Full Magazine Evaluation

This is a full evaluation of my final magazine product. I have created it on powerpoint then hosted it using scribd. I also have submitted all of the evaluation in text format below.
Full Magazine Evaluation

Front Cover

The masthead I have used is very fluent and connected which is used to represent the fluency of the music it is presenting to the audience. It also symbolises connection between the magazine and the audience representing that this is a place where one can feel at home. The baking shadow is used to make the masthead a bit bolder whilst keeping the feel the connected letter effect gives and draws the attention for those looking to find their favourite magazine. I have also chosen the name unplugged for my magazine as this evokes that my magazine has not conformed to the way it may be wanted to appear and therefore it is allot more real and people are getting the full story from behind the lights and stage once everything has been unplugged.

The medium close up shot I have used for my full bleed image is used to draw the attention to my magazine. The lighting effects I have used bring a reader in so that it will stand out in a shop to a potential buyer. By having my models eyes directly contacting the camera it allows a reader to feel that she is looking at that person in particular which makes the magazine experience feel more personal and helps with the uses and gratifications theory of escapism.

In the Foo Fighters sell line the layer effect I have used added with the drop shadow of the shapes causes it to appear more 3D to an audience which in turn allows the magazine to feel more realistic in a reader’s world. In the winters top concerts sell line is set up with one of the key words top in a larger red font where as the rest is in black. This emphasises to a reader that these are the best concerts and something that they need to find out about in which they can only do in buying the magazine.

In my bottom sell line I have introduced a circle joining a rectangle shape which will be recognised on each front cover enforcing my brands identity and giving a re-occurring feature that an audience will come back for. As  for the sell line itself I have enlarged the 10 as this immediately tells an audience that this is a list and recommendation that allot of readers will look for in a magazine as they like to know what is in at the moment as this allows them to be able to socialise about it with friends

The top pull quote offers an insight into the different kinds of articles one will find when reading my magazine. The interchanging colours red and black signify the diversity between types of articles from interviews to gig guides and that a reader will experience everything they could want out of my magazine.

The use of the slogan ‘Unplug from the world’ is used to create a brand identity with my magazine by being in the same place above the masthead each time. The play on words with the masthead evoke that this magazine will help you to escape into the world of indie and rock music as one purchasing this magazine would look to do so.

The main plug sell line has been put into a bubble to bring extra attention to it above other sell lines as this is the article that this month’s copy is selling my magazine predominantly on. Also the American flag backing is used to visual tell what the article will be about before reading it.

In the next two sell lines I have mimicked the one on the other side. This is to cause my magazine to appear organised which will encourage readers to have a higher level of trust in the reliability and authenticity of the content I produce inside. Yet again I have enlarged the No and Death as these are bold powerful words that can draw a reader’s attention into wanting to know more about what is going on.

I have then left the background white which gives my magazine a level of clarity and simplicity that highlights that while being complex in the amount of articles and content it is simple and easy to navigate like a reader would look for in a magazine.

The barcode is used to allow me to retail my magazine in shops as typical with all magazines. I have included the date and issue number so that an audience can differentiate it from previous issues and know when a new issue has been released.

Next I have given the web address to my magazine as this allows me to receive interest in my magazine through different forms of media and for people to access my content in different ways. It also makes my magazine more trust worthy as to an audience a magazine with a website has a more professional feel to it. I have given prices for my magazine in three of the main world currencies in order to have a global audience

Contents Page

The use of the extra images allows me to give a visual of other articles apart from my main one in my magazine. This can draw attention to a reader who could recognise a favourite artist who they can then find by the clear letters next to them.

It was important to also include the date and issue number in my contents page as to keep up a common appearance throughout my magazine that a common reader will recognise. Next I have given the web address to my magazine as this allows me to receive interest in my magazine through different forms of media and for people to access my content in different ways. I have also decided to include the common zeitgeist of social networking by offering a twitter and facebook page that readers can use to access extra content and contact the magazine. 

The ‘bands inside’ plug has been used to allow a reader to easily search for bands they are interested in and then locate them in the magazine. The black and red colour scheme stands out making them eye catching and appealing whilst the grey page number is clear and gives an easy direction to the correct page.

The main image of my contents page is of my main article. I have pretty much centrally orientated it as this is the main attraction to this week’s issue and what allot of readers will be reading for. I used a location shoot and kept it squared shape as this causes the picture to be bold and stand out as well as looking very organised and professional. I have then used a very similar sell line as to the front cover in order to make it recognisable to those who have brought the magazine predominantly to read this article. I have then made this page number the biggest and clearest as a key feature of my magazine being successful will be clearly being able to find this article. I then included several lines of text underneath in order to further clarify what this article is about without having to read it. Next I have given a large space of my contents page to a plug encouraging people to subscribe to me magazine. I have made this black and white making it simple and clear. I created several quick front covers in order to give my magazine the appearance of a real magazine with monthly releases. Subscribe is in a larger font as I intend to use the imperative to command people into doing so. This is also squared to appear professional.

  I have decided to go against typical magazine conventions of actually heading my contents page as ‘contents’. Instead I have named it ‘Inside Unplugged’ which gives the magazine a friendlier and personal feel that my readers can connect to rather than the overly formal ‘contents’. I have used the same font for unplugged as with my masthead in order to keep up the professional identity of my magazine. However I have used the magazine font of impact as this makes it clear and gives off the organised and professional appearance of all being the same.

Next I have given three main headers to my articles in order to give them a form of grouping system that will allow a reader to locate the articles that they are looking for much more easily. Within these groups I have listed articles relating to them. First of all I have listed the article titles in bold black capitals. This makes the reader initially focus on this and allowing them to decide if this could be a piece that they are interested in. Upon deciding if this would be something that they are considering reading I have given a few lines of a fainter gray in lower case that they can read in order to make a final decision upon going to this article. I have given them this fainter colour and lower case text as they are not the key part of the article and not what I want my audience to predominantly focus on but to sub focus on in order to back up the initial title. Finally I have used the red of my colour scheme to offer page numbers to the articles. This makes them clear and stands out against the darker colours offering clarity to a reader in how to navigate the magazine. I have also given little space between the lines making all the pieces quite grouped making them that bit simpler and appealing. This is still ok to differ between articles thanks to the different colourings.

Finally I have created a small plug offering my alternate ways to view my magazine. Although it is probably too late for them to do after purchasing this hard copy it will give them future knowledge of alternate sources for future issues. I have targeted the two dominants of the e-book market in Ipad and Kindle. This allows me to reach the majority of this field making them aware of ways they can get my magazine without even having to leave home. I have enlarged and coloured red the words ‘Ipad’ and ‘Kindle’ as these are key flash words that a reader will spot and immediately have a sense of the topic of the plug. This makes it a quick and simple process that doesn't interrupt a reader’s magazine experience. 

Double Page Spreads

For my first double page spread I decided to give a more visual display than informative in order to initially catch the reader’s attention. To do this I devoted the first page entirely to one of the best pictures of my model. I also gave the picture a black and white effect. The visual effect this has on the double page spread is a huge impact and really draws a reader into the magazine. By being a medium close up in which she is looking off into the distance in the direction of the next double page spread evokes that there is allot more to come that you have to continue to find out about.  I then put a full body picture across the top for appearance purposes. I have made the first page number of the article a lot bigger than the others. I have decided that this will be re occurring style throughout my magazine as it allows readers to spot the beginning of an article easily and when using the contents page to find a piece it allows the reader to navigate allot more simply. I have then once again added in the web address for my site as I am still aiming for readers to go on in search of more music stories and information. As with every magazine I have followed the typical convention of including a small caption naming the photographer who took the pictures. Another convention I have followed is using the re occurring header of my magazine name ‘Unplugged’ at the top of each page. The use of putting it all in banner type rectangles creates a very formal and organised appearance finished off with a fade effect for aesthetic purposes. Finally the big pull quote is used to draw attention to what is yet to come in the article and capture a reader’s interest into continuing further on into it. On the next double page spread I have filled the first half with another one of my pictures in black and white, this will initially catch a reader’s attention and lead them to turn to the other page for the article. I have started it off with another large pull quote which builds on a reader’s curiosity. Next I have followed a convention that some magazines and newspapers tend to use in putting the introduction to my article in a slightly bigger font so that a reader can get a taste of what the article is about before getting into the longer smaller text columns. I have continued to include the same format with page numbers, headers and photography caption in order to continue my magazines identity and appear professional. I have also ensured to keep up my black red and white colour scheme to keep up its identity. In the next double page spread I have then continued to follow my magazines identity and keep up the appearance. I then decided to create a box grid of windows in which I could include a variety of my photos as it is important to include a strong visual appearance as this is the main thing that will get the attention of a reader. The next pull quote I have used I have done in the same style of some of my front page sell lines. This keeps up a familiar identity and also changes it up in the article keeping a reader on their toes and interested. The main image on the page is one of her lying down which means that it is entirely horizontal allowing it to be followed by a readers eye as they scan the page keeping their interest. I have ensured that I have followed one of the biggest conventions of magazine articles in keeping my article in columns and an appropriate text size. I have wrapped my text around the image in order to fill all usable spaces and not leave any dull white gaps as this could disinterest a reader. Finally I have included a concluding single page spread just to finish off my article and give one more visual pleasure to my readers in a great medium close up shot. As usual I have continued to keep up layout and style of my magazine to ensure that my magazines identity is kept intact.