Research into similar products - Further research

I have put together a collection of vintage style covers from 'Rolling Stone' magazine. I love the vintage style and theme and I think it makes the models look classy and stylish.

These have gave me the idea to create an old-fashioned look for my magazine.

The black and white ones are effective as they look classic and make the model look innocent and perfect.

Colour also works well though whether it is bright like in the top left or based on one colour like the bottom left.

Drafting/Planning of photography - Photograph comparison

This picture was taken from two different angles.
The first angle doesn't work as well as the second picture as the background is more effective as it is slightly blurred which draws attention to the model as she is in focus and in good lighting. The model is looking directly at the camera which is direct address
In the top picture, the model is not framed as well as in the second picture.

Research into similar products - Further magazine research

So far, 'Rolling Stones' magazine has given me the most inspiration for my own designs. This magazine does not always follow the codes and conventions of a front cover but still makes it look good and professional.

I am beginning to like the idea of a full shot for the model as I think it can work really well, like the one using Jessica Simpson. I also like the use of bright, bold colours and it is an idea I may be able to use later on.

My favourite of these covers is the centre cover. The vintage, sailor theme looks really good and the style, fonts and colours all work brilliantly together to create a unique front cover. 

The third cover here is very unusual as an image is used for a background and I really like this idea. I think this cover looks imaginative and stands out from alot of other magazines. 

Research into similar products - Magazine research

I love the way 'Q' magazine has designed this cover. It is unusual to see a full-length images on magazine front covers as they are usually medium/close-ups but I think this one works really well. It has given me new ideas and inspiration for when I design my own front cover and I am going to begin to look into different styles and positioning of cover-stars to give it an unusual twist that will stand out but still look good and professional.

Research into similar products - Magazine inspiration

I gained inspiration from this magazine cover as I like the way the background is edited as it makes the model stand out but still looks professional and stylish. I also like the positioning of the model and I think it is effective as it makes Selena Gomez look powerful and in control while maintaining direct address. As well as this, all of the attention is on the model as the only other things that stand out on the page is her name and the magazine title which works well as it draws attention to her being the main feature. 

Drafting/planning of magazine layout - Typography task

The cover-line of a magazine should fit in with the image and style of the magazine.

I think cover-line E looks best as the sharp, bold font suits the powerful image of the cover star - Christina Aguilera - as half a robot. This font is urban and chic which portrays Christina Aguilera's personal style and personality and blends in with the magazines overall style.

The shape of the letters in Cover F works well as they fit in with the mechanical theme that 'VIBES' magazine is going for.

Cover line D is the worst font as it does not suit the futuristic theme that the magazine is going for. The old, medieval style looks out of place next to the image and creates an unprofessional look to the cover.

I think Cover B stands out and makes an impact but it is too bold and takes over the cover too much. I would not use this font myself.

Comic Sans is used in Cover C which tends to have an association with children which makes the magazine look immature and gives an innocent feel to the magazine. This font does not work at all.

Cover A looks too formal, like a broadsheet paper which is less interesting and would not appeal to the target audience.

drafting and planning of magazine layout - Practice covers

I have done this task to get used to the layout, features and style of music magazine covers and to start experimenting with the types of things I can do when I design my own magazine cover. It has really helped me realise how difficult it is to come up with effective cover lines and create an interesting and eye catching cover.

The first magazine I designed was 'M' magazine with a picture of Drake on the front. I tried to come up with imaginative cover-lines that linked to the same style of music as Drake. I think 'Has Kendrick Lamar lost control?' is the best one as it links to one of his songs and sounds like a dramatic story that people interested in rap artists would understand and most likely like to read. I have fitted the cover-lines around the main image of Drake but put the main cover line across him so it stands out. I did the main cover line in red so it is bold and matches the colour of the 'M'. I have then kept the other cover-lines simple with black as I thought too much red would be over-bearing. 

I found creating an identity for the band on the next 'M' magazine cover very difficult but then decided on the name 'Sound Angel' as I thought it sounded edgy and original and fitted with the bands style and look. Again, I have matched the main cover line with the colour of the 'M' style as I thought it looked effective. I added a star above it to make it seem important and urgent. I used black for the other cover lines and tried to link them to R&B artists as that is the kind of music 'M' magazine usually features. 

For 'Music_X' magazine, I decided to maintain the style of the image by using big, white, bold writing with a shadow on top of a black background. I liked the way this looked as it gives the magazine a scary effect which would grab the target audiences attention. I also placed the main cover-line towards the right so it didn't effect the left third of the magazine and block the model but so it was very noticeable. I then put another cover-line in red as it maintained the colour scheme as Bjork has a red coloured outline and so it could stand out on the page and break up the two colours white and black. 

I found the last cover the hardest as I couldn't think of many cover-lines or stories to do with that kind of boy band and there's not many magazines out there that feature this kind of music. However, I decided on mentioning their return to music with their new album which would please fans and a chance to win a copy is likely to sell more copies.