Contents Page

I have decided to use the group picture for the contents page. The picture looks welcoming and friendly which is the idea of the magazine. I want my my magazine to make new and old sixth formers feel welcome. Also i like the idea that it links to the front cover of the magazine instead of just having a different picture.

Contents Page - Ideas

I would like my contents page to have the same style as my front cover. This is because i want to stick to one house style. This will make my magazine look more like a professional magazine by sticking to one style. I have found three pictures that i could possibly use for my front cover. I might use the picture on the left as my contents page. This picture i think works well with my front cover as they both have a green background affect, with the trees. I have got Georgia to stand on her side laughing as i am trying to stick to the same style as the front cover.

The other picture is a picture of Becki. This is a natural shot as she was unaware of me taking it. I like the way it is natural and not a pose. I think it could work with my style of magazine, however the picture of Georgia has the background with greenery.

I might use this photo for my contents page. I like the idea that it is a group picture and that everyone is smiling. I want the picture to represent that everyone is happy at sixth form and welcoming feel, to make the new girls feel welcome. I also like the idea it links to my image on the front cover of the magazine.

Front Cover

For my front cover, i wanted to give it a young effect, so that it draws in the students. I added the cover photo and tilted it. This was because it adds interest to the cover,instead of being straight down in the corner. The black border around the picture, i think works well as it separates the cover photo from the main photo.

Adding Additional Images and Text

This will be the cover photo i will use. I will edit this photo in differnt ways and try it out to see which picture looks the best. I choose this photo because it looks welcoming and friendly and thatnis how i would like to portry my school. However again i will editing this photo so that it stands out more and i will also be adding text to it.





I have edited this photo by making the contrast and brightness very bright and looks like a sepia effect. I have also curved the edges round, which i think gives the photo an older effect, maybe 1960's.







This is the cover photo i have decided to use. I edited the phto by changing the lighting to make the photo look bright and show a white background effect. I then added a bold, harsh black border. This because the photo is not very big and i still want the photo the stand out on the cover.

Adding Text

I had already designed my text at the beginning of making the magazine process. I was going to use a black colour for the title but the black did not work well with the green trees. It was hard to see so i have decided to use white colour. Also i have put the title on the left side instead of the centre. This is because most magazines centre the title and want to make this magazine slightly different. I have also added text next to the image of Claire. This text is to advertise to the pupils that sports day is coming up and everyone should get involved.

Actual Cover Photo

This is the image i will use for my front cover. I have taken this picture of Claire when she is running, so that it looks like a race. I have used the trees as a background so that the reader's main attention will be focused on Claire running. She is wearing a school PE kit so that it makes the effect of sports day more believable.

I have then edited the photo, I have done this by changing the contrast levels this makes the photo brighter. I have also put a green affect around the picture which helps draw attention to Claire even more.

Maybe Cover Photo

This was an idea to use for my cover photo. I like the fact that Becki is smiling and looking intelligent at the camera. The background with the red curtains makes it look formal. I have decided not to use this picture as i feel it does not meet the requirements of my magazine. I will use a photo for my front cover to do with sports day, as that is my cover story.

Mock Layout

I have decided to use this mock layout as everything is spaced out well and there is enough room for everything to fit. I have decided to put the picture on the left side of the page as most magazines have pictures centred and i feel this will be different. The heading will of course be at the top of the page going along the entire top, this makes it stand out and will be the first thing the reader sees. Next to the main photo will be text, the text will be relevant to the main photo, i will try and use language that groups of sixteen year olds would use. At the bottom right hand corner will be the cover story photo. This photo is important that's why it is quite big, however it is not massively important that is why it is at the bottom. Lastly there will be text at the bottom next to the cover story picture. this text will be relevant to the picture.

Models

I will have Claire Martin as a model. I am going to get Claire to wear a PE kit with tracksuit bottoms and a white top. I will ask her to run and try and get her running over a finish line. This is becuase the cover story is based on sports day for the school. The other image on the magazine will be a group picture so i will ask a larger amount of people to model. This will be Sophie Jones, Georgia Lateo, Alex Biswell, Emma Lee and Emma Button. I will ask the girls to join up as a group and they will all be smiling and having a good time. This photo will represent friendship and give a welcoming effect to the school.

Text Styles

I will be trying out different fonts for the magazine title. I will aim to try and use different fonts however if this not look right when testing i will stick to one consistent font.


The font i will try out first is 'Times New Roman'. I have chosen this font as Vogue magazine uses a similar font and i like the effect of it.




This font i will use to go under to main title as it has been abbreviated. I think this font works well as it contrasts the first font. The first font is very bold and stands out, where as this font is relaxed and looks informal. I think that it shows that the magazine targets different audiences as well. By having a fun font and a more sensible font.

Cover Stories

I have decided to make the main focus of my magazine on one story. Ideas that i have thought of so far are fashion, boys, music, clubs in the school and school gossip. However in school sports day is coming up so i be basing my cover story on that. I will take a photograph of maybe someone running in black and white which adds to effect. I will ask my model to be wearing a sporty outfit. the colour of the outfit will not matter as it is in black and white. Just along as she is wearing a pale top and darker shorts. I will have the title of my cover story 'who will win?'. Then in text underneath i will say 'will ightham steal the victory again?;. This i think will involve the reader as they want to know who will win. Also in the magazine i will put a slip of paper where the reader can vote who they think will win. This text will also be on the front cover saying 'cast your vote'., again this is involving the reader.

Magazine Name

My magazine name is going to be called LYL. This stands for 'Live Your Life'. I came up with this name as i believe it is a catchy name and draws the reader in. Also the words 'live your life' are a song quote for a Rihanna song which most young girls would recognise. This will mean it fits in well with the target audience i am addressing. Another name that i considered was 'fusion'. I do think that this name would have also worked, but preferred 'live your life' as i liked the idea of abbreviating it.

Target Audience

My magazines target audience is going to be the Sixth Form. I have chosen to aim my magazine at this group as I think as it is a small age range it will be easy to target. My target audience will also be a female audience as it is for my school, which is all girls. I have identified that the target audience is for girls which will be between the age range of 16-18. This will mean the magazine will need to include fashion tips, for things that girls of that age range will be interested in.

Research- magazine front covers

School Magazines:
This is a school magazine for King Edward VI High School for Girls. The title of the magazine is the school name, which has been abbreviated. I think this works very well and is very effective. It is very clear and stands out. The idea of using an image as the whole background has worked well. The image stands out and the reader is drawn straight to it. However using another image would probably make the front cover more exciting and interesting. The exclusive in this magazine is obviously the interviews with the members of staff 'Miss Evans' and 'Mr H'. Also the text they have used 'reveals all' will mean the reader will want to buy the magazine as it pulls the reader in, as they will want to find out what 'Mr H' has to say. Throughout the front cover their is a clear colour scheme that has been used with the pale blues and the white. This looks good as 'Miss Evans' is wearing the correct clothes to match the colour scheme. Lastly the caption 'Rendezvous in Paris' meaning a date in Paris, will make the reader want to know what that is about and maybe more details on the trip. Again this stands out and is clear. However the magazine cover itself is quite boring as the colour scheme they have chosen is with dull colours. Also the fact that only one image used is not that exciting. There is also not alot of text used on the front cover, you will not need to put a ridiculous amount but i do not think that this magazine has enough.

For my magazine i would considering using a basic colour scheme throughout the magazine so that it looks professional. This will make the magazine seem more realistic and will look like something you would pick up in a shop. Also the style on writing for the title as it is very bold and clear even though it is in white. Many magazines use a similar style, for example 'Vogue' has used a similar style which has worked very well. Even if the colour is not bright it will still always stand out with a sensible background.



Another school magazine cover is for 'Bass' magazine. The title of this magazine i think is very bold. However as the word 'Bass' you would expect to be bold, i think it should be even bolder and stand out. The ear i think works well, just to give the reader even more information and it tells the reader that this is a special issue. The language used on the magazine is very effective, i like the 'Hawke vs Gaga'. I would consider something similar to this on mine. Also it makes the reader want to find out why Lady Gaga and Lady Hawke are in competition and who is going to win. Then by putting the question underneath 'but who's going to win?' would make the reader read the magazine and find out who is the lady. It also involves the reader as you can then voice your opinion and say who you prefer. The next text on the magazine is 'silent raves the how to guide'. Many magazines contain different guides from fashion to music guides. I think they are always a good way of influencing the reader to buy the magazine, as the reader might want to learn some tips. Under the text is a picture of a girl with head phones on, which works well as it is trying to say listen to music but still have a good time. The picture is in white which stands out and is very clear on the black background. The colour scheme works very well with the bright colours and the dark background. It gives off a clubby feel and it looks good with the name, 'Bass'. Behind the name the bright purple lines gives off a strobe effect which looks good. However at the bottom of the magazine the purple with the white writing is not very effective. The writing is difficult to read and and does not stand out at all. On my magazine i will try to make sure the colour scheme matches with the writing i choose.

Fashion Magazines:

Even though i am designing a school magazine, i thought it would be a good idea to have a look at a fashion magazine. This will give me an idea of the layout and design i will choose to use. 'Heat' magazine always stick to same layout which i think looks good and the public remember the magazine. If this project was a long term i would stick to the same layout. I think the title being in lower case works well and stands out in the red with the white background. The title being simple and plain helps it stand out more, as if the title was fancy it tends to draw the readers attention to that and not what is actually going on around it and in the magazine. When designing my front cover to my magazine i will stick with a plain and simple title, so that the readers focus will be on the cover stories and images on the front cover. At the top of the magazine the word 'scandal!', is a technique of drawing the reader in, as they will want to know what it is and the 'gossip'. The magazine covers sticks to a clear colour scheme of having the red, black and white.

However at the top they used the colours blue and yellow, which you would think would clash but it actually looks very effective and helps again to stand out. Lastly the magazine designers are very clever by putting the price in a very small font, which i might consider doing with my magazine. However if i am selling it for a cheap price i will make that clear that stand it out so that the readers can see it. I could also use words like 'only' to show how cheap it is.

Brief Of Preliminary Task

Print:
preliminary exercise- using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of new school/college magazine featuring photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a mock up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.