Contents Page Flat Plan and Rationale

This is the flat plan for the contents page of my magazine, 'THE DROP'.

Colour Usage - The main colours used on the contents page of my magazine are black, grey and purple like on the cover. The continued use of these colours gives the magazine consistency and also gives it a clear house style. The shade of purple which I have used isn't too feminine and therefore doesn't put the male population off buying my magazine. The way in which purple is the main colour leaves the option to change this colour each issue by simply replacing every purple item with the same in another colour. This is use of one bright colour is a lot like Q magazine, which I took inspiration from as regards to where to use the purple. I have used it as a highlighter to draw the reader's eye to certain aspects of the page, to ensure the most important things are definitely read.

Image Usage - I am planning to use a variety of images on my contents page to make it attractive and eye catching. Most of these images will be kept in their original state however I plan to cut some out and remove their background to make them interesting and make the most of the space. This will give some variation from the standard straight edged images that I will include a few of at the top of the page. One of these images will be the largest on the page, and will depict the cover model and featured artist 'Ellen'. The image will be different than the one on the cover and will show the singer in a much more relaxed atmosphere. I want her to have very relaxed body language, so it doesn't look like a contrived 'super-smiler' cover image like many pop/fashion orientated magazines include. This will set the tone of the main article and will give the reader an insight into the singer's personality instead of their public appearance in posed photographs or paparazzi snaps. I plan to use props for this relaxed image, to make it seem more fun and young, which will illustrate the singer's age and care-free attitude to life.

Text Usage - All of the text on the contents page will be either the title of the article or a short, snappy sentence describing what the article is about and who features in it. These will all be used as hooks of some sort to draw the reader in and entice them to take note of the page number and in order to read the article. I am including the masthead from the front cover of the magazine on the contents page to introduce what the page is about and form part of the title. The title all together will read 'THE DROP this week', letting the reader know that this page tells them what is in the magazine, without just having 'Contents' at the top of the page. By using small text boxes underneath each image I include, I am using anchorage to attach meaning to the images, instead of them simply being images which the reader knows nothing about.

Layout and Font - I took inspiration from the contents pages of LOOK magazine and NME magazine in order to design a layout for my contents page. I really admired the way in which these magazines find a good balance between text and images and make the most of the room that they have. Neither of the inspirational contents pages were too crowded, which was something I had to be careful of as my front cover (first draft) was very crowded. Therefore I made a clear partition of images and text through the middle of the page, with the exception of a few cut out images. This ensured that the reader's eyes were attracted to the large images at the top of the page, and then their eyes were drawn down to the text with the help of smaller, cut out images alongside the text. I have separated the contents into four categories which are arranged into a square, these are: News, Reviews, Up + Coming and Features. This makes the layout of all of contents much more manageable for the reader to take in and makes it clearer which articles include which content.

Inspirational Contents Pages...

LOOK magazine

I really like the contents pages that are featured in every issue of LOOK magazine, and this is an example of one.

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Although this is the contents page of a fashion magazine, it is one that I read frequently, and one that I feel has a really effective layout. I like the layout because it's very quirky and interesting without being overpowering. I especially like the way that the images are presented: they have been overlapped, rotated on a slant, and have even been chopped off the side of the page. Each image includes a small text box giving a short indication of what the image is showing/advertising. This is really effective, as it tells the reader what the article is about, and gives them an image to attract them as well as text. I also like the fonts that have been used. Fonts are something which I have to be careful with as the feedback I received for my front cover mentioned that I had used too many different fonts, therefore this contents page is inspirational to me as it shows how I can reduce fonts and still make it attractive. Another aspect of this contents page is the thick black boxes that surround the sub headings to make them stand out. This makes it clear to the reader which articles come under which category, and draw their eye to the more important content.

NME magazine

This is the contents page of a newer issue of NME magazine. Compared to the older issues of the magazine, this new contents page layout is much more effective and I find it a lot more appealing.

I really like the layout in general; the way that there is a large main image below the main heading of the page, which is accompanied by a quote instead of simply naming the article or the band that it's about. This adds intrigue for the readers, and ensures that they are curious enough to read the quote and study the image, which hopefully leads to a sale of the magazine so they can read the full article. I also like how although there is a lot of content, the page doesn't look crammed or packed too full. This is something I have to be careful of on my magazine, as I feel I put too much on my front cover and made it over powering. Another thing which aids the reader on the contents page is the way that large numbers have been attached to the bottom right hand corner of each large image to tell the reader which page each article is on. This is definitely something that I want to include on the contents page of my music magazine, because as a reader, I find this both helpful and attractive.

Q magazine

The contents page of Q magazine is very plain, and only includes one large image of the main feature band (probably the band which were on the front cover), with the rest of the page being filled by text. However I really like the band across the top of the page with the magazine masthead and the heading of the page, the date and the issue. Another thing which I like about this contents page is the way in which the magazine's main colour has been used. The colour red is one of the things which attracts the readers eye to Q magazine as the masthead is large and bright red, therefore the way it has been carried on as a subtle 'highlighter' colour on the contents page is very effective. It highlights the subheadings and the page number of each featured article, as well as being used to highlight certain words on the page which the magazine wants to draw the reader's eye to. The main colour of my magazine is purple, and would therefore work well in the same way as red has been used, which is something I'm considering using.

Cover draft #1 / 2

draft #1
This is the first draft of my magazine's front cover. After finding my cover image and trying it out I decided that an image of one person would work much better than an image of two people. I therefore cropped photo down to just Ellen, and used her name as the main sell line.

The colour scheme of the cover is prominently grey and purple, with purple being used to highlight key parts of the magazine which I want the reader to be drawn to. I put the cover model's head behind the name of the magazine as it covered too much of the masthead for it to still be recognisable.

draft #2

After receiving feedback from my classmates and teacher I decided to change a lot on the cover of my magazine. Although I really liked how the main image looked, I wanted to change the cover model, because I wasn't able to get any other photos of her for my Contents Page or DPS. I also made the mistake of forgetting to include a bar code or the price on the first draft of my cover therefore I had those to add to my second draft. I decided that I didn't like the Ellie Goulding section so I replaced it with my friend Hanni who I had easy access to to take photos.

Cover Image Improvements

This is the original image of me and my friend Ellen which I was going to use on the front cover of my magazine. I chose it because of its layout, the way Ellen appears in the foreground and me slightly behind her in the background like a two piece band such as Kasabian on the cover of NME.

There were aspects of the image that I didn't want to have on the front cover such as the person in the corner and the classroom background, so I had to cut it out. This is the final image that I decided to feature on the cover of my magazine.

When I started to choose a layout for my magazine, I found that the image of two people wasn't working as effectively as an image of one person would. I therefore decided to crop myself out of the image and just used Ellen and the cover model for my magazine. This worked much better and made for a much more structured layout.

More images I could use...

These are all photos that I have taken at gigs/festivals of such as Paramore, Ellie Goulding and Adele. I could use these images for my contents page, or my even my cover, as a sub sell-line to pad the pages out.



More original images.......

Audience Study - NME magazine

I think that the main audience of NME magazine quite young, starting at 15/16 and continuing until the late 20s, and are obviously people who like indie/alternative music. Therefore I think that their kind of breakfast may be something quick and easy such as toast or a breakfast bar, as they would be typically going to college/uni early and would probably be in a rush, so a fast breakfast is what they would be looking for.

Their mode of transport would probably be public transport such as the bus or metro/train, as a lot of the readers are students who either don’t have their licence yet, or can’t afford a car alongside their university fees. If they do have a car, I would imagine it would be pre owned and a bit of a ‘banger’, unless they are from a wealthy family. In that case I think that they might have a vintage car, or a car which is unusual and individual, which is relevant to the magazine’s genre.

Their accommodation varies considerably, as a large majority of the readers may still live at home with their parents if they are young or can’t afford to move out yet. Another portion of the readers may live away in a university hall with peers while they do their degree. Furthermore, some readers could have their own flat, or even a house, however I think that only a very small amount of NME’s readers would have their own house.

I think that readers of NME drink anything that is quick and convenient to keep up with their busy lifestyle. I also think that they may try and drink things that are cheaper, to keep their budget under control and save their money for more important things such as clothes and gig tickets. These drinks could include fizzy pop and energy drinks. I also think that the readers would drink a lot of alcohol, as students make up the majority of the readers, and they are renowned for going out and getting drunk on a weekly basis.

I think that some of the TV shows they might watch include various programs on the indie/rock music channels such as documentaries on certain bands, and chart shows. I also think that the readers may watch shows such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Fresh Meat, as they feature people their age and are popular comedy shows which feature content relevant to them.

Obviously, the readers of NME like a certain type of music, and that is indie/alternative/rock music. They probably wouldn’t like generic pop music, and would tend to steer towards bands rather than individual artists. This is because most readers of NME are very appreciative of instruments and live music; therefore bands fit their needs much more than the likes of ‘Girls Aloud’ or ‘The Saturdays’. They also like artists who aren’t as well publicised as others; bands which are ‘up and coming’ and aren’t in the public eye because they either haven’t made it yet or don’t cater to a larger audience.

Their favourite meal is probably something along the lines of a McDonalds or a pizza, as they are young adults who are after quick and easy meals which they can either cook themselves or pick up from a fast food restaurant. The readers also probably prefer junk food to healthy food, and would therefore choose a fatty, sugary meal rather than a nutritious one.

One of the main (and only) sports that I think the readers of NME would watch would be football. This is because I feel that NME is probably more popular with men, who typically watch and/or play football. The majority of the male readers probably only watch football on the TV or have a season ticket to their favourite team’s league, and wouldn’t tend to play for a team.

I doubt many readers of NME are married, however a small minority may be. I think that the majority of readers are either single and enjoying their younger years, or are in a short term/casual relationship with someone their age, who is interested in the same things as them, such as music, fashion and career.

Although it isn’t quite a holiday, a large and popular festival takes preference over a holiday abroad for readers of NME. For example, a lot of the readers probably go to Reading/Leeds festival, which can and usually does cost the same amount of money as going abroad, and would therefore be instead of a holiday. This is because readers of NME are obviously interested in rock/alternative music, which is the main genre at many large festivals, and are students who want to have a good time, drink a lot of alcohol and see some great bands.

I doubt very much that readers of NME vote at all, as they are young and concentrating on what they believe to be the more important things in life such as music, education and having a good time. They are probably quite rebellious, as don’t care at all about government issues and who is running the country, purely because they don’t want to.

Finally, I think that readers of NME would tend to go to local pubs with crowds of friends to have a pint and enjoy each other’s company. I doubt they would go to clubs which play dance/rave music as it wouldn’t appeal to them and wouldn’t be their kind of ‘scene’. They would attend local gigs on a regular basis, because they may be in a band, and more than likely know someone who is. They may also be seen in modern, cool bars in the heart of the city enjoying the night life with crowds of friends.

Audience Study - LOOK magazine

As LOOK magazine is a fashion/beauty/celebrity magazine, the main audience is definitely women, and because the magazine features ‘’perfect’’ celebrity images, they will be women who watch their weight. Therefore I think that the breakfast cereal they might eat would be something low fat, for example, Special K.

Their car or mode of transport could vary, because the age range of readers varies. Teenagers who read the magazine would get the bus or walk everywhere because they can’t drive, however older women would probably have a car. I would assume that this car is new, and not old and dilapidated like a teenager’s first car.

Like the transport, the audience’s accommodation could vary from teenagers who still live at home, to middle aged, working class women with a flat or a house of their own. I think that wherever the reader lives would be in a nice area and would be decorated attractively to make a lovely home out of whichever circumstances.

I think that the reader would drink mostly water and coffee, because most adults tend to drink coffee on a daily basis, and body conscious women tend to drink a lot of water to benefit their complexion.

The kind of TV shows they watch tie in with the content of the magazine, as I would imagine women who read LOOK might watch shows such as Big Brother, X Factor, and other shows in which celebrities are featured and exploited in a way. Most women are curious about the lives of celebrities, so any shows that present them in a different environment or take you behind the scenes into their everyday life would be intriguing for the readers of LOOK. They may also watch fashion and health orientated programs such as Embarrassing Bodies, Britain’s Next Top Model, How to Look Good Naked and Gok Wan’s Fashion Fix. These are the types of shows which they can take advice and tips from in order to better themselves and their bodies, which is probably one of their main goals. These shows also tend to make women feel good about themselves no matter what their size, prominently Gok Wan’s TV shows, in which he celebrates all women and boosts their self-confidence.

The main genre of music that the readers of LOOK would like is pop. This is because it is quite a girly magazine, and isn’t intended for male readers at all, and pop tends to be a girly genre of music, both due to an abundance of female pop artists, and also a lot of attractive male artists for the women to both swoon over and listen to.

I would say their favourite meal could be anything; however they may not indulge this craving very often if they’re trying to keep on top of their weight and health. Women tend to love chocolate and meals which are rich and full of calories, but often avoid them in order to stay healthy like the celebrities they see in magazines.

I highly doubt that any of the readers of LOOK play or watch a sport regularly, and if they do they will be in the minority. This is because women who read LOOK are girly, interested in fashion and their appearance, so playing a sport probably wouldn’t appeal to them at all.

I would assume that most of LOOK magazine’s audience would be single or in a relationship, with a small number of older readers being married. This is because the majority of readers are young girls/women, who tend to be in a casual relationship with a boy the same age, or would be single and reading this magazine for tips on how to look good to impress.

The main thing considered by the readers of LOOK when booking a holiday would be the climate. This is because most women tend to love getting a tan when they go abroad so they would go somewhere like Spain which has a good climate but is also affordable. Certain areas of Spain also have a lively night life, which is another thing which young women consider when going abroad.

I don’t think that the readers of LOOK would vote at all, as they aren’t they type of women who would be particularly bothered about politics or who was running the country, and would therefore disregard the voting process.

I think that they would go to modern bars which tend to be popular and always busy. They would also go to clubs in a large group of both men and women, either in their area or further afield.

Brief Magazine Analysis

•Who are the audience? 

I think that the audience of NME magazine are both men and women; however I think men are the more prominent readers as they tend to be more interested in the magazine’s genre of music. The majority of women in the UK tend to read fashion, ‘real life’ or ‘celebrity gossip’ magazines, and there are only a small percentage of women who read NME. I think that the age range of people who read this magazine is 16 – 30, as its content and bands are typically aimed at older readers, starting at teenagers aged 16+. The reason I think it goes to 30 years old is because this genre of music attracts an older audience as well as a young one, unlike pop music which is typically a younger audience. Obviously the main audience for NME are people who like Indie/Alternative music, as this is the genre of the magazine.

•What is the text selling?

The magazine is selling the band ‘LCD Soundsystem’, as they are the band that is being featured in this issue. In order to ‘sell’ them they have featured a large image of James Murphy who is the front man of the band as the main image and focal point of the cover. This image has been accompanied by the main sell-line of the band’s name in bright orange to match the masthead and the colour of the cover model’s glasses. Another thing which the magazine is selling is ‘The New NME’, which is the magazine’s own advertisement for their redesign. This cover is the 3^rd of 10 special edition covers to promote the redesign, something which the magazine is keen to get across to the readers.

•What sort of attitude/tone does it have?

The way that the cover model is standing is quite intimidating, and tells the reader that he is assertive and powerful within the music industry. However he is holding a dog, which is completely juxtaposed next to the way he is standing, making him seem soft and not as intimidating as he may seem. However, the subheading which is presented above the main sell-line is a quote from the cover model, which is quite violent and competitive, making him seem even more powerful and very opinionated.

•Ideology - is valued/believed in?

The main thing which is believed in for this magazine is music. The magazine is aiming to promote artists, gigs, songs and everything to do with indie/alternative music, and does this by including intriguing headlines and images of artists which the readers may like and want to read about.

'THE DROP' magazine flat plan

This is the flat plan for my music magazine. I have called it 'The Drop', which I think is relevant and interesting, and isn't like any of the other music magazines on the market. It isn't too long, and isn't generic like a three letter abbreviation copying off the NME.


The main image which I chose to use was an image of me and my friend Ellen, as I thought we looked a lot like a two piece band. To appear alongside this main image I drew the main sell-line which was simply the band's name, along with ''Introducing...'' and a sort of sticker with a rating on from another music magazine.


I also included some sub sell-lines at the bottom of the page, however I wasn't pleased with these as they looked 'stuck on' and didn't contain any images. However, overall I am pleased with my flat plan, as it helped me get a general layout for my music magazine, for example where the masthead would be placed and whether or not the image would overlap.

Moooooooood Board

This is a mood board I created to help me design my music magazine. I looked at popular music magazines for inspiration, such as NME, Rolling Stone and Q. They helped me understand how music magazines are laid out etc. I also looked at Teen Vogue, even though this is a teen fashion magazine. I considered many aspects of magazines such as layouts, colour schemes, fonts and main images. I found a layout that I want to achieve, and also decided on a name and font for my magazine's masthead: 'The Drop'. Actually presenting my ideas helped me a lot, and gave me many ideas as to what I can include on the cover, contents page and two page spread of my music magazine.

Preliminary Task

For a preliminary task I had to produce the cover and contents page for a college magazine. Before I did this is I created a flat plan of my proposed cover, to help me decide on colours and layout.

This is the flat plan for my college magazine which I called 'Bede Buzz'. The name of the magazine is featured in the masthead, and is coloured purple to match the college's house style. I have used two different fonts for the masthead to separate the words and make them eye catching. The more formal word, 'Bede', is presented in a formal font as it is the name of the college and should be taken more seriously. However the second part of the masthead, 'Buzz', is presented in a more quirky and fun font, as it is the 'buzz' around college, and what's going on. The main colours that I used were purple and turquoise, which are colours that are used regularly by the college in promotional documents. This keeps the college's advertisements consistent and makes the magazine recognisable as from Bede. I used banners and stars to surround certain headlines and make them stand out from the main image. The headlines were all relevant to the college and the students, including things which they would most like to hear about such as student discounts and places to go in free periods. The main image depicts an AS level student in an outfit to tie in well with the colour scheme and ensure there are no harsh contrasts to make the magazine unappealing to the reader.

After creating my flat plan, I went on to create this cover for my college magazine. I kept it quite similar to my flat plan, using purple and turquoise as my main colours and keeping all of the headlines the same, as well as adding more. I think that this is a successful magazine cover which I am proud of, as I think it meets the brief and is attractive to people my age, which were the main target audience for my magazine. It advertises interesting articles based upon what students might like to read about and is relevant to the college as well.

 

This is the contents page which I also created as part of my preliminary task. I matched a lot of its contents to that of the front cover, such as the colour scheme, the coloured banners used, and the fonts. I also incorporated elements of the masthead into the title at the top of the page, to keep the layout consistent and to determine a house style for the magazine. I feel that there was too much white space on my contents page which I could have filled with images relevant to each feature listed. However I think the contents page is attractive and straight forward and I am happy with its outcome.

Original images for research and planning