I also looked at different strap and cover lines on magazines. This was to give me an idea of what types of things are on magazines to lure the reader in.
The Cover girls on the magazine help to lure the reader in. The models are always attract and infallible, in the target audience’s eyes. The Cover girls are usually around the same age as the target market, if a celebrity is being used then the celebrity maybe a few years older. This connotes that the celebrity is probably a role model of the target audience. The models also fitted in with the genre and style of the magazine. The Photographs looked more professional on the older magazines and they appeared to be simpler in the lighting and staging.
My magazine includes the typical conventions and features of magazines. It has mastheads, titles, strap lines and cover lines to catch the attention of the readers. Having use a simple natural photograph, with the model in the same age group as the target reader and having bold modern font faces to produce a casual and contemporary feel.
Planning.
The majority of double pages in “Sugar” magazine and “Glamour” were real life spreads or fashion spreads. The double pages all stuck to the typical conventions of having one large image and maybe on or two smaller images, as well as quotes. The real life spreads were of ordinary people the same age as the reader, although there was one that was an interview with the cover celebrity. One of the double pages was about celebrities and some items they had used. This page used bright, bold feminine colours and photographs of the celebrities. There was also little text. This page also used colloquial language with words such as “Hot” and “lush”. Therefore I decided my double page spread would be a mix of celebrity and real life, by doing an interview with a teen celebrity.
For my single page I decided to create an advertisement for a make-up product. Even though readers said in my questionnaire that they did not like a lot adverts, however adverts are a convention of a magazine, and overall my magazine would only have a few advertisements. I analysed two advertisements and a ‘cringe’ page for my single page research. One was a shampoo advertisement and the other was an advert for lip-gloss. I liked the lip-gloss best and decided to do my own advert for lip-gloss.
For my single page at first I just found a picture of lip-gloss on , and a background on . I did not plan to use flowers in my background, or to name my lip-gloss. Orchid close before. However I really liked this background and it gave me inspiration for my final single page. I also found a picture of an anorexic girl on to use on my front cover, to tie in with one of my real life cover stories, “I survived on only 600 calories a day”. In addition my cover girl is facing forwards looking directly at the camera, thus audience, smiling and a friendly facial expression. I got my model to pose in a friendly way as I wanted the magazine to appeal to a wide range of ages.
Even though I had made an action plan at the beginning of the project I did not stick to it week by week. Instead I found it easier to do the work as I went along, and not stressing myself out by worrying that I was not on time according to my action plan.
Construction.
For my front cover and double pages I used Abode Photoshop version 6.0 and Microsoft Publisher 2002. However I did all of my single pages on Photoshop alone. On Photoshop I opened and edited all my images which I then layered and imported onto publisher. I mainly used the dodge, blur, magnetic lasso, hue and saturation and airbrushing tools on Photoshop. When I started the project I had only ever used Photoshop once before very briefly, however the more time I spent on it the easier to use it became and my Photoshop abilities steadily improved. Once my images had been imported on to Publisher I constructed the overall pages and added all my text.
I constructed all of my single pages on Photoshop as I had a lot of trouble trying to import the background image and the lip-gloss image. I decided it would be easier and save me a lot of time if I constructed the entire page of Photoshop.
I used digital cameras to take all of my original images in the media studio we have at college. I used a tripod for some of my original images but found it easier to hand hold the camera in some instances. My front cover image is a medium shot of my model from the shoulder upwards. I used a medium shot to the show the facial expression of my model clearly.
The large main image on my double page is a large close up of my models face. I decided to use a large close up as I wanted the shot to look high fashion, and I wanted her facial expression to be defined clearly. Also I wanted her eyes to stand out and the grab the reader’s attention. For the smaller picture on my double page I used a close up the models face. I had the model looking away so her hair fell across her face slightly and we could only see part of her face. Once again I used this technique as I wanted the photograph to look high fashion and professional. I took the photographs in black and white mode merely as an experiment. I was very please with the effect and decided to use them instead of colour images.
For my single page I decided to use only a picture of lip as I was doing a lip gloss advert. For these photographs I did extreme close up on the mouth and lower half of my model’s face. She is wearing a lot of lip-gloss with glitter in to make the lips standout.
As I took my front cover image in the media studio using a white curtain I needed to edit the background for it. Using the magnetic lasso tool I cut out my model, this took many attempts as sometimes the tool would cut out too much or veer off. Finally I got the hang of the lasso and managed to put my model onto a new layer, which I had a plain white background. I feathered the image by 5 pixels so it would blend into the new background seamlessly. Then using the blur tool I removed any spots and blemishes from my models face. Using the dodge tool I removed any shadows, whitened her teeth, and eye whites. I also used the dodge tool to lighten her hair and add midtones and highlights to it. Finally using the paint tool I made the model’s eyes slightly greener. I only did this very slightly as I did not want the eyes to look unnatural. After I had edite4d the pictured I imported it onto publisher where I resized it to fit the required space. I then added the masthead using the word art tool, cover lines and strap lines. I used text boxes and word art to add these as well. I also used the auto shapes tool to add stickers to my cover. I edited the colours of my text and text boxes by using the fill tools. The colours I used were bright, bold and contrasting to grab the reader’s eye, and make the magazine stand out on the shelf. I rotated one of the stickers and the barcode to make the magazine look youthful and up to date. The cover’s overall look is young fresh and funky. However the masthead has a 60s mod feel to it, which is very up to date with this seasons trends. The style is also different from most other magazines and will stand out. Furthermore teenagers today are big on individuality, and as my magazines masthead is unlike any other around at the moment it will attract the target audience and hopefully connect with them.
The photographs on my double page spread needed very little editing on Photoshop. I did not cut either them out as I liked the background they were already on. Using the dodge tool I lightened my model’s hair on the main image. I then adjusted the brightness and contrast. This made her face stand out, and worked with the natural light and shadows already on her. I used the same techniques for the smaller image. I then transported the images onto Publisher where I resized them and positioned them. I added text boxes to write my article in, as well as using word art for the mast head and stand first. I then found some large quote marks on www.google.com and copied them onto my double page. Using the arrange tool I sent them to the back and placed a transparent text box over the top to write my quote in. The quote stands out and draws the readers eye making them want to read more of the story. As the story is about a model the reader’s own age they should be able to connect with the story and look at Flora as a role model.
For the construction of my single page I opened the background as a new layer. I then cut out the lip-glosses using the magnetic lasso tool and copied them onto the background via a new layer. Then using the hue and saturation tool I adjusted the colour of each lip-gloss. Using the text tool I then added my text and the name of the product. I found the Maybelline logo on and copied it onto the background. Using the free transform tool I adjusted the size. I then edited my chosen photographs of the lips. I cut them out using the magnetic lasso tool. This was very difficult because of their shape. Eventually I was satisfied with them. I feathered them by 5 pixels and transported them on to my page. I used the blur tool so they blended in seamlessly with the background. Then using the dodge tool I brightened the shine of the lip gloss and the models teeth. Finally, again using the hue and saturation tool I adjusted the colour of the background. I did this three times. I then asked girls in my target audience what colour they preferred. They chose the yellow and pink one. I agreed with them and decided to use it as my final piece.
Evaluation
I am happy with how all my pages turned out. I was a bit worried about my photographs as I had trouble finding a model and had to take them quickly. However I am by and large pleased with how they turned out and I edited them to the best of my ability on Photoshop. My front cover model fits with all the conventions of a typical teenage cover girl. My model is attractive; clear skinned and has a pleasant facial expression. She is the type of girl my target audience would aspire to be. I happy with the final colour scheme and I have completed what I set out to do in my treatment. The overall look of the cover is modern yet has a retro feel because of the mast head. The yellows, pinks and purples connote youth, feminineness, and happiness. Also as the colours clash they connote a rebellious streak in my magazine which will appeal to my readers. In my double page I have used a calmer colour scheme. I think this makes the page look more sophisticated and serious, perhaps attracting the magazines older readers.
I feel that my double page and front cover were successful. I feel that they look professional. They turned out how I intended them too and stick to the conventions of a teen magazine.
However my single page was harder to achieve. I did not have a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve despite analysing other adverts and single pages that I found in already existing teen magazines such as “Sugar” and “Teen Vogue”. I eventually decided to do a make up advert, and as I stated earlier only decided on the type of product through inspiration. I completed my single page relatively fast. However I soon realised that if I was going to do a lip-gloss advert I needed to have some lips in it. I then hurriedly took pictures of some lips and edited them to put onto my advert. I feel that advert is aimed at a slightly older more mature audience than the majority of my target readership. However many girls these days try to be older than they actually are. Therefore the advert may appeal to them after all. Overall I am pleased with the out come of my single page. I feel that it is sophisticated and look professional. It is bright and eye catching but is not tacky.
My aim at the beginning of this project was to make a realistic looking teenage magazine consisting of a front cover, a single page spread and a double page spread. I feel I have achieved this to the best of my ability. I did several drafts and a lot of research and planning. I have had positive feed back from my family and friends. However there are a few things I would have done differently. The main thing I would have done differently would have been to manage my time better.
Word count: 2853
