I have printed off my music magazine front cover draft so I can see problems that will need to be corrected. I think that overall my music magazine does convey the right information as it informs the viewer of the contents of the magazine without them having to pick it up. I think I could have improved the information conveyed by including a more well known band than Little Comets in the skyline as this artist isn't iconic for the alternative genre and is taking up space that could be more useful for a famous local of national artist which could draw in more viewers as they are more likely to be recognised. I quite like the style of my front cover but it could be altered by moving the cover lines more to the left as I was too paranoid that they'd be cut off that I placed them too far in which goes over my model in some occasions, them more towards the edge. When looking at the cover lines I can see that there is an issue with the colour with the font colour, I feel that it is too dark and is almost contending with the models t-shirt which conveys the front cover as too busy rather than sticking to simple and spaced out. The colour is also too dark which makes it harder for them to be read at a distance between the viewer and the news stand this is paramount that I increase the tone of the colour so it can be easily read as the left third is the one of the very few parts that can convey the contents of the magazine. I also need to align the cover lines so they are parallel and some aren't further in than others, in my printed version I can see that I was too cautious in placing my cover lines and that I can move them back to add a more professional tone on my magazine and to make my publication look more fluent. I feel that the choice of font suits the magazine, I have used one particular font as part of the house style which matches the masthead and is clear and easy to read but then I have used more unique fonts for the Poppy Scarlet and Unplugged, I do this to draw attention to this article and to make my front cover less boring and more eye catching by using this font it adds to the personality of my artist, the 3D monochrome font has connotations of modern and contemporary which reflects upon the artist but with the Unplugged font it reflects upon the article itself. I used a raw and rough font which suggests stripped down and without any of the publicists restricting information therefore conveying that all of the article is Poppy Scarlet which will draw the viewer in due to this stripped back and informal interviews which are so uncommon in the music magazine industry, this informal attitude will allow the reader to relate on a personal level to the musician which was the overall aim for my publication. I also used this font in bright red to stick within the house style and it also produces a similar font to the famous 'Confidential' stamp this will imply to the viewer that this article is exclusive and 'for their eyes only' therefore drawing the viewing in to become a reader. To improve this effect I could make the font bigger to fill more space, this would draw attention therefore emphasising the exclusivity that my music magazine would be offering over others in the same market. Looking at my background I feel the tone is just right but my model is too dark, this affects the whole cover as it makes the fonts look too dark and don't stand out, it also effects the fluency making it obvious that the image had been edited on Photoshop therefore making it less like a professional publish, if I were to reduce the contrast between the image and the background then the professional feel would be raised therefore increasing the chance that the viewer would purchase the magazine. With my masthead I feel that it is quite clear and easily read due to the simple design but this could be improved if I extend the bottom line of the L as by having this part obscured the viewer of the magazine can get confused on whether it is an I or a L therefore making it less clear and harder to read, this is not the first impression I want to create for Amplify I want a nice fluent impression with no struggles to ensure that the viewer will be persuaded to become a reader. There is a slight obstruction with the model over the masthead but the masthead remains clear and easy to read. There is a barcode and I have placed it in the bottom right hand corner between the line and the edge of the page, this looked fine on the screen but after seeing it in print I see that it was too squished down and the numbers beneath are impossible to read this means I will have to find a new place for it that won't obstruct the cover yet be easy to read and scan. I placed the month underneath the masthead so it was clear and easy for the reader although it was slightly obstructed but this was fine as the month could still be made out while the magazine remains on the stand, so therefore
the viewer is instantly informed of the issue. There is a price but due to the font I used this meant that there was no pound sign for that font so I used one from another type, this looks unusual and I need to find a way to replace it as it ruins the fluency and professionalism of the cover. I didn't place an issue number on the cover as I felt that this would be irrelevant and by adding to the text it would distract away from the main image, cover lines, which is what is mainly relied on to sell the magazine and simplistic approach towards the design as if my magazine was too busy then it could confuse the viewer and put them off purchasing the published product. I think my cover appeals to my audience for many reasons. For example I have used modern font which is sans serif, this therefore complies to my contemporary fluent style which is what my demographic are stereotyped as having all the latest technology which are sleek and 21st century. I have also used depleted font to suggest a 'raw' interview which adds a personal tone therefore drawing in the viewer this naked tone is also suggested through the use of the colour bright red for the confidential stamps. I have kept to a house style which is seen on my cover as shades of red which are slightly darker than the usual this suggests alternative as usually the genre is quite dark but not so much to suggest a genre such as hard rock or as bright to be pop, alternative is the part between these genres. I feel I have appealed to my audience by using a young artist which can be related to and is likely to be well known within my demographic thus engaging them persuading them to purchase the published product. I have followed the conventions by using a large dominant masthead with short memorable title which instantly grabs the attention of an onlooker and ensures that they will remember the magazine long after they have left the newsagents. There is one whole main image with the artist in the centre with full eye contact with the camera so the observer feels a connection with the artist, she is large enough to take up the entire page while leaving space for the cover lines to be placed and read easily. I took advantage of the left third as this is the only place guaranteed to be viewed by a newsstand spectator although I avoided placing them anywhere else to prevent overcrowding the cover and complicating the design but I might try to involve other parts of the magazine in placing cover lines to take advantage of all my space. I have placed a date and barcode which assists the reader to whether the issue is the latest or whether they have read it yet. I have also subverted conventions to create a unique publish which will stand out and bring the individuality that is aimed through the music magazine, as promised in my press release. I didn't use bright clothing and colours within my magazine as this could infer the wrong genre as a more pop magazine rather than alternative so I kept to the more dulled down colours yet replaced this with a heavy use of black to gain attention from the observer at the newsstand yet I have stuck to conventions by keeping the same colours throughout rather than using a wide variety which could confuse the viewer on where to look but also ruin the professionalism and fluency of the product. I also haven't used thumbnails on the cover of other articles inside as although it is a well known fact that humans respond more to visuals rather than writing I feel that the pictures would create a busy atmosphere on the cover which could make the information inside unclear but I don't intend to totally neglect smaller images from my magazine as I plan to include them on my contents page which will bring a variation of platforms of portraying information while keeping the layout simple and sophisticated. I also didn't involve any competitions or free gifts through buzz words, I feel that although certain buzz words can ruin the fluency of a publication they can bring viewers in which is paramount so in my final draft I hope to include buzz words that don't affect the efficiency and simplicity of the magazine cover. The most obvious subversion of conventions is the way I have manipulated my artist into three different people, I did this to add an individuality to the magazine and to gain attention but also to fill up space as the artist on her own left the cover bare and empty whereas with the edited image a unique tone was fulfilled while removing any empty parts therefore increasing the professionalism of the draft. I think I have reached my design intentions apart from a few little attentions to detail, for example where the line meets the A on Amplify there is a slight alignment issue which can easily fixed but by reviewing my draft I can see that my design intentions weren't the best way forward and by adding buzzwords and cover lines I can create a more effective music magazine cover.
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