Magazine Proposal

My Music Magazine..

. Name- The name of magazine is called Big Rhythmz, Inspired by 'Rhythm and Blues' (R&B). Personally, I think the name 'Big Rhythmz' portrays the Black African and American community well as R&B originated in the 1940s in America. The name also symbolises how big of an impact R&B had in society and the upbeat rhythm that came with it.

. Genre- The genre of my magazine is contemporary R&B/Hip-Hop. As this genre is the most current, most young people predominantly know what artists are in this category which allows it to cater to their interests. This genre is also a difficult one because in modern society,  R&B music videos are seen to be degrading women and glorifies crime, drugs and encourages violence. And although this is correct as it relates to some of the music, you shouldn’t paint the entire genre with the same brush. I wanted to go with a different approach to show this genre in a positive light . 

. Audience- My main target audience is catered to females aged from 17-25. This target audience is suitable as they are of working age and receiving disposable income. As the aim for my magazine is to glorify ethnic women in the male dominating music industry, women are pressured into living up to unattainable beauty standards, it's important that influential celebrities remind females to value the importance of being true to themselves rather than the stereotypical images portrayed of them in the media. 

college magazine

Mock College Magazine

What went well?

The front cover is partially finished due to my poor time management. The mast head dominates the page which is effective as readers will quickly be able to identify the name of the magazine. I chose to do a dark blue which stands out, because if i had chosen a brighter colour  ,it would blend in with the background. However, I may need to change the colour of the mast head if i applied an image as would not be noticeable. I wanted to keep my colour scheme very professional which would appeal to my target audience of young men and females. Using photoshop was a bit challenging at first however , as i started to learn the basics i took it upon myself to play around with photoshop to see what i could do.
The contents page was also unfinished due to poor time management however, I got the basics done such the the title 'Contents' , the page numbers of the different articles and a clear colour scheme. If i managed my time, then i was going to add small pictures on the right hand side going down. The pictures would've been of students participating everyday school life such as eating lunch, independent study in the library etc. I also kept the font very bold and classic as it is clear to read and readers will be able to navigate around the magazine easily. Using Indesign was much harder than photoshop because there were a lot more tools and i needed more time to get used to the software more easily.
Other students said that my content page and front cover would've of been of good standard had i managed my time effectively. The also thought that the idea of keeping my colour scheme and font simple would add to the professionalism and of easy standard to read. My targets for the music magazine is to manage my time well and use the softwares regularly in order to gain more knowledge to make the magazine to the best of my ability.

Case Studies ( Double Page Spread)

The structure of the 'NME' double page of Nicki Minaj is done in a way that presents the artists careless and free willed personality. Although it isn't arranged that organised it is still easy to distinguish as there are bold sub headings above each piece of text , each beginning with 'Thou..' set out like Nicki's own set of commandements. The styling and colour scheme using bright pinks and bold patterns and colours really establishes the artist, relating to her album ' Pink Friday' and presents the reader with her individual style and approach to music. The colours also shows her femininity eve though she is in what would be considered a male dominating music genre.
The image alone is very effective in drawing in potential readers, just by looking at her facial expression and her individual styling, you can tell she is one a kind, exceptional artist; bringing a new perspective into hip hop with her crazy persona. This could somehow represent women nowadays as having freedom to express themselves in the way they want not because society tells them to. She is positioned just off centre shows that she is dominating the page , being somewhere that she can be partially on each side without her being distorted by the fold of the page. 
One page of the double page spread is completely covered by the photograph of Lana Del Ray which highlights her significance. The structure of the text can easily be understood. The article follows genre conventions in that there is an introductory paragraph in bold. The spread uses a mainly monochromatic colour scheme. The only exception to this being the image of Lana del ray, the artificial lighting creates a red light across one side of her face.  The image goes against the usual conventions of  magazine layout as the cover star would usually be looking into the camera .

Case Studies ( Contents Page )

In 'Vibe' the masthead 'Contents' is written in a bold font and is in white which in contrast to the darker background which makes it stand out to the audience more. The word 'Contents' has been split up in to three different sections which makes the contents page more intriguing for the audience. Behind the masthead is a transparent V which they repeated in order for the page to be recognisable for the audience.
The main image is of Ciara in a very provocative pose with her legs in the air and her skin showing. She is also directly looking at the reader with a seductive look , this draws the reader in and adds interest into the magazine. However , this is only image present on the page which may signify she has a high amount of importance in the magazine.
The contents itself has been split into two sections 'features' and 'fashion' so its easier for the reader to navigate to their interested category. Also by having a range of different categories included in the magazine ( not only music ) allows the magazine to be targeted at a larger audience and demographic. The colour scheme used is black , white and grey which makes the magazine overall look professional and stylish which links to the urban theme.
'XXL' also repeats the name, but also keep it seem well organised as well as making it cohesive. They keep it from over shadowing the rest of the content on the page but still manage to make it stand out. The background and the main colours of the page are dull. This helps to bring the interest of their consumer to either the image or the writing so that they are able to see the images that they're looking for. This is because without the colours bringing your attention to the colour in the background , your eyes are more likely to be attracted to the idea that the text and certain parts of the main image that are more interesting.

Case Studies ( Front Cover)

'Vibe' magazine has the conventional three colour scheme of Grey, Black and Red. The bottom of the lettering for the name 'Vibe' has a fading effect into the white background and creates a professional and interesting look merging the title and the background into one. The connotations of this could be that 'Vibe' the magazine and the subheading of artists and music news are as one and in close relationship with one another.

The main image is usually of the person (s) the magazine has a major article about an also what genre this edition of the magazine will be based around. The image is of Ciara, she is nude wearing only heels and poses with a seductive expression. She appears to hold herself and with minimal lighting the audience immediately drawn to see what exactly she's hiding. This contrasts with the main cover line ' Stand Up! Ciara ' and the pull quote. This would suggest that in the article she reveals more than what she is on the front cover, ironically she is nude so the audience would think ' How could she reveal anymore ' , again then the pull quote suggests she has more to reveal and be open about with the audience a contrast from her pose as she holds herself. 

The cover lines are traditional features to the magazine beside the main image and article. Although these are not the focal part of the front cover , they are just as important and are presented clear and bold enough gaining interest. The variation in sizes of texts makes a contrast between each article being advertised because some will stand out more than others.

The masthead on 'Q' magazine is partially hidden behind the cover stars signifying their importance. The colour scheme is Red , pink and some white. The colours red could symbolise rebellion, danger , similar to what rock music present. The hot pink and red connect with the word 'Fire' in the cover as these colours have relations to warm. The central image is a long shot of a band. The angle is slightly lowered to enhance the importance of these celebrities as they are all looking directly into the camera to connect the readers. Their facial expressions of laughter indicates joy. The image is also studio shot which means it was pre planned. The darker colours in the background add contrast to the vibrant coloured text. The magazine also has a conventional barcode which states the price , date of issue etc.