Double Page: Layout

 After experimenting with a few different layouts and looking at how similar magazine layout their pages, I have decided on this design.

Double Page: Research

Second Photoshoot

Contents: Plan

Pages plan

Contents: Layout

I have experimented with the layout of my contents of my music magazine. For the first design (left) I have used the limited space well and packed as many photos into the plan without over crowding, I have also chosen to put my listings of the magazine down the right hand side. For the second layout plan I chose to put the title black at the bottom of the page as I have seen this technique effectively used in some music magazines. Lastly for the third layout plan (right) I made it more simple with the focus on one photo. similar to The Big Cheese which I analysed earlier. However this is less visually pleasing.

The layout I have chosen is 1. This is similar to the laout of Q magazine which I have analysed in earlier posts.

Contents: Research

I like the second page of this magazines contents. I  think that the layout works well and the use of photos and the position and simplicity of the text makes the page more visually appealing to the reader.

I do not like the layout of this contents page as it feels to uniform for the mode of address I would like to create. I like the fact that there is a large variety of sizes of photos used.

Contents plan

FEATURES

1. Meet the ipad
2. three unmissable parties of 2011
3. Lily Rain - new single + tour dates
4. Mark Ronson to play the o2 and Wild Child Festival
5. Filter News

EXTRAS

1. Soapbox
2. Radio 1
3. Posters
4. Check out

REGULARS

1. Cash for questions
2. Access all areas
3. Do it
4. musicians corner

I based these decisions on the results of my questionnaire.

What People Thought Of My Rough Plan

When I asked a selection of students from Parkwood sixth form to give their opinions on my rough plan for my music magazine. These are the results:

1/10     thought that…            The headlines were unrealistic

2/10     thought that…            It was plain

3/10     thought that…            The colours were boring

4/10     thought that…            The colours were wrong

5/10     thought that…            It was to busy

6/10     thought that…            The act was unbelievable

7/10     thought that…            The headlines were good

8/10     thought that…            The picture was uninteresting

9/10     thought that…            The act was believable

First Photoshoot

Rough Plan

Front: arrow

Fonts

This is the font I have chosen for my magazine so far.

Magazine: Name

Front Cover Layout

After experimenting with different layouts, I have chosen to stick with this layout for my final design. I think that this is the most visually stimulating. The headlines do not over rule the photos as in the first example. Nor does the cover look bare and empty as in the second example.

This layout is similar to this cover of NME which I looked at in earlier blogs.

Reader Profile

My readers are ages between 16 and 19, majority female. They attend college and study a variety of subjects from creative to academic but mainly focus on more creative aspects wether it is in out out of college. They are the type of people to be able to obtain a job along with a growing social life. They enjoy reading, from magazines to classic novels, they have a great knowledge on many subjects. University is an aim and so it making a success of them selves. along with college life, they also like to go to festivals and gigs.

Questionaire: Results

1. Target age range:                       16 - 19

2. Target sex:                                70% female 30% male

3. Do you read magazines:              90% yes 10% no

4. Do you read music magazines:     50% yes 50% no

5. Most people look for:                  
Information on already famous bands   [6]
Information on up and comming bands [7]
Gig dates                                       [3]
Gig reviews                                     [2]
Interviews                                      [4]
Latest gossip                                           [6]

6.  Money spent on magazines:         £1 - £5
7.  Time spent reading music mags:   1 - 3 hours
8.  Favorite music genre:             
Pop                           [7]

Rock                          [6]
Hard Rock                  [2] 
Rhythm & Blues           [3]                         

Country                      [1]
Rock & Roll                      [5]

Soul                                 [1]             
Country Pop                    [0]                                         
Latin                                [0]                                         
Disco                               [0]                                          
Pop Rock                    [4]
Heavy Metal                   [3]                                          
Progressive Rock            [4]                                          
Alternative Rock          [7]
Dance                             [6]
Jazz                                [2]

New wave                  [6]
Synthpop                   [5]
Hip Hop                      [6]
Dance Pop                 [5]
Folk                          [6]                                          
Swing                           [3]                                          
Arena Rock                     [3]
New Age                         [4]
Blues Rock                  [1]
Reggae                           [5]
Grunge                            [3]

Glam Metal                 [2]

Easy Listening                [7]

                                                               
9.   Music magazine industry supply for this genre? 40% yes 60% no
10. What would you change about music magazines? 
less interviews           [2]
less reviews               [1]
more photos              [2]
more new bands        [5]