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.

Questionnaires

Today I completed my questionnaire on classical music. All together, I made 12 questionnaires for my target audience. I thought I could give my questionnaire's too all my target audience aged 25 onwards but it wasn't that simple. 
I had to make sure that the sample I gave my questionaire to actuslly listened to classical music so that I got a representative data of my target audience. Although this was quite difficult as not many people I know listned to classical music. Therefore in the qustionnaire one of the questions is 'do you listen to clasical music?' so even the people who didn't could still fill it out so that I could take into account of their opinions to and what they like and don't like and suggestions telling me what I can improve to make it better.

Genre of music for my magazine

The genre of music that I have decided to base my music magazine on is going to be classical music. I have chosen this genre of music as I thought that it would be different and exciting to try and go for something outside my peer groups taste which would usually be R&B or Pop. I know by choosing this genre I can put in my creative side and make the magazine look elegant using various different techniques, such as the font and styling. My target audience would be adults, preferably from their mid 20's onward who enjoy classical music and going to orchestra's as a hobbie. Therefore I have to be careful about who I give my questionnaire to as I might have a slight problem getting a big sample of my target audience for this genre than any other as I have found out that not many people may be into classical music or listen to it. I have thought about who I want my model/models to be for my magazine. I would like a solo artist as my choice but I will have to let my target audience decide this when they are completing the questionnaire. I have also thought about the type of props to include in the magazine, there should be distinctive items which you can instantly link to classical music such as a classical instrument like a violin. But I have decided I will be using a piano and a female model for my magazine cover as I think it is a easy way to show elegance and classic beauty straight away, especially if I dress my model in a feminine and smart dress to make her look professional.

Double page spread analysis

I analysed two different music magazine double page spreads because I knew that there wasn't just one 'type' and it would give me a better idea of what I wanted for my magazine if I looked at a variety.
 First double page spread

This double page spread is from the music magazine 'Q' it  is a very common double page spread of a magazine, it has the main picture is on one side of the page and the writing on the other. The picture is a close up of Lady Gaga who seems very sensual at the way she is practically naked with her wearing chains connoting  'hardness' and 'strength' in as well how chains are. The fact that she is half naked in this picture shows the feminine side to Lady Gaga as she turns on the 'sex appeal'. In this image and is making direct eye contact with the reader this is very important because it makes the reader more engaged and understand the story of the celebrity better. Her sophisticated hair and make-up goes with the grey theme makes the picture seem old, giving this effect connotes that she is 'legendary' and should be remembered like other old artists, sort of like Marliyn Monroe look. On the oposite page the actual article is set out in a normal way but has a large 'L' shape going across it linking it to Lady Gaga, red connoting 'sex appeal' or 'danger' because we link it to blood. The letter is very large and is written in an elegant writing as is the article. The actual article is written in a very small writing ad uses capital letters at the beginning of each of the paragraphs so you know were to start from.  

Second double page spread

This double page spread is from the music magazine 'Vibe' it is quite unique as the layout shows the artist several times going across both of the pages. It is very clever way of showing an artist as if it is really a moving picture as it looks as if she is dancing in the smaller grey pictures in the background. Each of the shots are long  making her look tall and over powering in a way but also a good way of showing exactly what the artist is wearing as you can see from the picture a short orange dress connoting 'sexiness'. The artist is making eye contact with the audience in the main picture and standing in a 'girly' way as her hands are behind her back and feet are together making her look vulnerable to the audience and giving this message that you 'have to read the article because of the innocent look she is giving'. The writing on the page is bold and makes a statement just like her. The fact that the subheading says 'Forget her sister' in a grey colour than 'Solange Knowles' is in a bright blue colour connoting that she is more important. The rest of the writing is set out across the page which makes the pictures seem more 3D as if she is coming out of the page. This double page spread also uses captions near  the pictures.

Analysis of contents pages

This is a contents page for the music magazine Karrange. As you can see, straight away there is a well known rock band at the top of the page with a white tag indicating what page it's the story is on. The colour scheme of the contents page is white, black and yellow. The black and yellow bold writing dennotes and an insect, i.e. a bee, this connotes 'aggressivness' and 'danger' in a way as does a bee becasue people are usually scared of them. It has regular conventions such as pictures after each of the contents page numbers to show what your exactky looking for on the page. 
Most of the information on the page seems quite organised as it is under different subheadings which makes it easier to find the page.

In contrast, this hip hop/rap magazine gives a completely different feel. First of all the there is only one main model used on the page who you could say is lying in a very 'sexsual' position' going with the theme of the magazine, aswell as the colour theme being dark and at the top and lighter grey at the bottom giving it a more sophisticated touch. I think that it is quite clever the way that her legs are crosed in a 'V' shape which is instantly assosiated with the magazine's name 'VIBE' (as you can also see there is a transparent 'v' in the background). The contents  seems quite organised and as a section of pages are under a specific subheading e.g. fashion. The title 'Contents' is placed in a unusual way then other contents pages, the words don't go in a straight line. My opinion would be that it's very creative and not to many pictures so that the main attention goes on the model. The only thing that would make it better would be if they made the font of the writing a bit bigger and better colour so its more intersting to read.