Music Magazine Contents Page Progress

I have now changed the layout of my contents page and I am much happier with it. I have moved the list of what's in the magazine the the left hand side of the page, meaning that there is more space to write about the articles themselves. It also makes them stand out more, and it looks like they have a more important role to play on the page. I used red lines to divide each article, it fits in with LEAD magazine, as they could be seen as red leads. The articles are in capital letters to show that those are what they are about, it should also grab the readers attention. The description underneath is much smaller.
Now that I have changed the layout of my page, it means there is more space on the page. So I have stretched out the box so that it doesn't look so cramped. The subscription box is much bigger too, which will definitely catch the readers eye. Even though the review box is smaller, I believe it means that there will be less to read, and it won't give away too much of the review so people will want to read the rest of it. The image of Josh and Billie doesn't look as stretched and it works much better now.
I haven't got much left to do on this page, I may still change a couple of features on the page if it still doesn't look right, but I will judge that once everything is on the page that needs to be.

Music Magazine Contents Page Progress

I have added in an image of Josh and Billie into my contents page which I feel will look really good once the page is finished. I have also added in a box about subscription to the magazine, as that is what most real music magazine have on their contents page. I will add in a review into my contents page too, but only up to a certain point so that the reader has to flick through the music magazine to carry on with it.
I changed the colour of the Editor's letter, and gave it a black background because I felt the white looked a bit lost on the page underneath the masthead. The white writing really makes it stand out on the page and draws the readers attention to it. I have also changed the colour of the page numbers in the list of what's in the magazine, but I am still unhappy with how it looks and will have to change the layout of the page so that it looks like a more convincing contents page.

Music Magazine Contents Page Progress

This is the beginning stages of my contents page. I have included the masthead with the slogan in the top right hand corner to keep the brand flowing through the magazine. I then included a contents bar at the top so that people could recognise it was a contents page. I used the same font for my masthead and slogan as I did on the front cover, but for my contents I wanted it to look like its apart of the LEAD brand, therefore I used a bold font with a white stroke around it to make it stand out on the red box.
In the top right hand corner I put the issue number and the date of the magazine again so that its recognisable. I used a yellow background to make it pop out of the page and break up the red, black and white.
I wanted to include an Editor's letter in my contents page, therefore I wrote about LEAD festival that they are organising at the moment, as it ties in with the magazine. I used red writing to make it stand out and I thought 'A Word from The Editor' was quite catchy and made it seem short but sweet.
I am happy with the image I chose of Lottie, I cropped it so that only the guitar and her upper body are in the image. It really fits in with the contents page and makes her seem like a fun music artist to work with. I used red and yellow for the page number in the box because they work well together, it is quite big as it is one of the main stories.
I'm quite disappointed with the list of what is in the magazine at the moment, I feel it is tucked away in the corner and doesn't look big enough on the page. It doesn't look like a contents page at present, therefore I must improve this so that it looks like an actual magazine.

Contents Page Images

Contents Page Images from AlysLeMoignan

Finished Music Magazine Article Double Page Spread

This is my finished double page spread. I have included a white bar at the bottom, with a page number, web address and masthead underneath this. From looking at my research, I realised that most magazine have this bar to divide the page. I feel the yellow page numbers are in keeping with the magazines colour scheme and makes it stand out. Also, I feel the white writing looks good on the black background, and makes it stand out. I included the masthead at the bottom for the same reason that I included the masthead at the end of the article as well. I did it to make the brand known and seen throughout the magazine.
I achieved my goal of putting Lottie's signature onto the image. I feel it works really well on the page and makes it look much more interesting. By using a feathered effect around the writing, it makes it look as if it was done in lipstick which adds another interesting effect which I love.
I am very happy with how my article has turned out. I have achieved everything I wanted to, and I feel it has all worked out well together. It has changed from my original design but most definitely for the better. I believe that there are some things which could be improved on such as the structure of the writing but I still feel it works really well in the article.

Music Magazine Article Double Page Spread Progress

As I intended to do, I have now included an image of Lottie playing her guitar showing her new self. I believe this image works well as it is focusing on the boots and not the face, it looks as if Lottie is in her own 'music world' and is really enjoying herself which is what this article is all about, her recovery.
I decided to include the masthead at the end of the article, this is because I have seen it done professionally in a magazine and therefore felt that I should do the same. I feel it works really well at the end of the article, and makes it look much more professional. It helps put the brand name everywhere in the magazine.
I have almost finished my article, I need to include page numbers and little details such as the LEAD web address. Also I hope to have Lottie's signature on her image on the left so that the reader could use it as a poster.

Music Magazine Article Double Page Spread Progress

I have completed the question boxes for my article, I believe that the red writing in the white box works well, as it stands out from the black background. I still need to make sure they look neater, as some lines aren't all the same length and it doesn't look professional.
I also included two pull quotes into my article because I feel they help grab the readers attention and drag them into the article. I chose "I had become a slave to the drugs", and "I was really motivated to get my life back on track" to show that this article has a turning point. Also they show the 'different types of Lottie', a changed woman. I feel that the red writing works well on the black background, and breaks up the rest of the text. I also highlighted the web address at the end of the article in red to make that stand out as well, as it may be important to some readers.
I wanted to include an image of Lottie in her 'bad days' in the article, and so I decided to use a subsidiary image of Lottie getting out of the car, looking like she's coming back from a night out. As the image is tilted it shows the distortion of Lottie's life and how she was feeling at that moment in time. I believe it works really well in the article and I aim to include another one to show that Lottie has changed.

Music Magazine Article Double Page Spread Progress

I have started to put my written article into my double page spread. The white writing really stands out on the black background and I believe it works really well because it is easy to read.
I have also included a drop cap in my article, this is from looking at my research, its what most music magazines use at the start of an article. It makes the page appealing, what I like most about it is that my article starts with the word 'Lottie' and therefore the drop cap highlights the first letter of Lottie's name.
In my design I wanted to put my questions in white boxes with a red 'lead' bar underneath them, I believe the colour scheme works well and it makes the questions come out of the page. It helps make the questions look like someone else is talking and it highlights where the questions are. I need to tidy up the lines but at the moment I am happy with how it is looking.
I am hoping to add subsidiary images into my article to show a before and after effect, which I think will work well with my written article. Also I need to complete all of the questions in boxes and put in small details.

Finished Music Magazine Front Cover

I have now completed my magazine front cover, I made some adjustments from the last time I posted this image.
I added a price for my magazine which is £1.80, I decided to give it this price from looking at my research. In my questionnaire, around two thirds of people said it would be a reasonable price for my weekly music magazine. I situated it by the bar code because from looking at my research of real music magazines, this is where it is usually placed.
I also decided to change the positioning of my web address to underneath the header bar. This is because I felt it looked squashed when it was on the header bar and needed to have its own space but still look apart of the bar. I believe it works much better and is more presentable.
I believe my magazine has worked out really well, and when comparing it to my draft quite a lot of things have changed. However, I believe it works much better as it presently looks because the finished magazine looks more professional. I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve and I don't believe there is much I would change because throughout the process of making it I have shifted a lot of things around.