Feedback On First Draft

Feedback from first Draft:
Cover page:
On this page I have had feedback on my image, this includes, re-taking the image to get a better quality photo as it appears quite blurred and also it needs a more direct mode of adress, so the model needs to be looking at the reader. In the image i am currently using the reader is looking down and away from the reader so i need to re-think this image. I also got some positive feedback on the fonts that i chose to use saying that this works well. I got some feedback on the name for my magazine, which said that the same title is used for a charity in the UK, however i do not plan to change this as my idea was original and i have justified the choice for my title and how this links with the genre of music and my magazine as a whole.

Contents Page:
I received some positive feedback for my contents page, such as how the color palette I chose to use was successful. However i also got some positive criticism which will help me to make some changes and amendments. These include aligning my text and page numbers evenly by using a grid on photo shop. I also need to think about the main sell line on my page. Furthermore, i have been told that my cover star 'Aliyah Mae' needs more focus on the contents page so i intend to add some more illustration that involves her.

Double Page Spread: The double page spread was the page I was personally least happy with. Therefore I was interested to see what feedback for improvements could be given for this page. I have been told to link my text and image across the page and to include a pull quote and photo credit. I have also been recommended to change my font size, or color or to highlight questions so that there is a contrast between the questions and answers on my page. Furthermore, i have also been told to brand the magazine e.g: by including the magazine title at the bottom of the page. Lastly, i need to alter the positioning of one of the page numbers on my page.

I intend to use all of these suggestions to improve my work and make it of a better quality, where my product is more viable and realistic.

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This cover displays an interesting colour theme and choice which I think would suit my genre of magazine well. I like the way that the black, white and yellow/ gold is used throughout the page. It gives quite an urban look to the page.  The image is eye catching yet somehow seems to blend into the background at the same time.

The image on this page contrasts quite significantly to the colors otherwise used in the background. For example in the main image which makes up the main center of visual interest fits the conventions of the genre quite nicely, fitting to the black and white theme, and in the fashion and styles that the artist presents. However in the background a nude pink and baby blue colors are used. I think that this is quite interesting as it is different to the majority of the covers colour schemes i have looked at. This makes it quite individual and as a result makes it stand out more.  

PBR&B Aspect of my magazine

PBR&B has several different terms, but is mainly a term used to classify an emerging and stylistic approach to contemporary R&B. This takes into account the fusion of different genres of music with R&B, such as alternative and indie and hip hop. This is something which i wish to account for in my music magazine as this was the main inspiration behind my title. I wish to include some elements that i have looked at more independently, such as clash magazine and Q which i have done some evaluations of earlier in the project. Some artists that i have looked at to inspire this aspect of the magazine include Frank Ocean, Miguel and The Weeknd. I will look at some of the styles also and try and reflect this in my final product.  

Some of the styles seen by such artists that belong to the sub genre of PBR&B seem to have more quirky styles. Some of these make the styles seem more similar to that that would be worn by alternative and indie stars and some from hip hop. Therefore i will try and represent this in some way, possibly through the use of images and my artists in my final product.

I also think that this example of a double page spread represents one of the areas of the R&B genre I have been looking at. It keeps a relatively minimalist design, with nothing too brash or bold, yet uses elements to create contrast such as the red used above an otherwise black and white background. I like the arrangement of the text around the image and the font used for the main title of the article. The main part of the image is still presented on the left hand side of the page, with all of the text presented on the right hand page. The page is slightly less clean cut as the text is not as aligned in this example, yet it still has a neat and finished look which is aided by the positioning of texts and the image around one another.

Further Analysis of Double Page Spread

I like this double page spread and would be happy if i could produce something similar to this for my final product. I like the way that one whole page is dedicated to the image, which is of Lady Gaga on the left hand page. I like the way in which the page is kept simplistic by using black and white as is also used in the main image. I like the way that some contrast is created on the page by displaying a large, red L across the page. This may be something that i can mimic in my final design to create some contrast and a center of visual interest on the page. However i am not too keen on the way the artists name is presented, yet i think this is made up for by the large L in the middle of the page which is representative of the artist. I think that this would work well for the genre of my magazine as it is representative of one of the styles of the genre i have talked about throughout, which includes a slick, clean cut and classy style, which i think can be well represented by the colours black and white.

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This cover also represents the slick and clean look cut I am looking to produce in my music magazine. The cover is kept very simplistic and again follows a minimalist design. I particularly like this cover as it combines two aspects of the genre of R&B that I am looking at. The image and the artist used displays the more daring aspects of the genre, for example like some of the fashion and trends we see in stars of the genre. Whilst at the same time the general design of the page displays other aspects of the genre that I have mentioned previously.  Most of the information in this page is displayed in the top third of the page which correlates with the rule of thirds idea. The mast head is in a striking and bold font and the colour scheme of the page is kept minimal, much like the design. Most of the other important information and the image is displayed in the center of the page, creating a lot of negative space in the background. 

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This is quite an interesting cover as it is very simplistic and follows a minimalist design. The image is interesting as it doesn't follow the typical conventions of an image on the front cover of a magazine. Usually the artist is looking directly out of the page instead of looking away, in order to create a direct appeal and synthetic relationship with the audience. This cover interested me as one of the images which i have taken for my draft magazine is similar to this. I like the image however do not think it would be satisfactory as the artist is not looking directly out of the page. It is interesting to see how this edition of variety magazine has used other features to compliment this image. Although i do not wish to follow this style directly for my final magazine it would be interesting to look at it and see if i could make it work. I like how the colour scheme on the page is kept very minimal which keeps the magazine looking slick and neat and tidy. I prefer this to having a magazine with lots of clustered information on. The masthead has an interesting font and probably stands out more than the image in the way that the cover page is presented. It also means that the font at the bottom stands out well. The black and white editing of the image is also interesting as this is done to match the text that is displayed over and around the image, again adding to the minimalist design. I think this kind of style may work well on my magazine, hence why i took an interest in this front cover. I believe that my chosen genre has two quite contrasting sub categories. One aspect of the genre concerns being bold, being different and following quite brash trends such as we'd expect to see from artists like Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. However another aspect of the genre concerns being classy and slick, and would involve the use of other colours such as black and white to give a clean cut and neat look to the page, a little bit like this cover does.