Creating a layout of my magazine in Photoshop using boxes and other shapes

Draft copy of what my magazine could look like and the location of all the components
At present

I have created a basic layout for the four pages in my magazine using only shapes to show where I am planning to place imgaes and different texts. This is only a draft that I may try to improve the design to make the criteria more and make it more effective.
Here is the pages that I have created for my magazine...

 

After looking at my original diagram I am going to change my idea accordinly to my chosen inspiration which is the Billboard magazine. Here is a list of things I have decided to change...

- I am going to get rid of the bar code
- I am going to remove the slanted harding and put it horizontally like the Billboard for all te pages
- I am also going to have the main title to the story going accross the main image
- I am going to get rid or maybe change the selling point

The rest of the magazine like the conetents page and the double page spread are going to be left unchanged
Here is the "Billboard" magazine front cover below...

After I have looked at some of the magazines I have gathered for ideas I have chosen one in particular which I think is very good and suites the criteria. The magazine I have to help create my magazine is the Billboard which is a famous and well known magazine and normally has very good and interesting articles and information inside. I am going to relate back to this magazine for ideas as I belive it will be very useful, this could also help me make a great magazine.  I have then decided to make a better diagram of my magazine following the layout of the Billboard as this is my chosen inspiration. I will also be looking at my mood board for inspiration about the choice of images and what angle should they be taken at.

The reson why I have chosen this particular magazine is because it is a perfect example of what a pop magazine should look like, but also it is nice and relatively simple to get ideas from. It is not bambared with information and images like other magazines which is anothe reason why it woulkd be very suitable to use, and the colour scheme is very good with a good choice of colours that are suitable for this type of magazine. The image on the front is a picture of Miley Cyrus followed by an interesting header which gives me ideas for my own header, I can keep relating back to this magazine for ideas and where I should place all the components to my magazine.

While using the "Billboard" as inspiration I have made the changes to my magazine which has made it look a lot better and more effective towards my target audience. The colours may not be normally found in a pop magazine as my research tells me but the colours chosen still look very effective so I have made an exception.

Questionaire- (Asking my target audience what they would like to see in a pop magazine)

I have created a Question as one of the task's to ask people what they would like to see in a Magazine.
Below are the responses from some of the people that have completed my questionaire and have sent teh results back to me.

This is the first question to my questionaire and is followed up by a total of 3 respeonses so I get a bit of an idea on what people would like to see in a Pop Music Magazine. They have answered every question so their is an answer for every question that was on the questionaire making the results more accurate and I get their opinion on every question that was asked.




Q1. Somebody that completed my questionaire has told me that I needed to put some images of pop stars on my magazines as that is what they would like to see when reading a pop magazine. This answer is what I was expecting to see in my results, I knew that people reading a pop music magazine would like to see images of the people they are reading about and this answer has confirmed it. So taking this information on board I have decided to place imags of my chosen pop artisrt when I create my magazine. Another answer was an in deph article about my chosen pop artist, taking this answer on board I am going to write at least one in deph article about the life of my chosen pop artists as that is what people would like in a magazine.



Q2. I have to agree 100% with the answers given for this question as I feel as well that they would not be good for a magazine either. People would loose interest in a magazine that is full of people that they don't know or care about, so to avoid this I am going to put images of my chosen pop artist which is going to be myself. I am going to make it out like I am very famous in the music industry and that a lot of people like me an listen to my music, therefor listening to the answers given and putting somebody famous in my magazine that people like. Another answer says that I should have information and images relating only to genre which is pop music and information about my chosen pop artist. I am going to listen to this answer and keep that in mind while making my magazine.

 

Q3. As for the answers to this question I have actually decided not to listen to them, I do see where they are comming from as you are supposed to use bright colours in a music magazine as to keep people engaged and interested in the magazine. I am planning to use colours that normally you would'nt see in a pop magazine as I am trying to make my magazine look different to other magazines and have a positive effect on people that read it. The colours I am planning on using are black and red along with white, these colours look their best when they are used together and make things stand out better.




 

Q4. I agree for the answers for this question as well. I was planning on using images of pop artists in the magzine and the answers to this question has just told me that I was right doing so. I am just going to get some images of the main artist doing diferent posses and not doing their favourate activity as I feel that I would drift away from the genre and would not suite my house style I am creating. So while analysing the results I am going to include the pictures that they want in the magazine. Somebody has put that they would like a competition of some sort to be included as well, I am going to put a a competition or two on the contents pages and show what pages tey can be on to try and make it look more realistic like a real magazine.



Q5. The people that have taken part in the questionaire have said that the magazine should not just be aimed at boys or girls but both. I have came to te decision to make my magazine for both girls and boys and I am going to try and make my magazine appeal to both of them. My chosen pop artist is going to be a boy which makes it appeal to girls as this is what they would like to see in a magazine, the pop artist is going to be in nice and stylish clothing which is what they boys would like to see. The colours I am going to use should appeal to both girls and boys instead of just pink for girls and blue for boys. The articles are going to be on a subject that girls and boys will like instead of an article aimed at a specific geneder, the article will be about the life of a pop artist which is going to appeal to both genders.

Original Magazine (Planning)- Initial Ideas for my Front Cover, Contents Page and Double-Page Spread

Front Cover and Contents Page draft

For my Initial Ideas I have created a draft copy of my Front Cover, my Contents Page and my Double Page Spread. I have tried to make it as realistic as I can by adding things  pooplike selling points a bar code, this seems to work quite nicely as so far it's looking very good.

Below are the designs I came up with...



Here is my Front Cover and Contents Page draft

Front Cover

My Front cover is relatively simple or I have tried to make like that at least, as it involves the main image to by my chosen pop star surrounded by othe rcomponents I have put in to make it look like a real magazine. To try and make it look more realistic I have put a selling point at the top left that can either be to try and sell something or it can advertise something inside the magazine. Around the main image I am going to put some headings that can tell people what they can find inside the magazine plus made up headings that can fill up excess space.The main Heading is going to be placed at a slant at the top of the page, this is primarily for decoration and it looks a lot better then if I just put it landscape at the top.

Contents Page

The Contents Page is going to tell people what is going to be in my magazine as well as some made up things that are just their for effect and decoration. The Main Heading is at a slant just like the Front Cover as part of my house style. I have got all the writing and page numbers at the bottom in three colums depending on how space I am going to have. The Main story is going to be a Double Page Spread of my top story which is going to be about my chosen pop artist.

Double Page Spread Draft

Here is my Double page Spread draft



Double Page Spread (Main Story)

 

At the top of the left hand page is where I am going to place the main heading and underneath in three colums is where the writing and information is going to go. On this double page spread I am going to have...

 

- An intro into what the page is all about

- A question and answer colum

- My life which is a story about my pop artist (This will last for the remainder of the double page spread unless I extend the question and answer section)

 

I am also going to place some image about the page where they look best and fit in well with the rest of the page. So far I am going to place an image at the start for the introduction and then one at the start of My Life, I am not sure whether to add an image of two people or just one in the middle of the My Life colum.

 

 



Mood Board



Mood Board to give me good ideas for my magazine
This Mood Board has got a series of famous Pop artists that should help me get ideas


My mood baord can tell me things like what type of pictures I shoud be using, what are the best posses to do and the different styles of clothing the artist's are giving us.