene of the images I have used in my magazine uses the forms and conventions of real rock magazines such as "Big Cheese" because of the posture of the people included and also the raw edginess that the artists have themselves.

However I also think my images challenge the conventions of real rock magazines because of the anger and aggression that is portrayed in my images is not commonly used in real rock magazines as they generally tend to go for a more serious and moody expression to their images.

c.) Costumes and props:-

The costumes and props I have used throughout "Vengeance" use the conventions of real rock magazines because of the black top and skinny jeans combination. This is often the clothing of bands that are in real rock magazines. However I think the props that I have used develop the forms and conventions of real rock magazines because I used a microphone in my images. Usually you would find the band posing on their own or if it was featuring the guitarist they would include a guitar or drum sticks if they focused on the drummers. Which is why my props develop the conventions because the vocalist is only ever posed on their own. By me adding a microphone into the image I have created a unique image that I couldn't find an example of in any real rock magazines.


d.) People:-

The people in "Vengeance" use the conventions by the style of their clothing. However they also challenge the conventions because they aren't as obscure in their dress code as some of the people you would find in real rock magazines. In addition to this I haven't included a band picture which is very unusual as a picture of the band, normally a group of 4-5 males aged from 18 and above, would typically feature in a real rock magazine.


e.) Title font and style:-
I created the title "The crowd was insane!" using "Popular Std" on Photoshop. I edited it to add an outer glow and to also change the transparency of the text so that you could see the image behind it through the writing. By placing the text at an angle I have challenged the forms of real rock magazines as they tend to keep their titles in a straight line. However it also follows the forms because it is the largest font in my magazine except from the masthead. It is also in bold which makes it stand out against the rest of the page.

f.) Written content:-
The written content that I have included in "Vengeance" uses the forms and conventions of real rock magazines because I asked similar questions to what you would expect to find in rock magazines such as "Big Cheese". This is because I asked about touring, the band and their background. In addition to this, the editors note is friendly and laid back which can be linked to most real rock magazines as they feel addressing the reader as a friend makes them feel more welcome towards the magazine.

g.) Music genre and how your magazine suggests it:-

The genre of my magazine, "Vengeance" is rock with both punk and metal influences which is portrayed by the bands listed on the contents page. In addition to this the mise-en-scene of the images I have included all suggest a rock genre because of the attitude reflected in them. Also the colours; red, black and purple are all considered as classic rock colours. All in all they follow the forms and conventions of real rock magazines when suggesting that "Vengeance" is a rock magazine. Even the name on it's own sounds like it belongs to the rock genre which develops the conventions of real rock magazines because for example "Big Cheese" doesn't sound like a rock magazine when compared to something such as "Rocksound".

h.) Layout:-

The layout of my magazine typically follows the conventions of real rock magazines. Shown by the double spread page which is similar to "Kerrang!" with a large picture taking up 3/4 of the whole page and then the interview down one side. By including a quote in large writing across the page at a slight angle follows some conventions of real rock magazines, however as I have tilted the text I have challenged the forms and conventions as real rock magazines tend to keep their text in straight lines. On my front cover I have also challenged the conventions as the sub-heading text is also on a slant instead of a straight line. This looks dynamic and portrays an attitude of anti-authority.

 

i.) Contents page:-
My contents page challenges the conventions of real rock magazines because I have split the listings up into two separate ones almost as if they are in boxes. This is unconventional because when compared to real rock magazines for example "Big Cheese" list their contents in long columns rather then splitting them up like I have. By splitting mine apart and further separating them by placing images of bands between them I haven't used the forms and conventions of keeping the listings as one. Although my editors note with hand written signature, which I wrote and scanned into the computer, uses the conventions of real rock magazines because they all include a editors note with signature on the contents page. The signature adding a personal touch to the magazine so that the magazine isn't formal as it should be friendly towards its reader.

Final Product

These are my final versions of the front cover, contents page and double page spread for my magazine "Vengeance":-

Font

When choosing the font for my magazine I wanted three different styles. One that would stand out for the masthead, another for subtitles such as the contents page, and then one for the main body of text e.g. for the captions and interview.

Here is what I decide to use:

Above on the left is the font I have used for the title. It is consistence throughout the magazine. I choose this font "Viner Hand ITC" because the style of it is quite edgy and it's looks like what you would find on a rock magazine. On the right is the version I have created using Adobe Photoshop that I have used in my magazine. I choose red to be the main body colour because it stands out against the pale background that I have used on my front cover. I also added a outer shadow to create depth for the writing and also an inner shadow to add an outline to the writing. I choose to create the style in this way because the actual name "Vengeance" is evocative and loaded with sub-text therefore the red lettering and hard edge spiky style reflects the imagery of the word.

 The font above is an example of the font that I have used as the headers and the information for on the front cover. I choose this style "Poplar Std" because of the block writing that makes it look bold and

as it is in block lettering it contrasts with the titles edgy writing. I have also used this for sub-headings including the main subtitle on the front page, "ANDREW YELL", and for the subtitles "Contents Page", "Regulars" and "Features" that are included on the contents page. These really stand out and grab the readers attention so that they want to know more about the topics in the magazine. An example of a magazine that use similar text for their subtitles is Big Cheese. They use this to highlight the key topics of the magazine.

This font is what I have used for all the information I have included in my magazine such as the interview and the contents page listing. I choose the style "Arial for Autograph" because it is simple and easy to read in long blocks of text. Magazines such as Kerrang! often use simple text for their writing including the interviews that they have in their magazines.

Plan for Double Page Spread

This is my plan for my double page spread. I have blocked it out on Photoshop to show the general idea of the layout of the page.

Plan for Contents Page

This is my plan for my contents page. Using Photoshop I have created this to show the layout of my contents page.

Plan for Front Page

This is my plan for my front page. I have used Photoshop to show an idea of the layout I wish to create.

Double Page spread - Big Cheese.

To broaden my understanding of double page spread articles I am going to also analyse one from the other magazine I am using for my research, Big Cheese.

This is a typical layout that Big Cheese use in their magazines; this one features 30 Seconds To Mars. They have one large image that takes up three quarters of the page on the left. The bottom is slightly obscured by white and red text which introduces the article to the reader and lets them know what they will be reading about. Below this is large writing which is placed to look like the title of the article but is actually a quote from the lead singer Jared Leto.

The article itself has been placed in a black box on the right hand side of the double page and has been slightly blended into the image so that the line that divides the image from the text isn't as prominent as a solid black line. This helps the page flow together and look as one part instead of two pieces. They have chosen the colour of the box to be black because the image is dark so the black  also helps the page to flow. The image also looks unnatural as they have enhanced the saturation of the colours.At the top of the column there is a white rectangular shaped patch coming in from the right that looks as though it has been torn from the black box. This indicates the name of the band that the article is about. Below in the rest of the black box is the interview itself written in white writing to contrast the black background. The article is split into several paragraphs to make it easier for the audience to read.

Big Cheese typically use this set up for a lot of their double page spread articles that they include in their magazines. However sometimes they flip the order of the page; image on the right, article on the left. They also sometimes have more than one column of text depending on the length of the article that they have written.
This is a really effective approach to a double page spread and I like how the image and the text box blends together. When designing the double page spread for my magazine I will most likely include some aspects of this example.

Double Page Spread - Kerrang!

For my coursework I need to include a double page spread article. To show my knowledge and understanding of what double page spread articles are I am going to analyse some. I will start with Kerrang!, which is one of the magazines I am taking my ideas from.

This is an example of a typical double page spread article that you would find in Kerrang! magazine. They have chosen to have a large image that takes up almost three quarters of the whole double page. This is a medium shot of the band My Chemical Romance in quite stereotypical poses which show that they are indeed a band. As this image dominates the rest of the page it reflects the attitude of the band.

On the left side of the double page is two black columns which includes the interview with My Chemical Romance in white writing. They have choose to have the background of the article black so that it stands out against the colour of the background for the rest of the page. White writing in this contrast the black and makes reading the interview easier for the audience.

At the bottom of the second column are red lines which split these couple of sentences from the rest of the interview. This is done to grab the attention of the reader to tell them that the second part of this interview is in next weeks issue. At the top of the two column is a quote that tells the reader a little something about the interview before they read it.

A small black box next to the bottom right corner of the second column names the band from left to right.

Kerrang! typically use this set up for most of their double page spread articles that they include in their magazines. Sometimes flipping the order so that the image is on the left with the interview on the right.

I think this is a very effective set up and will use this when I design the layout for my double page.

Contents Page Reserch - Big Cheese.

I have previously looked at Kerrang!'s contents pages so in this post I will evaluate Big Cheese's contents pages and compare the two to outline the similarities and differences.

This is an example of a typical contents page in ~Big Cheese magazine. They have split the page in half by a thick white line down the centre of a double page. The first side of this double paged contents is split into three columns. The first is a black rectangle which lists everyone who has been involved with the production of this months issue. The next two columns are only half the length of the page and list the "Regular" articles that feature in every issue of Big Cheese and the page number that each can be found.. Also, at the side there is a black box which is a little side note from the writers of Big Cheese telling there readers about what they can expect in this months issue. Below these two columns is a medium shot of a band member which you can read about in the "Regular" section of the magazine.

On the second half on this double page it has been split into two columns. The first tells the audience about the "Kingsize" articles which are the main features in this issue and their page number. These tend to follow on from what has been shown on the front page so that the magazine flows better throughout. This easy to read format is used because this is the navigation for the rest of the magazine. They have included two smaller images of artists that appear in this magazine in this first column. By being smaller it shows the audience that yes there is a feature but it's not as heavily focused on as the ones in the next column. As the second column has three pictures much larger than the two in the first column of this page it shows that these artists have a greater importance within this magazine and will have a musch larger article written about them. The symmetry of this layout makes it effective and easy for the audience to read.

I think this is quite an effective layout as it is laid out in a user friendly way as it is very easy to understand. More over I think they have managed to balance out the amount of text with enough pictures so that it's not daugnting for the reader to have to just read a long list to pick out the articles of interest.

Contents Page Research - Kerrang!

For the magazine that I will be creating I need to include a contents page so I have decided to look at some examples of contents pages from Kerrang! and Big Cheese as I have looked at their front covers so I will be able to see how they have followed through from the front cover to the contents page and see if their layouts are similar. This will allow me to grasp the concept about how contents pages should be laid out. In this post I am going to focus on the layout of Kerrang!'s contents pages.

This is an example of a typical contents page in Kerrang! magazine. They have split the page in half by a white line. Above this line is a medium shot of a band member from Blink 182. This image is shown to be taken at a concert which reinforces the target audience personality for readers of Kerrang! magazine. This image has been partially covered by a black box, top right, that informs us that this is the contents page. Below this box are two smaller images that are pictures of the double spread pages that follow on from the main image of Blink 182.

Directly beneath the white line is a black strip which informs us what is in this weeks issue. Under this it a white background which has been used so that the information stands out. This has been split into four columns, so that it is easier to read and pick out the key parts that you wish to look at. In the first column is a note from the editor of the magazine telling the reader what has happened this week. These are sometimes quite personal which I think helps the audience connect more with the magazine almost as if your friend was telling you a story from what had happened to them this week.

The next two columns are the listings for each article which specifies the page that you can find it on. This is what makes it a contents page as without these listings the reader would not know what page to turn to for the articles that they are interested in. Some listings have a couple of sentences in much smaller text which is like a sneak peak of the article relating to the listing.

The final column on the right is a listing also but on this particular one they have included a small image which has text laid over the top to tell us what this p[age will be about. This includes a smaller image because it is also a featured topic in the magazine, however it is not as heavily focused on as the large image above the white line.

Also they have chosen to advertise the subscription to the magazine underneath the final listing. This is to remind the readers that they can receive the magazine straight to their door and save money on the price of the magazine. They also include a double page towards the end of the magazine that includes more information on how to subscribe, it usually offers a gift with the subscription to attract more people.

Magazine Front Cover Research - Big Cheese.

I have decided to look at the front covers of Big Cheese in addition to my Kerrang! research to show my knowledge and understanding of other rock magazines.

Big Cheese is a hard rock magazine which focuses on rock/punk/metal. It is priced at £4.99 which is released once a month. It is aimed at teenagers aged 16+. They will most likely be the stereotypical teenagers who dress in dark outrageous clothing and spend money on attending numerous concerts and buying merchandise both at the gigs that are listed in the magazine and in shops or on-line at the selection of rock merchandise sites that are also featured in the magazine.

This is an example of a Big Cheese front cover. The masthead is partly black with a white outline and the rest is light blue with a white outline which makes it stand out from the black outline. It is partially covered by a medium shot of four males aged from 19 to 40 years of age. They are not stunningly attractive but they still get a lot of attention for their looks. This is a typical picture to be seen on the front cover of Big Cheese which is covered by a sub-title informing the reader on what this months issue includes. Under this they have listed the bands that will also feature on the left hand side above the barcode, leaving a lot of the picture showing. They have a banner at the top to tell the audience there is a free CD and giant posters that are included in the magazine which has an extra image at the top left to highlight the posters. The banner at the bottom includes extra information that the reader will find in the magazine. The colour scheme for this issue is pink, blue and yellow. They have also used black and white but these colours are reapplied in each front cover they create. The pink, blue and yellow however are used together to make the information stand out but these combinations change with each issue to compliment the image that has been selected to feature on the front.

This is another example of a Big Cheese front cover. The masthead colours has changed slightly, from light blue to white, to make it stand out against the light blue/grey background. This example uses the same medium shot image that partially covers the masthead. The sub-title that is laid over the top, central left, informs us that it is "Bring Me The Horizon", a band of males in their early 20's that are portrayed to be your average looking typical males that you would associate rock music with. The central guy who is the lead singer is outlined in flames which reinforces the sub-heading "Unleash Hell!". This catches the readers eye are draws them into the image which makes them want to read the article to find out about the band. Unlike the example above, this time Big Cheese has moved the list of additional bands to central left next to the sub-title. This has been done so they can include additional pictures at the bottom which appear to the audience that they have been cut out of the original image and all outlined in white so that they fit together. These images are above the bottom banner that is the same as the above example where it tells the reader what else to expect in the magazine. However the top banner on this example is not so clearly made out as it has no base colour so the text is laid out simple over the background. It still stands out enough though to be seen by the reader to tell them that there are posters included in this issue that are highlighted by the overlapping images in the top left corner.

Magazine Front Cover Research - Kerrang!

For my initial research I decided to choose "Kerrang!" as it is a music magazine which I am familiar with. "Kerrang!" focuses on the punk/rock/screamo genres of music. They aim at readers aged 14+ who will be the type of teenagers who have the money to spend buying the magazine each week at only £2.20, and will attend concerts in their free time. They will listen to loud guitar heavy music and will aspire to be like the bands in the magazine and the majority will be able to play an instrument.

This is an example of a "Kerrang!" front cover. The masthead is black, in bold and outlined in a white box so that it stands out. It is partially covered by the main picture, this design is standard on "Kerrang!" covers. The picture is of males, late teens early twenties which is a common stereotype of music magazines. The music of the band is reflected into the styling of the image to create a similar attitude. The centre photo itself is covered by a sub-title which tells the readers that the magazine will feature "You Me At Six". They have also added in smaller text a few lines about the band above and below the central sub-title. "Kerrang!" have also included overlapping photos in the bottom left corner which also show the reader what they will find, a poster special, in the magazine. They have also included an additional image to the right which is set in a typical polaroid outline which has text underneath for information which refers to the image. A banner top and bottom also list bands that are included in this weeks issue.The colour scheme is black, white, yellow, red and green.

Unlike other music magazines "Kerrang!" goes against the typical use of two or three main colours as each cover features a different mixture, however even though they use more than the average amount of colour, they only use small amounts of each colour so they all stand out equally.

Kerrang! use the same style throughout all their front covers as this next image shows. This front cover features 30 Seconds To Mars. It is laid out in the same way, a banner top and bottom, masthead behind the main image, images both in the bottom left corner and on the right above the barcode. The main image shows self confidence and power by the serious expression and looking straight at the camera. Also the dark sunglasses reflecta cool attitude. A sub-title in bold about the main feature of the magazine with smaller text bellow and above the sub-title which include snippets of the interview to entice the readers.

Preliminary Task.

To show our understanding of Adobe Photoshop which I am using to create my magazine we had to complete a preliminary task. As I have chosen the area of print I had to create the front cover of a college magazine as well as block out the contents page.

This is my front cover for my college magazine. I chose red and blue as the main colours because I wanted colours that would stand out but also contrast each other. Also I understand that magazines have a limited colour pallet and would only use 3 of 4 maximum.
 The masthead is vertical down the left hand side and is in bold. I chose to have the title over the image as I wanted it to stand out more.

The image itself is a medium close up shot of a typical college student. I have edited the image by cropping it from the original as it was too large. Then I brightened the image using the tools on Photoshop and then made it more contrasting. I edited the image because I felt it was too dull and was flat compared to the text and boxes that I layered on top.

Overall I am pleased with this, I think it is well laid out. Simple, yes, but I think it stands out well enough without the need for too much to be going on.

Creating this has enabled me to understand how to use Photoshop and the different editing techniques.

This is my blocked out contents page. I used the same fonts for the writing as the front cover to make it flow from page to page as I understand the need to develop a house style for continuity. I decided to split the contents list into two sections, features and regulars, to make it a bit different from all the other magazines out there. I chose to place the photos on either side to help break down the text because I didn't want too much information on this page as contents pages are usually just brief notes about what will be in this issue of the magazine.
This was relatively easy and simple to create after my front cover because I had a better grasp of the program and a better understanding of how contents pages should be laid out.
I have continued with the red and blue colour scheme so that the magazine flows continuously from page to page.
I am happy with this layout as I think it works well how it is set out. I t has enabled me to understand how to layout contents pages which will be useful when I come to create my final coursework.