College Magazine - Evaluation

Evaluation
In the past few weeks I have been researching, planning and creating to produce a college magazine front cover and contents page. I‘ve research different types of magazine and what the conventions of a magazine is, for example the differences between a fashion magazine and a college magazine.

I have created plans, drafts and mood boards with digital technology. However I have made some by hand which I need to scan and post onto my blog.

To create my front cover I used conventions of what all magazines should have mine include: Masthead, main image, selling lines, bar code, main story, model credit, date/issue, main cover line and cover lines. For my front cover the image was take from Canon Digital IXUS I zoom, 5.0 megapixels. I have taken some other photos that were taken from a camera that was the college. If I remember correctly I think it was a 10 megapixels. The photos taken from the 10 megapixels camera, I didn’t really like them, as I didn’t think they was professional enough when I looked at the photos they doesn’t feels as though it’s a magazine as I wouldn’t pick up a magazine looking like that in the first place, so I think neither will my audience.

The font that I have used for my front cover, in my opinion they’re suitable for the front cover. However I do think that I might have over done it. I found it difficult to find the right colour that would suit my front over. Because normally a magazine front cover the text/cover lines are bold and simple. However I have put ‘fill effects’ for some of mine, so that it stand out, but I really do think that I have over done it. I have used 4 different types of colours for my text. These are Red, Orange, Black and White because I think it suits the theme “Halloween”. Orange seems to be a theme for Halloween as pumpkins are orange, you may say that orange has become a symbol/tradition of Halloween. For the college title/masthead was planning to use blue or red. However blue didn’t really stand out or show up, so I used red. The main image and title/masthead was created in Adobe Photoshop CS3 as I wanted my model to be on top of the title/masthead. I haven’t edited or used any effect for my front cover; all I did was cut my model out and made it a layer on top of the title and background. When I researched magazine covers I realise that most magazine covers doesn’t over layer the masthead over their model. I have kept the image background as the original, as I believe it looks good as it is, than having a white background.

My audience is mainly Wyke college students however teachers and student’s family and relatives may pick it up and read or look at the magazine when the student takes the magazine home. So I have to make the magazine family friendly and suitable for all ages to look and read. If the magazine was real and to be published my magazine would contain: upcoming events, scores from games e.g. football or netball, important dates and also what’s going on inside and outside Wyke. For example if students have done something and they’re proud of and would like it to be published e.g. saved a life, won a football match, dance completion. Also contain messages that were on the PowerPoint in tutorial for students who missed it or want to know more information about it.

The strength for my magazine I would say it is the main image and masthead. The model for my magazine was one of my friends called Emily, she was happy to participate. The front cover is what sells the product to I would say the front cover is the most important, the language image is much stronger than text. The weakness would be the cover lines/colours of them and I don’t think they look as good as I wanted then to be. I have made drafts and steps by steps on my blog that you would see that I have gradually developed from stage 1.

http://sofili71092.blogspot.com/

Final - Front Cover

As you can see the development from the pass post of the front cover that how it was made and how the design/layout was developed and made.

Final - Contents Page Mock Up

Mood board

Here is a collection of magazine. That I made into a mood board. There is a mixture of front covers and contents page. I made this with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Draft

Beginning

I used photoshop to make the masthead behind the model.

images

image 1image 2image 3image 4image 5image 6
Here are some photos that I taken that I can used for my magazine. I have taken more than this. But i don't think it is necessary to post them all on. The image that I am going to use is image 2, for my college magazine front cover. The magazine isn't going to be published. I am going to make a front cover, a mock up content page and a evaluation.

How to make a magazine front cover

I know that this may have nothing to do with college magazine cover. The other videos that I found off youtube doesn't really explain how to make a front cover but to edit a photograph and may the image looks good.
I think this is a really good example how to make an magazine. Once you've watched the video you would understand what I mean. The person who created it use Adobe Photoshop CS3.

The ingredients:
Use on front cover

Masthead (logo)
The name of the magazine displayed in a specific typeface. This is the visual branding of the title and is often done in a specially designed typeface to be very recognisable and unique. The masthead is usually used on the contents page inside as well as the front cover, and as a logo for advertising and branding purposes

Dateline
Month and year of publication, often with the price. Note that a monthly magazine usually hits the news-stands the month before the cover date

Main image
In the case of this front cover there is a single image of the model Shania. The image is used in a classic way, the face is big enough to stand out on the news-stand, with the model making full eye-contact

Model credit
This says: 'Shania: So hot.' It is unusual for such a credit to appear on a magazine front cover, but is done on fashion magazines. The photographer and model credit is usually on the contents page

Coverlines
Cosmopolitan magazine uses a lot of cover lines, which are distributed around the main image without detracting from it too much. A mistake often made with cover lines is that they run over an image that has a lot of colour changes, rendering the words invisible. This is a problem here with the red text on the hair on the left and the smaller yellow text against Shania's skin

Main cover line
This is very large - taking up almost a quarter of the magazine cover - and comes in three layers, each with a different colour. It promotes the use of naked male centrefolds, a feature of Cosmopolitan in the UK since its first issue. Note the main cover line is positioned against the model's shoulder so it shows up clearly
Left third
The left third of the magazine cover is vital for sales in shops where the magazine is not shown full-frontage. The title must be easily recognisable in a display of dozens of competitors. The start of the masthead is important here, as are short cover lines that are easy to read

Bar code
Standard bar code used by retailers

Selling line
Short, sharp description of the title's main marketing point (for Cosmopolitan: 'The world's No 1 magazine for young women') or perhaps setting out its editorial philosophy

http://www.magforum.com/cover_secrets.htm

Types of shots

I found this image on the internet it demonstrates the different camera shots. I will be using Medium Close up (5).

College magazine info

To make my front cover I am going to use DTP and Adobe Photoshop CS3. Reason is because I would be doing some editing which DTP doesn't however Adobe Photoshop CS3 does. Like editing the image of the front cover.

Example of a contents page

Here's a picture of a content page from google. Like all contents, this one also have all the information that is needed for the audience. That includes all the conventions of a contents page, such as: numbered headings, small brief descriptions and similar layout to others.

The magazine that i am going to make for my college (Wyke) would include a lot of information about the college for example holiday dates, and events like the Halloween party coming up. And about what visitors would be visiting Wyke and when e.g last week NHS for the HPV jab. When they're next visit will be.

The contents page would have all the numbers of pages of whats on what, so that the the audience can find the page they want to read much quicker.

http://emz2687.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/giftfocuscont740x1040.jpg

Seconary resourses / Example - Mother magazine - made up

I made this front cover of DTP. The model/image of this magazine is from Google.

I used the exact layout like the example below. That how I want my college magazine to be layedout.

The link doesn't work for some reason. So you would need to copy and paste the link to a new tab/window.

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/sb10067752b-001.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=EDF6F2F4F969CEBD77D9B2391095E7241C8B733DE2CC979462978442E3B3D1EED4B40B3E875A785D

College magazine layout plan

The Media Concept of LIIAR

L - Language E.G. Text, Images, Music, Photography, Comic etc.
I - Institution E.G. Companies, like Tv channel, magazine, radio station etc.
I - Ideology E.G. The idea of ideology for a fashion magazine will be fashion. Consumer's selling point eg. funky, natural etc.
A- Audience E.G. The target audience like age group for Cbbebies is 0-10
R- Representation E.G. Represents a certain something or some one. Like how we see a character in any way in Tv drama or film.

Example of a college magazine

Here is an example of a college magazine. The name of the magazine is "COLLEGE". This obviously shows that its a college magazine. So it would be different from different other type of magazine like the example I use "ELLE". Which is a fashion magazine. Fashion types of magazine would normally be about celebrity fashion, and beauty. And music magazines would be about music, bands and when they're gigs are. College magazine would have information to let the students know whats going on inside and outside college. Would also have tips about what to do and what not to do. Like what would happen if girls got pregnant at a young age, that it would ruin her future. Including ways that can improve they're study/college life. And the gossip of the week. Would have dates and such for events like Halloween Party etc. The target audience would mainly be student however college staff and student's parents & family would may read them. So that the family of the student knows whats happening in the college their son/daughter attend to. The content of the magazine would have to be appropriate and affordable for everyone to read. Eg. No Porn, the type of language used, the price (£1 and not £5) etc...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXR9ttBZVzRYVjbz6DJd-vkEapLoYOu4BzrRFEXSlQG97Ur1PybYkHDngV6mSjryD5IwwJQz1dhCBoSaHzbvvxEcDhpypiKEJ9_5PMAJiH711H7VvG4zSr04T64RM_Ntlnsv8n-u9Ce4z/s400/Picture+31.png

ELLE MAGAZINE

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http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/NrllAless/blog/news/covergirls/mandy-moore-elle-magazine-1.jpg

http://www.asiaenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/jun-ji-hyun-elle-magazine-cover.jpg

ELLE magazine is about fashion, beauty and star's style and news. About whats in and whats not. ELLE magazine is a global magazine that is published all around the world. In the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, France, China, Hong Kong, Japan and many many more. ELLE magazine is produced in different languages and every month in different countries the front cover is different.

Their target audience is women round aged 18-35 however they do get readers how are under and over the target age.