1.
Q1. In what ways does your
media product use, develop
or challenge forms and
conventions of real media
products?

2.
My media products:
Vibe (front cover) and Q magazine (contents and double spread)

3.
By researching various magazines related to my chosen genre (hip –
hop) online and looking through them in person, I found myself to take
the most inspiration for my media products from Vibe and Q magazine.
Their house style and complimentary colour schemes are what I not
only thought appeared visually pleasing to read, but was also eye
catching for customers who were to walk past these magazines in
store/public – which I believe is an important element to any product
associated with media.
I was fond of the use of lines and block shapes that Q magazine had
incorporated on the pages of their magazine throughout, especially
their contents page. Not only does this help readers navigate through
the magazine and separates each section of a page (i.e. columns) , but
also adds a sense of art, which to many hip – hop lovers would see the
genre as as you would see this expressed through graffiti especially, so
I tried to add shapes in my products focusing, more on lines. A target
audience of young adults to late 20’s, which is also my aim, would be
most attracted to this class of magazine, as the styles are more
sophisticated. The literacy involved in both magazines would also be
more suited to this target audience due to it’s mature tone and wording,
so again I tried to make my articles and any other words at this level of
reading as much as I could.

4.
I believe my magazine has many of the conventions for a magazine, as
it contains:
Skyline
Masthead
Issue date
and number
Main image
Sell lines
Headline
Pull quote
Barcode
and price

5.
Issue date
and number
Contents title
Main image
Magazine logo
Websites/Social Media
Features
Regulars/Reviews
Page numbers
Articles description
Smaller images
Magazine logo
Issue date
and number
Page numbers
Contents title
Articles description
Websites/Social Media
Smaller images
Regulars/ReviewsFeatures
Main image

6.
Main image
Pull quote
Article – separated in
columns
Title
Subheading/Introduction
Drop Cap
Photo/Author credit
Main image
Article – separated in
columns
Title
Subheading/Introduction
Drop Cap
Photo/Author credit

7.
I had taken Vibe’s front cover as one of the front cover’s to
analyse, and also to take inspiration from since it is a hip –
hop magazine. I very much liked the layout of this front cover,
and the way the fonts of text and colour schemes had really
matched and emphasised the theme of hip – hop in a
sophisticated way, whist also appearing refined and polished
at the same time.
For my contents I was attracted to how Q magazine’s layout
was for their contents page. There was a fair balance
between image and text, with one overpowering too much to
the other. Articles and page numbers were nicely separated
by lines, text colour and size – allowing the reader to guide
themselves through the page. I wanted a similar design
implemented in my media products.
The double spread which I had taken most inspiration from
was from Vibe, which also had similar designs to Q
magazine’s double spread (as shown earlier – Rihanna).
However I stuck with Vibe since it is a Hip – Hop magazine.
What attracted to me the most was the simplicity of this, the
colour scheme mainly consisted black, white and yellow but it
gave a polished look which is eye catching. Again, I wanted a
implement a similar design to this using minimal colours so
that it matches to this professional magazine as much as
possible.

8.
My images vs. real artists
By looking through many professional pictures taken of famous
Hip – Hop, I found myself to have taken pictures similar to of J.
Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Both these artists are very dominant in
the music industry of this genre, so I thought that by taking their
poses, clothing and facial expressions into account whilst taking
pictures of my model, it will help give ideas to the audience of
what genre my magazine is.
I also admired how these artists kept their poses and clothing as
neutral as possible, whilst holding their status at the same time.
Although wearing snapbacks and gold chains are considered as
a staple piece of accessory in the urban culture, it does give off a
very fierce vibe. Personally I did not want that as I wanted these
images to not be overly predominant, as I wanted my double
spread article and front cover image to have the most ‘power’.
But I also wanted them to hold some sort of status since they are
featured in my contents, and as you can see I think that I have
manage to capture this well

9.
Pia Mia vs my model for front cover
Pia Mia’s fashion is very relatable to the fashion codes of
hip – hop, as she is often seen wearing snapbacks and
jewelry. Although she is mostly associated with the genre
R&B she has collaborated with hip – hop artists such as
Chris Brown, and has studio versions of her covers from
songs such as Drake, and so because there are links it’s
another reason why I had chosen Pia as the female
example for a female artist to look at for my chosen
magazine’s genre.
Instead of using snapbacks and ‘flashy’ jewelry I decided
to dress my model in a more simple, casual everyday look
whilst maintain a sense of control through facial
expressions and body posture.
By wearing beanies and a leather jacket I thought that it
would give off a more modern, urban appearance and the
audience would easily guess as to what genre my
magazine is by this, as you would not associate this
clothing to Pop music or Dance, for example.

10.
Hip – Hop Group images comparison:
“Triple Threat” vs N.W.A
For my group models I took N.W.A as my inspiration. They are considered one of the groundbreaking Hip – Hop group of all time as
they are what made the ‘birth’ of gangsta rap and Hip – Hop to the West Coast. Here I had found a image which caught my eye, and
which I thought I could use for my double page spread. Along with their clothing and jewelry, I liked the position of them sitting, as it
gave of a natural, ‘free’ appearance. However I wanted a fierce, dominant vibe to compliment my article, so I made my models stand
by a wall which by coincidence matched very similar to an image of N.W.A I had found on Google (on the right). I had made my
models to where dark clothing, with hints of white and grey to go with my colour scheme, and brands related to the fashion of hip –
hop, such as Air Jordan. The only element I did not add were the use of gold chains and snapbacks, as I did not want to exactly
follow the stereotypical code of what hip – hop artist have to wear and so that the reader can focus more on their facial expression
than to be distracted from any shiny and wealthy since hip – hop is about more about the artist, not the money.