Exploring Typefaces for my Final Magazine Cover

(Please bare in mind all the typefaces feature in thier name not a potentional magazine name.)

Bellow is a variation of fonts which i have accumulate through out my research, I am intending to peruse a rock/indie genre of magazine and i would like you to consider when commenting on which one you deem most suitable these simple points :-
1.What first attacked you to the typeface you chose and why
2.Is it suitable for the genre of magazine I am perusing?
3.What colours do you suggest it to be featured as?
4.What does the typeface symbolise to you or represent?
Typefaces
1. IIIIII (6)








2. IIIIIIII (8)






3.IIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII IIII (34)







4.IIIIIIIII (10)




5.IIIIII (6)



6.II (2)

7.I(1)

As you can see from my results there was a clear favorite with my audience.I have asked my audience why i they have choosen this font and the genral response was that the geometric shapes mirrored the image and shapes used by the typical indie band and instintanly suggested the genre to them.I am happy with this response as i also saw the link between the genre and shape and i beleive with the black outline will work wel with any colour scheme i pursue.

Letters To Music magazines concerning research

Today i have sent off numerous emails to music magazines varying from NME.com to Smash Hits to get feedback on a variation of genre's and what methods they use to capture such different effects yet are affective in capturing its target audiences.

I have asked numerous questions in persuit of advice as well as for merchandise which i can use as inspiration in my work, bellow is a copy of the letter i have used and i will update this post with any information i recieve reguarding my emails.

Dear whom this may concern,

I am a student from Biddulph High School Sports College and I am studding media studies at AS level. I am interested in many areas of media especially photography and film, but have specifically chosen to take forward print as a part of my coursework to enable me to explore this aspect of media as at A2 film is compulsory and this way I believe I will get a wide understanding and interest of the media world. The specification of the coursework is ‘To create a original music magazine of the genre of my choice and through research and analysis create a front cover, content page and a double page spread with my own photography and original stories’. As a part of my coursework, I have been using your magazine to analysis and report on and I find the mise-on-scene and photography used very effective in every issue and I am also interested in perusing and creating a magazine of the same genre. So basically I am writing to you to ask if you had any information about the magazine such as :-
Why you use the graphics you do?
How you use camera angles to assist the artist in portraying a certain message
How to create the perfect Masthead?
How to come up with the perfect magazine name?
What makes an interesting story?

And anything else you deem appropriate and any advice would be very grateful and would assist me in creating a perfect magazine.
hank you for your time,
Jessica Squires

Preliminary Project Review Questions

I am conducting this review to gain constructive feedback which i can use to improve and use to my advantage to produce a good coursework piece.So please give constructive feedback
thank you

Front Cover Review

1. What is your first impression of my Front Cover of a school magazine?
(eg. what grabs your attention? Colours, image and why?)


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2. What is your view on the mid-shot that fills the whole front cover does it serve it purpose? (Comment on the props used, location, costumes)

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3. Is the layout of the stories inside effective?
(Things to think about :-Does it act as a good basis for the images and wording? ,Does it hinder the photograph? ,Does it keep in with the theme of the magazine?)
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4. Do you think the mise-on-scene used on the magazine is effective and why or why not?
(Things to think about: - the colour scheme used, the photography used, The typeface used for mastheads and subtitles)
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5. If you would change anything about the front cover presented above what would you change and why?
(Comment on mise-on-scene – colour scheme, props used, location, type face etc.)
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Content Page Review

6. What is your first impression of my Content Page of a school magazine?
(eg. what grabs your attention? Colours, image and why?)


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7. What is your opinion on the layout of the content page?
(Things to think about? - The dividers used, colour scheme, background used, imagery used, type face)
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8.Does the magazines mise-on-scene etc. fit with the theme of the magazine and are the stories used relevant?
(Also comment way they have been presented, genre)
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9.Do you think the simplistic design is effective and different than the conventional school magazine if not why?
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10. Do you think the mise-on-scene used on the magazine is effective and why or why not?
(Things to think about: - the colour scheme used, the photography used, The typeface used for mastheads and subtitles)
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Preliminary Project - School Magazine (Biddulph High School)

Preliminary Project / Front Cover

My aim for this project was:-
1.Create something eye catching and interesting
2.Produce something original that is still appropriate for the target audience and useful.
3.Make the focal image capture the theme of the magazine in a subverted way.
Overall I believe I achieved this but if anyone has and suggestions on areas I can improve it would be very useful for my coursework.

Mise-on-scene

Colour Scheme: - The colour scheme I have used is based around the school colours which are dark blue and a sun yellow compliment each other and give a interesting basis to work on, I tried to incorporate and use various gradients of these colours to give variation and interest to the masthead by using block colour and alternate colouring which I believed worked well. Also I believe the colours worked well as a basic background in the jigsaw pieces and the background which acts as a page divider.

The Main Image:-The image I used ,I tried to capture what the school is recognised for which is being a sports college and in the image I tried to sow or represent the wide variation of sporting activity the school offer and I believe the mid-shot enabled me to capture the school uniform and the youth of the school.I decided to take the picture in the outdoor setting as it acted as a neutral background as well as being more interesting than a blank canvas but also links with the sporting theme of the magazine.

Mast head and sub-headings
With the masthead in kept this the same font as the Biddulph High logo to link the magazine together. The subheadings I used almost like newspaper clippings to symbolise headlines which is I believe affective and is away from the conventional theme of a magazine which I was trying to active a funnier younger target audience. I also incorporated the jigsaw pieces from the Biddulph High school logo to make an interesting banner acting as a story board almost in the colour scheme which again work well with the images not hindering them.

Content Page
Masthead
I decided to keep the masthead the same for the title of the content page as the front cover as it gives continuity and I also kept it the same for the subheadings an s the type face is bold and stands out as a divider.
Mise-On-Scene
I found it hard to find a satisfying way of presenting the stories and there page numbers in the end I thought I wanted a neutral background so I decided to keep in with the them of school and used stationary items to break up the white which I believe is quiet effective. I then used a basic type face which looks like an old school type writer which I believe ties together the page and theme of the section. I then used postic notes which I attached to the images I had used to symbolise the nature of the story which I edited and changed to fit in with the colour scheme.

I then created dividers which I again put in the colour scheme of the school which were affective and showed a clear divide. I again used the jigsaw pieces to present my pictures which linked to the stories on the left hand side. Only presented these in yellow as the background was dark blue which again meant there was little left space as the colour gives it interest so it isn't bland.

On the contents page I used the school logo much more to fill open space and to show the link between the colour scheme and shape used and because the magazine is for the school and I then incorporated the sports college logo to symbolise there unity.

I then used Olympic pictograms which I edited to introduce the stories to the right together with postic note the simplicity of both work well.

Again I believe I have created a success piece but if anyone has any input they would like to give it would be very helpful for my coursework so I could implement changes.









Media Studies Print Project - Magazine research Questionnaire



Please fill in the necessary information as detailed as possible and relevant. This questionnaire will enable me by exploring my target audience understand what elements of magazines I could devolp into my print project. Thank you


1.What genre of music magazine do you prefer and why?
(eg.rock, pop, RnB, Indie)
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2.What feature of a music magazine attracts you the most and why?
(eg.mise-on-scene,colour,masterhead)

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3.Out of the two master heads and fonts bellow which one do you prefer and why?
(eg.mise-on-scene,colour,Size)









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4.Out of the two genre of music magazines bellow which do you prefer and why?
(Eg.mise-on-scene, colour,Size,model,camer shot)

















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5.What genre of magazine do you most enjoy reading and why?
(Eg factual, real life stories,fashion, celebrites,music based)

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6.Which cover artist of the two bellow attracts you the most and why?
(Comment on mise-on-scene, camera angles, model, pose, colour scheme and layout)











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7.From the two contents bellow which one do you find most useful and why?
(Focus on mise-on-scene- colour, layout, images, and intensity)



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8. From the contents above were there any elements of the content which hindered you ability to understand the information?
(Focus on mise-on-scene- colour, layout, images, and intensity)






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9.One the double page spreads bellow of different genres which do you most prefer that interests you and why?
(focus on mise-on-scene-colours layout,photographs,camera shots,colour)




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10.In your opinion what sort of balance of mise-on-scene do you prefer and why ?
(Focus on the colours used, layout,amount of images used, ratio of text to images use examples of magazines if you wish preferably music in genre)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Analysis of Different Genre Magazines Double page spread (2 double pages)


Even though both these magazines double page spread aren't of the genre I will peruse, however the layout and presentational devices used and judging on there success enables me to adapt these an use them to my advantage.


8 Hour Endurance Magazine Two Page Spread
Layout and mise-on-scene
Photography and Images
However the right hand side of the double page spread the images are not conventionally laid out with a large long shot of the various in motion bikers which gives the sense of the event being a race and the variation in competitors. The lighting is bright and is set in the day which implies the invent is very innocent but still competitive.
The image to the right hand corner of the image above is a mid-long shot the same as the first image which captures the whole biker on performance linking with genre of the magazine and the link between the competitors above and the event they are participating in.

The first image is a mid-long shot of individual on the motorbike which fades into the plain white background which makes the image more dynamic because of the vibrant colours such as red. The red in the bike is linked with the master head ‘Young Blood’ which is in white with a black rim which keeps the readers attention on the image. The writing is conventionally set in four colours at the bottom of the page which is in a simple type face which goes with the simplistic black text colour. The reason I believe this colour scheme is because the information is factually based and of a detailed nature.

The right hand corner of the biker side ways mid-shot of the biker is smaller than all the other images on the double page spread because it has relevance to the topic but it suggests this competitor is less significance in the motor biking world than the other two images. Why around the images the text is situated around it uniformly in the same typeface and monotone black which again leads the reader to believe the information is factual and more complex read and could loss the readers attention easily as only for a specific target audience.





'NDORFIN Events Double Page Spread Review


Mise-On-Scene

This magazine use outdoor symbols to create a dynamic and interesting background which also acts as a effective topic divider as the wood surface is used to home the main body of information where as the blue water like surf board shaped area in the far left hand side acts as a event list and the sun like column on the far right hand side acts as a merchandise promotion. The quarter of the wheel implies to the reader that some of the events will be linked with mountain or road biking by the thickness of the tire we can tell this, theory is also enforced by the image of the bikers to the left.


The type face is simple and present in white which is used thought out the main body of information as it makes the text flow and is reader able on all surfaces used and is still easy to read without the hindrance of the background. This is very clever as it enables the publisher to have more versatility with the background without having to consider the legibility of the writing.


The master head of the magazine is used and incorporated to make the master head for the double page spread. The logo is a very clever as it reads ‘NDORFIN’ which reads as endorphins which are the hormones released when you are excited and implies the events will give the people or participants a an adrenaline rush which is mirrored by the ECG like pulse at the side of the N.Also this links with the sports pictured in the images across the double page spread such as wind surfing. The 3D effect is used and expresses the power of the events and how much and there popularity and the pulse it gives people. The sub-heading ‘Event’ is in the same type face as the main body of writing yet it is reversed into the type face being black this makes it stand out and links with the writing again joined with the master head. The publisher uses the colouring of the background to link other parts of the writing such as the grey areas linking to the surfboard.


The section titled ‘HIGH PERFORMANCE MUFFS’ is used as a merchandise advert area. The background behind the muffs is used to imply these muffs are really special and are really special and a must have.The colours used also symbolise the sun which keeps the theme of the background of being things associated with the natural environment. This has also enabled the Publisher to get the sponsors logos in which uses different type faces but the same colour scheme as used throughout the magazine. Overall this is very effective as it divides the advert from the main body of the two page spread but keep in the theme used through out but is more dynamic due to strobe used to mimic the sun which catches the readers attension.


Images and Photography

The images used are framed in a white which gives the audience the sense of the images being arranged as a scrap book as the images are conforming with the conventions and are slightly of angle which implies a sense of risk in the activity.
The images used use a variation of camera shots to engage the reader from using point of view shots which enables the reader to relate to the participants. Also long shots for such images as the wide surfing and water sports which enables the audience to see the freedom it gives and there idyllic setting it is based and the skill which is required. Also the image is a good tool which implies to the audience the nature of the events.

Analysis of music magazine content pages (2 contents)

Austin Independent Contents Analysis
Layout and Mise-on-scene :-

The content is divided in three sections by a simple column divide, which divides the ‘PUBLISHER NOTES' and the ‘CONTENTS’ this divide is also aided by the different use of colours vibrant pink for the sub-heading ‘CONTENTS’ and vibrant light blue for ‘PUBLISHER NOTES’ and the final section is ‘THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT STAFF’ but this is in the same type face and colour as the general content which leads the reader to think of this as less important and the order and space given to the sub-heading implies this. The fourth section is the bright yellow box in the left hand corner of the content this is a convention in magazines for advertisements as the contrasting colours attract the readers.
Where the contents is situated on the right hand side the colour scheme changes to a white background but the type face still remains in the same colours of pink, blue and yellow for sub headings and the master head with monotone black page listings. The reason this is done so is so the content is clear and concise to the audience and easy to read, why making the contrast between the two halves appealing to the audience and attractive, which fits in with the overall theme of the magazine. The content sub heading isn't large but is larger than all the sub-headings which introduces the page. The word ‘content’ is presented in pink as is the name of the magazine which makes the link between the genre of the magazine being rock.
Images and Photography used and it's impact:-
The image used in the left hand corner is used to link with the ‘publisher note’ and the close up of the mans face being at the top implies he’s the publisher and above all those in the fourth section THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT STAFF’ as in the close up he is silhouetted with a vibrant green which fits in with the theme of primary nearly neon colours and it being green also enforces his significance as this colour is not used anywhere else in the content page. The contrasting vertical lines of colours such as yellows, oranges and browns also make the ‘publisher’ stand out to the audience and almost puts him on a pedistool.Also the use of the colours in the background are used throughout the content page which implies he ties all the elements together that make the magazine.
Gauge Eleyen Analysis-Contents
Even though the genre of this magazine isn't the genre I am going to be focusing on it is useful to explore different lay-outs and mise-on-scene to get an understanding of what works best.

Master head
The master head is appropriate to the genre of the magazine however I believe it isn't that effective as it is complicated to remember or understand and as I have explained previously the master head is the determine factor on the success of the magazine, But the variation in shape and colour makes the reader think that the magazine explores many different levels of culture and media. The shape of the font also implies the unusual genre of the magazine as both shapes are unusual. The colours used on the type face gold and purple strangely compliment each other why maintains the overall theme of the magazine.

Content listings
The content listing is simplistic so that the information is illegible and concise which is very effective for a reader as it is easy to find the necessary information. The type face used mirrors the title and is used consistently throughout except the sub-heading are featured in capital letters not bold as this fits in with the unconventional appearance of the magazine yet is still very effective. As you can see the creator has used many presentational devices to make the writing noticeable and interesting to the reader the colours used pink for sub-headings and black for the content of the sub-headings are very affective as the sub-heading may link back to the sub-heading on the front cover for example and stand out to the reader. Again the pink and black are contrasting yet compliment each together which is the case though out this content page.

The content master head
The type face used again is the same as the master head which is the general theme throughout but uses a a dynamic blue which hasn't been used which fits with the non conventional colour scheme and layout. The colour is the O of the content is merged as the divider between the content and images this is very effective as it acts as though it supplies the whole page with colour. So the title in affect has two jobs towards the layout and the overall mise-on-scene of the magazine.

Images and Photography used:-
The images used all have unusual settings but yet all make the reader inquisitive on the relationship they have to the articles to the left. The first image is a low angle shot of a young man whom is surrounded with vinyl records and images his dress implies as well as the images surrounding him that it is inspired dress is from the late 70’s,early 80’s.The colours used in the shot are again dynamic and contrasting which creates interest for the reader and this fashion of dress is being incorporated in modern fashion much more often. In the left hand corner in the same type face and monotone bold black is the page number which the picture links with in the magazine which is headed ‘DJ JayCeeHoh’ This also links with why he is central to the photograph as he is the focal point and by using a low angle shot it implies that he has a significant role in the DJ industry. Also the nature and era of the images behind him implies the genre of the music he specialises in. The lighting used again is bright which accentuates the dynamic colours used making the image more imposing and interesting to the reader, making them want to read the article which is the main aim of the publisher because if the contents isn't interesting the reader will already be bored.


The second image used on first glance implies to the reader that the nature of the article is of something of Robin Hood era due to the use of such props as a silver sterling sword and the stereotypical wood land area. However if you look closer the individual n the shot is in fact wearing a modern leather jacket which already interreges the reader on what the article is actually portraying, this could also be a down fall as it could repel a reader but generally looking at the overall nature of the magazine would compel the reader to read on and make links back to the content on the right hand side. Again in the left hand side of the photograph is a page number of 4 in a bold type face in the conventional black ,however this is very difficult to make out due to it being positioned on the tree bark which makes the number camouflaged in ,this could hinder the stories success as the reader as I did previously would be unsure of the relevance or what article it linked to. The lighting used makes the individual stand out and the contrast between his dark trench coat and the white snow implies he has some force or danger involving with the genre of the story, This impression I gained totally form the image and when I linked it back to the article name I realised how effective the photograph actually was. The title of the article is ‘6 It Ain’t Fencing’ this confirmed my first impression as it means from the phrase of the question that there is a sense of anger with the individual, however the use of colloquial language takes this edge of and makes the subject matter less aggressive yet still enticing on its nature.



The third image is of a young male in what seems to be a suit however this is not conventional dress for a young man already this leads the audience to believe he is unusual which makes the audience assume the nature of article he represents is also of a peculiar nature. The mise-on-scene of his dress and location enforces the audiences initial impression of the individual. The bright pink background contrasts with the masculine dark blue of the persons shirt which could imply his personality isn't totally masculine but he tries to portray this in his clothing, Again the checked mustard coloured jacket with the grey shirt are the only aspects of his dress that match however it implies that he has sme elements of normal but he still has a acquired taste. This is mirrored in the name of the article which the image represents which is the ‘Reality Geek’ the representation on the image is very clever as it represents your typical stereotypes but by the symbolism of colour has explored various meanings. The close up of the mans eyes enables the audience can see his frustration which is mirrored in his hand positioning implying he is frustrated this could also link to the colours which could indicate the nature of the article being his sexuality and the stereotypical problems which come with the stereotype ‘Geek’.