Selda Karaoz

During my research of the process I identified the codes and conventions used on the front cover, contents page and double page spread of real music magazines features. Most music magazines tend to include the same code and conventions. The genre of the music magazine often determines the use of the conventions.

These are the most common codes and conventions of music magazines:

- Use of masthead

- Positioning and use of banners

- Strap-lines

- The use of close up (zoom) image on the front cover

- Promotional advertisements

- The constistancy use of a maximum of 3 colours, this doesn‟t apply for Pop.

- The colour theme

- Presentation of the artist

Music magazines achieve to represent their genre through the use of photographic image on the front cover, this includes the colours pose and props. The use of colourstrongly emphasises and illustrates the genre of the magazine. Images have the ability to portray the interests of the target audience. It also represents the message behind lyrics of the music genre. An example for Kerrang magazine is a rock genredhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/54290603@N08/5589651967/ magazine. The example linked follows the codes and conventions of the rock genre. This is shown through the rock artists on the front cover that is created through the props, makeup and clothing. The use of red font strongly enhances the “Metallic” banner, this techniques help emphasise the banner by the different colour which captures impact. The colour contributes to the mood of rock music. The front cover of this magazine conveys the mood of a rock music.

It is very important that the music magazine follows the codes and conventions for its specific genre. If the codes and conventions of a music magazine are failed to be interacted, this will lead to an unsuccessful magazine production as it wont appeal to the target audience.

This is why my music magazine follows the conventions of a pop music magazine. The conventions of a pop music magazine are:

- overlapping layout

- Bright and vibrant colours (often complimentary colours)

- Use of approachable artists

- Artist wearing colourful clothing with neon colours

- Unconventional photo angles

in order to create mise-en-scene

Props – drinks, sunglasses, chairs, tables

Costume – colourful clothes, makeup, hair

accessories

Location- club to provide a pop look

Facial expressions – providing a smile +

looking happy to create a happy atmosphere

and a good influence on the target audience

I followed most of these conventions in order produce my music magazine. Compared to pop magazine I productively developed and challenged the conventions of my music magazine. I challenged my magazine through the choice of image and colour. I chose to crop a mid-shot image with the lasso tool so I could capture the outline of the image. I decided to do this because it expresses the atmosphere. This is very important as the image on the front cover addresses the target audience and must appeal to them.

If I didn‟t follow the conventions of a Pop Music Magazine, it will seem like the magazine I produced was made for to appeal for a different genre therefore the magazine will be read by the wrong audience. This will lead to an unsuccessful production and wouldn‟t make the sales the company aims and objectives have to make.

The social group that my media product represents to are pop music listeners. They are mainly represented through the photographic image and colours and even the typography used. They are also presented through the use of language context in the magazine. The use of language is an important component of communication. Therefore the use of language will represent the artists I‟m using.

Language includes the effects created on the masthead and the consistency of theme colour with a spiral psychedelic design, this appeals to pop lovers. The theme colour I used was complimentary colours but I mostly focused on the colour green as I thought it looked distinctive.

The contents page represents the social group of my magazine through the use of images which relates to the pages inside the magazine.

The title of the magazine was produced in

inspiration to the magazine I purchased with

similar font and design. However I created

the design to fit the industry I am targeting

my magazine at. The magazine is called

„Psychedelic‟ this is because I wanted to

create a dream like illusion to challenge the

conventions of the real media products. This

is because I have used different effects to

suit the genre.

The setting I have developed by my inspiration

to the „pop‟ magazine I bought that has a

Manga pop fashion; however I intended to

create a pop psychedelic atmosphere. This

will be a different approach to magazines

which will challenge the existing codes &

conventions of existing products to which are

more eyes appealing.

The costumes and props I specifically chose to

create the theme and atmosphere of the music

genre I‟m intending to create. This includes

colourful complimentary colour scheme this is

so it can be eye appealing for the audience and

an instant eye attraction. The costume is like a

techno sort of imagery this is because I want to

create a pop atmosphere.

I used a photo camera in order to take pictures of my models however I then manipulated them in Photoshop in inspiration to the magazine covers I have seen during my research. So I can challenge the codes and conventions of the standard media products

When I first got my

pictures I was seeing

how it would look with

a techno atmosphere,

however this

composition didn‟t

work to well so I

decided to experiment

with a different

picture

I have a number of different fonts I‟ve used while creating my magazine cover, I used different fonts to create different statements in my cover I saw this in the other magazines I researched and decided to use different fonts to create “pop” and musical theme.

Front cover

-arial

-simulata

-musiker

-turnpike

-barcode font

Contents

-arial

-Empirestate

-impactlabel

-times new roman

Double page spread

-turnpike

-empirestate

-times new roman

-musiker

The story behind the magazine I created is a

happy psychedelic mood of pop artists

enjoying performing the pop genre. This

challenges other existing products because

they tend to look very professional and

serious. In my research they tended to be

serious and positioned, where as in my

magazine it‟s creates more of a happy,

playful and pop illustrated through colours

and pose.

The special effects I used were

Photoshop, Illustrator &Indesign in order to

createpatternsto go on my cover and the

complimentary colour scheme and to crop the

image place it on a background. I also used

effects and shadows in the process of making the

magazine logo in order to give it the glowing 3D

illusion. By using these effects I was able to

communicate and interact with the target

audience effectively by the use of colour and

design this is because they area really eye

striking.

By looking at the pop group below you can see that there is a lot of colourincluded. The colour is the trademark for pop however they illustrate this in a very sophisticated manner by revealing a bit of flesh. I decided to manipulate this side to it in my own created pop group and focus it more on the colour in an appealing manner to be appropriate for everyone. By looking at the pop group in the second picture you can identify that it‟s not directed at all age ranges, its more limited and the pose looks like it‟s aimed at males. By looking at my creation they contain the pop trademark – colour however the pose is appropriate for all age ranges.

The media institution that might distribute my magazine product is the pop/dance/ techno/ fashion institutions this is because I have come with a new approach to creating this atmosphere. With a different kind of magazine cover not being able to be missed while being on the shelves of the shops. I focused it more on what the consumers will like and what will be different from the ordinary magazines at the moment. The main distributions that would be interested in my magazine will include cosmopolitan & pop mag this is because they both target the same audience I am attempting to target.

This is also an example of the pop

culture audience during the day;

http://60.mgl.skyrock.net/big.129793798.jpg?65788760

http://assets.m80im.com/resources/theveronicas/veronicapics/S1.jpg

I attract my audience by my use of colour, composition and fonts. Most importantly the artists as well because they come across like a „pop icon‟.

I used a specific background in order to create the background of magazine this is because by researching other magazines I gathered that they have very dull colours and I wanted to make it more contemporary for the theme and attracting the audience. In fashion at the moment are neon colours this is why I chose a neon green which is more eye appealing I learnt this through my colour studies.

The colour makes a statement and is eye-appealing; however the

colour also doesn‟t hurt the audience eyes & relates to both

genders.

I have learnt how to work with adobe e.g.

photoshop, illustrator &indesign- to create

specific moods and effectives and to work

with the code and conventions to deliver the

targeted audiences with a magazine.

I used composition, positioning, colour code,

typography, shapes, outlines, brushes and

effects to create my magazine. This is what

creates the communication and interaction

between the consumer and magazine.

In my preliminary task I didn‟t use photoshop and illustrator indepth as I did with producing this magazine. In my preliminary task I limited myself to the use of techniques, skills and colours that didn‟t challenge the code and conventions effectively this didn‟t interact with the audience as effectively. I progressed to be able to use all these medias together and combine my techniques to develop and progress my design for the magazine which challenges existing pop genre magazines.

I feel that I have learnt to deliver to a target audience using different techniques, effects and visual communication skills by progressing my experience in the adobe suits e.g. Photoshop (manipulate images), Illustrator (pen tool experiments) and indesign (place magazine together).

By producing my design in Illustrator and Photoshop and then placing it in Indesign has shown me that Indesign tends to lower the quality of the image produced which is why my image looks “low resolution”. If I place an image directly to Indesign without any edits the resolution wont be effected.