Finished!!

These are my final pages of my magazine. They are only very slightly different to the versions that I posted before, however I have included elements in these pages that make the magazine appear more professional.

Deadline Extension

Today is the deadline for my final magazine cover, contents page and feature article...

...HOWEVER...

I have been given an extension until a week after the christmas holidays. I have already complete all the work that I needed to do, but this will give me the oppotunity to nsure that all my work is to the highest possible standard. =]

First Magazine Cover

This is my first attempt at my magazine cover.

First Feature Article

First Contents Page

Screenshots and Processes

Elements Arrangement: I used the selection tool to move the different parts of my pages around. This allowed me to move images, text boxes and blocks of colour to the positions that I wanted and also allowed me to resize them.

Brightness/ Contrast: this tool allowed me to select the range of shadow and highlighting that I wanted.

Grey Scale: this allowed me to choose exactly how greay I wanted the image to be

Selection: This allowed me to select everything in a particular area. For example, I only wanted to recolour one bracelet so I selected the area to make it easier to work with.

Move and Rotate:

Arrange: bringing something to the front means that it appears in front of other elements. For example, I wanted the block of colour to be infront of the image and the text to be infront of the coloured block.

Page Layout:

Text Tool: In InDesign I could have either chosen to use the Text Tool or the Type on Path Tool. I chose to use the Text Tool and then rotate it to the angle I required using the rotate tool. I also used the rotate tool to move the colour bars that I used as backing for the text quotes.

Colour Change: this was done using the colour balance tool. By selecting varying densities of different hues, I was able to create a colour customed to the image I was using. For exaple, in this case I used 100% magenta, 0% cyan, 0% black and 97% yellow to create a fushia tone for the last of the three images on the right hand page.

Photograph Editing

I simply edited this photograph using the brightness/contrast tool. I wanted to make the photograph brighter, so that it would be easier to see and the other elements of the front cover would show p well against it.

Inspiration

From the results of my questionnaire and my research of relevant music magazines, I have concluded that the best colour scheme for the house style of my magazine would be grey, black, red and white.

However, to make the feature article stand out, I have chosen to use a different colour scheme for the two page spread. I have taken my inspiration for this new colour scheme from Shystie's latest music video, video features a very heavy neon colour scheme.



I plan to encorporate this colour scheme not only into the page design but also into the photographs themselves.

HipHop Connection Contents Page Analysis

Main image is a medium close up from the side. The subject appears to be focused on something in the distance, making him appear detached from the reader. The main colour used in the image is black, for example he appears to be leaning against a black door frame and is wearing a black coat. his face is the only part of the image that has nothing covering it, therefore making it the main focus of the entire image. The image appears to be slightly manipulated to clear the image of any imprefections, but at the same time it has been edited so that air brushing is minimal and the image is still gritty and relates well to the ambience of the magazine. The taglines are listed on the left hand side and only cover just over a quarter of the page. This is quite organised and is therefore easy to read and the audience can find what might interest them quickly. There is a segmented banner at the top of the page, which stand otu because it has a red background and white text. The font used for all the text across the page in all sans-serif and some parts in bold. The two colours used for text are red and white which stand out against the background. Some of the font is in bold and these appear to be the more important titles, whereas the font that is not in bold provides extra information and details. The date at the top of the page is seperated from the rest of the text, but is in bold, possibly to signify importance.

Untouched Photographs

These are the untouched photographs that I am planning to use for my magazine. At the stage none of them have been digitally enhanced in any way.

I used two locations for my photographs:
-Location One, Crystal Palace Park [The Sphinx] : I chose this location because the sphinxes are a representation of power and authority. My original plan was to take the photographs in the day, so that the photographs were brighter and you could see the blue of the sky. However, I feel that the photographs are a better representation of the magazine as a whole when taken in the dark, as they reflect the dark, gritty, street attitude of my magazine.

-Location Two, My Bedroom : I chose to do the second set of photographs here because I needed a clean background. I hung a plain white sheet up against my wardrobe and used this as the setting. I also used a leather computer chair to add intrest to the photograph.

Ooops... Not Quite To Plan

I have taken the photographs for the cover, contents and feature article of my magazine. However, it didn't go qute the way I wanted it to go. I forgot that the days are shorter now that its winter so there are less hours of sunlight. Therefore, when it came time to take the photographs it was already very dark, and there were no lights in the park. Therefore, I had to rely completely on the flash of my camera fo light. Hopefully, they will turn out okay, but thankfully even if they don't, I can use PhotoShop to edit them.

The Props

A major factor of my photographs is the setting and props as these are just as important as the feature model. As I am doing a hipohop magazine, my props will have to reflect the values of the magazine and the feature artist.

Clothing: I have asked my model to wear quite dark colours as this will reflect the gritty attitude of my chosen genre and also will mirror the colour scheme of my magazine. I have also asked her to dress quite casually and not try to hard. I have also lent her some jewellery, as this is a common reflection of hiphop magazines to have their artist displaying wealth.

Objects: Hiphop magazines often attempt to make their feature artists appear as wealthy as possible to reflect their success. I have therefore planned to have my model pose with two of the latest mobile phones in one photograph and the latest ipod in another. On the other hand, magazines also want their readers to be able to relate to the feature artist, therefore in another photograph I want my model to be doing something normal like eating ice-cream.

Feature Article Draft

Over the weekend I completed the first draft of my feature article. To do this I look at other articles and interviews from hiphop magazines and recreate the language used.
I chose to do an interview style article, includiung lyrics from Shystie's songs to reflect her character. I need to redraft it as some of the artricle is a bit repetitive.

Photoshoot: The Letter

Although I have already spoken to my model I thought it best to make sure she knows the time and place of the photoshoot for definate, so I typed up a letter to ensure that everything run smoothly when the time came:

Miss Fumilayo Brown,
I am writting to confirm with you that the photoshoot in which I will be taking pictures for my AS Media task will take place on Wednesday 10th December at approximately 5pm.

Please can you have your clothing already prepared and I will be supplying all the props that you will be using.

Many thanks,
Stephanie Broom

The Photoshoot

The photoshoot is planned to take place on Wednesday where I will be taking the photographs for my front cover, feature article and contents page. I have already chosen my model who will be posing as Shystie. Although she doesn't look all that much like Shystie, she exudes the same hard-faced attitude that I need.

I will be taking the first set of photographs in Crystal Palace park, where my model will be stilling inbetween the paws of the Palace sphinx. I chose this locatiuon because the sphinx represent power and authority and that is the atmosphere I want my photograph to give out. I will be taking this as a low angle shot, looking up at my model. This is will give to idea for power, aswell as making my model look taller as she is quite short. This is a stright on photograph that I took of a friens to show the scale of the sphinx.

The second set of photographs will show the more socialable side of Shystie, in a sort of party environment. These photographs will be alot more relaxed and less planned.

The Feature Article

This lesson I must start researching and planning my geature article. Not only do I need the article to sound like the artist themselves, but also be in the syle of hiphop music magazines.
As my feature artist is Shystie, my research will include looking at her myspace blogs, youtube videos and any past magazine articles.

http://www.myspace.com/shystie

http://uk.youtube.com/user/ShystieSupport