Top fashion magazines and their main features

To the left are the top fashion magazines that are National. The difference with my product is that it is a regional fashion magazine, although the main features and conventions are the same as a National magazine. When designing my product i have to consider the features of an official national magazine, in order for it to be successful. Looking into the features of Masthead, sell lines, pull quotes, barcode and main images. These are what make the product official and professional. These features are what will capture the readers attention and engage them...

Codes to follow

My fashion product will consist of many features that attract my target audience of young females ( older teenagers- young adults)...

As reflection of potential target audience

Above is an AS reflection of the development of my potential target audience for a music magazine , aimed at teenagers age 16-19years. The audience for this magazine is very similar to my magazine, although the theme is changed to fashion. My magazine audience with the theme of 'Fashion' in A2, lies between the 'teenager and the adult stage'. Therefore, my audience are matured enough to have a passion for clothes and accessories. Although, this story board above is interesting because although fashion is mainly for my target audience of young adults. Many young adults with young babies dress their children in fashion branded clothing. So, there is a reason the 'baby stage' could be relative to 'fashion'. The same goes for young children and todlers.

AS Reflection of front cover

changed flat plan for front cover

When i chose the main image i wanted to use for my front cover, i experimented with where i could place sell lines and advertisements. In addition, i noticed that the image i have chosen looks best placed slightly to the left, rather than central. So, in this case, i have re-arranged my flat plan for my front cover by choosing a layout that will work best around my main image. Meaning my sell lines are only on the right hand side. Almost in a listed way. and my puff is the only feature to the left hand side, as the text would cover the models face and make the page look overcrowded if i were to add sell lines to either side of the front cover. So, this is the final flat plan for my front cover of my magazine.

The front cover

  

This the final outcome for my front cover of my fashion magazine. Personally, i am pleased with the result of the cover because it has many successful features like contrasting colours, bold text/ typography, official features such as a price, barcode, date, issue number and web address. These features are what engage the audience into reading the magazine and make it eye catching. I love the idea of the main image being a close up and the pose of the model making eye contact with the audience. This is another persuasive technique.

The colour scheme of the magazine will be light background colours that aren't so bold to allow the main features to stand out. Also, with my audience being young females wanted to create a colour that would be suitable for all females. For instance, if i'd used the colour 'Pink' as a background, it would only attract females with  'girly' characteristics but not all females are pink lovers as such, so i thought outside the box to how i would attract a wider range of females into reading my magazine by using a pale green/ turquoise blue. Attracting an audience is done  through the front cover, as it's the first page the audience notice of the magazine. So, it needs to be to a high standard. 

We can regognize that the fashion magazine is regional through the quotation ' The North East's biggest Fashion show yet'. This also represents the theme of magazine, which is 'fashion'. It's noticeable that the word 'Fashion' is repetitive on the front cover. The purpose of this, is to get the point across to the audience that the magazine is fashion based.

the banner at the bottom of the page, gives the audience a little indication of what the magazine consists of inside. Although, it doesn't give too much away, that is ruins the magazine. It's a way of getting the audience to want to read it to find out more.

As for the main headline, we can see this is important because it is in a different colour to most features on the page and is in a larger scale of text. the phrase uses both emotive and persuasive language. That is given using a metaphor and alliteration. 

i really like the logo i have created for my magazine. Personally, i think it contrasts well with the other colours used the cover. I created this using the software, 'Microsoft powerpoint', creating a circular shape and adding text and lines to it. The  front cover is the first place where the audience can notice the logo. So, i have included it on this page, so that the audience would know the brand of magazine if they saw it on another product. i will repeat this logo throughout the magazine, as a form of identification for the magazine title, 'Essence'. 

The outcome of my front cover in my opinion is strong and engages the audience well. I plan to stick to fixed colour scheme, relating my other magazine pages ( contents page and double page spread), to the front cover. This is so that the product can come together well and be noticed as one whole design.

Development of front cover

        Front cover of magazine




Using the software photoshop, i have started to design my front cover of my magazine. I began by using an A4 international paper sized layer to allow the front cover to be the correct size and portrait to look official.

Next, i selected the JPEG image i wanted to use on my front cover from my desktop, dragging it into photoshop. Using the magnetic lasso tool, i selected around the area of my model, enabling only the model to be pasted on the paper sized layer. After selecting the area, i used the edit, copy and edit, paste tool onto the layer and used the 'adjustment' tool to resize the JPEG to the correct scale. Although, i kept the 'shift' key down to prevent the image from being stretched or disorientated. I repeated this process with a few JPEG images from the shoot, which i liked best to see which image would work well, as a front cover of a fashion magazine. So, in regard to pose and facial expression, with the type of shot the image is ( close up/ mid shot).

After deciding which image i was going to use, i then moved onto experimenting with the background colour and adding filters to the image to see if it added a positive affect,  such as adding a 'black and white filter' to the image and selecting dark and light background colours using the 'fill tool', until i came to the conclusion of the colours that worked and contrasted best. In my opinion, the image looked best in colour, rather than black and white. Therefore, i removed the black and white layer. As for the background colour i chose a light turquiose green, as it is bright and suits the female gender i am targeting my product to. Plus, it enables the text on the front cover to stand out and contrast.

Afterwards, i moved onto adding typography to the front cover, considering, sell lines and organisation of where the text should be to prevent it from taking the main focus away from the main image. Using the website, 'Dafont', i downloaded a few styles of font to photoshop that would work well with the theme of my magazine ( fashion). So, in this case, i wasn't using fonts that already existed on the software of Photoshop. The main styles of font i downloaded, were, 'Fashion Victim',which was a cursive font and quite creative. In addition, i also downloaded the font, 'Aeroplanes in the night sky' and 'Long shot'. These enabled me to include a variety of different styles of typography. Representing experimentation. The colours used for the typography on the front page, are bold and deep. The reason for this is because my background colour behind the main image is light. So textures and a shift in colour is made.

The name of my magazine is 'Essence'. I chose this title because of it's definition behind it and because i want my magazine to be abstract and unique. Therefore, i have used bold typography is a large font, in order for the audience to recognise this is the magazine Title. The language i have included in my front cover is very persuasive and catchy. For instance, i have used alteration, emotive language, metaphors and emphasis, in order to persuade the audience to read the magazine. When creating quotes and bits of text, i considered my target audience and how the phrases will engage them. Some examples of language i have used are, 'Take a taste' and 'i live and breathe fashion', which is a form of alliteration. Moreover, 'The North East's biggest fashion show yet', this represents emphasis to persuade and engage my target audience.

Next, the layout of my magazine is organised and reflects an official fashion magazine. I have thought about placing text in the correct places, so it does not take over the main image from capturing the audience's attention. So, in this case, i have not included text to the left side of the page. This is because the main image is not centred, with it being a close up and i want this to be the main feature of the cover, as it's important. The model is featured in the magazine and therefore, the main image gives an indication of this. The idea of text only being on the right, leaves the cover looking spacious, rather than overcrowded. However, i have placed a puff at the bottom left of the page, to prevent it from looking bare.

Finally, i have thought about magazine convention when designing the front cover. Using a banner at the bottom of the page, to advertise the features within the magazine. As well as a puff as another form of advertisement. A logo, to identity the magazine. I plan to use this throughout my magazine pages to relate back to the brand of magazine. As this feature is how the audience recognise it.

Another convention i included was a date, issue number, price, barcode and web address. These are standard features of most magazines and are included to look official and professional. I placed the barcode in the right hand corner of the page, as it should not take over the sell lines and text on the page, seen as though it isn't as important. The other features such as date, web address, issue and price are in small text, for the same reason. The price is in British pounds, as it is a regional magazine in the UK.

Overall, i am pleased with the outcome of my front cover and will present my initial ideas in the header 'drafts'. Here, i will discuss why i changed particular features and how. I feel i have included the magazine conventions to the best of my ability in an organised layout. Using an image that is a close up, different styles of text, both upper case and lower case. as well as standard features of a front cover. Lastly, i have recognised what a good layout looks like in a magazine, from taking inspiration from official magazines. As well as linking the features to the theme of my magazine being fashion.