Drafting and Planning: Double Page Spread Changes

BEFORE (First Draft): 

The design was quite modest with little excitement on the page. There was no stand out features and everything seemed to blend together into one white page with only colour coming from the background art. 

NOW (Final Draft): 

What I have changed? 

• More colour has been added to page, in the form of coloured block around the pull quotes.
• My font size of my article has been reduced to decent font size 10 - I had previously said * however this was far to small. 
• The smaller font size has also meant I have extended my article slightly which now makes the page look fuller. 

Drafting and Planning: Contents Page Changes

What I have changed??? - My contents page has been changed hugely. I have stuck to most of the changes I wanted as proposed in a previous blog post. 

• I have not changed the social media page, but I have enlarged it. This makes it fit the space more, making it clearer. I have also added a grey and pink trimmed line around the boxes edge to make the feature more defined. 
• I have added a new heading "ON THE COVER" on the left hand side of the page to highlight the stories on the front cover more. I have also added a boxed detail with a coloured trim. The colours I have used incorporate my colour scheme more on the page. The text has also been highlighted with a while lined detail, further enhancing it. 
• The colour on the page now looks more girly and matches my target audience more. I have also ensures that the colour scheme runs from the front cover onto the contents page. 
• I have changed one of my images of a secondary artist, as I believe the new image worked with the look of the magazine - I also edited the picture to show my artists name written on the tower behind her, which adds a fun element. I have also changed the size of the image of my main artist. This has made it look less stretched out, which works on the page. 
• Changing the size of the image has also allowed me to adjust the sizing of the box containing the pages heading "CONTENTS." It now doesn't overlap the image and stands alone on the page. It has also allowed me to add a third heading as previously mentioned. 
• The font colour on my images have been changed to make them clearer. I have took away the green colour and stuck to just white and pink. Which I think works well over the colour of the images. 
• I have also added to the musical and girly theme further, by adding more music notes around the page  - but I have coloured this various tones of grey -  along with them I have added pink stars which brings the whole look of the magazine together. 
• I have changed the colour of the center dividing line to pink which makes the division brighter and have also lined the images and the heading to keep the pink going through the page. This separates the features but also adds a girly tone to the page. 

I am pleased with how my contents page looks, it has come a long way from my first contents page and it matches my first expectations of my magazine look. 

Drafting and Planning: Front Cover Changes

What I have changed??? - I have slightly changed my front cover, nothing major has changed but I have done what proposed. 

• I have changed the look of skyline. I have firstly changed the font colour to white with the green used a a highlighting detail. I have then added a pink box around the text to help make the cover line stand out more as an important feature. The skyline now looks apart of the magazine scheme, especially because I have my colour scheme effectively.  
• The spellings that are coming up as wrong are correct for me. I have used different name spellings and this why The red error lines are seen on this image above - these will not come up on my final draft hand in. 
• I have simply highlighted the "A-Z" and "TOP 10's" with the opposite colour, adding more depth to the page. 
• I have removed the grey line that I had added to highlight the cross point on the triangle. 

Not a lot has happened to my front cover but I am pleased with its overall look. 

Final Draft

Front Cover and Contents Page

This is my final draft that I handed in on Thursday 16th February 2017 

Double Page Spread

Organisation: What I used for my photography?

Throughout the shooting of my images used in my magazine I used a Nikon COOLPIX L830 camera. I used this camera over using a phone for my photography for a number of reasons.

1. The camera has a higher quality than a standard phone in my opinion. 
2. The camera allowed me to work with different lighted locations, as it has a high intensity flash and auto focus, which phones often don't have and if they do offer little help to the taking of an image other than a selfie. 
3. By also using a camera it lowers the risk of my images turning out blurry when imported onto the PagePlus software. 
4. The camera also offer various settings to allow for different effects to be used, to take the perfect picture. 
5. In my eyes using a camera rather than a phone is also more professional.

Drafting and Planning: My Next Steps

MY NEXT STEPS....

This is a list of things I am going to do next before handing in my final draft. 

• Front cover: I am mostly pleased with how this has come out however I want to try and change some parts to make it even better and also more appealing to the eye.
• My Skyline will be changed and made bigger with a potential box or trim surrounding it, to create a unity between the text 
• I want to add a more musical theme to my front cover, so I am going to work on adding some feature related to music. 
• Contents Page: Change the overall layout of the contents page - I hope a reworking the layout will give me more space to maybe add more features, this will then make it look more professional. 
• I am thinking about adding a colour box or extra trimming detail around the headings on my contents page ("IN EVERY ISSUE" & "WE OFFER MORE") this will make it stand out more and add something special to the page. 
• I am going to either change my image selection or re-edit them so they fit more into the feel of my magazine. 
• I am going to also rework the social media section of the page, maybe make it bigger to make it more clearer. 
• I am going to rethink the colours used on the page, to create a more energetic approach to the magazine, as I have to remember my target audience is relatively young and is attracted to bright more fun colour schemes. 
• Double Page Spread - this page is pretty much finished and only needs a little tweaking, so I am not going to change or add anything majorly for this next hand in that I haven't already done. I am just simply going to check for errors and ensure everything is clear and lined up correctly.
• I am also going to look into different colour choices for my pull quote boxes (this will be discussed in a following blog post) 

Drafting and Planning: Double Page Spread Design

I have decided to work with different colour choices for the bold text boxes surrounding my pull quotes on my double page spread. In my previous post I had used a duck egg blue colour, however I am going to test other colour options. I am going to be taking colour inspiration from the pastel colour selection in the art background behind my artist. This will then create a connection between all of the pages features, showing it to be one piece. 

Original Colour 

Test 1

•  This test pulled out the purple aspect of the art. It works well and stands out from the rest of the text on the page, The colour is also not to overpowering, giving a delicate burst of colour.
• However the colour appears to be a major colour in the art meaning the colour is dominant on the page to begin with, so doesn't give the full affect of the colour pop. 

Test 2 

•  The pink looks good, it adds a feminine feel to the page which portrays her girly side. 
• However the colour overpowers the other color aspects of the background art, meaning it takes away from its affect. 

Test 3


 

•  This goldy yellow colour pulls on the small detail aspects in the art. Using this colour would make quotes standout as it isn't a dominant colour in the background.
• However the colour doesn't go with the overall ethos of my magazine, so it is defiantly a colour I wont be using. 

Organisation: My Typography

The collection of fonts I have used have been thought out very carefully. Ensuring I use the correct fonts together in a collection means I have a final result that looks uniform. Here are the fonts I have used in all three pieces of my magazine...

Front Cover

On the front cover I have used a range of 5 fonts. I believe they all work well together to create an appealing look.

1. Xpress Heay SF
2. TW Cen MT Condensed Extra Bold
3. Commerce SF
4. Agency FB
5. Diamond Heavy SF

Contents Page

On my contents page I used less different fonts to create unity of the content. I used one to name each feature and another to talk about the story itself. 

1. Diamond Heavy SF
2. Tw Cen MT
3. Tw Cen MT Condensed Extra

Double Page Spread

1. Mistral
2. Adamsky SF 
3. Diamond Heavy SF
4. Smarty Pants BTN 

Drafting and Planning: Work in progress

This is the work I have done this week following the feedback I received, it is not fully finished but it is working progress and has changed since my first draft. 

FRONT COVER & CONTENTS PAGE: 

I have decided not to change anything on my front cover as I think everything works well together and I received good feedback about its look. I may change some things in the future, maybe after 

handing in my final draft in a few weeks. 

This is my updated contents page so far. I have added the number stories which i have spoke about above and I have edited some of the original content. On this version I have also changed the two images at the bottom of the page. These are of my secondary artists. They are not my final pick of images but are placed to show an example of my final magazine. I am still working with the colour choice of the text on the images, they are my next step. 

This was my original draft.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD: 

This is my second version double page spread. I have made my article longer, which I spoke about in a previous post. This was because it was too short. I've also changed my font size. I have kept all of the same fonts used previously as they worked well and created a enthusiastic and young look. I have placed a duck egg blue box around my pull quotes, I have got the exact colour from the designed wall behind. I used a tool on Page Plus to do this. This makes the quotes stand out more, as left in just white caused them to become washed out by all the colour and other text, it also separates them more creating a bigger focus. 

This was my original double page spread design. 

Drafting and Planning: 2nd Version Article

Below is my second version of my double page spread article, I have added new paragraphs to make the article longer. The paragraphs in red are new editions and I believe they add more context to feature and artist.

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Youngest Brits critic choice award nominee at 17, 5.5 million and counting combined followers on social media and YouTube, signed to a record label at just 15. She is already taking the music world by storm and her debut album 'Exhibition' is still months from being released... and if you still don't know who these stats belong to then where have you been.

Pearl Rey the 17-year-old singer who is taking on the best of country and pop never expected to have such a big success so soon into her career full filling her hidden passion. Born Pearl Kiely, she never saw herself heading in the direction of fame and fortune, as she left school with a collection of amazing grades. But grades aren't the only thing she picked up in the summer of 2014. "I spent the summer gigging in Birmingham before being scouted at gig for new home grown talent. I was given a immediate record deal and began working on my original work, Before I knew it I was leaving my initial dreams of becoming a teacher to become a signed singer."

Pearl started her life in the heart of Birmingham before she began touring around the country with her also musical family. She settled back into life in Birmingham in 2011 to begin her GCSE studies. Birmingham is now where she takes a great deal of inspiration along with that of her family. "My father and grandfather are both huge country fans. I was introduced into the genre  by accident at the age of 4. I was mesmerised at the first note. I grew up watching them gigging around the country but I never saw myself up on a stage. My mother also loves country but she also offered a beautiful pop tone to her music and that's what i now take inspiration from. I bring together my fathers country spirit with my mothers pop background"

We asked Pearl Rey all about her upcoming debut album, she replied with "This project has become my life over the last 2 years  believe or not. Its took the last 2 years and heap load of hard work to produce this album. I know 2 years is a long period but I took my time finding my sound while giging up and down the country. I saw it as the best way to find the sound that reflects me perfectly.  The album is full of hits that bring together both the pop and country genre. If you dont get one then you get the other come through in every song. I think combing the two will create a unqiue sound that all can enjoy, the combined sound reflects me as a person but also as an artist. I am the music."

Away from music we spoke to Pearl about what else in her life that is her love. “Where do I start, Birmingham is my home town and I love it but Birmingham City Football club has a piece of my heart. I have my own season ticket and have done since I was born. Despite people recognising me in the street I still sit with the fans as I always have. They all know me in the stands and I trust them with my life. I think if I ever came into trouble id be safer at the St Andrews than anywhere else. " She sure does have more than one strong passion. Pearl isn’t just one layer deep, she is more than what meets the eye.

Pearl admits she has another new and interesting project to accompany her one her journey to music supremacy. “Last summer I got a phone call, from a surprising company. I was approached to work on a side project. For now the majority of the details will remain secret, well at least until after the album release as that’s my main priority but its sure to be a surprise. Let’s just say it defines me and my freedom and enlightenment of music. I feel so glad that my music finally reaching out to people but when this project is revealed my full message will be made clear.” We are surely intrigued but I guess we will just have to stay peeled and watch her project come to life.  

We got talking to Pearl about her past before music became to the forefront of her life. We spoke about everything from her past school life, to relationships and family. She opened up and revealed all by saying “When I came back to Birmingham to study for my GCSE’s I didn’t always have the best time. School became a place of hell for me as I encountered mass bullying from people I thought were my friends. During my 3 years I so wanted to leave and move to a new school but I thought that would let them win. So that’s when I put them to the back of my mind and put all of my determination into my school work and it paid off. I left school that summer with grades I was proud of, including 6A*s. It was then I realised no one could get in the way. That summer was the best summer I’ve ever had because I left school and I left them behind. The funniest part is if they read this article and realise I’m talking about them. They were my friends and now they are nothing more than strangers in the street who I had to spend three years with.”

However Pearl isn’t as innocent as she seems, she spoke about her wild side and the behaviour that has created a storm with the fans. “I like coming out of my comfort zone and that can sometimes create a bigger reaction than expected.  I want to be an idol to young girls and also boys, but not for fame and fortune but to show them that you can be yourself and succeed. If that means doing the unexpected then why not? I used to hide from trying new things but not now. I recently just did a skydive in aid of charity and I’ve just booked to do a bungee jump and helicopter ride in Australia, all of which is a big deal to someone scared of heights. The new challenges are what make me thrive to express myself."

After hearing about her trip to Australia, we asked just how she fits her adventures around her already busy schedule.“My record company have been quite relaxed allowing me to record when I feel I’m really in the mood. They want me to still focus on being young and they see the wait as just a bigger impact for when it finally does drop.  Music is only ever at its best when you’re in the mood. If I was to record not at 100% it just wouldn’t be pretty.”  Pearl has also just moved into a new house of her own to strengthen her new found independence. She tells us of extreme happiness to have her own living space. “I’ve already had my friends and family around. Moving out of home was big decision, I’ve never lived one my own. I didn’t even know how to use the washing machine until a few days before collecting the keys [laughs] and I’m still getting grips to the cooking but my mum is always a call away. She’s made that very clear. I’m apprehensive of what is to come without the comfort of my parents but it’s exciting” She is moving out of the family home, the small home town girl is growing up. 

Before we finished we asked Pearl all about her Brit nomination. “I believe I’m the youngest person to be nominated for the award, which to me is more amazing then winning it. Not going to lie I would have loved to win it but with my best music not released yet, I think the true me wouldn’t be presented. I’ve worked hard to get to this point and nomination shows me it’s all be worth it. Of course I don’t do it for the awards but they show people are taking the time to listen and appreciate my sound.” We also spoke about her ever growing social media following, who watch her steps from all across the world. “Knowing people are supporting me from half way around the country is such a huge inspiration. The numbers having just been growing and growing it’s crazy how me, an ordinary girl from Birmingham has fans from a far as Australia – that’s another reason why I’m going on that trip later this year, that I spoke about earlier. I wish I could meet them all, but that’s impossible but It’s important for them to know I appreciate each every fans support” Wow a small town girl who has grown past her English roots and is now reaching bigger heights. 

As for what’s next after the album, Pearl is going on Tour. She is definitely one hard worker. An album release and a tour in all in a short amount of time. “It’s going to be an amazing experience. I know I’ve toured before gigging but this time it’s different. Before I’d be supporting doing covers in little clubs and bars but now it’s all about me. How big headed does that sound {laughs.} What I mean is, this time on a wide UK tour performing in some of the best venues in the country performing my own material for the people I care about the most. My fans! They are everything and I wouldn’t be here today doing this interview let alone realising an album without them.  I owe them a lot and that’s why I want to make them a big part of this tour.” We asked what she meant by this and she replied “You’ll have to watch this space.” The future surely looks bright for this young star.

Drafting and Planning: Contents Page Content 2nd Version

IN EVERY ISSUE:

Page 4

TOP PICKS

1,2,3.... Our thoughts on the month shared.

Page 12 -13

POP QUIZ

Your questions answered.

Page 20 - 21

ACCESS ALL AREAS

Enter the world of an artist for the day.

Page 30 -31

A NonStop MONTH

A guide to the next month of music

THIS ISSUE'S CONTENT:

Page 6 FT COLLAB - stay tuned for this show stopper

Page 8  A NEW FOCUS - "we're older now, its not about the music anymore" (*Image - The Felix Brothers)

Page 9 THE BRITS FUTURE - taking the 2017 music scene by storm

Page 14 LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND - Pop country flow  (*Image - Main Cover Artist_ Pearl Rey)

Page 16 MAGGIE'S MARK - The legacy left behind

Page 24 ELISHA HERMES Q&A - all of what you've been dying to know (*Image - Elisha Hermes)

Page 26 C|HARLIE -  a bad boy here to stay

MORE:

Page 18

WE REVIEW: POP 2016

Who and what did 2016 have to offer when it came to 'Pop'.

Page 22

WE REVIEW: COUNTRY 2016

Who and what did 2016 have to offer when it came to 'Country'.

Page 29

COMPETITIONS

Lets have look what we have to offer in this months issue of your NonStop music magazine

Above is the contents page information I included on my first draft contents page. MY teacher found the stories limited and spoke about increasing my magazine page size to include more stories. So this indeed what I’ve done.  I originally proposed to have 32 pages in my magazine and I am now upping that number 40, the extra 8 pages will give more opportunity for storied filling up my contents page more.

I have edited a few of the original stories….

Page 9 THE BRITS FUTURE – The 2017 music storm.

Page 4 TOP PICKS - 1,2,3.... Our music thoughts

Page 20 – 21 ACCESS ALL AREAS – A day in the world of an artist

New Content –

Page 32 – 33

OUTFIT 101

What they’re wearing, look just like them

Page 35 – 36

A list of A to Z

The best of Top 10’s  

(This story is on my front cover, however I missed it out on my first draft)

Page 38

ONES TO WATCH

A list on the unique and promising new talent

Organisation: Final Images 2

I have now decided on my final images for my contents page. One is of my main artist (Pearl Rey), one of my solo secondary artist (Elisha Hermes) and one of my group (Felix Bros) 

What changes am I going to make?

Following receiving general class feedback and individual feedback on the first drafts, I have decided to make some changes to my magazine. This will then add to success of my magazine and the ethos of my magazine will come better together. Well I least hope this will happen.

-         I am going to make my font smaller on the page and I may add some more stories. However this would mean adding more pages then initially intended. I will look back into my research and will make the decision whether or not to add more pages to the 32 already planned.

-         I am going to change my font on my double page spread from size 16 to 8. This is a big change and will mean my article will need extending to fill the page, as the smaller font will not even cover half of the page as I have looked into this.

-    Although I was asked to look at my artists looks again, I have decided not to go ahead with changing what my model is wearing, as I believe my choices are appropriate and it is how I want to present my artist. She is laid back and about original beauty and casual identity as she wants to look ordinary and relatable. 

I am happy with the way my front cover is looking so I have decided to leave it untouched as I believe it presents the exact ethos I want to express and looks aesthetically pleasing.