Evaluative response to question 1.

1. Q1) In what ways does your product use
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
In my magazine design, I have complied with the typical codes
and conventions of a music magazine but have also tried to create
a product that is unique.

2. Front Cover
Before designing my product, I carried out an in-depth research into the music
magazine industry. A main focus of my research was analysing music
magazines design elements, and applying its design to my own media product.
My front cover design was heavily influenced by Q magazine; I really liked its
simplistic style features and wanted to incorporate them into my final design.
Q heavily relies on colour to create an eye catching front cover, by applying a
triadic colour scheme to my front cover design I feel its impact is very strong
and frames my model. Another convention I followed was the use of sans serif
fonts, I feel that this looks very effective on my design and represents my
music genre choice.
However through my front cover photography image, I diverted from typical
codes and conventions. My main image is of a black and white colour,
something that is rarely used on a front cover design but I do think my photo
emits a raw/vulnerable edge to it and this heavily reflects my music genre
‘Indie Pop’.
When taking my front cover photo , I complied to the ‘rule of thirds’ something
which is used excessively in music magazine front covers. By having an eye
contact with my model, it will make my reader feel more of a connection,
therefore making a reader purchase the magazine.
I have used a ‘puff and plug’ on my front cover design, this is to reach out to
my niche and create a desire for my media product. I have also relied on a
‘drop shadow’ technique for my singers name, this was to create an emphasis.
Both of these key terms are heavily used in all types of magazine design but
more so in music, as they intend to reach a highly specific target audience.
Finally having noted that music magazines use a
variation of cover lines to grab their target audience
eyes, I have applied this technique to my final design. I
have used a total of 6 cover lines and 1 main cover line.

3. Contents
This is my final contents page design. This again has been influenced by Q
magazines boxed structure.
I have used a sans serif font within this page, as I noted that top grossing
magazines such as NME didn't’t feature a serif font within any of its page
designs. I think a sans serif font works very well against my color scheme as the
lettering appears to be striking and bold.
I have also used a drop shadow technique against my main article title, giving
an emphasis on my final design. A drop shadow technique is very easy to do
and works really well for an added effect.
My photography for this piece again meets the idea of ‘Rule of Thirds.’ By using
eye contact within my photos I am directing my magazine towards my
intended audience, I used Photoshop to enhance my images and adjusted the
color tones/contrasts. Having looked at a variation of contents page, I have
realized my contents design has deviated from typical conventions because I
have used a number of images whereas magazines such as Q and NME have a
tendency to use one singular image.
I have carried through a color scheme from my front cover design, this is
something seen regularly throughout music magazines and by using a black,
red and white color scheme it meets typical codes and conventions.
During the drafting process I played around with background color and went
from a white background to a grey gradient. The white background washed out
my design, and detracted the eye from the content. However when playing
around with the gradient tool, I realized that a grey gradient worked better that
white so therefore I made some minor changed to my design.
Finally I have used a pull quote from my main article. A
pull quote is a design feature used very often throughout
interviews, and I believe it works very well within my
contents design. The pull quote itself has been
emphasized in bold and quotations.

4. Double
Page
Spread
I am very happy with my final outcome for my
double page spread and believe that its design
works really well with my black and white image.
The photo itself again deviates from conventional
norms as I have opted for a black and white
image. However, my model has direct eye contact
and stands out against my page design.
The drop shadow technique has again been used
for emphasised effect, when researching double
page spreads I noted that a drop shadow is not
widely used but I do think it works well in this
circumstance.
By using a veranda font, it is clear and readable
for my reader. And by using red and black colours
to segregate questions from answers, I have
made my content easier to understand for my
reader.
In this design I have used a total of 3 pull quotes
from my articles content. The pull quotes have
been taken from each chunk of text, and have
been emphasized either with a solid shape filled
box or font variations.
My double page spread developed out of pre-existing spreads which I found on Google
images. The structure of my article was separated into three singular columns which I
set-up within InDesign, the three column layout was easy to follow and I think it makes
my text look appealing to my indented niche.
To conclude I feel that all three of my designs have met typical codes and conventions
founded in music magazines. My research has played a huge part within the production
of my media product, and has given me basic structures/guidelines towards my final
piece. Although I have subverted from some typical conventions through my
photography, I still believe that my designs work well, look effective and portray my
target audience.