Evaluation - Question 1 - Draft

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of music magazines)

The graphology for my magazine is pretty simple, I used inspiration from; Fader, Clash and Loud and Quiet. The masthead of my magazine 'FL!P' I used the font 'Phosphate' which was already downloaded onto the Photoshop software. This is a big, bold font which is eye catching and it stands out. The title that I used was 'FL!P' my reasoning for this was because the magazine is a double cover magazine. I thought this would fit better than my original title which was 'Cross' as I think 'FL!P' has more of an edge and is more appealing to a reader. My masthead/title is similar to the font of Clash and Loud and Quiet which is the type of audience I want to be viewing my magazine. My masthead is above the main image on the page so it can be easy to see and so it is more effective. I tried to make the layout of my magazine simple and minimalistic so that it is able to meet my target audiences.

The graphology of my page and the layout I chose was me challenging the idea of not having the basic layout of a Z, H or F basic layout.  I thought that I would challenge this and try something unique with less writing on the front cover which will show off the image. I have used some inspiration from the magazine Loud and Quiet and created a front cover is that of a similar design.

The costumes that I have used for my model are ones that I have picked out myself because when looking at other magazine such as Clash and Fader I realised that the fashion was a vital point of the page. Therefore, I put my model in an indie brand which is Lyle and Scott on the front cover. This will appeal to the indie scenestars who are viewing the magazine as it i a brand that they will be wearing. You will also see my model in a Stussy jumper which is there to appeal to the more mainstream readers of my magazine as this will appeal to them and is something they will like. This will be vital in luring potential buyers into purchasing my magazine. Another one of my models is seen wearing a plain blue tee-shirt which gives the magazine a casual look to it so it is seen as more of a laid back magazine. The hairstyles are both messy and not very neat which gives the magazine an edge rather than having perfect hair which we all know isn't reality. 

For the camera work and framing of my images I have specifically chosen to use a mid shot for my front cover so it brings in some of the models body which is there to show the clothes of the model off. When researching magazine front covers I felt like the best looking and most appropriate image to use was a mid shot. This then also worked well because my model was photogenic so it made this image look even better and it suited my magazine. I have mainly used mid shots because I felt this was the most appropriate type of image to use for my magazine. However, I have used a close up image on my contents page which is to show the variation of images and that my magazine has some variety to it. The framings of my photos are all well presented and look good which makes the images even better. 

The style of my contents page was a developed one from fader magazine. I did this as it created a different effect which I liked and thought would work well with my magazine. My front cover and double page spread are quite simple design so I thought a busy looking contents page would mix it up. The initial contents page I was going to do was a design that I had thought of myself but when looking for inspiration in other magazines, I came across this design in the Fader magazine which I liked and wanted to develop. The images I used were two different models who I added so I could please all the types of genres within my magazine without it looking out of place. The contents is what really matters on this page and that is mainly what the readers will be looking for. However, I know how important images are in creating a magazine which is why I selected to use two images instead of just one. I also feel by using two images it helps me get across the indie,alternative/hip-hop vibe.

The design that I used was one that I had already thought of using before looking into other magazines for inspiration. This design has been used in other magazines before as I found out from looking through them. I wanted the pages to look sharp with a casual edge. I have done this by aligning all the writing perfectly with casual photos. The fashion I have used throughout the magazine would go well with the genre I am targeting. The magazine is a double cover which has indie/alternative on one side and hip-hop on the other. The side I have created is the indie/alternative which suits the genre and would stand out on the shelves.

The colour palette that I have chosen is a very simple design. I have used black and white as I believe this best shows my magazine how I want it to be portrayed. This simplicity also helps portray the indie/alternative theme of my magazine.