LAYOUTS FOR CONTENT PAGE

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF A CONTENTS PAGE

• Name of magazine
• Title (CONTENTS)
• Page numbers
• One main image
• smaller images (Varied & Interesting) 
• pull quotes
• Competitions 
• follows and compliments the same house style of front cover
• Constancy (the way headlines and features are written - artist first line, information second, same size/font use.)  
•  Layout usually consists of column use (about 3 or 4)
• subscription/editor information 
• categorized, similar articles together

This is a professional content page from NME magazine;

The color scheme is consistent with the front cover. It splits its contents into categories like; features, news, live etc. This enables the reader to find what they are looking for quickly. The canvas is white which works well with the other colors as well as it allows to keep attention to the main text so the reader to not get distracted. The main image relates to the feature article of the magazine and has the largest headline. Also there is a reference to subscriptions and competitions which follows the codes of a content page.

FINAL COVER

I have chosen this to be my final cover as I think it is the most realistic to be a hip hop/ R&B magazine, the color scheme i have chosen is red white and black, i think it pushes a 'danger' type of vibe and the image portrays dominance, i think the image and color scheme compliment each other. I chose a square masthead in order to fill more space with the image and features. The headline I have made the biggest because i feel it needs the most attention. I have put the features on the left hand side in order to force a visual syntax, as the readers eye falls from right to left, following the masthead, image, pug, headline then features. I used guidelines to structure my features, in order to keep a certain neatness to the cover. 

POTENTIAL COVERS

PLAYING AROUND WITH FRONT COVER MOCKs

I have tried to initiate a house style on my covers, that i can use throughout my pieces, using a range of different fonts, images and colors in order to see what goes well and what doesn't. In some i have tried to used a more dominant looking image in order to in force a deeper stereotype of the genre of music. i have used color schemes such as deep ocean (Blues, Purples, White, Black) Traditional (Reds,Black, White) Sympa (Browns, Black, White) to see what goes well together, I played with the placement of texts and mastheads to create an cover that generates impact through structure.

Including key conventions of a magazine cover;

• Masthead
• Pugs
• Features
• Image
• Banner
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

FRONT COVER PROGRESS

This was my first magazine mock up, I tried to contrast the black and white with the red to initiate a house style. 

After producing this first draft without a plan of action I realized i couldn't just shove everything on a page.

Good things;

• central (main image) 
• size of headline
• follows a layout

Bad things;

• text is askew 
• only one font in use
• image is hidden by masthead
• faded text highlight not align
• messy

                                                                  

To fix the majority of he problems above i had to control structure. using guidelines and also kerning in fireworks helps keep text align.

With the features on the left I used the guidelines and kerning tool in order to have all the text taking up the same amount of space.

I found using different types of fonts on the cover would look more appealing than just the same use of one all over.

Having 'exclusive' in a different color grabs and attracts attention.

Simply adding an issue date/number and a bar code, increases the professionalism of the cover.

• + is too angled
• bar code is wonky
• 'Janelle' font could be changed
• Possibly reconsider of color scheme

I will keep altering what I do to get it to the best possible standard i will do this by;

• using guide lines to keep structure
• play around with different color schemes and my photos, see what goes.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

The double page spread in PHRESH magazine needs to be informative and provide insight to an artists lifestyle. I have chosen to go for a Q & A style interview with Female artist Janelle. 

Possible layout ideas^

JANELLE INTERVIEW; 

 After hitting the scene at just 17 with her track “What You Know” young artist Janelle has jumped into the spotlight of artists with big labels including Jay Z and Diddy, all wanting a piece of the young Brit. The tough talking youngster sat in the PHRESH Booth and told all, answers filled with honesty, humor and a bit of cockiness which is always needed in this harsh business’ especially for young girls.

 Although some have put her down stating that most girls don't have what it takes to become a household name these days without being fueled by public stunts and feuds. 

Janelle is proving she has the raw talent to get far showing that all the hate is just that - and won’t be held back by any double standards.The BRIT nominee enters the booth to chat with Rianne Murrain about her life, future, friends and hot new track 'What You Know.'

"First off, Do you think it's hard being a young woman in the industry with all the competition?"

 Yes, but I'm going to say no *laughs* I can handle it, you know? Everyone is put down by something in their life and it is hard. But you just have to grin and bare it. When girls hate on each other I don't think it's right at all, with the drama between Rihanna and Azelia Banks last year... that held me back, I was recording my  EP then - I had to stop and really think "Is this what I want to go into?" I'm not coming in this industry to put others down and say I'm the best singer ever. I'm trying my best that's all I can do.

 “Just act like a professional - people 
will treat you like one.”

"So who is your inspiration?"

Beyoncé. Hands down, she is just incredible the impact she has on young girls is amazing, like wow. She just holds this power, this beauty. Beyoncé is the person you can look at and say i'm going to try my hardest because I want to be like her. She sings about the truth, and I love that, she is definitely inspiring.

"You are very mature for your age; do you think that will put you ahead?"

Am I? *smiles* I think I just like to be aware. I just think if you act like a professional people will treat you like one, with respect, and I want to be respected, everyone deserves respect. I don't think it will put me ahead no, I just think if you have an ambition you do everything you can really. Mature? pfft. I still sit and watch Disney channel every Saturday morning.

"Beyoncé got told 'no'...That didn't stop her."

"Do you think you could be as big the female artists in music at the moment, like Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Iggy Azalea, Nicki? 

No....Yes. I don't know *laughs* No disrespect to them, I love what they do and what they stand for, they were the ones who basically inspired me.They are so strong, whatever they do, they always get stick from rumors saying they were sleeping with this guy and that guy to get to where they are. Its pathetic what gets said by trolls on twitter. I don't want that said about me, but I guess it comes with the Job. I want to be bigger yes. But I just think I will get my time. It will come. Beyoncé got told 'no' at the age of nine, that didn't stop her.


"What to your parents think about your future career choice?"

Yeah my parents love it, I think they are genuinely proud of me for like well the first time in ages,I think they knew it wasn't brains I had! *laughs* school just wasn't for me man, not at all like. I couldn't, I don't feel like I could have stuck there! I would sit at the back, singing and rapping my answers instead of writing them. I didn't try because I knew I had a different calling I suppose yeah. 

"I don't roll with fake people"

"So everyone you know must have been really shocked at what you produced?"

Yeah proper, I have people in town and even my local corner shop stopping me and asking for photos, its mad. The amount tweet notifications I get, mostly positive its heart warming, like knowing you've touched people from your actions/words. It's great.

"What would you say are the negatives out the job?" 

I would say the fakers, yeah. People that are only just bothering to apologize for what they have done and said in the past now just because I have a f*****g blue tick by my name. I don't roll with fake people, it's the one thing that really ticks me off. Sorry *laughs* i'm venting.

"No.2 on release date is absolutely mad!"

"You are completely different to the way you rap *laughs* much less intimidating, anything else other than you're not the diva we had you down for?"

Diva?! *laughs* The vamps  are my guilty pleasures *cringes* I don't know,they are pretty nice guys aswell. Their Songs will come on and I just have the urge to dance and sing! I also play the guitar and can speak fluent Mandarin. 

" Do you have any future plans, collaborations that we should know about?"

Well at the minute I'm just stoked to have been a hit, no.2 on release date is absolutely mad! Never would I have dreamed this at all! I really want to head into different directions with my music, I don't just listen to one genre of music so I can't just produce one, you know? In "What You Know" I both sing and rap. I do want to be versatile yeah. I would really like to do some vocals for Rudimental. Erm yeah *smiles* Also Tinie Tempa got in touch which is mad! I still can't believe it, so yeah they'll be something very soon from me and him. *winks*

EDITING PHOTOS

I have edited the photos I have taken using an app on my iPad called Aviary, in order to create more of an effect and give the image a more certain professional vibe/look.

Cropping the images to eliminate wasted space and to focus more on the subject.

Before                                                           After

Adjusting the brightness, contrast, warmth and saturation slightly to enhance the image. 

Use of different filters enhances and changes the exposure, tone, glow, tint, shadow, lighting and contrast in the images.

enhancement sharpens the edges of the picture and defines it more.

Smart color enables you to add color to specific parts within the image, below I added color to the band of the hat and to the camo jacket.

FLICKR

Flickr

I have put all the photos I  have taken onto this flickr account

PHOTO SHOOT TIPS

1) MOVE IN CLOSER...
Each time you spot a subject, snap a shot and then move in closer for a better shot. Having your subject almost fill the frame helps your viewer understand and appreciate your photo. Also, details are often more interesting than an overall view.

2) BE QUICK...

Your subject may move, bolt, fly away, stop smiling, or just get tired of waiting for you to take the picture, shoot right away, often the best photos come from mid-pose.

3) LIGHTING...

Take into account;

How is the light affecting your subject? Is the subject squinting?

Is the light blazing directly and brightly upon your whole subject? This works well if you are in love with the bold colors of your subject.

Side lighting, on the other hand, can add drama but can also cause extreme, hard-to-print contrasts.

Lastly, indirect light can be used to make your subject glow soft and pretty.

RULE OF THIRDS- FRONT COVER HELP

The rule of thirds involves mentally dividing up the image using 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines. Then positioning the important elements in the scene along those lines, or at the points where they meet.

The idea is that an off-center composition is more pleasing to the eye and looks more natural than one where the subject is placed right in the middle of the frame. It also encourages you to make creative use of negative space - the empty area around the subject.

In landscape shots, it's common to position the horizon along the center of the frame, but this can give the photo a split feel. Placing it along one of the horizontal lines creates a natural balance.

Having a focal point is also key, placing the main object in accordance to the rule of thirds means the image is anchored creating a natural mental draw to the object.

When using a model it's a good idea to position people off to one side of the frame. This provides "breathing space" and shows the model's environment, and stops the photo from looking like a mugshot.

MOOD BOARD

I want my concept of a Hip-Hop magazine to be different and have it explore other genres too like R&B. To widen the audience from niche to mainstream. Featuring upcoming urban music and artists.

I want the Front cover to have a low key theme to it, black contrasted with white, with a splash of color here and there. 
Hair and make up stylish and  unique.
A different style/edge shown through the clothing and accessories. 

I have created a mood board in order to show my ideas and gathering all my current inspiration, this mood board will not only help me differentiate ideas to lead to the choices to make but also it will help me show the people involved in the shoot, like the model.