DPS Analysis

The overall layout of this Double Page Spread is something that I need to use in this magazine. It is simple, main article on the left, image on the right, I need to keep this in mind when taking my images for the double page spread.

The feature I would like to replicate on this double page spread is the layout of the title at the top left of the page. It stands out and becomes the second most important feature on the page besides the image. When designing the banner, I need to make sure it isn't more extravagant than the image

Contents Analysis 1



While not my main style model, there are still many influences I can take from this issue of Q Magazine, the first being how the contents are spread out using neat lines, the second convention I would like to use in my magazine is the way they have added page numbers into their images. I would like to include these into my images as well

 

On this magazine i'd like to have a look at the layout of the contents page. The actual contents is split into two different sections. The Features section and the Review section. I would like to have my contents page divided like this, however I would rather have it more like my style model We Love Pop

For example, i'd like to have my Features section around where they have their Inside this month section, while having a review section in place of one of the images to the right.  Another thing on this page is the background square, this is a very professional way of displaying their house style and I would like to try to replicate this.

Next i'd like to look at the banner that is shown on the top of the contents page on the Q Magazine. It presents the house style of Q by having the logo, having the normal font of Q, and the colour scheme of the magazine. I should try to replicate this in other areas if I don't use a banner.

The final thing I would like to analyse on a contents page is on this edition of We Love Pop. There is a large section devoted to a editorial notes. This is a key way to address your target audience directly by talking about things that relate yo my target audience



Front Cover 1

 

For my final front cover analysis, I'd like to take a look at the plugs around the magazine.

 

The First one that stands out is the competition plug in the top left hand corner of the magazine. This plug advertises a competition in the magazine, to win tickets to The X Factor, a popular TV show in the UK. Once again this is We Love Pop appealing to their target audience and the country that they primarily sell to. I would like to also place a competition segment into my magazine. However as my magazine is completely a Music Magazine, I would like to advertise tickets to a artist such as Taylor Swift or Katy Perry.

 

 



Artist Style Models

The band shown above is Echosmith. Echosmith are a teen indie pop band composed of four siblings. I'd like to use this band as my main influence in both description and style.

With bands such as Paramore and Flyleaf that have a full male band with a female singer, usually full focus is put on the female, however these pictures only show a subtle focus to Sydney, the main singer.

The top picture express a child nature to the band, seeing the band in front of balloons and streamers. This is something I will try to replicate in my Double Page Spread

Front Cover 4

Katy Perry, the main model of this edition of Q is easily recognized as a mega star of Pop Music. Even if someone doesn't know who she is, they can easily tell that they're looking at a very popular person by the quote and the Name encompassed by a circle symbol. In my magazine I will make up a musician on the front cover. Using the methods used in this magazine, I should be able to make my main model appear to be a very famous artist.

Again looking at the rule of thirds for this magazine. Katy Perry has been placed right in the middle of the page. Her body encompassing the middle third of the rule of third grid, with her arm invading into the top-left corner. For the images I have planned, I will likely follow this image placement.

Front Cover 5

The house style color scheme of Q is immediately apparent in this example of one of their front covers. The normal color scheme is Red and White, although there are closer colors used as well. In total Red, white, pink, yellow and black are used in this front cover. In my magazine I will have a Red, pink and white color scheme. However I may also use close colors as well, such as Orange and Black. 

 

The Logo for Q appears to be focused into the top-left corner of the magazine. If we apply the rule of thirds to this. We can see that it perfectly places the logo into the the top-left square. For my magazine I inted to have a banner for my logo and name. However I will look to examples such as Q's magazine should I get negative feedback on my banner.

 

Front Cover 2

We Love Pop is my main style model, as such, I need to take as many conventions as possible from this magazine to make my magazine look industry standard.

The First thing I should replicate is the big name for the main artist. It is obvious that the largest text is referring to the main image. Whether it is for a band or a solo artist, I need to make sure I replicate this by having my artist name in a big, bold and unique font seperate and bigger than the rest of the plugs.

Staying with the Plugs, it should be noted that many of the plugs are not capitalised. It is Industry standard for the main plugs to be capitalised. Depending on the plugs I choose, I will likely have a mix of capitalised and un-capitalised plugs on my front cover

Front Cover 3

To try and express a more rebellious nature that is accustomed with the modern teenage stereotype in my music magazine, I have turned to Kerrang for inspiration. The lead singer of Paramore, Hayley Williams. In this magazine the singer gives an authorative stance to show that she's in control. Someone who has only seen the magazine at a glance and doesn't know the band Paramore, would not know that the model on the front is actually the lead singer of a band. If I were to have a band as my central focus on my magazine, I would also like to have a focus on the lead singer. I would put the focus on the lead singer by using the article, the slogan and the positioning of the singer.

Next I would like to use the convention that they've used at the very top of the magzine. The additional list of Bands that are mentioned in the magazine, but their stories aren't big enough to be featured in big plugs on the front. This isn't a convention that is strictly to Kerrang. It seems that all magzines have this section, from Kerrang to Q to We Love Pop. As it is an Industry standard convention, it would seem foolish to not have this convention at the top of my Front Cover.

Initial Ideas

These are my initial ideas for my music magazine. This shows that I'd like to make a magazine a Q style Pop magazine aimed at a younger audience such as 16-21 year old readers.

With Pop music it is also likely that i'd attract a more female audience, and I should accommodate to this.

On the main cover i'd like a striking model that is meant to be a very famous and popular person such as Katy Perry or Demi Lovato. This will be a completely made up character and the famous and popular aspect will be reinforced by the accompanying subtitle. I would like a Red, Pink and White colour scheme.

On the Contents page I would like a second picture of the front cover model as well as 2-3 more pictures of different artists.

On the Double page spread i'd like to have a lesser known teen pop band

School Magazine Cover

This is the contents page of my school magazine. I have used a Grid method similar to what Q would use in their music magazines.

I would like to have used more varied pictures if I could do it again with more time.

School Magazine Front Cover

This is my preliminary Music Magazine. The magazine was called "Whitley Current" to symbolize it being a Whitley Bay magazine and it being a current news magazine.

The conventions I have used are: obvious color scheme (Blue and Red), Smiling student model and multiple news stories on the cover.

On negatives, I feel there should be less blank space and a more professional header.

First Post

So this is my Media blog, hello to anyone who reads this I hope you have a pleasant journey with me, as we stride towards our goal of completing a very professional Music Magazine.