For my Cover 1, I’ve decided to work with black and white
image and bright red colour for cover furniture. On the main image is my friend
Ben, who plays the role of the ‘rapper’ Metro Zu. You can see two drumsticks
and headphones for better representation of a music related person. His custom
is baggy, and stylish enough to create clearer representation of hip-hoper. The
mes-en-scene is chosen with purpose to demonstrate the ‘street style’ and ‘street
music’. The picture was taken outside on the street, the mes – en – scene shows
that the picture was taken in England, which could reach for wider UK audience.
The headline and cover-lines links back to the hip-hop industry and features nowadays
popular hip-hop male artists.
You can see the process through my screenshots, which I took while working in photoshop.
Initially, I had more than 3 pictures that I tended to use for the cover. Than had a debate between the picture above, and two lower down.
But, eventually I've choose the black and white picture with the red masthead.
I wanted to give representation of 'street music' and 'street life' , that's why I have draw 'graffiti' around my model (Ben), which are a slang that is normally used within rap artists or hip hop community.
Initially, I struggled with the fonts options for the cover.
I wanted to look appealing enough, but not too busy. I have been looking
through more than 30 fonts overall, for the coverlines and headlines for both
covers and contents’ pages.
However, eventually I've stopped on the fonts above which worked very well with the second cover as well.
And last but not least, I have located puff on the cover and that's my finish results of my first cover.
For the second cover, my friends Faustina and Keiysha played
the role of a hip-hop female duo. The picture was taken indoors with
professional lights, and white paper as the background which can be seen as ‘professional
photography’. The difference between two cover works as diversity and follows
the norms of magazine production. Models on the cover are dressed in the same
style with the t-shirts with numbers on, baggy jeans and sneakers which fits into
the stereotypical representation of ‘hip-hop style’. Direct gaze to create
tense and closer relations between audience and ‘artists’. You can follow my
process through my screenshots which I took while working with the cover.
Initially, I wanted to use white color for the cover furniture, however, I thought it will look too boring, so, eventually my decision fall on not bright orange.
You can notice, that i have draw some stars and a crown on the cover do outline the idea of 'street sound'. Crown and stars for the link to the duo(which are the models on the cover) 5ixstars!
And as my final result, I end up with the cover above.
Moving on, I had the same tragedy while I worked on my contents pages.
Firstly, I started with the contents page for the first cover. Followed the same idea of 'graffiti' and street style, with the mix of collages. Is much more colorful and brighter which creates a great balanced contrast between cover and contents page.
I couldn't decide which background to us for the contents page, initially wanted to work with the red color so create a link between cover pallet and contents page, but I've decided that white background will sit better with pictures. For the font, I have used the same fonts that I have used for the cover.
Screenshot below is my final result.
Further on, I worked with the second contents page, which was much harder to work with. I had much more options and ideas of how to design the page as I have a lot of pictures with the girls, there was a lot of ideas with the background pallet and chose of pictures. You can follow the process of decisions through my screenshots.
I had a lot of samples for each contents page and worked with different background and pictures to understand which sample will look better as an outcome.
My final result is below.
Overall, I have tried to fit in with the initial cover's 'vibe' to create an appealing pages which could work together perfectly and uphold its style of 'hip-hop' and 'street life& style'.
However, I have made a lot changes to my printed products.
Through a comprehensive exploration of various magazines across an array of genres, I uncovered a wealth of insights that proved instrumental in transforming my previous products into offerings that are not only more suitable but also far more appealing to my target audience. This journey of investigation allowed me to identify key design principles, content strategies, and stylistic elements that resonate with readers and enhance user experience.
One of the most significant transformations in my approach has been the shift toward minimalism. The magazines I examined shared a common thread: they embraced simplicity, allowing the content to shine without unnecessary distractions. This realization prompted me to reevaluate my own products, guiding me to strip away superfluous elements that cluttered the presentation. In essence, I learned that less truly is more. By focusing on essential information and aesthetically pleasing design, I enabled a clearer line of communication between my brand and my audience.
A minimalistic approach not only provides visual clarity but also enhances navigability. I noticed that successful magazines utilize strategic white space to guide the reader's eye. This design technique, which I sought to implement in my own products, allows readers to process information more effectively and intuitively. By eliminating excessive text and visuals, I could create an environment where my audience feels unencumbered and empowered to explore the content at their own pace.
Furthermore, the insights gleaned from my magazine exploration informed my choices in typography, color palettes, and layout. I moved towards softer hues and sans-serif fonts that convey modernity and approachability. These changes reflect a commitment to user-friendliness, ensuring that my products not only capture attention but also provide easy navigation and engagement.
Ultimately, the experience of investigating diverse magazines has transcended mere design enhancements; it has profoundly influenced my understanding of reader needs and preferences. The transition to a more minimalistic aesthetic has positioned my products to resonate more deeply with users, fostering a sense of connection and satisfaction. As I continue to refine my offerings, I am eager to see how these foundational changes manifest in audience response and overall usability—confirming the value of simplicity in an increasingly complex media landscape.
For my first cover and contents page I have considered to focus on red and white colors to create a festive look.
For the second cover and contents I focused predominantly on white and black including some of red to create familiarity for readers across all magazine products.
