Further development of page 2 main article

In todays lesson I further developed page 2 of my main article. I took a print screen to show my work in progress.

Main article page 2 development

In todays lesson i took a print screen of my work in progress for page 2 of my magazine article.

Magazine article development

This is a print screen of the work in progress of my magazine article page 1.

Example of a contents layout

Before completely my Contents page of my magazine I experimented with different ways to layout my contents.



The screen shot above is an example of a contents layout I conducted before actually finalizing my Contents page

Screen Shot of my front page

In todays lesson I continued to work on my front page. I then made took a screen shot to show my progress.

Analysis of Kerrang Contents Page

In a lesson we analysed different contents pages from various different music magazines. I analysed the contents page of Kerrang. We did this to help us understand what elements make a contents and how tnhose elements are effective on a contents page. This would help us form our own contents pages so we know what features to include.

Analysis of contents pages

NME
-Use of synopsis informs readers, gives more detail
-Use of sub-headings, organised easy to finds
-Main image, tribute
-Colour scheme, good brand indentity

DRUMMER
-Main contents features are limited to images
-Effective use of typography
-Main feature image, dominates the page and conveys a genre
-Organized layout, sophisticated
-Subverts rock genre, widening target audience

KERRANG
-Quote positioned beneath contents
-Layout informal, relates to audience, challenges audience perceptions
-Bold typography
-Images of live performers, adds to making rock stars real

VIBE
-Very plain, lack of colour
-Subversive to other music magazine of that genre
-Very simple, yet effective?

Brain storm of contents pages

Targets

Natalie, you have fallen behind a bit, largely as a consequence of your health problems. However I am confident that you can update your blog over the next week. Please ensure that you work steadily through the checklist and see me if there are any problems.

Audience Research (Questionnaires)

You must now analyse your research findings by presenting your results using the 'chart wizard' function in Excel.

Planning

Well done for including some evidence of your planning work.
Target: you must also add your front page sketch and your initial brainstorm of your first ideas.

Developing ideas

In todays lesson i developed the theme of 'Best of British' issue for my magazine. As preparation I decided to try and use the British Flag as my front cover background.
After getting the image of the British flag I used photo shop to saturate the image so it was black and white. I did this so that the flag represented the young urban culture.

Sketch of Contents page

Textual analysis of XXL magazine

In addition the main coverline used on the front page is large and bold, suggesting maculinity. The '&' in the main coverline is of a different typography to the rest of the main coverlines. The '&' is more glamorous demonstrating sophistifcation amongst wealth and masculinity. The sell lines are of a sumple typography with alternating colour (black and white). The sell lines are of other well known Hip hop artists. This broadens the audience for XXL as it is likely that readers will be intrested in reading about one of the artists featured in the magazine.

The magazine also uses two puffs, one of those is ' A Decade of Dominance' this boosts the magzaines reputation and is almost like a persuasive technique as gives the impression to the reader than the magazine is good and worthy, therfore persuading the reader to buy the magazine. It also helps the magazine to stand out from competitors.

The main image is of two well known Hip hop artists ( Baby and Lil Wayne). Both of them are topless wearing lots jewlery (bling) and are covered in multiple tatoos. The jewlery connotes the recurrent convention of wealth in the Hip hop genre. The tatoos also connote wealth but they also imply toughness as tatoos are seen as being painful. It could be argued that the image subverts audience expectations. Baby has his arm around Lil Wayne, this indicates that they have a close relationship. It could also imply that Baby is like a mentor to Lil Wayne. However it could also be percieve in a different manner by audiences. The image could be percieved as homo erotic as it subverts the stereotypes of the Hip hop genre. As they are both topless it could suggest that they are . masculin. However it could alsp suggest that they are vulnerable as they are half naked. By construcitng an image that can be percieved in many different ways opens the target audience for the magazine.

The background of the front page is of a low-class, less aesthetically pleasing home in the suburbs or 'slums' or America. The background of the front cover contrasts with image as the two devices are percieved in very different ways. The main image represents wealth and power whereas the background represents lower-class less dominant enviourment. In some ways the background does subvert typical hip hop conventions as it represents a poorer lower-class way of living. However it also confirms the steretypes of tye hip hop genre as many hip hop stars have struggled to get to high position they are in now, it also confirms the hip hop convention of 'rags to riches'. Although the background contrasts with the main image, it supports the main coverline 'Survival of the Fittest' as it represents the struggled journey the artists have faced to become stars.

In conclusion I believe that the magazine targets its audience and conveys the generic codes and conventions of a Hip hop magazine by the use of presentational devices. However it can be argued that some of the presentational devices such as the image subverts the generic codes and conventions of a Hip hop magazine.

Planning- Front Page Sketch

Research graphs from questionnaires

Research graphs from questionnaires

View more presentations from Natalie.

Music Questionnaire

In class we designed a questionnaire to find out what our audience expections of music magazines and what features they enjoy and expect to see in a music magazine. We also conducted the questionnaire to find out what genres are popular amongst audiences and to find out the intrests of audiences. We would then use this information to help us form our magzines.

Music Questionnaire

1. What is your gender?
-Male
-Female

2. How old are you?
-14-16
-17-19

3. What music genre do you listen to?
-Hip hop
-RnB
-Rock
-Pop
-Garage
-Indie
-Other Please specify________

4. Do you use the internet to look at music magazines?
-Often
-Sometimes
-Hardly ever
-Never

5. How often do you buy music magazines?
-Once a day
-Once a week
-Once a month
-Rarely
-Never

6. What features would you expect to see in a music magazine? (Tick up to three boxes)
-Interviews
-Reviews
-Gig guide
-Fashion
-Competitions

7. What are your interests?
-Dancing
-Raving
-Shopping
-Reading
-Socialising
-Singing/Rapping

8. How much would you pay for a magazine?
-£1
-£2
-£3
-£4+

9. When buying a music magazine, what genre do you buy?
-Hip
-RnB
-Rock
-Pop
-Garage
-Indie
-Other please specify_____________

10. What other music magazines do you read?
-Mojo
-Vibe
-XXL
-NME
-Q
Other please specify ____________

Music magazine brainstorm