Second Contents Page Mock Up - Music Magazine

For this mock up, I have made the main image the most important part of the page which will stand out the most. The actual magazine name will be spread across the page just covering some of the main image. This immediately stands out to the reader and creates a branding for them, it also looks professional and a contempory design technique. Above this will be the title 'contents' and the date of magazine issue in smaller font, so that this is less obvious but still in view for the reader. On the main image, there will be some contrasting text from the main image so that this will stand out - this text will contain the cover story articles and the page number to turn to. To the right of the main image, there will be a smaller box containing the text and page numbers, as well as this, there will be the same underneath the main image. I think it is effective to have a magazine subscription notice in a flasher in a contents page because I have seen lots of magazines have this in their contents page, this promotes the magazine and also creates professionality because it is so successful that it has many issues every year coming out that people who are interested in the magazine can buy. This information will be in a flasher because this is effective in catching the readers eye, because usually it is bright and contrasts from the branding colours so that readers immediately draw attention to it, as it is usually containing information such as competitions or magazine subscriptions where they can save money.

First Contents Page Mock Up of Music Magazine

I designed this contents page because of the simplicity and I think it will be an effective layout. There will be a main image on the page which will have a bit of text giving brief information and the page number where the article will be about. There will also be a secondary image with some text because this makes the contents page look a bit more interesting than just having the one main image and lots of text. To the right, there will be mainly text giving information about the page numbers. I will separate out all the subheadings by a strapline kind of look, a block of colour with contrasting coloured text on it to catch the readers eye, obviously using the branding colours as this is a norm in any magazine because a brand is wanting to be created and therefore recognised. I will do this because it is simple yet very effective for being recognised and is a clean, organised way of laying things out as I don't want my magazine to look too over crowded because this can lead to it looking unprofessional.

Third Mock Up of Music Magazine Front Cover

This time, on the third mock up, I designed it very differently to the normal magazines. This meant that the masthead is nearly in the middle of the page, with lots of secondary images and cover lines that stand out by contrasting from the background above the masthead. The right side will be mainly cover lines and secondary images, giving lots of information about what is inside the magazine. I will use a large flasher infront of the two main images because this catches the readers eye, as the main image would normally be the eyecatcher, so a contrasing flasher will definitely catch the readers attention. Also, there will be a barcode, issue number, and date because this shows the professionality of the magazine.

Second Mock Up of Music Magazine Front Cover

This is the second mock up of the music magazine front cover that I had to produce. This time I used techniques such as a strapline because this gives information and is at the top of the page in a font colour that contrasts from the background of the strapline to immediately draw attention to it. On this mock up, the main image will mostly be covered by cover lines. These cover lines will be different colours (but keeping it within the brand) and sizes, so that the more important information stands out to the reader. The masthead is in the normal place and there are the normalities of a barcode to show professionality and an issue number and the date.

First Mock Up of Music Magazine Front Cover

I like this mock up because it is very simplistic - which could reflect my target audience. It is not overcrowded and I used my format research to find out that most music magazines just use one main image to draw the reader in and get their attention by creating dramatic effect. The masthead is normally at the top of the page, therefore I conformed to this normality when designing the mock up. I have also put in a flasher because this is also a technique used to catch the readers attention. I will also show that this is a professional magazine by adding in a barcode and twitter/facebook icons, because this can reflect that this is a popular magazine.

Evaluation of Music Magazine (Double Page Spread)

It would seem that most double page spreads are the same; they have a plain white (or black) background and have images and text contrasting from the plain background. This is effective because it catches the readers attention of the text, so they actually read the article. They also use one large main image that takes up one page, so when the reader turns to that page, they will immediately know who/what the article is about because of the large image that is taking up one page. On the opposite page, there will be the article about the music artist, using key graphological features such as empty space to create dramatic attention: the aim to draw the reader in. The picture will sometimes conform to the branding colours: for example, 'Q' magazine had a music artist dressed in black sat on a red and white flag, with a white background. I will use this because I think this is effective. However, I think I will have my model in front of a more interesting/colourful background because I don't want my magazine to appear too boring/plain. I will also use one of two secondary images on the page where the text is on to make it a bit more interesting. I will also use contrasting colours to make the page look more dramatic.

Some magazines do appeal to their audience, for example, Kerrang made their double page spread look very gothic by the use of colour and images, they had a black background and they contrasted this with white and red font (the branding colours). I will probably do the same but will not have a black background because I think this will make my magazine look too dark and it does not relate to the social group/audience I am trying to portray to, as the genre will be pop/modern music.

Evaluation of Music Magazine (Contents Page)

The general impression I got from the contents page were that they were quite busy but they were organised. For my contents page, I would use my branding colours to make it look professional. These branding colours can separate it out into sections and as they contrast from each other this will make the sections more interesting. The contents pages of some magazines use small images to give a brief idea to the audience of what will be in the magazine, this is ideal for teenagers as they would not want to read lots of writing, they would prefer to look at pictures to gain an understanding of what the article is about. I would also use a white background, like the front cover, because it draws attention to what is on the page. I wouldn't want to make the magazine seem too boring with a lot of white, therefore I would have to overcrowd the page a little with pictures or colour.

The contents page does not really present a particular social group. They use their branding colours but this does not represent the social groups that they are trying to portray. The only thing on the contents page that would relate to the audience/social group is any images used on the page. The font and graphological features could perhaps portray the social group/audience because the font cos relate to the informality of the magazine, however the audience cannot really be shown from the contents page. Like the contents page of most magazines, I would use one or two small images to give brief information about some of articles, because teenagers would not want to read masses of text. Overall, I would use most of the features of the contents pages on professional magazines because they set a brand and looks aesthetically pleasing for my audience.  

Evaluation of Music Magazine (Front Covers)

I would take quite a lot of ideas from the front covers that I analysed. For example I would use one large main image however the main image sometimes covered the masthead. I would not make my main image cover the masthead because that technique is used when the branding is popular. As I have not created a popular brand, I would not make the main image cover a part of the masthead because that would make it difficult for the audience to read the masthead and acknowledge what the magazine is called. I would put cover lines on the magazine because that would let the audience know what would be inside the magazine. I would also choose my branding colours then use them throughout the magazine, but use them effectively on the front cover. Also, I think that a white/plain background and empty space creates the 'less is more' effect for the magazine so I would take that idea from the magazines that I have analysed. This is because it creates more attention for the main image because it will contrast from a white background, therefore standing out to the audience more. I will use techniques such as a flasher to draw attention to the reader if I'm trying to promote something, but I will not use the branding colours for this as it will make it stand out more if it contrasted and was not similar to the colours I choose for the branding.

If there was a rock band on the front dressed in black, then they would represent that the magazine could be for goths. Also, if you recognise the person on the front of the magazine then that would indicate that you could 'belong' to a certain 'social group'. For my magazine, I don't think I will create it for a certain 'group' as I will do it for general music but I don't think I will include rock bands so therefore some groups such as goths may not be interested. Therefore, my audience will be for teenagers interested in general, current music. I would attract the audience by having one main image because this seems to catch people’s eye. Also, I will have a large masthead that links to the branding colours and have a few cover lines in the colours that relate to the branding colours, and have a flasher that does not link to the branding colours; therefore this will stand out to the audience. I will have informal fonts aswell, so this will relate to the audience and how it is for teenagers who are interested in music.