Contents Page and Double Page Spread Guidelines

Contents Page

• Multiple Images
• Reflect the stories on the Front Cover (and audience survey)
• Elements to include - Subscription offer, Letter from the Editor
• Divide the page into sections eg. Interviews, Gigs
• Contents Page may be 2 or 3 pages
• The largest photograph should be the cover star
• The same logo, name and colour scheme as the rest of the magazine
• Page Number (6+)
• Not all contents are on the Contents Page

Weekly Magazine - 60 Pages

Monthly Magazine - 140 - 180 Pages

• Allow for adverts

Double Page Spread

• A3 Landscape
• 300 dpi, RGB
• Photoshop for graphics + photos
• Publisher for columns of text
• Drop Cap (first letter is big, rest of text fits around it)
• Pull Quote 
• Columns of Text - no less than 6 words per line, no more than 12 words per line
• Paragraphs
• Post complete article on blog
• Make sure the fold is not through the main image
• Should be a margin and border all the way round
• Page Numbers (Weekly p30 - 40, Monthly p80 - 100)

Improving the Front Cover

• Bring the main photo in front
• and make it larger
• Change the font (uppercase lettering)
• Remove space between text in the headline
• More examples of front covers on blog
• Make font more compact
• Make the headline bigger and more prominent
• Post Photoshop video tutorials

Editing the Front Cover

Original Image:

This is the original image I took. However it requires editing because at the moment it doesn't meet certain stereotypes of a pop artist. 

Improvements to do:

• Lighten hair colour
• Change colour of lips to a brighter colour
• Change colour of nail varnish
• Remove skin blemishes
• Change colour of eyebrows

                            

Using a Video:

I have no experience using Photoshop and therefore had no idea how to manipulate the image for my front cover. Therefore I decided to follow a tutorial on Youtube. This video (shown below) informed me how to change hair colour by changing the hue and saturation of the image and using lighter layers to brighten the hair.

However the editing didn't go exactly to plan..

The video was quite confusing about which tools to use and being only a beginner at Photoshop it was too complicated to follow. 

This is my attempt at changing my hair colour by following the tutorial:

Edited Image:

Due to the disastrous editing, I decided to use a different method to help me use Photoshop. My friend, who also studies Media, knows a lot about Photoshop and uses it often. She taught my how to use the Skin Blemish tool and how to make the colour of my hair more natural by changing the opacity. After editing the hair the eyebrows had to be lightened to make them look more natural. Spots and marks on my face were edited away and the bags under my eyes were removed. 

This is the work in progress:

Double Page Spread

Contents Page

Taking the Photos Part 2!

I decided to take more images because I felt that none of the first ones were appropriate for the front cover of my magazine. This time my friend, who also does media, took the photos. I think this was a good decision because she has more experience with taking pictures and therefore the images will be of a higher quality and will hopefully be appropriate for my front cover.

A preview of the images taken:

Front Cover Photos:

I might use this image on my front cover. Although it is taken on a side there is still eye contact with the camera, thus making it conventional of a pop magazine front cover. I think that the pose (laughing) is a good feature because it suggests the magazine is fun and the audience will have fun by reading it. The white kimono and light blue vest top are conventional of the pop music style. The bright colours are similar to the color themes of pop magazines.

 This is a good picture because the target audience enjoys being on/following their favourite artists on social media; this image portrays this stereotype. However, this image would not be appropriate for the front cover because there is no eye contact with the camera or audience.

 This image is the same as before; it shows how social media will be included in the magazine but it is not inviting the audience in because there is no eye contact.

 This image would be more appropriate for use in an indie/acoustic magazine where a side profile shot is commonly used. In a pop music magazine it would be no good. Due to the target audience of pop music being generally younger than that of the indie genre celebrities are made to look friendly and inviting. In front cover images they're commonly seen to be smiling/laughing and looking straight at the camera.