Evaluation

My music magazine uses forms of conventions you would expect to find on a music magazine. For the front cover I used an image of the artist who is going to be featured inside the magazine in an interview.  I have seen quite a few magazines which do this I feel that this is done to allow the reader to immediately gain an insight as to what the main aspect of the magazine is going to be based on. This is effective in a way as it is the first thing the reader looks at when they pick up the magazine instead of the text first. Also because the white contrasts with the black and makes the model stand out more as well as the gold fancy writing going with the theme. I also did this with the main story lines and the words such as ‘Katrina Lenett’, I made this bigger to emphasise the main information on the page. This is useful because it is a quick way to look at what is the most important information on the page.

I challenged forms and conventions of a real music magazines on both my front cover and contents page. The front cover of my music magazine challenges conventions because you would aspect to find the main model in the magazine giving direct eye contact to the audience, whereas in my front cover the model is looking down as if she is playing the piano. I choose to use a shot like this for my front cover to make it seem as if the artist took a picture of her during a performance, rather then a 'posey' picture, I wanted to show the real side of my artist that she portrays in the magazine a hardworking musician. I got the idea from a magazine by Classic FM, which shows the artist working and he isn't necessarily making eye contact (example under contents page)

For my contents page I used a violin as the main image in the background. I did this to subvert the idea of always having the main artist or other pictures as everything in the magazine such as the front cover, contents and double page spread. (example contents page-top). I used a a white exposer to give it an authentic look to so it looks more like a classical music magazine. I think my double page spread follows and challenges conventions. I feel that the general layout of the writing (in columns) is what you would aspect to find in a music magazine as well as a clever feature such as a 'fact file'which is sometimes featured in the magazine to make it look different.On the other hand, I didn't have lots of quotes and images scattered around the two pages, I would say my double page spread was quite organised. Although I challenged some of the conventions because I used a rectangular picture on the on the first page to emphasis it's prominence and I didn't want one picture to be the whole focus because I was going to have three smaller pictures on the second page, so it would look to cluttered having the writing and lots pictures on on double page spread.

My music magazine represents social groups by using certain colour scheme for my magazine. The colours mostly used are black, white and gold (to go with the theme). Although these colours are dark they can be seen as uni-sex colours; this is useful as my target audience are both genders. After doing some research on other classical music magazine's, I have found out most of them use dark colour scheme or a complete opposite and use white, so I combined the two together for my magazine. I choose this colour scheme in particular because the black colour connotes maturity (as my target audience is mostly adults) and looks classy. The gold font connotes wealth and glamour in a way as well as elegance. Lastly the white font stands out from the black background and connotes 'innocence' and 'elegance' as well as the italic font, something I would like to be linked to the artist. Font's are another way of representing social groups as the elegant style goes with the theme of the music and delivers a message in a clam and I catching manor to the target audience.

I would like an international popular media intuition to sell my music magazine as it looks at classical music magazine's around the world. I would distribute my music magazine in news agents, supermarkets and stationers, as well as it being available to order online/subscription. Finally I  want my music magazine to be advertised on TV on channels such as cookery channels and classical music channels especially. I chose these particular channels as it's channels grown-ups in there mid 20's onwards may watch. I would also have it advertised on Classical FM radio.

The target audience of my music magazine is 25 onwards for both genders. They would also be into  classical music, and very interested in classical music festivals, concerts and other artists. Through the questionnaire I had produced I was certain that I would be able to cater for my target audience and take into consideration their opinion's and views to put into my final magazine. After I got feedback from my target audience, I feel like I made the right decisions in making a classical music magazine.
I addressed my audience by carrying out questionnaires, making sure I handed them out to age rage over 25 both males and females. I made sure that everything from the font of my magazine to the way my was model dressed was fitted what my target audience would want to see and therefore attract their attention when they read it. The most important way of attracting my target was my model. I dressed her in a sophisticated white top and balck skirt ti go with the theme of classical music, my target audience agreed that the fress code worked wel with the magazine's theme. Since my magazine is for 25 and over, which is quite a young audience, I thought that it would be a good idea to use a young looking model like 'a fresh face' in music. Although from my audience feedback 1 or 2 of them said that the target audience ranged from 16-30 or 18+, they said that her piercings made her look younger and so said that the target audience would be younger than 25. but the majority said 25+.

Using programmes like Adobe Photo Shop has increased my creative skills as I have been able to use it to construct my front cover and contents page. Using phototshop has given me the advantage of making my magazine and contents page look up to a professional standard as some magazine companies use this at some stage when they are constructing their own magazine. The main techniques I learned from using Photoshop was how to professionally layer my front cover and contents page. As well as this, I also learnt how to brighten and contrast most or my pictures as well as using exposure and colour effects for my contents page to make it look authentic. I also learned how to use the eraser tool to cut out my model from the background and put her onto the front cover, as well as learning how I can edit the shape and font size of my front cover. So I could double click on the layer of the font and it would let me add effect to the writing including 'bevel' and 'shadow'.

Looking back at my preliminary task making my  school magazine, I have learnt learnt what typical conventions I should include in my music magazine including the main picture barcode title etc. Firstly, it prepared me to fully address my target audience by understanding what they want and what attracts them.  As my target audience were year elevens I had to think about what sort of information would be relevent for the magazine which was talking about the school graduation party as they have finished their exams etc. This helped me when making my music magazine as I had to include information that would be relevernt to my target audience which was information like 'wining tickets to Proms' and other news. I also learnt that you had to have a specific colour theme running throught the magazine like real magazines so it looks more professional, this is why I choose to have the dark colour theme running through my music magazine. I also learnt that the process of making a music magazine was very time consuming and there was a lot of pre-planning to be done with drafting, photographs and other decisions. This is why I made sure that I print screened all my work and wrote about it to explain the process. Lastly, I realised that it would be benificial if I took my own pictures instead of cutting out another photo and putting it in the background becasue that was the best way to experiment with camera angles and be creative. 

Audience Feeedback

I asked for feedback from the 5 of my target audience (25 and over-male and female), but I choose differnt people to whom filled out my actual questionnaire so I could get valid results. Before I asked them for their response I asked them thier age just to be sure. The first question I asked them  was what they found most attractive about the front cover, contents page and double page spread. In general three of my target audience said they like the style of my font as it looks 'elegant' and that it 'goes with the theme of classical music. The first person (top image) is saying they like the  'general layout'. The 3rd image is another one of my target audience saying they think 'the violin goes with the theme of the magazine, similarly with the  and last image who also says they like the piano and the way the model is dressed. And the 4th image who likes the image of the front cover too. 

For my contents page, the majority of my target audience said that they like the 'faded image of the violin as the background of the contents page'. The third image shows one of my target audience saying they like the 'range of different things on the contents page', basically the content written. Lastly, for my double page spread the first two images (target audience) and last target audience said that they like the 'general  layout of the double page spread as well as the pictures. The 3rd person (image) said that the double page spread is very 'interesting and detailed'. And the last 2 images (target audience) say that they like the 'fact box' in the double page spread.

Here one of my target audience have said that they think that the target audience is 28 and over which is close to what my actual target audience was.
My target audience recognized the genre which was classical music and lastly, asked what I could improve about all three parts of my music magazine. This person said that that I didn't need to change anything about the contents page and front cover. And said that I need to change subheading on the double page spread.

This person said that the target audience is 30-60 which is close to my actual target audience, they also recognized the genre of music as classical. When asked what they would they improve about the front cover they said that there should be more information on the front cover of what else is in the magazine. I was originally going to put more information on the front cover about featured pages inside but the picture already took up alot of space so putting more writing would make it look too cluttered.

This target audience recognized the target audience as being between 25-30 and when asked what they would improve about the magazine. They said that the front cover should be brighter. This shows that maybe they thought the black, gold and white theme didn't stand out that much.

This person thought that the target audience was 18-60, when asked why they choose quite a young audience they said it was 'because 'the model looks young on the cover because of her piercing.' Although they recognized the genre as 'classical', when asked what they would improve about the music magazine, they said said they would change the fact that she is wearing lots of piercings on the front cover because is contradicts the genre.

Lastly, this person said that they think the classical music magazine is aiming at young classical musicians. This is good because it makes my magazine seem as if professional musicians would read it to as well as the target audience. When asked what they would improve about the magazine. They said that for the front cover again the piercings on the model because it is 'unusual' for a classical musician to be wearing lots of piercings. For contents page they said that I shouldn't have included 'plus much more inside'. This is maybe because if the magazine is very well known around the world the target audience will already know that there is much more inside.

In conclusion, all the feedback I got from my target audience was quite positive, although the age range that some of my target audience  said that the magazine was aimed at was quite surprisingly young because I used quite a young model and maybe because the piercings making her not follow the normal convention you would aspect to find on a classical music magazine.

My Final Music Magazine!

Front Cover

Contents Page

Double page spread

(I made a slight change to the double page spread. I went back on photoshop and draged the blue subheading more up so that the audience could read it clear because the end sentence blended too much with the piano.)

Making my double page spread...

                                I uploaded the picture onto Photoshop first so that I could add text.

I started to experiment with the colours to see which colour I wanted for the title of my double page spread. I decided to go for a plum colour as I thought it matched with the models lipcolour and headband. I went for a formal elegant font for the titile.

I changed the font for the bottom subheading into italics and made it a deep blue colour instead of just black which would most likely blend in with the piano.

Here I have transfered the double page spread image onto Microsoft Publisher. I did this as I thought it would be an easier way to write the article by using coloumes too. I used the image as one half of my double page spread and three little images on the other half showing my model play the piano. I thought that this would be a good idea becasue the smaller images are unique and will look like 'snapshots' similar to how I designed my first drafts.

                                                                                Here I have started to create the fact box for my double page spread. I used the 'text box' tool to create a rectangular box in the corner in which I was going to put about 5 facts. I also made the colour of the fact box a gradient colour between black and a purply/plum colour so it went with the theme and added a bit of colour. I chose the writing to be white as it would stand out on the dark background. Afew finishing touches I included are the page numbers and  the person who wrote the article, in this case the editor of Perfect Harmony magazine. I choose the Editor to be the writer as I thought that a proffessional and well known person like the editor writing the article would make the reader think that the article is very important and interseting.

Making my contents page...

Programme used: Photoshop

I decided to change the colour exposure of the main picture so that it had a light overly white colour and the piano was in the background so that the writing stood out. I also used an effect for the picture which was the 'pencil sketch' effect, I used this effect so that the background looked a bit more 'authentic'.

Here I have started to add the title. I used the same font that I used for the front cover, but I used a different layer again to make the 'c' look bigger. I used a light rose/brown colour for contents as I felt that it matched the bottom of the violin and made it look more soft instead of just black, I than added effect to the writing starting of with the letter 'c' which I used a glow outline and inner shadow. Then I used a simple inner shadow for 'ontents' I was originally going to use gold but then decided not to as I felt it would bled in too much with the background.

Here I have started to add the writing, which is i italics ad the same colour of 'contents'. I made sure that the numbers where in a bold font and bigger so that it was the first thing they looked at. As you can see I have also used the shape tool to add black and gold box's with headings of 'feature', 'news' and 'reviews' I decided to do this as I wanted to carry on the 'black and gold' theme and I thought it gave it a unique touch. 

I finally added the website again at the bottom just so the reader didn't forget. And the date at the top so the reader knew how often it was issued.

Ideas and content to include for my double page spread

My double page spread will be about the artist past and how they became famous I will have to use some quotes they have said in other interviews as well as what their friends and family had to say about them.

Starting my Magazine front cover...

Programme used: Photoshop

I started of testing fonts and came up with two different fonts on a black background. The colour I used was gold. I wanted to make the 'P' from 'perfect' bigger so that when it was put together the image would cover a little bit of it.

Here I have started to add effect to the title just a outer shadow and a bevel and emboss effect to make it look more 3-D. I also made the writing wider across the page.

I decided that I wanted to change 'Harmony' into a different font as this font looked more sophisticated so I also add a effect to that so that it looked 3-D. I made sure that 'Harmony' was smaller than 'Perfect' so that there was more space underneath for my picture and the attention went on 'Perfect' first.

Here I have started to cut out the picture for my front cover.

After I cut out the picture I had to paste it onto the cover although I had a bit of a problem which was that the top of my models head was cut of so I to scale it bigger so that it was behind the text. This wasn't originally what I had in mind as I wanted the picture to cover a bit of the writing instead to make it seem as if the magazine is very well know. But it didn't look that bad after I dragged the writing at the top a bit more. I also added the white box at the top with the heading 'UK's favorite classical music magazine' like I had planed in my draft.

I changed the writing in the white box at the top to 'The world's favorite classical music magazine' and took it to the middle so that it looked like more writing to cover the space as well as luring the audience into thinking that you can't get a better classical music magazine then this one. I also started to write the name of the artist and made it larger than the subheading underneath which is in italics.

Here I started to add the gold thin rectangles using the 'shape' icon to make it go with the gold, black and white theme. I also made the writing of the main story a bit bigger and didn't want to add anything else as I thought it would look too 'cultured' because the picture is already quite big. Whereas in my draft there was much more writing. I also added the bar code with the price and issue number at the bottom I found out that most of the music magazine's tended to have that at the bottom with the bar  code, I also tried to get a very similar font.

I ended up using one more story line as I though that it would be appropriate to include one more in the side but being careful that it doesn't cover too much of the model. I used the same gold bar to separate the bold 'Win!' from the subheading underneath. Finally I added the website of the online magazine in the top right-hand corner in a white font so that my target audience know were to go to find it. Again, when I looked at the well know Classic Fm magazine the website was written in a similar font, the colour white and underneath the main title. 

Changes I've made for double page spread

A few of my target audience who I gave my questionnaire to suggested that I change the idea of a fact file as the double page spread to a portfolio of the artist instead. This was becasue when they saw my draft they thought it was 'unproffecional' and so I asked them why and they said that they felt that a complete fact file won't go with the theme of the magzine, whereas a portafolio including facts was a more 'sophisticated' way of presenting a fact file. I asked them abit more about why they felt that I had to change the idea of a fact and what I could do to improve it. So I held a mini focus group of about 8 people who I showed few double page spread pages and they said that they would instead like a portafolio from and editors perspective including what the artist had said in another interview, also what family and friends say about them. My focus group said that I should talk about there 'journey to fame' etc. They also said that another feature I should include is the a mini 'cv portafolio' including little facts about them and a few little pictures on the side showing her on the piano so I don't completely let go of the 'fact file' idea.

Pictures I have rejected

I rejected the image on the top left because I thought that you couldn't tell that the model is a musician and she is not making eye contact. I rejected the picture on the top right because most of the piano is cut of because of the camera angle and the colour of the picture is too 'yellow, although it was a good shot in a way because it really looks as if she is concentrating and playing the piano. The picture of the model lying on the piano is a good shot because it is a high angle shot although the shot seems fuzzy and not clear plus you can see a prop in the background. The last picture that I rejected is the picture of the violin. I think the clarity of the violin is very clear but I thought that because it is a extreme close up it would be hard for me to write on for my contents page.

Pictures I have chosen for my magazine

These are the two pictures I have chosen for my front cover and contents page. The model playing the piano is for the front cover and the violine is for the contents page. The top picture is a close up of my model as you can see. I choose this picture as my front cover because I thought it would be better showing my model look as if she is really performing at a classical concert ad the close up will show her emotions towards classical music. I have choose the violin as my contents page picture because I think it contradicts the I idea that the whole magazine is about this pianist and is about other aspects of classical music, I wanted it to look simple and and not add anymore pictures then the violin itself this will make it seem as if the magazine is very well known and doesn't always have to have other pictures to do with what is inside the magazine.

These are the pictures I am planning on using for my double page spread. The top left picture of the model is a birds eye view shot. I took it at a high angle shot as I thought it would look unusual and professorial as she is also making eye contact which will engage the reader more, I could also imagine it looking really good across my double page spread. I want to use the rest of the photographs as smaller pictures for my double page spread. The top right shows my model looking down and playing the piano, this is again a birds eye view shot, I choose this picture as I thought that it would be good showing the artist playing the piano like how she really would be. The picture of the piano is a close up and moves the attention away from the model for a bit to show how important the music is too. The picture with the model looking up at the audience is one I don't know I want to use as I think I may have used to many of her. The last picture a her playing the piano from the back shows elegance in a way as you can see what she is wearing (white top and skirt) this connotes that she is still a young girl and white connotes innocence. The only problem is that I will have to crop out the chairs in the background.

Drafts of my front cover, contents page and double page spread

Front cover draft

This is the first draft of my music magazine cover. I made it one Microsoft word. As you can see, the colour theme I went for mainly is gold, white, black and gold, this is primarily because of what my audience suggested from my questionnaire results, although I may just change the red font to just white as it would fit better with the brief. I have tried to go for a elegant font for the writing on both sides and used two different types of writing. I also added red lines to separate each of the articles featured. I added the conventional features such as a bar code with the date it has been issued as well as the price of the magazine. I have also added the website link on the top near the title so the audience know were to go to access the magazine online. At the top of the magazine I have added a line saying 'The UK's favorite classical magazine', this is a way of making the magazine seem like the best choice for my target audience as does the nation agree with it. It is a way of persuading them to buy the magazine.

Contents Page draft

As you can see the draft of my contents page still has a similar theme of gold and black running through it like my audience suggested. I choose the font to be similar to the front so it showed elegance. I decided that I wanted the fact the it 'the world's best selling music magazine' to  be written across the top of the contents page like a news flash to the audience and a reminder.


Draft of my double page spread

As you can see I wanted the main focus as soon as you come on to the double page spread to be the big picture if my model sitting on top of the piano as it looks classy and grabs your attention straight away. As for the title I decided to edit the photo o photo shop before transferring it on to Microsoft Publisher. I added a plum colour which matched her lipstic for her name than a royal blue colour for the subheading. I choose these to colours as I thought that they would best suit with the picture and stand out from the black. The main article is presented in colums across the the two pages and I will be using the font Time New Roman as it seems to look the most formal and most of the other articles I've looked at use this font too. The black boxes on the second page are showing were I am planning to put a 3 more small pictures of my artist playing the piano, the blank space on the top is were I will be adding the mini fact file about the artist.

Font styles

The first font is a light green and blue gradient and in the font Monotype. I like this font becasue the colour theme is very calming and relaxed something you would assosiate with classical music it remindes you of the sea, I used it as it was the second most popular colour theme from my questionnaire so I wanted to test if it would look good as the title of the magazine. The next font is French Script, gradient lime green and a darker green colour this colour I assosiate with natural things like trees and nature.The third font is again Monotype. I changed the gradient to white and red this was something my target audience suggested too, I think this colour theme is quite popular as you would assosiate red with royaliy and something grand as with classical music. The next font is Kunstler Script a gold colour witha slight shadow at the back I wanted to improvise by using a 'fancy' font as well as combinig it with the colour gold which was suggested by my target audience as the most popular. The white font is quite sophisticated and gives a cleanliness feel to the type of music I am doing my magazine. The last font is a combination of the gold gradient, the font Monotype and the letter 'P' is French Script. I decided to combine the two styles together as this looked like the theme my target audience wanted (gold and black). I used a shadow at the back to give it a 3-D effect and also added two different shades of yellow to get the 'gold' effect as well as making the 'P' i perfect bigger then the rest of the title.

My questionnaire results

My questionnaire results show a trend between hose who don't listen to classical music and those who do. The were 8 people who listened classical music and 4 people who didn't. (questions one and 2 are shown together on this sheet of paper,1 top half and 2 bottom half) 

In question one, the people who listen to classical music picked 'perfect harmony' as the best name for the music magazine, which was similar 2% of the people who don't listen to classical music who choose the 'perfect harmony' too as there favorite. 'The voice' was and 'key to compose' were also popular but it was decided that I had to go for 'perfect harmony' as the title of the magazine.

Question 2 shows that my target audience who listen to classical music choosing £2.50 as the best price for the magazine. Unlike the people who don't listen to classical music choosing £1.50 as the best price, but 1% agreeing with £2.50.

This graph is showing results or question 3 and 4, (3 top half and 4 bottom half).

Question 3 shows us whether the magazine should be online or not, with the majority of people who listen to classical music and those who don't agreeing that that the magazine should have an online copy. Altogether 5% from both who do and don't listen to classical music saying there shouldn't be an online magazine.  

Question 4 is about what should be featured on the front of the magazine. As you can see from both categories, solo artist seems to be more popular with instrument being second most popular with the people who listen to classical music, similarly with the people who don't listen to classical music.

Question 5 is about what people want the double page spread to be about.

Question 5 results show that people who don't listen to classical music picking fact file and interview of the artist equal (2%) whereas 4% of the people who do listen to classical music choose fact file, 3% interview and 1% anecdote about the artist. All together from both categories fact file is the highest. 

Question 6 is about what other features they want included in magazine, this will help me as it will give me ideas of what I should include on the front cover and in the contents page. As you can see from the people who do listen to classical music 7% wanted top 40 hits to be included as well as information about legendary artists coming in second. On the other hand the people who do listen who chose new artist as the most popular and upcoming tours and dates second. The least favorite was competitions from both categories. 

As I gave my target audience a 'Other' option where they could suggest what they liked to be features in the magazine one person suggested that I include the changes and development in music and advice about venues and orchestras, this is definatly something I have taken into account and will have o consider for my magazine.

 (Data from questions 7 and 8 are shown together, 7 is top half and 8 is the bottom half)

Question 7 is about the colour theme of the magazine as you can see from both categories the red, white and black theme is not that popular with just 1% from the 'do listen' category choosing it. Whereas the gold, black and white colour theme is the most popular with 4% of people who do listen to classical music choosing it and  3% from those who don't. The last option was also was also quite popular from the people who do listen to classical music to those who don't.

Question 8 is about how often the magazine should be issued. The results are quite contrasted like I expected it to be because as you can see the people who do listen to classical music choose every fortnight as the most popular with weekly and monthly as a tie (2% each) where as the people who don't listen to classical music obviously wouldn't be as interested as when it is issued because they don't listen to classical music therefor left weekly out completely and monthly was the highest with every fortnight coming in second.  

All my results were added together to give me fair results and so that my sample was big enough to be representative.