Evaluation of Colour Palette

After experimenting in Photoshop with different colour palettes for my mock-up, I have decided upon the scheme of red, white and black.

My reason behind this choice also came down to inspiration from other existing magazines. As Hip-Hop magazines are fairly uncommon in the U.K, I wanted to combin both conventions of UK magazines such as Q and NME with those of successful Hip-Hop magazines like Vibe. Black, white and red (or slight variations of this) palettes are common in both styles of magazine, and therefore I feel this would be appropriate - as well as effective due to contrasting complentrary colours.

Artist Profile

Name: Denzel Kuzakwawo

Stage Name: Denzel Jackson

Age: 15

Style: Up and coming young hip-hop star

Influences: Notorious B.I.G, Kid Cudi, Kanye West

Complex: Seth Rogen

I like the way there is a relationship between the text and the artist, in the way that they interact with each other via editing. This is fairly unique compared to the conventional magazine, where the artist is just an image over the top of or underneath the text.

Test Shots

These are a few of the best test shots I produced, I took around 50 and selected out of those the ones I think are the best, for my cover, contents page and double page spread.

To Catch a Theif

Here is another piece of photography by Annie Leibowitz. Although it is not magazine based, or relevant to the style I wish to acheive; I have taken inspiration from the way it covers the 2 pages. A wide shot is used to give a panoramic effect which works really well, as the space between the two models appears very large, and extra aspects can be added to the photo, such as the fireworks. I have taken inspiration from this shot, and would like to acheive something interesting with my DPS.

Annie Leibovitz/Complex

Whilst looking at photography by Annie Leibowitz for inspiration, I found this piece of Michael Jordan (left). It reminded me of an issue of Complex I had read, where Kanye West is photographed pretty similarly. Although Jordan is not a music artist, he is fairly involved with the hip-hop scene due to his input into fashion and style, and therefore this kind of shot is relevant to the genre I aim to appeal to, and I will experiment with this layout when taking my test shots.

Magazine Mock-Up

Here is a brief mock-up of a cover I have created. This is meerly to expirement with colour palettes, photography and layout. This is not representative of what I hope to create for my final piece.

Complex: Clipse x KAWS. The Art of The Hustle

This special edition issue of complex features work by an artist I admire, 'KAWS'. His graffiti/cartoon style is relevant to the Hip-Hop scene, and also gives a contemporary, abstract feel which breaks the conventions of simple text and image layouts. The photography used is also different and interesting, choosing body shots over mid shots, and displaying a toy package style. I feel these types of innovative magazines are what appeal most both to me and my target market, as they stand out from the crowd.

Experimenting With Colour Palettes

I produced these palettes by looking at existing magazines and taking inspiration from their design. For others, I experimented with different colours to try and find styles that compliment each other.

The first row is an example of a pallete similar to NME magazine. I took inspiration from their use of colour and the use of colour in other magazines such as Q. However, I feel that this would givet he wrong impression for my magazine, as these colours are associated are with the rock and pop genre. The second palette I think works very well, as shown in the use of an issue of VIBE. I like these fairly subtle, yet modern styles are what I want to incorperate into my design. The other palettes are just experimental designs that I will need to test and play with when making my mock-ups.

Audience Profile

This is an example of a typical target market individual for my magazine. I feel people similar to this profile will possibly make up the majority of readers, as it will appeal most to them.

Name: Alex Wilson
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Occupation: Student
Interests: Music, Fashion, Sport, Technology
Likes: Socialising, Parties, Going to Festivals/Gigs
Dislikes: Rock, Mainstream Pop, Chavs
Musical Interests: Hip-Hop, Grime, Rap, R&B, Reggae, Dubstep
Favourite Artists: Eminem, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Drake
Media Use: Facebook, Formspring, YouTube, VIBE Magazine, Eminem: 8 Mile, iTunes Library

Moodboards

Here is a moodboard based on inspiration for styles of photography. I have included work from famous photographers such as Rankin and David LaChapelle, who create some very interesting and often abstract work. The bottom right image contains a group of Hip-Hop style characters sitting with Jesus - unstereotypical and different, the way I want to portray my magazine.

Here is a collage of music of the genre I wish to appeal to. I hope to combine aspects of the style of these albums with the photography from above, in order to appeal to my audience.

Double Page Spread Analysis

Double Page Spread Analysis

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Magazine Conventions

Within almost all magazines, the masthead is a pretty common convention. This is because it cannot be experimented with completely as it is a vital selling point, due to the way magazines are stacked in a shelf. Therefore almost all mastheads follow the same pattern of a bold title across the top third of the page, in which the magazine name is displayed. Exceptions to this are for example, Q magazine, where a single logo is used on the left hand side.

Another convention is the barcode. Obviously, this has the purpose of allowing the customer to purchase the product, but also often contains pricing, issue number and so on. The barcode is pretty much always in the bottom right hand corner, if not there than the bottom left. This is mainly so that the masthead, coverlines and splash are not blocked out by it, and it is in a point of minimum interest. 

The photograph on the cover is an important part of the magazine. This is the most eye-catching feature, and the audience need to recognise what the image is of/about in order to gain interest. Therefore, for my own image I need to have something that reflects my magazines style. Hip-Hop magazines in general tend to have a close up/mid-shot of the artitst, with usually a fairly arrogant or cocky pose. As Hip-Hop artists tend to be of African-American ethnicity, I feel a similar style of model will be good for my images, as it ties in with current conventions and makes the magazine credible.

Evaluating Feedback

From my 25 word pitch, I have received feedback from peers on what their opinions on my concept are. Things people liked about my idea was the fact that it 'showcased unsigned talent'. I feel this is one of the points I will have to emphasise in my magazine, as this is what makes my piece unique and a selling point. A criticism of my pitch was that it did not apply to my target audience of 13-25 year old males. I shall undertake further research into my market in order to reevaluate my target. Apart from that, I have had mainly positive feedback - and therefore I shall keep to my original ideas.

Magazine Name

I thought over several different ideas for the name of my magazine. I wanted something that both tied in with the genre, yet also is catchy and interesting. I researched 'Hip-Hop' terminology, to look for unique words that would be appropriate for potential names. I took inspiration from magazines such as 'Vibe', where a short one word title has the effect of impacting on the audience and making the cover striking.

I decided upon calling my magazine 'HYPE'. I feel a bold, 4 letter title would be a good way of drawing in the audience, and also as Hype has the hip-hop meaning of a 'buzz' around something - making it specific to fans and giving it credibility. For the masthead, I feel a modern font is the best to go with, as this is a common convention of magazines of this style and gives an edgy feel.

Using http://www.dafont.com/ as a source for inspiration, I previewed my masthead in different fonts to see which was most effective and appealing. Here is a collage I produced of all the fonts I felt would suit the style of my magazine, and from these I will decide upon a choice.

25 Word Pitch

Hip Hop/R&B Magazine aimed at young males aged 13-25, fresh, unique, inspired by complex and vibe, showcasing unsigned talent and the latest news and interviews




Magazine Cover Analysis

Magazine Cover Analysis

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