Production Process

This is my cover magazine, it is similar to the Q magazine which was my inspiration for the whole idea. I got all of my covers and two page spreads from the original Q magazine. ( http://covers.q4music.com/Item.aspx?pageNo=6150&year=2010 ) My masthead for my magazine in the end was M, I liked the idea from the very start but didn't think it was very catchy so I tried 'Retro' and 'Vintage' but they didn't fit with my mixed genre magazine. So I settled for M, just standing for Music. My main article for the magazine was an interview with Lady Smith also there are a few small featured articles near the ears of the magazine. The strapline for the magazine is quite odd as I have put 'you make the music...' underneath the masthead and also 'THE UK'S BIGGEST MAGAZINE' above the masthead one of the the other main featured articles could be the '100 most shocking music video's of the month' as that is very eye catching and looks to be a main feature. I added a bar code with the word 'VINTAGE' inscribed, I thought this would add a personal touch and it also shows its originality, it will be vintage. I added a flash just above the bar code stating that a free Ellie Goulding poster was inside. Overall, I really do like my cover, I think it looks sophisticated and like a proper music magazine. It highlights the right features and also shows of the featured articles just as much as the leading article.

I am really happy with my contents page, it looks like a proper Music Magazine Contents Page and works well with both my cover and also my double page spread. On my first mock up of my contents page it didn't match my cover or my two page spread so I made the colour scheme orange and blend into them. I made the page numbers bolder and also added a website to the contents so you could get more information off of that. I originally wrote a letter from the editor to my 'readers' about what is in the magazine and what will be coming up. I had a 'paint brush' effect masthead on my mock up, from the start I thought it looked ever so good. But when I looked back at it, it didn't work. It looked tacky and uninteresting, it did not look professional. So I used the text that I had used on the cover and two page spread, which worked so much better.  I used a picture that I had took at an outdoor concert, on my contents I have pages on 'the festival look' and also 'what festivals to visit' so that could intrigue the readers and also make them want to read on, the camera angle is also a mid shot, I have used that shot quite a lot as I think it works on every photo, in every style. Overall I am very happy with my contents, I think it looks professional and from my mock up, it just shows how much a few colour changes and style of text can change everything.

This is my two page article, it matches my cover color scheme and it is the main feature to my entire magazine, featuring 'Lady Smith.' My interview is quite personal and talks about her boost from the Z-List to the A-List. I love how I have peace signs and a skull and cross bone on my cover and contents, it rocks up the effect and also makes the two fit together. My picture for this article is different, it looks modeled and edited, I didn't intend on using this picture, I took it out of school and wasn't trying to get the perfect picture for my article but when I looked back at it, it looked great and fit perfectly into my work. I added a little 'questionnaire' in which readers could ask the featured 'star' questions just to make it involve the readers and get them involved. I really like my two page spread, it looks readable and fun! The picture is not too big and it works well with everything. I also think that the bolded quotes make the two page spread look more like a magazine as this is a technique I have found is used commonly in all magazines. I really like the layout for this article, it looks professional and the lexis and text work well with the three pages, contents, cover and the two page spread.