My Music Magazine: Finished name and design

The title for my magazine shall be "IMMORTALITY" and my final chosen font is "Pieces of eight" as it has been shown to be very exploitable, suits the intended style of my magazine and can be put onto many different backgrounds while still looking bold.

The following effects were added to each of the text in the picture:

1: Outer glow
2: Drop shadow
3: Inner glow
4: Pattern overlay
5: Stroke
6: Gradient overlay

My Music Magazine: Title font and design development

These are the ideas for the font and design of my magazine's title. The font used had to not be childish, and have a style which is appropriate in presenting the genre of music inside the magazine, meaning that the only appropriate font designs should not be imposing in a childish way.

The selected font should also be exploitable in terms of photoshop effects, so it can be modified accordingly in order to suit the front pages picture accordingly.

The first, third, fifth, seventh and eighth fonts are not suitable because, although bold and exploitable, they do not seem to represent the metal genre in any way. The third and eight are fonts that give off an atmosphere of young and cheap design, and thus are especially unsuitable.

The second, forth and ninth fonts are somewhat appropriate because of their similarity to Gothic scripture writing, frequently seen when representing the genre, but could be misinterpreted as giving a refined or upper class feel to the magazine, and the fonts are not easily exploitable as effects tend to make then look worse. These are put into consideration however, because they could be modified in such a way as to produce a more suitable look for the magazine.

The sixth font is in a good style, is very easily exploited, and is bold in a less childish way to the others, the emphasis of certain letters also helps it to impose upon the audience. The ways in which it can be modified are plentiful due to its simple design, and many effects prove to be quite successful in changing the look and design of the font.

The sixth or second font are the most likely choices for my front title, depending on how they can look in terms of added effects and their visual effect in certain pictures of a specific colour scheme.

My Music Magazine: Title survey and evaluation

The title for my magazine is important to appeal to the target audience, by which i mean supporters of the experimental/metal genre, giving a list of titles featured in my previous post, i gave it to 30 different people, who i know are fans of the metal genre, and let them choose their favourite from them to nominate for the magazines title.

The results are as follows:

Immortal: 7
Immortality: 10
Eternity: 4
Sacrilege: 2
Incar-serration: 1
Puritania: 6

It is worth noting that 3 of the people said that "incar-serration" was a better name for a band or album, and 2 said that sacrilege would be an appropriate album name.

The Title for the magazine was chosen as "Immortality" from the survey. As the name is most liked, it shall be used for my magazine, as it has been proven to be supported by the target audience. The names of bands or artists within the magazine may also be some of the misused titles, as they were suggested by some of the people, and none of them received zero votes.

My Music Magazine: Title ideas, development and research.

The title for my music magazine will be used as a visual and text appeal to the target audience of my musical genre, chosen to be "metal" and other experimental genres associated with it. Using the research from the magazines i analyzed, and independent research into magazines focused around the genre, i formed a list of magazine titles which i thought could be both appealing and catchy, and acceptable for the genre.

My list of magazine title ideas were:

Immortal
Immortality
Eternity
Sacrilege
Incar-Serration
Puritania

These titles appeal to the target audience because of their bold and somewhat specific reference to the culture seen in bands of my selected genre, they may also appeal due to their boldness and abillity to be exploited using fonts and colour.

The titles shall be tested and modified accordingly, and others may be added as time progresses.

Kerrang magazine analysis: Annotated front page

This is my Kerrang magazine annotated front page analysis, it talks of the text, fonts, language and pictures used within the front cover, as well as how it appeals to the targeted audiences.

This picture can be used in reference for my post regarding the front cover of the magazine and its analysis in more text and detail.

Below is the link to the aforementioned blog post.

http://ashleywelfarewgsbblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_3885.html

Magazine research comparison

The first and most obvious comparison between the two magazines is the difference of the front cover; Metal Hammer has much less on the front cover than Kerrang, yet it contains a much higher quality picture in terms of colour and production quality, it also has a unique layout compared to Kerrang, with nothing other than the masthead, strap line and picture, whereas Kerrang has all the stereotypical features, such as article summaries, competitions and such.
Another difference between the magazines is their use of pictures in the front cover, as Metal Hammer uses an image containing extremist fashion and satanic symbols, and Kerrang uses politically correct imagery and normal fashion in theirs. The difference between the pictures is mainly because of the musical genre and cultures that they reference and speak of within the magazine, and the artists and bands associated with it.

The language used in the magazines is significantly different, within Metal Hammer, there is adult and mature linguistic ability to appeal to the older audience they have, whereas Kerrang contains malformed uses of the English language in an attempt to relate to their younger audience of readers, and uses obvious humour and common colloquial language in an appealing way.

Kerrang Magazine research: Content

Kerrang Magazine research: Front cover

1: The title “Kerrang” is onomatopoeic and is in reference to the sound in which an electric guitar is playing a power-chord, and is appropriate as power chords are commonly used in the style of music the magazine focuses on.
2: The title contrasts with the background colour of the photo featured so it is very visible, the typeface of the title is a stamp-like design with lines going through it, to imply that it is cracked to emphasise the fact that its name could be related to a loud noise, and the title being cracked is a result of the “Kerrang” going off. The title itself is behind the main picture, and parts are blocked by those who feature in the picture, so as to add emphasis to the picture, but still making the logo easily seen and recognised.
3: There is no strapline accompanying the title of the front cover.
4: The main image is of a popular band that is liked by many of the target audience because of their style of music, their clothing is that of current fashion, and is somewhat stereotypical and expected. Their body language is casual, and cool (although it’s obviously staged and fabricated just to appeal to the audience) they are all also looking towards the camera, and thus, the audience, which may attract some readers who are in adoration of the band, and helps catch their eyes and draw their attention.
5: There is another image of a boxing match involving one of the artists in the magazine which is an action shot, this action helps make the magazine seem more exciting or interesting, and helps promote the content of the magazine in a positive way.
6: The cover lines promote the content of the magazine and all of the varied amounts of articles and such which feature within it; there is a list of bands which feature within the magazine at the bottom, all of which popular and well known, there are quizzes and downloadable features promoted to the left side of the cover, and a competition at the top which could be appealing to many. Artist-based content is also promoted to the right hand side, and the main article is shown and advertised emphatically at the front.
7: The fonts used to advertise the features are bold and colourful, the general typeface of the magazine is bold and somewhat emphatic of itself, the colours help its own emphasis also. The general colour scheme of the text in the cover is blue and yellow, which do not clash with the photo, but aren’t the same colours as featured in the front cover’s main photo. Some texts are written at different angles even though they are in the same sentence, and these words have different font from the rest of the sentence they are in, as their typeface is that of a stamp (in a connection to festivals or performances, where stamps are put on the walls, and on people’s hands).
8: The language used is somewhat primitive, which is fine for the target audience, there are words used to emphasise and glamorise the magazine’s contents, and wordplay (although admittedly quite bad) is used in a humourous sense. The magazine is common to talk of band culture and is in constant reference to the kind of things that would be heard during live performances.
9: There are little unique features of the magazine cover, but its unique selling point is less about the layout of its cover and more about the kind of content that it promotes. The magazine uses similar language and presentation to other magazines, and the layout and pictures used are not unique in the sense of their placement and style, yet, this is what their audience is perceived to enjoy, so it is clearly a marketing aspect used throughout many magazines for a reason.
10: The cover is of a normal magazine size, and there aren’t any other particularly noticeable aspects of it that make it unique.

Kerrang Magazine research: General

1: Kerrang is produced by Bauer Consumer Media.

2: The target audience of Kerrang are students and teenagers, with a slightly larger male audience than female, the text also speaks to and appeals to an audience of this age, as it isn’t grammatically correct and speaks at a level believed to be spoken by teenagers.

3: The magazine costs £2.20 (appealing to their target audience because of its low and affordable price)

4: Kerrang is published monthly

5: Kerrang’s circulation figure is 52,272 (this is after a recent considerable drop however.

6: Charts about Kerrang’s trends (in terms of sales and reception) and titles covered are available on the NRS website.

7: The magazine has a low price but a high frequency of advertisements inside, therefore their revenue must be more advertisement based than through actual sales and subscriptions, their monthly income must be substantial as they are a popular magazine with many adverts inside.

Metal hammer Magazine research: Front page annotated picture

This is my front page analysis of the magazine "Metal Hammer". It talks about the different aspects of the front cover and how it uses them to appeal and address the audience, and how the texts and fonts work with the picture in creating a certain atmosphere.

This picture can be used in reference for my post regarding the front cover of the magazine and its analysis in more text and detail.

Below is the link to the aforementioned blog post.

http://ashleywelfarewgsbblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/1-title-is-called-metal-hammer-as-it.html

Metal hammer Magazine analysis: content

1: There are 130 pages in the magazine.

2: 20 pages are adverts (it Is worth considering most of them are band related merchandise)

3: The types of advertisements in the magazine are alcohol related, musical equipment, band merchandise and upcoming performances.

4: The articles and features of the magazine are review and interviews based, but often deviate to other subjects such as summaries of cults and religious extremist groups, and elaboration of activities that artists undertake. There are also sections for questions and answers, most of which are humour related.

5: There are 15 double page spreads throughout the magazine.

6: There are a few product reviews throughout the magazine, which could be misconstrued as advertisements, as they mention the product from a consumers view, and refer to it favourably.

7: The house style of the magazine is quite adult and mature, all the text is correctly punctuated and spelt, the language used is often profane and rude, and there are many references to adult culture within the text. The pictures and graphics usually don’t stray from a dark colour scheme, and often the pictures and graphics relate towards elements of satanic culture, a trend seen in bands supporting the genre style. There are also humourous elements to the text, often in the form of satire, but these are not necessarily identifiable by people who aren’t supporters of the music or magazine.

8: The house style appeals to the audience of mature or adult males who are fans of the metal genre and its sub-genres because of its dark and humourous content, it also appeals to them with how developed and descriptive the text is, and the way it speaks to them at an adult level, instead of a simple childish consumer.

Metal hammer Magazine research: Front page

1: The title is called “Metal Hammer” as it presents the type of music genre that the magazine focuses on, and the word hammer is in reference to a instrument of violence in many crimes of brutalization, which links to the music featured inside as there are several bands who sing about violence using such weaponry, and appeal to the violent and brutal natured audience which accompany the music genre.
2: The title itself is shortened in this particular issue, to add emphasis on the picture of the main title, it is placed in such a way as to establish itself, yet remain less ambiguous than the main image. It is cleverly blended into the stars accompanying the main image using effects, in the style of a star constellation, making it seem very suitable to the picture it accompanies.
3: The strap line “welcome to hall” is an appropriate accompany to the picture, as it effectively emphasises the picture and is suited to the audience of the magazine as it appeals to the satanic concept, which the fans support and strive for when listening to the artist portrayed in the picture.
4: The main image is of the lead vocalist of a popular black metal band, dressed in elaborate, unique and emphatic clothing, resembling a god of his culture, which could be misinterpreted as satanic, due to its anti-Christian concepts (such as its use of the pentagram and the headwear resembling certain representations of Satan). The environment surrounding him is suited to the clothing he is wearing, as he is depicted in a winter wasteland in the sense of its emptiness, and this supports the concept of a cold atmosphere around him, thus the clothing is somewhat suitable in terms of how it would keep him warm. The facial expression and the way his eyes are looking in terms to the camera are unnoticeable behind the headwear he has on, although it is implied he is looking at the camera, and his body language is of somebody putting their fingers to their lips, in a motion promoting the requisition of silence. The whole atmosphere of the picture is somewhat domineering to the audience because of his huge.
5: There are no other images, to emphasize the main picture effectively, and not draw attention away from its dominating effect.
6: There are no cover lines, once again, emphasising the main picture, adding a sense of mystery to the audience, and making it somewhat unique in comparison to other magazines of a similar genre.
7: The colours are very bland, almost monochrome, which complements the picture, imagery and atmosphere trying to be portrayed through the cover, the text also uses the dark and bland colour scheme to make the entire front cover look very suited to the picture and themes within the magazine. The font used for the magazine’s title is in the style of a star constellation, which works well with the front covers picture, as it seems to morph in with the star ridden sky in the actual picture, giving a very aesthetically pleasing effect. The style of writing for the strap line is in a gothic style, which goes effectively with the gothic style of clothing and look of the picture used in the front cover.
8: There are a questionable amount of language devices in the text of the front cover, as it consists of only one short line of text, not counting the magazine’s title, the language is not appealing to any stereotypical audiences, yet is addressing them directly, and can be seen as nothing short of an emphatic text accompanying the picture. Alternatively, it could appeal to an audience in support of the presented artist’s lifestyle choice, or a simple joke in reference to the way in which the picture is a mockery of the Christian faith, and is entirely satirical, a sense of dark humour commonly shared by enthusiasts of the particular sub-genre of metal music represented by the artist on the front cover.
9: The cover shares little similarity to other magazines, the title of the magazine itself is not emphasised in the same way that others use, there is little and no pictures other than the main front cover picture, which is unique to most magazines on the market, there is absolutely no description of the front cover, such as information on who the person is, what they do, or what they stand for, which is unlike most magazines as it isn’t advertising itself to an audience. The cover could be deemed inappropriate for religious majorities; the outfit being worn by the artist in the picture contains elements of Satanism and religious intolerance and the text accompanying it could be represented as mockery in a satirical fashion towards religion, something which the vast majority of magazine published to a mainstream audience do not incorporate into their front covers for obvious ethical reasons. The content or material inside of the magazine is not written or presented in the cover, unlike most magazines, and there is an element of mystery about it, which could be considered a negative selling aspect for the magazines, yet has been manipulated in such a way as to become advantageous in attracting an audience’s attention from other magazines due to its uniqueness in comparison to other magazines.
10: The cover has a slightly larger than average size, and the print and paper quality is quite high in comparison to other magazines, emphasising quality among other things.

Metal hammer Magazine research: general

1: The Company producing the magazine is Future publishing.
2: The target audience could vary, as there isn’t any specific addressed audience in the text written on the front page, however the band being represented and focused on in the front of the cover has been known to have a mature fan base, the element of mystery and lack of description may captivate any audience within a certain common interest of the music featured within the magazine.
3: The cost of the magazine is £4.99
4: Monthly
5: The monthly circulation of the magazine is 46,004.
6: Nothing, it is not on their database.
7: There is no determinable price for each page of advert in the magazine, but due to its high price and circulation, it is to be assumed that the magazine earns quite a lot of money through its advertisements, although there are not many throughout it.

Preliminary task, Front page completion.

This is the final design for my front cover, with more information and text, as well as a tag line under the initial title.

Preliminary task, More Development

Added some text and captions, attempted to sort out lighting issue with the humanoids face, but will focus more on that later. I intend to place a small picture with a caption in due time.

Preliminary task, Development

Edited the humanoid so his face has a more consistent colour, and removed the background, replacing it with a gradient filled black and white background, i then edited the humanoids shadow and placed the shield in the background. And used font with an outer glow for the title.

Basically, i did the stuff i said i was going to do and some more stuff.

Preliminary task, initial picture

This is the original picture i am going to use in order to create my front cover. My intentions are to crop any unnecessary elements of the photo and perfect the elements of the picture i want.

The background is unnecessary and unappealing so it will be cropped out, and the mixer and humanoid are important and required, so will be kept within the photo for use in the final result, yet require perfection.