Draft Pages

Not only did drafting pages this help give me a clear image as to what exactly I'm going to do, it also means that I will go about this task far more efficiently. I found that it also made me really think about the composition of my page, and why I've chosen to put particular elements in particular places. It's definitely helped me concoct the most effective layout.

I drafted my front cover design simply using text boxes on Microsoft Publisher.

• The masthead will remain at the top of the page, as with virtually every other magazine; this was so that I could use a more alternative and abstract key image, but still have a cover that looked like a magazine cover, rather than an album cover or a poster etc. Placing the masthead underneath the figure in my cover image, yet over the background will not only give me the opportunity to exercise my photo-shopping skills, but will also make the figure more prominent, the connotations of that being the "don't care what you think!" attitude that comes with a lot of the new alternative music that is appearing in the music industry today.
• By having the artist/band name overlapping the central image it very clearly shows that the person on the cover is in that band! 
• I am still debating whether or not to put additional cover lines onto this cover. Whilst the majority of music magazines do feature a large amount of information on the cover, this is where I intend to break this convention. On some levels I plan to do this to create a magazine which appears of a higher standard, but also to create a cover that is something like a work of art! A beautiful photograph, disrupted with edgy typography - not bands of yellow and exclamation marks screaming "buy me, please!". Not only this, but a cover with a "less is more" appearance will create more intrigue - and as according to my audience research an interesting cover is what sells a magazine to those in my target audience. Aside from this, after discussing with my target audience (ie. my peers), I've found that the vast majority of those with an interest in music also have an interest in art, therefore I want to perhaps broaden my magazine's content, so that whilst it remains basically about music, it also draws into account the visuals that so often come along with the audio.
• The additional details such as issue number, date and bar code are merely to add authenticity to my magazine cover.

I again drafted my contents page in Microsoft  publisher. I decided to lay it out in such a way in an attempt to ensure my magazine remains obviously well within the genre of alternative music.

• I feel I have echoed this in the erratic yet attractive layout of photos. When putting together my contents page, I may even overlap these photos to create a collage/scrapbooking effect - the connotations of this hopefully being an almost homely, vintage feel, which will hopefully echo the fact that my magazine is a place where artists and readers alike, should be comfortable and content - just like a home. However to prevent it from appearing sloppy or unstructured, have drawn these collages of photos towards the middle of the page.
• I will also be placing simple, small page numbers in the corners of each photo, to link in with the list of features and their page numbers below, and also so that a reader could decipher which page their favorite band was on etc immediately   
• I've decided to use the rhetorical question "what's on?" rather than merely stating "contents" in order to form a more colloquial relationship with the reader. I feel that it also makes it seem as is if each feature is an event - in a way, linking to things such as concerts and festivals - but also as if the reader should be excited about just turning the page! I also feel it suggests that as a magazine, the creator is excited about and proud of the featured articles, thus instilling a sense of faith in the reader for the magazine.
• I've decided to keep the central list as simple as possible, to not only allow the photos to be the central attraction of the page, but also so that my magazine doesn't become so abstract and break so many conventions that it is no longer recognizable as a magazine.

I again drafted my double page spread using Microsoft Publisher. In planning my double page spread I've attempted to draw in a more artistic, and slightly different layout to usual magazines, but not to such an extent that my magazine looks shambolic - I still wish to show that I have observed the conventions of music magazines. 

• Instead of just stating "An interview with..." I plan to perhaps use a rhetorical question, or a play on words in order to introduce my interviewee. Not only will I then be able to make this statement into an interesting piece of typography - thus incorporating the visual art that so often comes along with music, and that so often inspires/is inspired by alternative music.
• The main body of the interview will be in columns, thus drawing in elements of classic newspapers, and adding a strong tone of sincerity and fact among some slightly abstract components for some interesting juxtaposition. However to prevent it from becoming boring, and as we all know: large bodies of uninterrupted text can be a little daunting - I will occasionally insert quotes of the most shocking information received in the interview, these quotes will be in a larger font, in a different colour, to not only break the text up but also to make it appear far more exciting!
• The image to the right will be a medium long shot, gaining us further insight into our cover star and featured artist. I intend to fade this image into the main background of the text. This will create a sleek and professional look across the page.
• I may insert small images within the text, hopefully each one relevant to the text surrounding it - this is merely to add interest. Not only this, but the key artists, featured in double page spreads in magazines do generally have more than one photograph of them - they have an assortment from one shoot, perhaps with some "paparazzi" style photos too.
• I will also include page numbers in the corners of each page - paying particular attention to the fact that they must correspond with the contents page! This is simply to add an element of reality to my magazine.