Grid Systems

After drawing my first 5 Grid systems and writing a few sentences about each of them, i have decided i am going to draw out 90 over a A3 sheet of paper, to vary some of the designs i can use.
This also shows shows that i understand grid systems and that if necessary i could design a whole magazine which each page has a different grid system.

Here is a 2 screen grabs from iCal, and this is to show what i have been up to and what i have left to do, in the final months of creating my magazine. 

This is just a first attempt of drawing some Grid Systems, most music magazine, have the same few grid systems and use it throughout the whole magazine. I have drawn five grid systems and written why they are effective.

Grid System 1)

This Grid System breaks the rules as OFF LIMITS isn't written in a certain box but it still works well and looks effective. 

Gris System 2)

This Grid System looks the neatest and its the grid system that is mostly use in Q magazine, They use this system throughout the whole magazine, but do vary the location of the images on the page.

Grid System 3)

This Grid System works well when there is a big image and not so much text, and i think it works well, and its very effective too.

Grid System 4)

This Grid System works well when there is a lot of different sized images, so it works well because more of the text boxes can be used to accommodate images. 

Grid System 5)

This Grid System works when a lot of text is needed, so on the right hand side of the page there is a full size image but there is a column of text over the image.

Contents Pages

Blooms

I love the contrast of the white flowers and the white text. The way there is 3 flowers in focus and the rest are out of focus due to the shallow depth of field works well and looks effective. The font that is used to write blooms looks good and relates slightly to the theme of the magazine and to flowers. I also tried to emulate this style of contents for my preliminary task contents page.

Eiffel Towers

I like how the 3 eiffel towers go up in hight order, as this gives your eyes something to follow. The way there is nothing else to look at is good and keeps the page from looking to busy and too messy. The text that is used is effective as it is quite simple but it is effective and keeps in the same style to the rest of the page.

Page Numbers

72

I like this and the use of the bright pink, because it is eye catching and your eyes focus on both the pink box and the image of the girl, but i don't think i would use page numbers like this, because i wouldn't have enough room on each page to have such big page numbers, and i think it works better because the image is monochrome which makes the pink stand out more, but i think most of my images will be in colour so wouldn't look as, effective. 

Number on the Side

I like this and i think it works well as it looks very clean and tidy and your eyes can focus and look at everything on the page. The way there is no other colours apart from black and white also help keep up the appearance  of the clean look, and to help in not look busy. I don't think i could use pages like this because i would need some more colour on my pages. 

Cause Bruv

Colloquial Language 

I don't really like the use of the colour pink here as it slightly clashes with the white, but the black caption box's work quite well and stand out quite a lot which work effectively. I like how he text is broken up into columns as well as the pink box because the eyes don't need to focus on too much at a time. I think the use of arrows are effective as they direct the eyes to see certain things I just think that it might have looked better if the arrows where a little bigger. Most of all what i like most is the use of colloquial language because i think the younger generation will be able to relate to it, and as my music magazine will be for the "Facebook" generation it think it will work well, and for the style and type of music magazine the use of slang words will be more acceptable i.e. Bruv and using numbers instead of writing the work i.e. 4 (instead of four)  

Beginning of Double Page

Big Speech Marks

I really like this because the big speech marks draw your eyes to the page, the use of the colour red is eye catching and will draw your eyes to the text before the your eyes see the image. The colour red might also seem quite symbolic and might relate to the article. 

Attention Class

I really like the use of chalk drawn images. I feel the use of scripted hand writing text works effectively as the article is about school. I think the use of yellow works well because as well as being eye catching it is also the colour of ducks, which are used in the article. 

Mojo Magazine

 This is a double page spread from MOJO music magazine. In my opinion this is one of the best double pages as it includes quite a large interesting image, whereas with most of the other double pages there was hardily any images, and a lot of very small text, which might put people off reading it, as people who read music magazines tend to look at the images surrounding the article before actually reading it. I also think that most of the band that are interviewed are listened to are from a much older generation than i would like to read my music magazine, so i think i won't be getting any inspiration from MOJO magazine. 

17th of October

After completing my Preliminary task, and getting to grips with photo shop i have now completed the front cover and the contents page of my school magazine. 

As the first attempt of my front cover wasn't saved on the system, i had to start again, but since i didn't like the cover, i thought that it wasn't so much of a bad thing. 

One of the main things that i found difficult was using the text as a map, to lead your eyes around the cover, because in my first attempt it was very messy and your eyes couldn't focus of a certain spot, where as now they can, they are meant to look at the bottom text first, then go up on the right hand side, and then read the text at the top. 

Photoshop

This is my first design of a magazine, its not relevant to my final magazine at all. It was just a case of getting use to use and to practice using photo shop. Its not very good but its a start.

Now i am going to start designing my preliminary exercise, of designing a cover and a contents page for a school magazine. The school that i am going to use is Jersey College for Girls because that's the school i go to, and it would be the most obvious to do. Some of the idea's i have are to use :-

- Books
- Students working
- School Uniform
- Subjects
- Teachers with Students
- Extra Curricula Activities.

Reasons why it is easier to design for my own school is because i know good places to use around the school, and i can use the school colours and the school crest.

Off Limits said YES!

Just a quick note to say that Offlimits said yes to be in my magazine, which has made me so happy, because i had such good ideas, for them. So my front cover picture and my double pages spread possibly more may be on them too.

Haven't heard back from any other magazines i have emailed, which isn't cool. 

I'm learning basic skills on Adobe Photoshop and designing a fake cover, that's not relevant to my magazine and my ideas, but its just a case of practicing till i know how to use the programme myself.

Double page spread

There is things that i like and dislike about this double pages spread, the things that i like is how each image has a caption box, telling you just the right amount of information that you want, i also like how each caption box's are shadowed to make them stand out more. What i dont like is how when the "Celeb's" faces aren't in the picture and they have it is a little spikey caption box. i think it looks slightly takcy, but overall its a good double page spread.

Contents

I really like the contents of every Q magazine, The way the main image is always on the top right corner means your eyes can always be drawn straight to the image first and the editors always try to make it an interesting images, about one of the main bands they are interveiwing. I also like the way of like use of the Red Black and White, it looks classy and not tackey as it might have done if there was lots of colours. I also like how the use of capital letters and block colours make certain words stand out.

15th September

Okay what i have done recently is emailed, editors of Q magazine MOJO magazine and NME magazine, to ask them a few things about their magazine, i.e How much it costs? How many writers there are? How many magazines are printer?

so hopefully they will get back to me pretty soon.

I have also been looking at Covers of magazines, to give me ideas for my magaize, some ideas for the front cover i have are :-

- Monochrome Photos
- On a beach with a sunset, if it was acoustic
- In a studio sitting on high stools
- Just faces all looking different ways

all these idea depend on the genre of music i decide to have as my main band.

I really like this image as its slighty antique looks perhaps because its from 1981, i also really like how the image isn't central.


I really like all the Rolling Stone magazine covers, but i like this one in particular, because its almost as if Amy is seducing you. I also really like how on most of the covers, The artists head will be in the middle of the title, but the editors leave it, and dont put the words over there heads.



I really like this cover, because its in monochrome and i think it looks really effective against the white background. I also like the way with photoshop they would have brought out the hair on his face, and the wrinkles etc, by sharpening the photo.

just got an automated reply from MOJO magazine saying :-

Hello,

Thank you for your email.

Please note that you have come through to MOJO editorial. The team will only deal with queries specific to the editorial content of the magazine, including competition entries, letters and complaints.

However, if you have an enquiry relating to subscriptions you can call 01858 438 806 and they will do their best to answer your question. Advertising queries should be made to the ads team by calling 020 7295 5000.

Thanks for your support,

MOJO

thats annoying but i'll hopefully get replys from NME and Q.

I think i'll email rolling stone too, even though i want my magazine to me more like Q or NME.

12 September

After alot of discussion i have decided to do a kind of indie magazine, but with a slight acoustic twist but mainly focasing on local bands with a few slightly bigger names. Some of the local bands who have agreed to be in my magazine are :-

- Pirate Video Company
- Jose Vanders
- Fabian Baker
- Milo Bellamy
- Georgina Sutton
- Liam Mitchall
- Robyn Lezala

I'm still waiting on replys from :-
- Offlimits

I also still need to ask:-
- Patrick Star
- Not Here Not Now

Some of the ideas i have for pages in the magazine are :-

- What music is playing in which shops, and comparing them.
- Boys vs Girls
- 15 things you didn't know and Jose
- Jersey Music

Some of the music magazines that i would really like my magaize to aspire to be like are :-

- NME
- Q
- Kerrang!
- Mojo
- The Wine
- KMag

At a later time i am going to email them and ask about statistics and what they think there target audiences are.

Some ideas i have had for adverts in my magazine is :-

- The latest itune advert
- The Gaymers Festival Guide advert
- The V05 advert
- The Samaritans advert
- The Black Kids album cover advert

All these adverts relate to music or into music in some way, the V05 advert is there because its very astheticly pleasing, and people that are into certain types on music styles and genres feel they need to dress and look a certain way.

I have thought about ideal target audience and it would probably range between 15-30ish or 30+ if theire really cool!
I have also realised that most music magaizines have a higher male to female ratio of magzine sales, so i want to try and make my magazine more femine so that more girls buy it, but not so girlie that boys are to scared to buy it.

Elements that i need to think about is a barcode and a price, because i dont want the barcode to take up to much room, and i would prefer it, if it wasn't the thing that drew peoples eye to. The price also needs to relete to the size, and quality of the magazine, so i think £2.50+ would be a good price.

Tuesday 9th

O.K

After much discussion, and watching many films.
i have completely changed my mind and have decided to make a magazine.
only due to the fact that i have more suitable ideas, and i think that i can stick to those ideas.

Also finding actors would be hard, because i think i would have needed older more "thugish" looking actors,
and honestly i dont know any people like that, or that would be willing to be in my video.

So now i have decided that the music magazine is my project, i have a few more stable idea's these being:

- interviewing local bands
- having notes from the editor
- having a fashion page
- having what to do, where to go (type thing)

Theses ideas that i am definatly going to use in my magazine.

September 5th

In today's lesson we watched some past video's sent to us from OCR. All videos being E-C grades, and none of these particularly stood out, and they all showed me things that i do not want to do in my video.

We also watched a clip from the film SEVEN (also marketed as SE7EN)
the reason of watching this clip, was to show how the set is so important, and if you get a really good set nothing else, really needs to be done.
The clip we watched was when the two detective go into the murderers flat. What is really good is that:-
- Only very simple acting was needed, with little to no talking.
- The use of Camera angles
- The use of Lighting (all darkness except torches as spotlights, and red lights, to create mood and tension.
- The Dust, and mess in the room
- The amount of books, and Photos hanging up etc.

September 4th

As homework we were given the option to watch some sort of film.
I chose to watch a psychological thriller called "The Number 23", as i was told it had a very good introduction.

What i thought made it a good introduction, was the:

Sharpness and Focus of the Camera
I thought this was really good, as it gave it a slight edge, and the way it was slighty scratchy and jumpy, gave a mood of suspension.

Simple Moving Shapes
This i thought was good, as it was easy on the eyes, and you didn't have to concentrate to hard, to follow and understand it. It was also good, because if there was lots of fast moving more complex shapes, along with the music and the colours, it may have been too much, and then looked messy and rushed.

The Use of Three Colours
I feel this worked well, because anymore colours and it would have looked stupid and out of place, but due to the colours being Black(the ink from the typewriter) Dark creme(the colour of the Paper) and Red(the colour of Blood), it makes it seem personal, and as if someone is writing it. The way text is appearing as if someone is typing it also adds mood, and tension

The Suspence Building Music
The suspence building music, at the begining adds tension, and it causes a build up, and it makes you think that at the end of the introduction, something bad is going to happen.

The Font and Scribbling Makes it More Personel
This i feel this is probably one the most important things in the introduction because with the use of the three colours, the sharpness of the camera and the way the text is appearing, it makes it feel more personal and if some is stressed, and needs to make it right and needs to write down as much as they can.

All of this used in the introduction are all reasons why i belive it's such a good introduction, and i think that all of these work together in making it better, because without one part of it it wuoldnt be as good.