Reviewing Magazine Double Page Spreads.

The above is a double page spread from November's issue of Q Magazine; this particular magazine stuck out when looking at the other magazines that were avaliable at the specific time of purchase.

This specific piece (compared to that of Kerrang! Magazine) is very clear and simply set out; with this specific page only consisting of three main colours - black, white and green - as opposed to an article that would be displayed within a Kerrang! Magazine which would be full of colour and would could, perhaps put people off from reading the magazine who are more likely to read something that would be more sophisticated.

I like specific article do to the context of "Artist of the Century" which was a unique element of this specific issue, however this sort of idea has the potential to have some sort of article like this incorporated into my magazine - perhaps, "Artist of the Month" or "Gig of the Month", or something similar.

When it comes to designing and creating my magazine's double page spread the way that elements are displayed on the page is very important - the use of fonts and colours; the use of photographs and the use of information - I need to very aware that if any of these elements are overlooked then I could lose of some my specific target market who would be off-put and would not continue reading the magazine.

Reviewing Magazine Contents Pages.

This particular contents page is an example of one that would be very common to appear within an issue of Q Magazine and appeared on the shelves of most newsagents in the late part of December 2009.

The way that a contents page is laid out in very important to how an audience would register a magazine; this is because the first piece of information that the reader would look at would be the contents page and if this page was going to be set up in a messy and unregimented way this could stop people reading the magazine further and would, perhaps not read any future issue of the magazine.

This particular contents page is made up three main colours - black, red and white - similar to the other elements of the magazine which I have discussed within my blog; as before this idea assures that the piece looks professional and sophisticated as to not have these included within my own contents page (or other elements of my magazine cover) would, most definately stop people from buying my magazine receptively.

Reviewing Magazine Covers.

When looking through different magazines that has become available over the end of November and the beginning of December, the magazine that stuck out the most on the shelves was an issue of the popular Kerrang! Magazine.

This particular issue (dated and issued around the week of December 12th) featured the alternative punk band Paramore with a photograph of Hayley Williams - the band’s lead singer - taking up the majority of the front cover; around the photograph of Williams are a selection of photographs over other acts that have appeared throughout 2009 and will be “upcoming”  acts into 2010.

The elements of this magazine front cover that have appealed to me is how this particular magazine uses the rule of three and how it is applied on this magazine front cover. The most obvious use of colour is that of the different shades of red; Williams is shown to be dressed in a red top which is laced with white - this takes up the majority of the page; Williams is also shown to be wearing red lipstick which matches her dress. Due to her fair skin, the second colour that is used in the front cover of this particular magazine is that of white and very light colours - with the majority of the writing around William being white. The third colour that is used is that of grey and black which - alongside the red and the white - contrasts well together.

One element, however that would deter me from continually buying Kerrang! Magazine would be how cluttered most of the front covers are - alas, this particular issue seems to be less cluttered then the norm - the use of a cover that is too cluttered would also deter people who would believe that this way of laying out a magazine cover would look too messy and too unprofessional.

When it comes to creating and piecing together my own magazine front cover the way that the front cover and all the other elements are laid out and placed is a very important point as to how the magazine would - theoretically - sell to the target market; the magazine layout, whether simplistic or jam-packed, would have to be suitable for the target market. This element and how it is applied when creating a magazine cover could literally mean whether or not the magazine would continue and sell to the correct target market or not.

Generic Conventions - Magazine Double Page Spreads.

Coursework research & planning; generic conventions - magazine double page spreads

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Generic Conventions - Magazine Contents Pages.

Coursework research & planning; generic conventions - magazine contents pages

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Preliminary Print.

To conclude our preliminary pieces that we are creating in class we were given the brief to design and create a magazine front cover and a contents page that would be appropriate to be sold or shown in Lutterworth College and schools in the immediate area.

During discussion about what each magazine should include I was thinking about previous experience that I got in Year 11; some of those pieces are shown below.

This first magazine that I created was designed in the ICT BTec that I was placed into for Year 10 and Year 11; we were given the brief to design a magazine that would be appropriate for showing and selling to any child. I decided that I would attempt to reconnect with children of today's world and compile a magazine front cover that would be appropriate to be sold in any news shop and I attempted to do so by incorporating a High School Music-esq theme into my magazine, as - at the time - the third installment of the film was being developed.

In the same class I was then given the brief to design a music magazine that would also be appropriate for teenagers and young adults.This time I thought about the magazines that were already available on the shelves - such as Kerrang! Magazine and Q Magazine, both of which I was very well educated. To finish off my original thoughts I decided that I would attempt at creating a magazine that was based on the best pieces of each of the magazines based around music that I had researched.

My final magazine that I designed previously was another music magazine. This time however, I created it in the induction week of Sixth Form for my Media coursework. I decided that unlike the previous magazine I was going to attempt to develop a more sophisticated, "grown up" magazine that - if produced - could rival Q Magazine and magazines of a similar genre. I decided that I would stick to a more mainstream audience - unlike the previous which would probably be considered to be a niche audience - and in the allocated time I produced this magazine cover.