Front Cover Draught - 02 (Made in Paint Shop Pro 9)

This is the first draught of my magazine front cover which has been made on a computer (more specifically, on Paint Shop Pro 9)

I am pleased with the outcome, though there are many things which I would like to improve, yet there are also many positive points, i.e. the ways in which I have adapted conventions to suit my needs.

For example, the Masthead (even though part of it is covered by the MCU) includes the boldest and most 'eye-catching' text on the page, followed by the Main Cover Line (HPV Exclusive) and then the next two cover lines which would only probably be read when initial interest has been taken. I do think that in my Final Draught I will probably have a more gender-neutral Main Cover Line, as i believe this magazine seems more aimed at a female audience.

There is no bar code on the draught and there will not be on the final magazine. This is because the magazine is given out free to people at the college, and as a sale isn't being made, there is no need for a bar code.

I will also probably give the text a more modern and 'cool' look, so as to appeal more to the younger audience, as I believe the current scheme, though eye catching, is quite boring.

There is also the issue number in the bottom corner. Although issue numbers are normally used for filing and keeping records, this probably would be more useful for the college and not the people who consume the magazine, as they may want to keep a record of the issues for purposes such as seeing how the magazine has come along since it was first created.

I am also pleased with the selling line (Your Social Saviour) as it related the magazine you the reader (by use of the word YOUR) and Social Saviour is alliteration, which makes it more catchy and snappy and appeals more to the target audience.

Photographs Taken

These are three examples of the photos I have now taken to use in the magazine.

Though at the most, only around four photographs will be used I have taken a wider range so that I have a lot to choose from while making the magazine front cover/contents page.

As you can see I have taken the required medium close-up and have also taken other photos relating to the magazine (books, student using laptop) and the photos will be cropped/edited as needed.

For example, to go by the convention of a person on the front of a magazine obscuring part of the title, the Medium Close-Up would need to be cropped so that there is less empty space in the image.

I used a wide range of photographic skills to produce the desired outcome in these photographs (for example, to take the picture of the books with acceptable detail and focus I used the Macro function of the camera, and while taking the Medium Close Up I had to consider the clothes the subject was wearing and how they were complimented by the colour of the background and the lighting of the area in which the photograph was taken, in this case, outdoor lighting on an overcast day.)

Contents Page Draught - 01

Front Cover Draught - 01

Magazine Title Ideas - Brainstorm and Decision

Here are the brainstorms I made when regarding the title of my magazine.

I am very pleased with my chosen title as I believe it sum up the ideology of my magazine (being about the college social life) in a modern and eye-catching manner.

Initial Ideas - Contents Page - Spider Diagram

I have begun to plan for my front cover by making spider diagrams for the Front Cover and Contents Page of the magazine.

Initial Ideas - Front Cover - Spider Diagram

I have begun to plan for my front cover by making spider diagrams for the Front Cover and Contents Page of the magazine.