Time Planning

I used this grid to plan when and where I should be doing each shoot, also to record what costume and props should be taken to each place for the model.

My final double page spread

This is my favourite page, I think it has a lot of personality behind it and looks really good. This page has also changed from my initial idea, orignally the picture was supposed to take up two thirds of the page, a convention all the double-page spreads I looked at during my research used. I was advised against this by my teacher so I had more room for my interview. I chose to have a black background for this page and I think this is quite effective as it makes the lighting stand out in the picture and the white and pink writing has a really nice contrast.

My final contents page

This page is the one that stuck most to the initial plan, the only thing I have really changed here is moving the pictures to the top and pushing the 'in this issue...' heading to the bottom of the page. Having the title at the bottom of the page I think makes it a bit different to my style models, as I felt like I was stealing a majority of the conventions used. This feature is something that would be used in every issue and this gives the page a trademark look. I used the font LeviBrush which I used as one of my siggestions when planning the page.

My final cover page

 

 

This is my final cover page. As I made the cover all my ideas developed and it is actually very different from my initial design. I didn't bother re-drawing the structure up as I felt it was much easier to just play around with the features to experiment with what looked best. I decided after taking my pictures that I wanted to use this head-shot for the cover, as opposed to a mid-shot which I had originally planned to have on the cover. I also decided to have a banner across the top of the page, which was inspired by a NME cover I looked at, I think this makes the page look much more put together and complete. I also moved the barcode and date to the top of the page to fill the gap in the right-hand top corner and allow the 'Amy O'Reilly RISING STAR' slogan to stand out more. I am happy with this cover as I feel it follows conventions and forms used in real media products of its type.

Selecting fonts

I used a free font website called DaFont to find the fonts I wanted for my magazine before downloading them.


For the title of my magazine I have used the font '28 days later'. It is a block/stencil print, sprayed effect font that looks intentionally messy and rough. I think this suits the magazine name 'envy' and it will resemble my target audience of women in their 'freedom years' who don't really care.

A font I'm using throughout my magazine for titles, headings, ect. is called 'LeviBrush'. This is similar to '28 Days Later' as it has an edgy, messed-up feel, except it allows lower-case letters to be used and is more free hand looking. It also has more of a brushed/splattered effect. I chose this font as it reminded me of a font used on the cover of the re-invented version of Company magazine - one of my style models aimed at a similar audience.

A font I have used for the name of my cover star is called 'Sunshine In My Soul'. I chose this font because it looks like handwriting, as if the cover star has signed the font cover of the magazine. I'm also using this font on my double page spread. It was difficult to select a specific handwriting font as there are so many to choose from that have different identities and looks. I chose this one as I felt the phrase 'sunshine in my soul' reflected the sort of persona portrayed in my interview with Amy and the pictures taken and this comes through in the style of the font.

Writing my interview for the double-page spread

To do this I read alot of women's magazines with interviews and also music magazines. I looked at the sort of style that is used and the kind of questions asked. I ended up writing it the style of a Company interview with Florence Welch as I felt it represented what women would like to know but also was to do with music, as Florence is a musician. Instead of questions it was like a series of headings with comments by the interviewee.


 

It’s been a hectic year.

It’s all just gone really fast, a lot faster than I expected it to happen. One minute you’re nobody and the next you have so many opportunities, everybody knows your name and everybody wants a piece of you. It can be really scary.

What can’t she do?

I’ve been singing since I was really young, I get that from my mum. I learnt to DJ as I got a bit older and the people I made friends with in college were into that sort of thing.

The tune I can’t get out of my head.

Greyhound by Swedish House Mafia – its really powerful and it just makes me want to dance and go crazy.

The punk-girl look.

Everybody asks me about my look, obviously it’s quite personal and unique, it has adapted over the last year as I have become more aware of how I am constantly being watched and criticized. I never really used to care much about what I wore; I dressed for myself and wore clothes I felt good in. But being where I am you have a constant reminder that you are being watched and you do find yourself dressing for other people. I’ve managed to stick to my own style and I am still comfortable in my own skin.

Piercings and tats.

I have a few piercings; my nose, ears and tragus. I’d have loads more but I am a total wuss and hate needles, they really creep me out. I have a tattoo which I got really soon after I turned eighteen, my mum was shocked and tried her hardest to convince me to wait but it was really important to me. It’s across my side on my ribcage, it says ‘if at first you fail at least you failed whilst daring greatly’ which really means a lot to me.

My girl-crush isRita Ora. I love her edgy urban look, and her hair is incredible.

The best advice I was ever given was by one of my closest friends. A few years I went through some quite stressful situations where I was just constantly worrying about what was going to happen next and whether I would be happy, I was always trying to make everything perfect. He told me to just chill out and only worry about being happy at the present moment, not get wrapped up in things that haven’t even had a chance to happen yet.

In the future I hope to be successful and happy. I don’t want to worry about it for the moment, I’m happy today and that’s what matters.

I dream of playingtomorrowland.

Don’t tell anybody, but my guilty pleasure is Keeping up with the Kardashians. I just love them, I don’t care what anybody says, they are hilarious! The ideal night in is curled up on the sofa, eating pizza and watching as much of a series as I can manage. Bruce is my favourite, he gets so picked on, bless.

You’ll never find me eating cereal. Ew, no way.

Target audience' preferred photo edit

I walked around school with printed versions of my two photo edits and asked members of my target audience which edit they preferred. As those who selected edit 2 were much more limited I asked them why they had chosen this version, they said they liked it more because it seemed more natural, which isn't often shown in magazines. This, I think, stregthens the choice to use edit 2 as I am looking to imitate conventions of real magazines.