Screenshots 1

These are screenshots from the first draft of my magazine.  I will be taking screenshots again after I have finished the second draft, so that I can discuss how I have developed my design.

Double page-spread Draft 1- Feedback

Based on the feedback I have received on my double page spread, I am going to have to make some alterations.  Firstly, the size of the article text needs to be smaller as it is in professional magazines.  I will need to improve the alignments too so that the page looks neat and so that the columns are in line with each other.  The additions I am going to make are the inclusion of the photographer and writer's name (which will have to be made up) and at the end of the article, I will mention the artists album and that it is available to buy.  The introductory paragraph contains my name, however it was suggested that I make it stand out amongst the rest of the paragraph to establish the person being interviewed.  The caption for the image on the right page will need to be moved further into the corner to put more focus on the actual image and the final question will need to be converted to block capitals as I mistakenly did not do this when drafting the article.

Double-page spread Draft 1

Double-page spread- Draft

This is the draft of my Double-page spread.  I have stuck to the colours I planned to use which I think help it relate to the color scheme of the front cover, but it looks more interesting because I have included a small amount of orange for the drop cap.  I have used a conventional layout by keeping the article on just one of the pages and by using three columns for the text.  The buzzword 'exclusive' also adds to the appeal of the page.  I am pleased with the images I have used and I feel like my article fits in with my target audience and the type of music magazine it is.

Double page spread Article Draft

Eventful.  That's one way to describe the year Ben Carter has had.  His latest album shot straight to number one and his sell out tour was the event of the summer.  But just what does he have to say about it all?  We sat down with the songwriter to get an insight into life on the road, chart success and what word best describes him...

How has the last year been for you?

With the tour it's been very quick.  I haven't had time to think.  I'm extremely grateful to all of my fans and cannot express how much their support over the last year has meant to me.  To be honest, I don't think the singles would have been released so quickly had it not been for them.  It has been a wild year and I don't see how future years will top it.

Was the tour stressful at all?

You know, life on the road is hard.  It's like getting on and off a bus at the same place.  That's not to say I did not enjoy it- I absolutely loved it.  I keep getting people asking me what the best arena was or where was the best crowd and I just told them that I didn't know.  When you are up on the stage performing you are concentrating so hard on pleasing your audience that you don't actually realize what is going on in front of your own eyes.  I loved every minute of the tour and can't wait to do it all over again!

What word sums you up perfectly?

Prepared.  I know that sounds like a boast but it isn't.  I like to be ready for anything unexpected.

What do you feel makes the album so unique?

The fact that it is all either personal or inspired.  People can tell that.  The fact that it is not plain pop music makes it stand out.  I worked very hard on it and am glad that it all payed off.  I was prepared from criticism but I'm overwhelmed at the praise.  The style is something I focused very heavily on.  It wasn't all naturally me- I did have some inspiration!

Where do you get inspiration from?

I was really inspired by Elton John when I was younger, but I ended up listening more to The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.  The reason for that was because I wanted to write music that was a mixture of the two bands.  I'll never forget though how the music I originally listened to has impacted me.  It really contributed to my passion for music.  A lot of artists might want to start from scratch and develop their own type of music, but it's not a crime to be inspired.  In fact it's better because your love of music grows and grows until their is no other career choice you could even consider.

What is the next move you plan on making in your career?

I will take a short break then start working on the next album.  I would like to work with some other artists on the next one so I can travel to places I've never been before and meet new people.  I have even thought of doing a bit of jazz on the next album, as long as people don't think that is too much of a change for me.  I'd hate to think I had lost interest from fans.

You're not going to make us wait too long for the next album are you?

No.  It will be out within the next few years.  What people need to remember is that the longer they wait, the more it will be worth it!  

Contents Page draft 1- Feedback

Based on feedback, I will now have to change the colour scheme and remove sections of red.  The image of me will be made smaller also.  The competition section will need to be smaller to fit the convention and the font for 'CONTENTS' will need to be changed to fit more with the target audience of the magazine.  Plus, I am going to add a small column for 'Reviews' which also fits with the target audience.

Contents page- Draft 1

Contents Page- Draft

This is my contents page draft.  I have included listings relevant to my target audience and the colours that I have used stand out.  Red, green and black are the main colours, however the competition section a the bottom uses yellow and light blue so that it catches the audiences attention- letting them know that it is a separate part of the page.  I feel that I have achieved an effective colour scheme and have used relevant images.  As it is a draft, I realize that some changes may need to be made or that certain things will need to be added.  I found the contents easier to design than the front cover, despite there being more to consider.  The magic wand tool is something I am beginning to find easier.  It is important that I use this to make the images look the best that they can.

Front cover draft 1- Feedback

The feedback I received on this draft was that the masthead should fill the top of the page and the image needed to be cut further and be more dominant.  Also, I was told that the font use was limited and that overall, the cover felt bare.  From this feedback, I will retake the image and widen the range of fonts.  The final cover will look different as it will look bolder and realistic.  The headline and strap line will look much more appealing as they will have a much more unique font and the colours will look virtually the same.