I feel looking back at my preliminary task I have progressed a lot simply in my understanding of media and the technologies in a whole. By doing the preliminary task it made me think twice about what genre of music my magazine was going to be about and also what research I needed to do to make a worthy magazine. Also thanks to the practice of the use of Photoshop during the preliminary task I feel that my final products where much better fitted together as I had already created a slight understanding of Photoshop. For example I have learnt a few more tricks like grouping layers together, the history window tool, which allowed me to experiment a lot more whilst creating my magazine as I wasn’t in fear if loosing or messing my work up.
I feel after doing the preliminary task it allowed me to think about the amount of research I needed to do to create a challenging magazine for the market. So I looked through a variety off different magazines and searched up via the web for music magazines. And looked for a music genre what didn’t have a lot of competition that’s why I choose grime. I feel by doing the preliminary task I taught me not to always go for the obvious and to attempt to look for a gap in the market.
I also feel by doing the preliminary task it made me realise how much attention I had to put into the detailed parts of my magazine. As the tiniest little thing can make something complete or just plain and simply make something look odd.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Technologies
I feel from making my own music magazine I have developed my knowledge on photography as well as Photoshop. I feel one main thing I have learnt about photography is that you have to think it through, its not just as simple as getting a camera and just taking a picture. You have to consider the lighting and the shadows it creates and what angles and distance you want. One image I took what I was very pleased with was the main image on my contents page. I am pleased with this image as I thought through how to emphasise the characters face without just doing a straight up close up. So I positioned myself in a higher angle almost as if I’m looking straight down onto them. I had the camera zoomed but still enough so you could see the whole of the characters body, creating a somewhat needle effect, where the feet looked really tiny and the shoulders looked massive.
I feel that throughout all of making my product Photoshop has become a lot more clearer to me. As now I understand how most of the tools work now and why they do some of the things that they do. As during the preliminary task I used to feel frustrated and that everything was going against me. But now I feel comfortable with Photoshop and everything seems to run a lot smoother. On all of the pages in my magazine I was really pleased in the way I made my backgrounds look as I edited it using the adjustments tool, making it into more than one vibrant colour. I also really like the effect on my double page spread where it has two of the same characters coming out of each shoulder, I did this by just fiddling around with the layers and then grouping them realising how that made life so much easier. I also realised the benefits of using the magnetic lasso tool, as this made my life much easier when extracting the
I feel that throughout all of making my product Photoshop has become a lot more clearer to me. As now I understand how most of the tools work now and why they do some of the things that they do. As during the preliminary task I used to feel frustrated and that everything was going against me. But now I feel comfortable with Photoshop and everything seems to run a lot smoother. On all of the pages in my magazine I was really pleased in the way I made my backgrounds look as I edited it using the adjustments tool, making it into more than one vibrant colour. I also really like the effect on my double page spread where it has two of the same characters coming out of each shoulder, I did this by just fiddling around with the layers and then grouping them realising how that made life so much easier. I also realised the benefits of using the magnetic lasso tool, as this made my life much easier when extracting the
Adressing my audience
I addressed my audience throughout my magazine by the language I used, as I was talking in an informal chatty manor, using slang words and abbreviations of words just as if I was talking freely. As I wrote my magazine in a chatty concept I feel this allows the reader to connect with the magazine as if hey are being spoke to directly. I feel all advertisements I placed in my magazine are all relevant to my audience as it gives out a free CD publicising a new track out what they are likely to be interested in. I feel my cover lines also represents my target audience as they address the female audience; “And ladies, he’s single” this here is a prime example of deliberately doing this.
Target Audience
Generally my magazine is aimed at teens aged 13-19. I suppose it is a bit biased towards boys in the side that most things in the magazine will more and likely attract them than girls; but however it is aimed at a small female audience as well as it contains female artists and represents some of the male artists as “sex symbols”. This magazine is aimed at all English races, whether white or black. Generally the readers of this magazine will be to the lower end of the social status; the working class. The main sub-cultures this magazine will be aimed at is what people call “chavs” of “hoodys” generally these are teenagers from rough areas what generally have nothing to do, so they turn to drink, drugs and really anything that will keep them amused. You will more and likely find this group of people on a park near a council estate or outside a run down corner shop. These teenagers usually wear tracksuits or tracksuit tops with hood, trainers, hats and dodgy jewellery.
I addressed my audience throughout my magazine by the language I used, as I was talking in an informal chatty manor, using slang words and abbreviations of words just as if I was talking freely. As I wrote my magazine in a chatty concept I feel this allows the reader to connect with the magazine as if hey are being spoke to directly. I feel all advertisements I placed in my magazine are all relevant to my audience as it gives out a free CD publicising a new track out what they are likely to be interested in. I feel my cover lines also represents my target audience as they address the female audience; “And ladies, he’s single” this here is a prime example of deliberately doing this.
I addressed my audience throughout my magazine by the language I used, as I was talking in an informal chatty manor, using slang words and abbreviations of words just as if I was talking freely. As I wrote my magazine in a chatty concept I feel this allows the reader to connect with the magazine as if hey are being spoke to directly. I feel all advertisements I placed in my magazine are all relevant to my audience as it gives out a free CD publicising a new track out what they are likely to be interested in. I feel my cover lines also represents my target audience as they address the female audience; “And ladies, he’s single” this here is a prime example of deliberately doing this.
Institutions
I don’t think that a larger publisher would distribute my magazine as I feel in general the grime audience would not be big enough for them to want to do it. I feel it would fall more into the hands of a medium sized publisher or maybe a even smaller one as I am not convinced wit would have a big enough circulation to cover the high percentage of profit that the bigger companies would want. But however I feel that a medium sized publisher may not push the magazine to its full potential whereas a larger publisher would be much more likely to make my magazine Grimey Society a great success. Woofah another magazine in this genre is self published via the Internet. That is another reason I feel that my magazine may be taken on by the larger publishing companies as there is no real competition in the market. But however I feel the larger publishing companies will question the fact that no one has thought of this idea before, and perhaps pick my magazine apart by saying, for instance what I said earlier that the fan base for the genre Grime is not big enough. That is why therefore I feel It will fit better in with a medium sized publisher.
Representation
My magazine represents youth in a fairly stereotypical way, as from urban backgrounds and generally the run down areas of towns and cities ie. Council estates and old worn out towns. I feel I do this right from my front cover, as my Magazine is really aimed at “chavs” I feel my front cover represents this pretty well, as my main image is of a rapper who is wearing a Beanie hat and a hooded tracksuit top; what is commonly associated with the attire of the “chav” culture. Also I feel the his pose in the image represents this as well as he is standing with one hand in the air and the other next to his mouth as if he is holding a microphone, this stance is commonly associated with mc’s and mc’s are commonly classed as “chavs”. Also I feel the way I talk throughout my magazine represents this stereotype again, as I have used slang words throughout and words associated with what so called “chavs”; for example words like “sickest”, “init” and “wastemen”. Also I feel the whole way I have wrote my article is in a chatty kind of way so it is generally easy for the readers to relate too. I feel my magazine also fits in with the stereotype that all teenagers are all hoody wearing hooligans; but however it by my artist in the magazine dressing the same as these so called “hoody wearing hooligans” shows that they can break the cycle of today’s street culture. I deliberately made my magazine fit in with the stereotype of the “chav” culture as it gives them something to look at and allows them a character to want to aspire to be like. I feel I have represented youth in my magazine in a better way that the public for see them as today due to all the stories of the stabbings etc by showing there is positives what can come from these urban areas and so called “bad” sub-cultures.
Forms and Conventions
My magazine Grimey Society, is a magazine about an English type of music called grime. Grime is an urban genre of music which originated in East London, England in the early 2000’s. It is almost a development of the music genre garage, but is also associated with rap or hip hop. Grime is generally associated with teenagers from urban backgrounds and stereotypically popular amongst “chavs”. My magazine consists of interviews with music stars, updates on the latest gigs, and reviews on all of the past gigs and festivals, also it will advertise latest albums from the grime stars.
Generally I feel my magazine flows well with the conventions of magazines layouts in general; as my front cover really consists of one main image and cover lines, with a large masthead, and advertisement for what’s in the magazine. Also I feel my magazine fits in with the conventions of Grime as a complete genre. As it is a fairly dark feeling magazine but however has bright and vibrant parts to it, which I feel brings out the so called “bling” and “gangster” side off grime. As the lyrics are commonly associated with money, jewellery, women, and gangs.
I choose the name Grimey Society for my magazine title as it is almost a play on words, as it has a double meaning. As Grime is the type of genre my magazine mainly focuses on the genre Grime. So I thought I would associate this into the title of my magazine. But the word grime also is known as a fungus or a layer of dirt that occurs when something is not cleaned properly or enough, and as my target audience is for people who live in run down and urban areas of Britain, I thought I would name my magazine Grimey Society. But this can also be interpreted as in that the music genre is becoming so big that it is everywhere thus creating a Grimey Society. But however I generally called it Grimey Society as I feel it clearly gets across what type of music is focused on in the magazine, and it is relevant to my target audience.
My front cover Consists of a big style masthead at the top of the page. With an almost spray painted effect, due to the stroke I put around the writing, and how I created the effect off paint dripping down from the writing. I feel the font I used is big and clear and easily read, and does create a representative logo for my magazine. Also my magazine has one main image on the front cover, what is off a rapper, in stereotypical clothing for a rapper; a hooded jacket and a beanie hat. I have edited the colouring of him into a dark blue colour, what is fairly dull and grimey looking. I have deliberately done this to my front cover too connote the whole urban feeling; as it is aimed at an audience from an urban background I feel they will be able to relate to this. Also the background to my front cover is a street with overflowing wheelie bins: and the way I have placed a successful rapper on this suggests he may have came from an area where this was a common site, and how you can break through and make it big in what ever, connoting success is achievable from these urban areas. I also feel the colour scheme of dark blue white and quite a vibrant bright blue represent my target audience as my magazine is aimed at young youths from quite rough areas and run down parts of cities and towns. So as I have chosen mainly quite dark colours it has represented that this music in this magazine is there own and has come from another area like theirs and easy to relate to for the readers. Also I feel as it is dark and a dull colour scheme I have chosen it represents grime as a genre because it makes everything look kind of grimey and un-glamorised look for my front cover. Also by the way I have laid out my front cover it goes along with the conventions of how magazines are generally laid out. Another magazine in this genre is one called Woofah and I feel I have followed the conventions pretty well although I have made a few adjustments.
Here is an example of the page. My double page spread however Is still following the same house styles of the front cover and contents page in my magazine. With the dark blue representing the dirty grimey looking side of my magazine But however on the right handed page in my double page spread, has brought out some new colours in a bright vibrant blue, pink, and green, connoting that something glamorous can come from urban areas and backgrounds. Also these could be represented as some sort of stage lights. My writing consists of pull quotes to break up the interview. I feel my writing is very clear and easily understood.
Generally I feel my magazine flows well with the conventions of magazines layouts in general; as my front cover really consists of one main image and cover lines, with a large masthead, and advertisement for what’s in the magazine. Also I feel my magazine fits in with the conventions of Grime as a complete genre. As it is a fairly dark feeling magazine but however has bright and vibrant parts to it, which I feel brings out the so called “bling” and “gangster” side off grime. As the lyrics are commonly associated with money, jewellery, women, and gangs.
I choose the name Grimey Society for my magazine title as it is almost a play on words, as it has a double meaning. As Grime is the type of genre my magazine mainly focuses on the genre Grime. So I thought I would associate this into the title of my magazine. But the word grime also is known as a fungus or a layer of dirt that occurs when something is not cleaned properly or enough, and as my target audience is for people who live in run down and urban areas of Britain, I thought I would name my magazine Grimey Society. But this can also be interpreted as in that the music genre is becoming so big that it is everywhere thus creating a Grimey Society. But however I generally called it Grimey Society as I feel it clearly gets across what type of music is focused on in the magazine, and it is relevant to my target audience.
My front cover Consists of a big style masthead at the top of the page. With an almost spray painted effect, due to the stroke I put around the writing, and how I created the effect off paint dripping down from the writing. I feel the font I used is big and clear and easily read, and does create a representative logo for my magazine. Also my magazine has one main image on the front cover, what is off a rapper, in stereotypical clothing for a rapper; a hooded jacket and a beanie hat. I have edited the colouring of him into a dark blue colour, what is fairly dull and grimey looking. I have deliberately done this to my front cover too connote the whole urban feeling; as it is aimed at an audience from an urban background I feel they will be able to relate to this. Also the background to my front cover is a street with overflowing wheelie bins: and the way I have placed a successful rapper on this suggests he may have came from an area where this was a common site, and how you can break through and make it big in what ever, connoting success is achievable from these urban areas. I also feel the colour scheme of dark blue white and quite a vibrant bright blue represent my target audience as my magazine is aimed at young youths from quite rough areas and run down parts of cities and towns. So as I have chosen mainly quite dark colours it has represented that this music in this magazine is there own and has come from another area like theirs and easy to relate to for the readers. Also I feel as it is dark and a dull colour scheme I have chosen it represents grime as a genre because it makes everything look kind of grimey and un-glamorised look for my front cover. Also by the way I have laid out my front cover it goes along with the conventions of how magazines are generally laid out. Another magazine in this genre is one called Woofah and I feel I have followed the conventions pretty well although I have made a few adjustments.
As you can see the magazine Woofah is mainly made up of one main image, so is Grimey Society. But however my title is not placed horizontally to the left of the page. I feel I have challenged this magazine but making it more focused in on one genre of music.
My contents page pretty much follows the same set up as my front cover, but however my main image of which is of a female artist is on the right hand side of the page. However she is in a different style to the front I feel this image helps to represent the all of teenagers in a fairly “yobish” as my caption underneath says “Grime just got a little bit more Indie” suggesting that all sub-cultures throughout Britain are all similar. But however this image is the original colour and not a dull blue colour, connoting that the person in the image is a new bright star? Or something special and original. Although the young female in my image is in a lightly different attire to my demographic audience I feel this still works and may perhaps widen my audience. Also my title for my page is in a similar place to my masthead for my front cover. But however this is in a dark blue with a baby blue background allowing it to stand out much more. I also aligned all of my cover lines to the left hand side all with a similar affect with a lighter background.
My double page is similar in layout and conventions to one from Hip Hop Connection, as it has a main image of the artist interviewed on one page and the story on another
My contents page pretty much follows the same set up as my front cover, but however my main image of which is of a female artist is on the right hand side of the page. However she is in a different style to the front I feel this image helps to represent the all of teenagers in a fairly “yobish” as my caption underneath says “Grime just got a little bit more Indie” suggesting that all sub-cultures throughout Britain are all similar. But however this image is the original colour and not a dull blue colour, connoting that the person in the image is a new bright star? Or something special and original. Although the young female in my image is in a lightly different attire to my demographic audience I feel this still works and may perhaps widen my audience. Also my title for my page is in a similar place to my masthead for my front cover. But however this is in a dark blue with a baby blue background allowing it to stand out much more. I also aligned all of my cover lines to the left hand side all with a similar affect with a lighter background.
My double page is similar in layout and conventions to one from Hip Hop Connection, as it has a main image of the artist interviewed on one page and the story on another
Here is an example of the page. My double page spread however Is still following the same house styles of the front cover and contents page in my magazine. With the dark blue representing the dirty grimey looking side of my magazine But however on the right handed page in my double page spread, has brought out some new colours in a bright vibrant blue, pink, and green, connoting that something glamorous can come from urban areas and backgrounds. Also these could be represented as some sort of stage lights. My writing consists of pull quotes to break up the interview. I feel my writing is very clear and easily understood.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Thursday, 12 March 2009
My intial ideas.
Working title of magazine: Grimey Society
Price point: £2.99
Issue released: Weekly
Content: Latest news on gigs, albums and gossip.
Front Page- To have an artist posing asif they are on stage as my main image, with a blue colour scheme, and cover lines attracting the readers to buy the magazine.
Contents Page- To have one main image of an atrist aligned to the right side of the page with everything mainly working around it.
Double Page Spread-TO have it set up asif oneside is almost a flyer advertising something or someone, but to have cover lines standing out from the writing to draw the readers in.
Price point: £2.99
Issue released: Weekly
Content: Latest news on gigs, albums and gossip.
Front Page- To have an artist posing asif they are on stage as my main image, with a blue colour scheme, and cover lines attracting the readers to buy the magazine.
Contents Page- To have one main image of an atrist aligned to the right side of the page with everything mainly working around it.
Double Page Spread-TO have it set up asif oneside is almost a flyer advertising something or someone, but to have cover lines standing out from the writing to draw the readers in.
Analysis of Classic Rock front cover
This magazine is aimed at males in there late thirties and early fourties.
Feel free to click for a more detailed analysis
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Analysis of hip hop connection magazine
This magazine is targeted for late teens early 20's generally the 90's era.
Feel free to click the link for a detailed analysis =)
Monday, 10 November 2008
Finished products
My front cover what I made to be honest looks very simple, but I deliberately made it like this. for example the font i used all over the magazine cover isn't very exciting, but it is bold and easy to read , so it is effective and easily grabs the attention of the readers, Also to liven it up a bit I placed my text on a light background or created a shadow behind the text, to make it more bold so it stands out more. I also feel the title i used is quite clever, as in the way its called "The Zone" in somewhat way suggests suggests it may be the place to be. Further more i used blue and yellow fort the colour scheme of my font, as i feel these two go well together and don't clash. I also feel that these help to brighten up the magazine and allow the others to stand out.
Also my background is blurred, drawing more attention onto my main picture, giving the impression of it being focused in on him. This works well because it allows everything else in the image to stand out. I did this effect by using the magic wand and painting the background in.
My Main picture is a medium close up of a rather happy looking student representing the magazine is going to be exciting and won't bore you, it also shows the magazine will be about good news and not all doom and gloom. By the way it is brightened up yet again draws attention to him and also giving off a bright friendly vibe. Also what he is wearing in the image makes it clear to recognise that it is a student magazine as he is wearing the stereotypical attire of a student. with a scarf wrapped around his neck and a plain T-shirt. Because it stand out so well in the image I placed a sub-heading on his belly saying "Sam Toone Goes Wild Page 9!" As nothing is stated it automatically makes the reader want to no more.
I also edited two images of a bear and a lion in over each of his shoulders to emphasise on the sub-heading. By the way they blend in with the background doesn't really make them stand out but however they are noticeable. This effect works i feel because of the smeared background it almost seems the character in the main photo is thinking back to what has happened.
I personally feel that the effect of the background in my magazine cover is successful by the way it kind of merges everything together and allows for everything to stand out and seem more focused on. But however I feel my text is less successful as it is very plain and could be a bit more exciting in general.
By doing this I feel I have developed my understanding and skills of adobe photo shop. For example I know realise why certain tools are grouped together. Also in doing this task i know feel more comfortable, and comfortable using photo shop. I also know a lot more helpful features, for example how to create shadows behind texts, and the ability to paint the rest of an image using the magic wand tool.
Also my background is blurred, drawing more attention onto my main picture, giving the impression of it being focused in on him. This works well because it allows everything else in the image to stand out. I did this effect by using the magic wand and painting the background in.
My Main picture is a medium close up of a rather happy looking student representing the magazine is going to be exciting and won't bore you, it also shows the magazine will be about good news and not all doom and gloom. By the way it is brightened up yet again draws attention to him and also giving off a bright friendly vibe. Also what he is wearing in the image makes it clear to recognise that it is a student magazine as he is wearing the stereotypical attire of a student. with a scarf wrapped around his neck and a plain T-shirt. Because it stand out so well in the image I placed a sub-heading on his belly saying "Sam Toone Goes Wild Page 9!" As nothing is stated it automatically makes the reader want to no more.
I also edited two images of a bear and a lion in over each of his shoulders to emphasise on the sub-heading. By the way they blend in with the background doesn't really make them stand out but however they are noticeable. This effect works i feel because of the smeared background it almost seems the character in the main photo is thinking back to what has happened.
I personally feel that the effect of the background in my magazine cover is successful by the way it kind of merges everything together and allows for everything to stand out and seem more focused on. But however I feel my text is less successful as it is very plain and could be a bit more exciting in general.
By doing this I feel I have developed my understanding and skills of adobe photo shop. For example I know realise why certain tools are grouped together. Also in doing this task i know feel more comfortable, and comfortable using photo shop. I also know a lot more helpful features, for example how to create shadows behind texts, and the ability to paint the rest of an image using the magic wand tool.
Planning
During the planning of my college magazine cover we discussed as a class and developed a questionaire aimed at college students. In doing this and asking college students to fill out the questonaire we found out the students were most intrested in fining out about the latest gossip. As in knowing this my main photo and sub-heading was based on gossip.
Also During my planning I analysed a real magazine cover. The magazine was called "The national student magazine" i analysed this on flickr, then i uploaded this to my blog. I analysed the magazine cover by discussing about each effect they had used, For example the main photo was a long shot, I recognised this then explained why i felt it was chosen to be a long shot.
Also During my planning I analysed a real magazine cover. The magazine was called "The national student magazine" i analysed this on flickr, then i uploaded this to my blog. I analysed the magazine cover by discussing about each effect they had used, For example the main photo was a long shot, I recognised this then explained why i felt it was chosen to be a long shot.
Friday, 24 October 2008
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
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