Preliminary Task- Final Designs

Preliminary Task- Final Designs

These are my final designs for a main cover and contents page for the preliminary task to design a college magazine.

Preliminary Task- Contents Page

Preliminary Task- Contents Page

For the preliminary Task I also had to create a rough, drafted contents page to correspond with the Main cover Page. For this page I included the same colour scheme to complement the magazine well, and appeal to the students.

As you can see below I have included the following convections of a the 'contents' showing a masthead. The articles that were featured on the cover shows the page they will be featured on further into the magazine. I have also added more stories to the contents page to highlight the full effect that a contents page would consist of which would be found in an previous, existing magazine.

Contents page of perspective magazine.

I have also included an additonal image to the page which relates to a topic in the magazine, it shows a student looking at map and a plug&puff on the advice on finding your way around college.

A contents page is very useful within a magazine as it explain to the reader the stories that will be displays throughout the magazine and can be referred back to if needed.

Preliminary Task: College Magazine Covers

Preliminary Task: My College Magazine Covers

For my preliminary Task I had to create A college magazine which consisted of both a Main cover and contents page. My target audience is for the college students who attend Southdowns college which will appeal to both gender. Due to this I felt that the overall magazine cover had to be finalised as best as possible.

Below shows the process I underwent while I established the layout which would make my final cover.  Throughout using Indesign I first created the mast head as I thought would be easiest and also assisted in making choices for the rest of the cover. I next decided on the colour of an aqua/mint colour as this contrasted well with the monochrome photo and gave a more appealing look to the target market. Beneath shows an exported image of the stage I was at with the completed masthead.

First attempt- Shows a quote and the Mast Head.

The next stage in constructing my magazine cover was to add cover lines. As presented the cover lines have a main title which is short and bold so that it captures the audience. Then next is a small sentence which reveals more information on the topic inside. For the cover lines, I chose bright, complementary colours of pink, white, Orange and Dark blue plus the Aqua/Mint masthead. I have also added the stories in different types of fonts such as bold and italics this make the cover more interesting and different compared to a standard plain cover.

Second attempt- Shows cover lines.

The third attempt of the cover shows and added plug and puff of an orange semi-circle which includes an offer for the students. I think this adds something a bit more unique to the cover and gives it a more professional affect due to it being half opaque with the background still visible. 

Third Attempt- Shows final cover lines and a Plug.

My Fourth attempt shows added coloured boxes to attract more readers and also draws the focus more on the main image. The rectangles are also match the colour scheme so keep it consistent.

Fourth Attempt- Shows added an added plug to
attract more readers.

To conclude, below shows my final cover of my college magazine, here I tried to improve it further by changing a few colours around due to them not being as clearly as they could be. This magazine also displays that I have taken one cover line out because i felt there was too much information and could confuse the reader. I feel this combination of the colours work well, and I feel this had a sharper effect compared to the softer image.Throughout the whole process of making the magazine cover I was uncertain of the colour scheme and had to mix and match them so they contrasted together well and this was the final design.

Fifth Attempt- Final Idea for my college magazine

                                                                               

Preliminary Task- Flat Plans

Preliminary Task- Flat Plans

For part of the preliminary task I had to create flatplans for both a front cover (main page) and the contents page.

A flat plan shows where all the adverts and articles are laid out on a page document and in what specific order. I allows you understand where to place each text or image which avoids confusing while designing the main magazine.

Below is an image of my flat plans for both my front page and contents  page. The boxes indicated show which feature of the magazine will be placed where and gives you a clear indication of the general view of the magazine before the design stage. 

Preliminary Task- Main Cover Images

Preliminary Task- Main Cover Images

This is the image I had captured to use for my main Image for the college magazine. However, I felt that the image featured two students instead of one, which made the photo too hectic and harder to focus on with the added MastHead and Cover lines. This photo also did not have much space around the photo which I could add these stories so over lapping would be the only way to add the features of the magazine and could make the final design look unprofessional. The final reason why this photo is could not be used is because it has not been taken as a medium profile photo which is specified in the brief.

A photo taken for my college magazine.

However, because I had limited time to take photos of students around the college, and not many people were not willing for me to take their photo I decided that I would crop and flip the image so that it fitted the brief and also gave me more space for a left third which is heavily featured in popular magazines.

The Final image I have edited to use for my final magazine front cover is shown below:

Preliminary Task- Proposal

Preliminary Task- Proposal 

Who are you aiming your magazine at specifically?
I am aiming my college magazine at students who attend college from ages 16 to 19 years old. I will also aim my magazine for both sexes- male and female.

What will your magazine be about?
My magazine will feature articles on college related topics such as stress within college and how to succeed. Other stories such as fashion, music and competitions will also be featured in the magazine. This gives my magazine more range in which will be read by my target audience.

What are your ideas for cover lines?
My ideas doe cover lines is going to relate to both college and also orientated subjects such as fashion. One idea for my cover line is 'Can you handle it?- 10 ways to deal with stress'. I have used a rhetorical  question to gain the college students attention and also relatable to the college magazine.
Another idea for my cover line is 'Flash Savings' as this lets the students know there are offers inside. The use of the word flash also means quick, and that they wont be around forever. This highlights the importance of the offer and also suggest that they will use it. Other covers lines are:-

• Success- How to get into the best universities around the country.
• Revealed-Last year's pass rate and results.
• College Style- Fashion

What tile have you decided on and why?

After several ideas I have decided on the title of my college magazine being called 'Perspective'. I came to this conclusion because it was short yet also catchy for the students to remember. I also wanted to called my magazine perspective because the contents within the magazine is very diverse in which everyone will have a different view on. Perspective is also relevant for a mast head because each student will experience college differently hence the idea of 'perspective'.

What fonts do you want to use?
The fonts I would like to include on my front cover and also feature them within the magazine. Serif font would be a good type of font as it different compared to other magazine and also make the magazine aesthetically pleasing. Bold fonts would also appeal to this magazine to highlight main topics and titles within the pages. 
An example of my mast Head is 'Perspective'.

What are your ideas for taglines?
My idea for a tag line is ' The weekly magazine to help you achieve at southdowns college'. This refers to the magazine and the college. Also tells you that you can achieve well at the college if you read this magazine.

When in the year will it be published?
Publications will also have a thematic link such as special occasions will also occur e.g. halloween and christmas.  The time of year the magazine will be first published is in the summer such as April/May, so that content such as exams will be useful.

What kind of image do you expect to put on the front cover and how will you go about getting this image?
The image I expect to be put onto the front cover is a college student as it relates. This image would have to be a medium close up and show them smiling. I could also use props such as books or a computer.

How frequently would it be published?
My magazine will be published weekly as this keeps important information up to date. The magazine will be published on a monday so that it gives students the chance to pick it up and read it throughout the week. 

What are the dimensions of the cover?

The dimensions of the cover would be A5 or A4 so that it is easy for the students to carry it in their bag.

What images/colour would you use on the contents page?
I will included my own images of students around college or out of. Colours would follow a theme so that they are simple and eye grabbing. Themed colours is also good because the magazine created will look sophisticated and professional compared to several colours looking unorganised. My colour themed ideas are found on the initial ideas mind map. The colours I think I will use is Green (Mint), Pink and Dark Blue so appeals to the audience.

In Design

In Design: Preliminary Task 

Indesign-Flare Magazine.

Part of the preliminary task consisted of practising and being able to learn the basics and confidently use all of the tools offered which will help assist me in making a music magazine. I have learnt how to create a basic front cover of a magazine which displays a masthead, main image and cover line which is all featured in a magazine.

For the masthead I wanted to use a title which was short and catchy for the reader. I decided that 'flare' was a good choice as it would easily catch attention for the consumers. I changed style of font to 'Zapfino' and created a more sophisticated style. I also opted for the serif font to be red as this matched the main image of her lip colour. This helped me to create a colour scheme of Red, Blue and black. I next had to arrange the masthead by sending it infront of the main image.

This was not the first time I had used indesign so therefor could easily insert an image and muntiplate the size of the image and fitting it  to the frame. This allowed me to use the image as the background which is present in popular  magazines. The main image also having a white background also made it easier to fit cover lines around the main focus.

The cover line also relates to the image as it is an interview with Cara Delevingne and therefor more people would be interested in reading flare magazine.

Preliminary Task-Initial Ideas

Preliminary Task- Initial Ideas

For one of the preliminary tasks I had to create a mind map of my initial ideas. This mind map is about content that could be included in the College magazine such as possible ideas for my Mast Head and colour scheme.

Below is a photo of my Initial ideas in the mind map:

Mind Map of Initial Ideas.

This mind is very brief and straight to the point of my initial ideas for the college magazine. However as i continue to plan my ideas may change and develop. For example, I may find some ideas that will work and others that may not.

Task 5: IPC Case Study

Task 5: IPC Case Study

For this task I had to research IPC (International Publishing Corporation) and record History points about the company and publications the magazine produces.

Below is a photo image of the double Page case study:

Task 4: Essay

To what extent should magazines be held responsible for the social ramifications of the representations they offer?

In this essay I will be explaining and exploring into how magazines could be to blame for the early sexualisation of the readers.Teenage magazines are very popular and accepted in today’s modern society however they are one main target on young girls. With the easy accessibility to buy these magazines in several places without any questions this could give the media a negative view on if these teenage girls should be reading the content? And plus the constant pressure of what is called as ‘perfect’ and how they should be following the latest fashion trends included, are these magazines the main cause to blame for the harm in society?

Popular teen magazines feature latest trends, beauty and boy gossip. These connotations displayed capture the attention of the young readers and therefore make them to purchase the magazine. They would also feel more inclined to buy the magazine if they featured their inspirations and role models. Some of these articles featured in the magazines are having a negative impact on the young girls due to the image represented by them or how they should be because of the heavy makeup that is worn by the celebrity. One in every three articles in a leading teen girl magazine included a focus on the teen girls appearance. These were so the advertisements had an appeal to sell their beauty products. However, its these articles and products that gives the these teenage readers a negative view on their body image and self-esteem. For example on Cosmo Girl, a story is featured on ‘5 moves to a hotter body’. This is giving the girls tips on how to get the perfect body and putting pressure to achieve the desired look and attract the opposite sex. This could also affect them because sometimes it is not always possible for them to look how it is accepted in society.
The magazines often include a free gift which is related to fashion or make up and shows that the girls look forward to or want to use the gift. The magazine also could be to blame for encouraging the reader to wear the make-up of lipstick and eyeshadow regardless of their age and if it is acceptable. 

Blake Lively- Cosmo Girl.

Cosmo Girl is a teenage version of Cosmopolitan which suggest that it a bit more watered down, however still features the same articles such as boys, looks and fashion. 

Blake Lively is seen on the front cover looking slim and ‘perfect’ and this is constant throughout any magazine cover that you find. Plus size girls are not normally featured because it is not seen as accepted for a teen girl to look up to. This could also add pressure onto the girls that are plus size and may feel out casted due to girls like them not being featured, and for this reason 165,000 people in the UK have an eating disorder. They starve themselves to achieve the look, which is seen as morally right on the cover.

The Models on the cover are also highly covered in make-up to enhance their looks. This could be done by false lashes to give them the sexy Smokey look which every woman wants. This is putting more pressure on the sexualisation of the teenage girls and how they can achieve ‘sexy hair’. Does society really want teen girls walking around trying to be sexy? And even still this may add to them trying to act sexual towards boys.

There is also another way to boost the beauty and shape of the models. Photoshop is most commonly used in the publishing industry and allows the editors to retouch a spot, a loose hair or even to the extreme of their body shapes. This gives the teenage readers a false impression of what they look like and how they can achieve the look with the advice mentioned. This highlights the fact that not everyone is perfect and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Although there are many negative views on magazines and if they can be blamed for harm in society they also do include some positive points. For example teenage magazines do inform them on topics such as boys and friends and can be turned to as a positive source of information if too scared to talk to someone. This is also highlighted by the anonymous page that is featured towards the back of the magazine. The anonymous page allows teens to write into the magazines of any problems they might have.  Their story may be featured in which advice has been given for them. It will give them advice on any future problems that they may occur within reality.

Teenage magazines are very popular and are sold in high demand, which is shown by their being several brands of magazines on the self. So surely if they are being sold the girls must enjoy reading them? Each issue of magazine may include a free beauty product, which may be collectable in the next issue and gives them something to look forward to when the next one is released.

The teenage magazines have both negative and positive arguments from different people in society as whether they should be responsible for the social ramifications they offer. But they are not the only thing that are bias and representation of teenage girls. For example TV shows such as Britain and Irelands Next Top Model show girls to be naturally pretty and no shorter than 5’8’’. These ideologies are everywhere in modern society and are all to blame for their representations.

In conclusion, it is evident that although these magazines are a huge factor and can easily be blamed for how a teen a girl perceives themselves even if the magazine did not intend to.

Within the magazine industry I would like to see more plus sized models appear on the cover of the magazines. This is because it will show girls that everyone is shaped differently and it is accepted within society. It would also show teenage girls that they are all beautiful if you are a size 14 or a size 8.Clothing and make up should also be toned down specifically for the type of magazine to show that looks and body image are not the only important things. Other topics such as School, parents and aspirations are also what make us who we are in an unique way and should be highlighted. These teenage magazines should give off a positive view to the readers and make them feel comfortable with who they are instead of the opposite. I also think that some magazines should remove or re word certain cover lines due to the way in which some girls could interpret them or are just not needed.

Task 4 Teenage Magazines

Task 4 media from lucygrace96