Sunday 29 March 2015

Make-Up/Model/Fashion ideas

For the models in my magazine I wanted to keep the makeup looks quite simple and natural, as I didn't want it to take away attention from the text but I also wanted it to connote the audience who would typically read my magazine and be a kind of inspiration for them as they most probably wouldn't typically wear heavy make-up.

The clothes they wear would also connote my target audience as they are simple yet fashionable and in keeping with the audience. The clothing is also simple and not too over the top yet is eye-catching for the audience as they would be able to relate to it.

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Time Management Update

I have completed my magazine pages, but there have been a few hitches as I haven't been able to download photoshop and have had to redo my magazine pages over the weekend. I think I still have some older blog posts to complete so shall aim to do them by the end of this week to keep up to date, i've also done a very basic evaluation template to help myself throughout the process of writing up my evaluation.

Basic Evaluation Template

Question One
 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
I have used similar conventions of existing music magazine such as fonts and similar layouts, and from research of magazines helped it look more professional. The main magazines I have done my research from have been NME, Q, and Billboard as I thought that these magazines would help me most in terms of researching layouts and design for my magazine.
Question Two
       How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My magazine could represent certain social groups because of its appeal to a teenage audience and also their taste in music may attract them to a specific genre of magazine.
·         I shall use prezi to present this question as I feel then I can include the social groups throughout
Question Three
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
A major magazine company that also sells and promotes other music magazines within a similar style and genre to the one I have produced myself, so that would be indie/pop/(alternative).
Question Four
       Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience for my media product would most probably be teenagers, perhaps leaning towards the late teens rather than early teens, as it isn’t too pop like or as completely mainstream as other magazines on the market. In this answer I shall also include clothes they might wear and hobbies they may have etc.

Question Five
     How did you attract/address your audience?
I addressed/attracted my audience hopefully by including artists within the indie/pop genre that I would hope they’d be interested, some mainstream and some upcoming artists. That way it promotes newer artists as well as having that familiarity of some mainstream artists in the same/very similar genre also.
 Question Six
      What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have been learning how to use InDesign and Photoshop from this process, although I am still not the best at using them I have learnt a lot more from it than when I first started, which has helped contribute towards making a better magazine.
Question Seven
      Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I feel I have learnt about things that are going to attract a specific audience to a product that you are trying to promote and also  I have learnt how to use software better to create my magazine more efficiently and to help make it look more professional that it originally would’ve done. The images in my magazine now are also better than the student magazine, and connote more of an audience I am trying to achieve.

These are just basic templates of how I shall answer the questions in my evaluation, and I shall answer them using different software, such as answering them in prezi’s, videos, and other ideas which make the answers stand out more than just a basic word document.

Magazine Audience Feedback

Does my magazine connote a sense of the indie/pop genre?
Yes, I think your magazine does connote this because of the artists that you include, and also the layout and design doesn’t look too much like pop but does kind of meet in the middle for indie/pop.

I think your magazine is more indie than pop but it does contain aspects of pop that contrast well in your magazine.

Yes I think so, however it is more indie in some areas and more pop in others, you could say it isn't very well balanced sometimes.
What pages of my magazine look better and what needs to be improved and why?
The double page spread stands out as the photos go well together and the writing is set out well. You could perhaps lay out another column for the writing on this page, and for the front cover perhaps add something else to it as it looks a bit empty in places, and leave a white background to help it look consistent with the other magazine pages.

I like your contents page as I think it really connotes the genre you have chosen and would really appeal to your target audience. Also it looks really consistent with your double page spread, although I think you need to change the background of your front cover so all of the pages look consistent and like they belong with each other. The images and the text on your contents page are also good, and keep the page filled with detail and information so that it stands out to the reader.

I think your front cover needs to be improved, but also some of the text on the double page spread, such as perhaps highlight some text so that it stands out to your audience more, rather than it being quite plain, which may disinterest your readers, or perhaps not make it eye catching for them in your magazine.
How do the images connote the genre of my magazine?
I think the images connote the genre because the people in your images look happy, and are wearing clothes that represent the genre you are aiming for in your magazine, as there are some clothing that connotes indie and pop also.

I think your images are good, I’m not sure if the layout they’re in works though. Maybe move a few round, other than that, good images.

I think they connote both pop and indie from what the images look like, clothing etc. Also I’d say they could appeal to both genders but perhaps mainly a female audience.
What could I do to improve my magazine overall?
I think to improve your magazine overall perhaps add some more detail to the front cover to help it stand out more, and also change the background to white to keep the magazine pages looking consistent, which will connote a more professional approach to your magazine.

You could make some slight changes to your double page spread for example, highlight some text in a different colour so it stands out more and makes the page look more vibrant and colourful to catch the reader’s eye and make them interested in the article.


I think your front cover is the main thing which could have some improvements doing, such as the other comments have said to add more detail, and maybe add more detail to your double page spread. I also think it would be good if you could add more colour to your contents page.

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Time Management Update

I have now completed the pages of my magazine and am beginning to further develop my evaluation.