My final front cover and the changes I have made

I have made a few changes to my front cover due to the feedback I received from my teacher.

 

 

Firstly, my teacher said that the box out was too big on the article "GREAT YEAR, GREAT ALBUMS", I used the scale tool on fireworks to re size the white box out so it wraps the text more closely, therefore minimising unnecessary white spaces. However, because the first line of the secondary covered less pixels in width than the line below, a gap was left on the boxout, I didnt want to resize the text itself using the scale tool as the I was happy with the size already, because it was legible and eyecatching. I first tried to include an asterisk in the gap to guide the reader where the text is, from my research it worked well on company magazine, I used the brush tool with a hard rounded black line to roughly draw the shape for a scribbled effect, however it did not look right on my cover and made it look messy. Instead I used the text tool to add "2013" in a size 13 calibri bold font, I used the scale tool to rotate it so it was adjacent to the secondary lead "GREAT YEAR" this acts as a pull to draw the readers attention to what the articles about.   

My final contents page and the changes I have made

I have changed my contents page slightly using fireworks, taking on board the feedback my teacher gave me.

I have made a few small changes to my contents page, Firstly I added a web address to the top of the page as it is in the readers direct eye-line, I used the text tool with the easy to read calibri font to create my web address, to emphasize it, I changed the colour of 'bassline' to a magenta that highlights it a links to the colour scheme. The reason I added a web address was to attract a younger audience who want to explore the magazine further online, the website will provide more information about the magazine and more exclusive articles and competitions. Also I added credits to the editors letter using the text tool to show who the editor is rather than just having a signature. 

My final double page spread and the changes I have made

This my final DPS, I have changed it slightly due to getting some feedback from my teacher.

Firstly, I added credits onto the main image to state the writer and the photographer (obviously I took the photos!), I used the text tool and italicized the credit headers 'words/pictures' so they stand out and look more professional. I also changed the type and layout of my column of secondary images, For example the image sizes were mismatched, so I changed them so it alternated between landscape and portrait to keep it looking professional. Also, I changed two of the images, I added an extreme closeup portrait image as I felt my double page spread lacked a variety of angles, I used the scale tool to re-size it so all of the images were aligned. I then changed the image with the red balloons as they looked out of place, also the angle was not completely straight and the image quality wasn't brilliant. So I changed the image to a long-shot with a highly contrasting background and a better image quality. Also, I added filters to the three landscape images to add interest and an to emphasize they alternate with the portrait images which are in full colour. I added the black and white filters using pic monkey.com.     

My Final double page spread

Main image: My main image is part of my main photo-shoot for my main artist, it's the largest image on the page, therefore it's the main focus. I chose to use a medium close up eye level shot from the waist up so most of the artist can be seen, I also chose the image because it has lots of background space, this allowed me to overlay the headline and the text box without the image being obscured.

Fonts: The fonts I have used were sourced from DAFONTS, I used the font 'always here' for the headline as it adds a quirky edge, linking to my alternative genre of my magazine. I also used it for the quote in a bright blue color to link to my magazines chosen color scheme and to make it stand out, as it was the same font they anchor each other together to make a direct link to the article. For the text itself, I used Calibri font for the main interview as it is easy to read.

Text layout: The text layout is in columns so it gives the impression of a continuous interview, the byline to the headline is located in the white box out and introduces the article, it is also underlined to show its where the article starts. For the questions of the interview they are highlighted in the same blue color as the quote with white text over the top, thus providing better navigation for the audience as the questions act as text markers.

Headline: 

The headline is located at the top of the mage, adjacent to the main image. It incorporates the background glitter as a border and the white box out makes the black text stand out, I used a mixture of the rectangular marquee tool and the rectangle vector tool to achieve this look.

 The secondary images: The secondary images are on the right hand side in a column format, this created a filmstrip/ photo-booth effect. They are in a variety of different shots such as long/mid shot and a variety of different angles such as eye level and canted. I to took a lot of effort to edit them so they looked neat and aligned, to achieve this I used the pointer tool and vector tool, and if images needed to be cropped I used the rectangular marquee tool. I also added a black and white filter to three of the images so they are mixed up a bit, it creates interest

My final contents page

Here is my final contents page for my music magazine, I created it on Fireworks. 

Images: The images I have used represent how important the corresponding article is, therefore the larger the image the more vital the article is. I used a variety of shots including a closeup, med shot and eye level long shot, this adds interest. I edited some of them by cropping away certain areas using the rectangular marquee tool to change it's shape. All three images have captions on them to show the reader which article they belong to.

Text: The text itself is categorized under different sub headings for easy navigation, again I have made up bands and artists for my contents page.I have included a variety of articles to engage the reader, most of them are about current music and promoting new artists into the music scene. 

Layout: My contents page layout is in columns for easy navigation, I used the text tool and the group button to move chunks of text easily into place. All of the articles are under different subheadings to categorize them, such as the article "gig discounts" will be under the subheading "every month" this creates easy, no nonsense navigation. The images break up the text for a more relaxed feel. All of the numerical bullet points have a break up line to the right of them so they stand out next the their linking article. I have changed it slightly from the draft as the images and text are located in a different place, I used the pointer and scale tool to do this.

Editors letter: The editors letter adds a personal touch and introduces the magazine to the reader, I used the glitter background from my original glitter image then used the rectangular marquee tool to cut out the best portion of it, then, I added a white box out with a feathered edge so it blends easier and gives a soft gradient effect. The letter itself is in one piece of continuous prose to add flow and a relaxed feel.

Fonts:The fonts I used are bold and unique, I used the same font as the cover masthead for the contents masthead to add a link. The sub headline font is in a handwritten style so it is more noticeable and informal, the contents body itself used the calibri font because it's easy to read.