[Music Magazine] Target Audience & Institution Research

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[Music Magazine] Double Page Spread Mock Up

This is the design i created and deicded to follow when creating my music magazine double page spread. Soon i will edit this post and talk about the elements of this design, explaining why i chose to place and organise my double page spread like this.

This mock-up was created and influenced by two other hip-hop music magazine double page spreads i had researched before creating it. The first pages layout is taken from one magazine and the second page is taken from another as a way to mix them together so i can get the best of both yet also be able to differentiate my magazine from these magazines and many other magazines. Although colour scheme is not shown in the mock-up image i plan to use the colours green, red and black against a white background as a way to differentiate it from the front page and contents so the magazine doesn't seem too dark, however still has cohesion through the use of the colour red and also the text. I plan to use the font 'impact' for the headline which is the same text used for the masthead on the front page as this is a clear and effective font as it's easy to read. The main image will be sectioned by a line above the main text on the first page to add organisation to my design.

I plan to follow this magazine mock-up exactly as shown yet try and make it more interesting with the use of different colours and effects such as stroke which can be found as i create my double page spread using Adobe InDesign CS3. I plan to follow conventions of an average double page spread such as using a caption. The main images will show the artists performing which is a convention usually used by hip-hop music magazines. This is a convention that i believe is specific to the hip-hop music genre.

I've followed the conventions of a usual double page spread with the use of the headline and pull quote but have also differentiated my magazine from others by having the text in two columns instead of one. Another way i have differentied my magazine from others in this mock-up is having the below the main image instead of the usual headline at the top of the page. This was to make sure there is enough space for my ideal main images which would have to be large to make it clear it's the main image.

[Music Magazine] Contents Page Mock Up

This is the design i created and deicded to follow when creating my music magazine contents page. Soon i will edit this post and talk about the elements of this design, explaining why i chose to place and organise my front page like this.

Much like the front page, the majority of my creative decisions were influenced by my research of other hip-hop music magazine contents pages. The colour scheme is influenced by the colour scheme on the front page as it uses the same colour scheme which creates cohesion between the two pages which makes for a better presentation and better organisation. However unlike most of the contents pages i researched i decided to go with using a main image and two sub images instead of just using one main image. This is because i wanted to differentiate my magazine from the usual yet still keep conventions that would make it clear that this is a hip-hop music magazine. It also allows me to link the pages to more images which makes it easier for the reader to find the article they want to read or attract them to another article which will help them and attract them to my magazine. There are also features of the contents page that are exactly the same as the front page such as the logo in the top left hand corner which will add to the cohesion of the magazine.

I intend to follow the exact design used for my mock-ups by gathering the information and images first and then applying them in place as they are shown in my mock-up. I will be using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and also Adobe InDesign CS3 to create my contents page which allow me to place information and images as i would want it with also many more features that will further the development of my mock-ups such as crop tools etc. This also includes effects (such as inner bevel) that will enhance the look of my magazine.  

A layout convention which is depicited in my magazine mock-up includes the idea of having the features (information) on the right hand side of the page in a column. This is a design used by many other hip-hop music magazines so i would say it is a specific convention. I'm using this convention to make it clear to the audience that this is a hip-hop music magazine, which will be noticeable as it will have many features of other music magazines. However I've also used conventions that will differentiate my magazine from others in my mock-ups such as having more than one image. I believe differentiating my magazine from others will make it more attractive for my target audience which is why i have chosen to do such. Other types of conventional elements i've used include the dark contrasted with light colour scheme which is shown by the dark background and the bright text which also makes it clear that my magazine is a hip-hop music magazine as this is common between such magazines. I also plan on using sans-serif text which is also usually used by hip-hop magazines which will not only add to the cohesion between the front page and the contents page but also add to making the genre of my music magazine clear. It's also easy for the reader to read.

[Music Magazine] Front Page Production Log

Front page Production Log

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[Music Magazine] Front Page Design Mock Up

This is the design i created and deicded to follow when creating my music magazine front page. (Note this was created and posted a while ago but re-posted later)

All creative decisions made when creating this mock-up were influenced by my research into other hip-hop magazine covers. After finding out the majority of magazines use dark colours contrasted with bright-ish main images i decided to have a dark background with the colours red, yellow and white for the text colour scheme. I've also found that bright colours contrasted to a dark background are more likely to catch the readers attention as it is more attractive to the readers eyes and is also easier to read. The idea of the strapline above the masthead also came from looking at 'Scratch' magazine which does the same thing. 'Scratch' is a magazine that would be using the same target audience as my magazine meaning it would be trying to appeal to the same people making it useful to analyse this magazine front covers designs when creating mine; especially considering 'Scratch' is a fairly successful magazine.

I plan to follow this design and enhance it with the use of effects that the program i will use, Photoshop CS3, will allow me to put onto my magazine; (for example: drop shadow or inner bevel). As i create the magazine I'm sure there will be things i want to change such as where certain colours are used and the positions of text so i plan to develop this design to the most effective way of presenting it with the use of Photoshop CS3 and my research.

I've planned to use the techniques of fading an image/text in to the background on my front cover as a way to make sure no spaces on the magazine look empty. These will keep to the colour scheme. The colours red, yellow and white were used as red and yellow are bright colours that will catch the readers attention and are often associated with hip-hop music which can be shown through music videos and other magazine covers. The neutral colour white will allow it to be easy on the readers eyes as it won't look too busy and allows it to be easy to read/look at without causing eye strain. 

I believe the main image being positioned slightly to the right of the magazine with the cover-lines to the left and the main cover line over the main image is a layout convention that is specific to the hip-hop music genre as i have only seen hip-hop magazines use such a layout. None of the colours used are specific to my genre, however they are usually associated with the hip-hop music genre.   

Having the masthead at the top of the magazine across the width of the page is another conventional element included in my mock-up which is commonly found in hip-hop music magazines. I will also be making sure the main image shows many representions of hip-hop artists such as wealth and arrogance which will appeal to the target audience as this is what iis expected from hip-hop artists. The main image will take up the majority of the front page and will feature the biggest feature/main attraction of the magazine (the main story) which is something the majority of hip-hop music magazines tend to do. This is to draw the audience in with the use of an artist that most likely has a 'buzz' around them at the moment the magazine is released.

[Music Magazine] Double Page Spread Research 2

This is a double page spread from a hip-hop magazine which features hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco. Both pages are the same colour which is black. What makes this page different from a usual double page spread layout is that the headline isn't at the top of the page. Instead it is in the lower third of the first page (on the left) going across the main image in a rectangle as shown below.The article is on the page to the right and it takes up half of the page. The article is feature-based article with the purpose to inform as it is explaining what the artist Lupe Fiasco has been doing and plans to do. The text differentiates between two colours to make it clear of the sections in the text. Cohesion and organisation is created through the colour scheme of white and yellow which is maintained on both pages.

Notice the main image shows ideologies and creates representations of the normal hip-hop artist through his expensive jewellery such as the gold watch and dark clothing. The characters holds a careless pose which shows a sense of arrogance. However, in comparison to the double page spread showing r&b artist 'Jamelia' (Research 1) who is doing a sexy pose to draw in her audience, Lupe fiasco is wearing glasses which conveys the reporesentation that there is a lot of intelligence behind his music. This makes the audience picture him as an intelligent person instead of just a cocky rapper.


 The rectangle creates organisation as none of the text will be coming out of the rectangle and allows for easier alignment of the text. The headline in this double page spread is describing the what the article is about. In this rectangle they've also written the byline for the artical. This lets the reader know who the creator of the article is straight away; also the topic of the story straight away. The byline is much smaller than the headline which creates a clear understanding of which is the byline and which is the headline.  The colour scheme is kept through the variation of white and yellow colours in the headline and byline text which creates cohesion throughout the pages.

Here there is a small section of the magazine dedicated to the call-out/pull-quote which is next to a dark sub image which can only just be seen. Some words in the quote are in white while the rest of it is in yellow; Which contrasts with the main body text which is white with the other sections in yellow. The important words being in white makes the reader think about the quote and adds a sense of importance to these words. This sectioning of the quote and image give the page structure as the main body text then takes up the rest of the page. The two columns on this page are clear and organisation is also clear. The sub image shows the artist performing which conveys represenations of hip hop music due to his cocky pose, aggresive facial expression and wealth is shown through his jewellery. This picture being only blue and black makes sure that it doesn't stand out too much drawing attention away from the pull quote, but is still seeable enough to inform the audience of his character. Representations of music are also shown through the prop of a microphone in his hand which makes it clear to the audience that this is part of amusic magazine.

[Music Magazine] Contents Page Research 2

Contents research 2

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[Music Magazine] Double Page Spread Research 1

Double page spread research 1

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[Music Magazine] Contents Page Research 1