FONTS
Below are some examples of fonts that I'm considering using on my magazine front cover.
Saudager: Zamroni Hamzah
I think this particular font is great for a large body of text, or a subheading of some kind (perhaps for the cover lines). This font again holds character, and would be able to carry the chic look across the entire front cover (although the masthead and headline are important, without a decent font to carry on the sophisticated aesthetic, the whole cover will suffer and will consequentially become less appealing to the public). With this, the magazine will appear more 'put together' and it'll seem as if it's targeted towards an audience that holds a higher status; it has a sense of elegance almost.
Riffle: Craft Supply Co.
I like this font in particular because it not only has the same properties as the others (has certain connotations of being sophisticated etc), but it's also been made to appear quite delicate, through the elongation of the thin characters. I think this font would look really good on my magazine's front cover, as it would fit in perfectly with the look/ vibe I'm going for, which I have discussed in the previous paragraphs. This font screams upmarket and chic, as you can imagine a prestigious company (such as Vogue) incorporating this in their magazine.
FINAL FONTS
Designer: Dika
This is my final choice, of which I have decided I will definitely use for my masthead. I've chosen this font as I feel like it'll further contribute to the minimalistic, sophisticated, chic look I'm going for on my magazine front cover. This, like the previous font, is very simplistic yet it will be successful in adding a lot of character to the page; the font has an edge to it that many may be attracted to. For this reason, I could possibly incorporate this font in the masthead or simply in the headline. Nonetheless, I think it's definitely a great font to consider.
Vogue: Vladimir Nikolic
This is my final choice of font, of which I will use for the headline (in bold) and cover lines (not bold) on my front cover. I have chosen this particular font because of its simplicity. This is a serif font, written in all caps and a single block colour. All of these factors help incorporate the vibe that I'm going for; minimalistic and sophisticated. I will use this font for the headline as, although it does stand out, it will not take too much attention away from the masthead or the image (or the message being portrayed) in the front cover.
Minimal: Rita Escobar
I have decided that this will be my final font for a potential sans-serif body of text or cover lines. This font is very simplistic, and although it's quite basic, it holds a kind of elegance to its minimalism. I feel like this font would be ideal for cover lines, as it will not take away from the headline, masthead or main image, yet it will still be noticeable on the page- which is exactly what I want. I will use this font throughout all three pages (Front cover, Contents page and Double page spread), to maintain a theme and make the magazine feel whole.
LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS
To further prepare for what my magazine front cover will look like, I have taken various images of places I believe would be incorporated/ showcased in my magazine. I chose these particular locations as I feel as if these will not take too much attention away from the focus of the magazine cover and will instead contribute to the aesthetic I'm looking for.
LOCATION 1
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LOCATION 2
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I chose this particular location as I feel like it fits in perfectly with the aesthetic I'm going for in my front cover.
The cottagecore vibe that is given off through this image is not too overwhelming, and instead is rather peaceful and simplistic, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a place. The all-white house in the background helps convey a minimalistic feel, yet the flowers on the balcony and the coloured walls makes the image stand out a little more, avoiding it being seen as too plain or monotone. Although this location isn't as mundane as a typical background that you'd see on a 'Vogue' magazine front cover, for example, I still think that it has some potential and could be seen to be just as peaceful/ discrete as the images that do appear on prestigious magazines. |
This is another location that I think would be a perfect background in a reputable magazine.
The layout of this image is great at drawing the readers eye to the middle of the page, as the boardwalk is so centred. This means that if a model was to be standing in line with this, no attention would be taken away from them or the masthead located at the top of the page. This is perfect, as it again implies a sense of simplicity and minimalism, which is ideal for my magazine front cover. Despite this, the contrast in colours and the dramatic clouds in the sky, will help make the magazine really stand out, again drawing the publics attention to the model/ masthead. |
LOCATION 3
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LOCATION 4
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This image is a lot more colourful than the previous two, although I think it is one of the best.
The elongation of the bougainvillea is perfect, as it draws the readers attention to the top of the page, where the flowers spread out further (this is where my masthead would be located). Preferably, the model would be stood in the centre of the flowers, again reinforcing the fact that that the most important aspects of the front cover are the areas where the bougainvillea is (ie. the masthead and the model). This is great as it will not only be successful in catching the publics attention, but it will also be a great branding tool; it will act as a way to showcase the importance of the magazine brand, as we're making it clear that the masthead is a significant reason to buy the product. |
This again could be a great background for a magazine, although it's probably the least impactful of the four.
The image of this particular location will not make the masthead stand out as much as it would at Locations 2 and 3, as over half the image is blue (meaning the masthead doesn't stand out as much). Despite this, I think the contrast in colours are ideal, as that is something that will catch a lot of the publics eye; especially since the blue of the sky is so vibrant. Additionally, I love the fact that a cliff side is incorporated, as, in some ways, it foreshadows the fact that 'nature and the importance of sustainability in the beauty industry' is something that I want to include in my magazine (especially since the ocean is where the majority of pollution takes place). |
PERFORMER IMAGES
THE BEACH: I am considering using an image taken at the coast/ beach for my front cover, as I feel this will help engage my target audience. As my magazine will be based on being eco-friendly/ sustainable, I feel like using a location which can tie in with this idea is crucial.
I'm thinking of using this particular model on my magazine front cover, as she is not only very pretty, but as it also demonstrates the fact that my magazine's main focus is diversity. Her nude-coloured hijab can be seen as being very elegant and ties in perfectly with the beach in the background. These together will make the magazine appear sophisticated and simplistic, which is exactly what I'm going for. As well as her beauty, I feel like she'd be very well suited for the front cover, as she represents the culture in the Middle East, so this will be more captivating for the local audience.
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This model is another I'm considering; she is also beautiful, however demonstrates a more western-type beauty. Western beauty is highly showcased in the media, meaning this particular model could possibly be more appealing to the western community (which is a very large audience that would be beneficial to the magazine). Regarding the image, the headstrong stance that is used is a way of demonstrating female empowerment and resilience, which (although it is not my main topic) is a fundamental idea that I want to incorporate in my magazine,.
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FLOWERS: Another location I am considering using on my front cover image is somewhere where greenery/ flowers can easily be spotted. This again would be a really good way to tie in the theme of my magazine with the front image, as the plants would help represent nature.
These models would clearly be used if I was focusing more of my attention on the western/ European community, as they are showing more skin and are following more of the western fashion trends. I think if I was to use these particular people as my models, the target audience would be teenage girls in the West, as they are young and following the fashion trends that are apparent in these areas.
SKETCHES/ MOCK-UPS
In order to further brainstorm what I would like my final magazine product to look like, I've sketched various ideas for the front cover, double page spread and contents page (you can find these below). I've chosen to sketch these particular layouts as I feel that these will not take the focus away from the masthead/ important aspects of the cover (e.g. the main image, if a celebrity is showcased), but they will capture the essence of what I envisage my magazine front cover to look like.
FRONT COVER:
For this layout I've taken inspiration from my 'Location 2' image. The fact that this particular front cover is incorporating ideas from the coast could prove to be very effective, especially since the idea for my magazine is based around a sustainable/ ethical fashion industry. This could help imply connotations of the natural world/ looking after the environment and could help captivate the eye of my target audience.
Furthermore, the headline, being at the bottom of the page, has been done to help elongate the front cover, making it appear more elegant. As you can see from the sketch, I've placed the cover lines around the edge of the page, in order to draw the readers eye to the middle of the page (where the model is located). Since we're currently in the Middle East, I thought it'd be appropriate to incorporate some of the culture into my magazine, especially since the idea of diversity is one of my magazine's main focuses. Perhaps by including a model who wears a hijab, it'll prove more appealing/ captivating to my local audience.
This layout, although simplistic, is also quite captivating. The differences in the fonts of the masthead and headline brings a good contrast to the top of the page, and the two cover line sections frame the model really well. I also decided to use block colours once again, as I feel like this really helps focus the attention of the reader on the main image. |
For this sketch, I've taken inspiration from an image of one of my potential models (demonstrated in the section above). I like this layout in particular, as the masthead being at the side of the front cover adds some dimension/ variation to the page, which I feel could be very captivating to the audience.
I really like the dynamic of this particular page, as although the masthead and headline do stand out, no attention is taken away from the main image. This is not only due to the framing of the model by the text, but also the use of block colours; since there is nothing else very detailed, other than the model and the flowers on the page corners, your attention becomes very focused on the main image. This is another layout design I've considered. I've put the masthead in a separate coloured box at the top of the page, in order to make it stand out more; I thought this would be an effective branding technique and that the public would be more drawn to it, especially if the magazine was well recognised (such as 'Vogue' for example). I also experimented with the location of my main image- instead of positioning the image in the centre of the page (like I did with my other three designs), I decided to position is slightly off-centre to the left. Although this small change in perspective could draw the reader in, I feel like the image could've been slightly bigger.
Lastly, I added a promotion at the bottom of the page to this particular design, with I think I may end up incorporating into my final front cover. |
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
For this particular sketch of my double page spread, I wanted to fully get my message across as soon as the reader's eye meets the page. I feel like by using half a page to simple display the black, bold headline, 'The End Is Near', it really adds to a dramatic effect and is one of the first thing the reader will look at. To the left of the headline, I drew an image of a girl looking away from the viewer... I feel like this particular pose could be somewhat symbolic to the fact that she's 'looking to the future'.
Across the two pages I made sure to more-or-less stick to the same colour scheme: black, white and grey. This combination of colours adds to the sophistication/ minimalism of the pages.
Across the two pages I made sure to more-or-less stick to the same colour scheme: black, white and grey. This combination of colours adds to the sophistication/ minimalism of the pages.
MOCK-UPS/ FLAT PLANS
FRONT COVER: FLAT PLAN
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CONTENTS PAGE: FLAT PLAN
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By making the background colour of the masthead different to the rest, it makes it really stand out and 'pop' out of the page. This is great for branding and making the magazine company known, which can be extremely beneficial for sales and making the brand recognisable.
As you can see from the flat plan, I've used very neutral colours (baby blue, mint green and a soft pastel yellow), in attempt to make the magazine cover appear minimalistic/ sophisticated, yet 'fun' and interesting at the same time. This idea has been taken from my focus group research, as half or the respondents told me they're more drawn to minimalistic/ basic covers, while the other half were more interested in bright/ bold ones. Therefore, I've managed to somewhat merge the two. |
I've tried to make the contents page as minimalistic as possible, while still trying to avoid making the page appear boring/ uninteresting to the viewer. I didn't want to make the page extremely monotone, hence the image section in the middle of the page. I feel like this will make the page a bit more dynamic and it'll give the reader a bit more to look at. You can also notice that I've put the masthead at the top of the page; this is another way you can reinforce the brand of the magazine, making the company more well known to the reader (the more you write it in a place that's visible, the more the reader will take it in).
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DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD: FLAT PLAN
As you can see in the above flat plan, I decided I was going to incorporate one of the fonts I seriously decided I was going to use ('Designer: Dika'), as I feel like this not only modernises the double page spread, but it also intrigues the reader. I feel like this layout could be very effective in captivating the audience, as the headline being along two sides of the page is not typically done very often- making these particular pages stand out. Additionally, the fact that the main image will take up almost half of the page could also be very grasping to the viewer, as I've noticed (from my focus group feedback in the 'Research' tab) that most people prefer pictures over loads of text.
WRITTEN ARTICLE
Fashion and cosmetics are two of the best outlets in which people express their individuality, creativeness and personalities through their appearance. Believe me, I love the fashion world as much as the next person. Although we can't deny that at times we, as a society, become so blinded by the opportunity to build a whole new wardrobe for cheap, that we forget what effect a single strappy top could actually have on, not only the environment, but also on other people and organisms.
'Fast fashion' and the cosmetics industry are responsible for an array of environmental, ethical and emotional issues all over the globe, so why isn't it talked about more? Whether it's simply because a company wants more people to buy their product, or just because the public can't bear to think of the humanitarian implications, we can all agree that this isn't talked about enough.
Let’s talk cosmetics… Have you ever wandered into your nearest shop and jumped at the chance to buy everything from the ridiculously low-priced makeup 'sale' aisle? Have you ever found your favourite mascara for just $9.99 and decided you HAD to get it right then and there because... ‘why wouldn't you'? Well, let me tell you, you're not the only one. But what if I told you that the bargain you're presented with on the price tag isn't the only cost that goes into the manufacture of your favourite makeup products, your lip balm or even your shower gel?
Starting with the most commonly talked about issue, the plastic. The pretty packaging that wraps your favourite products to make them look even more desirable is actually responsible for a tremendous amount of pollution: not only does 70% of cosmetic products end up in landfills unfinished, but so much of the plastic used ends up in our oceans! This not only proves very harmful to aquatic life, but also increases the spread of disease; micro-bacteria attaches to the plastic and is carried across the globe along the currents (spreading to every area it comes across). So how can we eliminate this? Now, I'm not telling you we need to abandon the use of plastic completely, as that's practically impossible in today’s society, however, we do need to do our best to reduce the amount we buy, reuse the plastic containers when possible, and recycle once we're finished with them! These are only small changes you can make to your day, but wow will they make a difference... The sea life will thank you. Another example of how the cosmetics industry affects the planet is the production of palm oil. This has been the cause of a great amount of deforestation and climate change, due to its huge demand in the beauty industry. One last thing to mention is the chemicals/ toxins used in the products we wash down the drain. These end up in the ocean, leach into our soil, damage ecosystems, kill aquatic life, and affect livestock (causing them to become ill, develop cancer or even die)… But what's the solution? Lucky for you, we've done the research, and here are some vegan, cruelty-free and palm-oil-free cosmetics you could switch to, in order to put your mind at ease:
- Adorn Cosmetics
- Vyana Plant Beauty
- Odylique Makeup
- Fat and the moon
- Dab Herb
- 100% Pure
Now that we've addressed the cosmetics industry, what about fashion? According to researchers, the fast fashion industry brings in $1.2 trillion per annum, while producing 150 billion items of clothing... That's a ridiculous amount when you think about it! To put this into perspective, it's been said that on average, we only ever wear 70% of clothes in our wardrobes... But why are we buying so much? What has changed over the past few decades that has made this generation the highest consumers of fashion of all time? Firstly let’s start with the ever-changing trends and expectations people now seem to have when it comes to fashion. Over the past couple of years, the 'ideal' fashion trends seem to have changed thousands of times, making people (especially the youth) buy so much more clothing than they will ever actually need… The desire to 'fit in' in today’s day and age is going to be the death of us.
Additionally, the ease at which clothing pieces can be mass-produced nowadays is a huge issue; in more developed countries, thousands of items of clothing are manufactured in factories each day, for our benefit. However, that’s not enough apparently… As well as this, in less developed countries, thousands of people are exploited every day in sweatshops, in order to supply us with even more items to ‘fit in’. How inhumane does that sound?
The workers in these sweatshops not only work in terrible conditions, but they also earn pittance (or nothing at all). Furthermore, what’s even more shocking is, in order to cut down on costs of production, many companies have even resorted to child labour! Now, should we really be supporting this?
These are only a few issues with the fast fashion industry… Not to mention the environmental degradation and animal cruelty that goes along with it all: Fabrics, dyes and detergents are tested on animals before they can be sold to people, putting many of them at risk of severe illness or even death. A few environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry include the harm of wildlife and the destruction of oceans, habitats and ecosystems through the use of landfill sites (to dispose of clothing), and the leaching of chemicals into the ground.
So how can we combat this? How do we avoid mass-produced, animal-derived clothing? First of all, go through your wardrobe and see what you have... you may be surprised what you've forgotten about! Next, donate any items you no longer wear to either a charity shop, a thrift store, a person in need, or even a relative/ friend… If the clothing is simply too old or disheveled to donate, either recycle it, or even cut it up into pieces and reuse them as rags.
Once you've disposed of everything you no longer use (while being environmentally cautious of course), next time you want to go shopping, why not try out one of these vegan brands?:
- Will's of London
- Plant Faced Clothing
- LaBante
- Bohema
- Mashu
-Wilby
Remember, it's the little things we do that make a difference, and I hope together we can do just that.
'Fast fashion' and the cosmetics industry are responsible for an array of environmental, ethical and emotional issues all over the globe, so why isn't it talked about more? Whether it's simply because a company wants more people to buy their product, or just because the public can't bear to think of the humanitarian implications, we can all agree that this isn't talked about enough.
Let’s talk cosmetics… Have you ever wandered into your nearest shop and jumped at the chance to buy everything from the ridiculously low-priced makeup 'sale' aisle? Have you ever found your favourite mascara for just $9.99 and decided you HAD to get it right then and there because... ‘why wouldn't you'? Well, let me tell you, you're not the only one. But what if I told you that the bargain you're presented with on the price tag isn't the only cost that goes into the manufacture of your favourite makeup products, your lip balm or even your shower gel?
Starting with the most commonly talked about issue, the plastic. The pretty packaging that wraps your favourite products to make them look even more desirable is actually responsible for a tremendous amount of pollution: not only does 70% of cosmetic products end up in landfills unfinished, but so much of the plastic used ends up in our oceans! This not only proves very harmful to aquatic life, but also increases the spread of disease; micro-bacteria attaches to the plastic and is carried across the globe along the currents (spreading to every area it comes across). So how can we eliminate this? Now, I'm not telling you we need to abandon the use of plastic completely, as that's practically impossible in today’s society, however, we do need to do our best to reduce the amount we buy, reuse the plastic containers when possible, and recycle once we're finished with them! These are only small changes you can make to your day, but wow will they make a difference... The sea life will thank you. Another example of how the cosmetics industry affects the planet is the production of palm oil. This has been the cause of a great amount of deforestation and climate change, due to its huge demand in the beauty industry. One last thing to mention is the chemicals/ toxins used in the products we wash down the drain. These end up in the ocean, leach into our soil, damage ecosystems, kill aquatic life, and affect livestock (causing them to become ill, develop cancer or even die)… But what's the solution? Lucky for you, we've done the research, and here are some vegan, cruelty-free and palm-oil-free cosmetics you could switch to, in order to put your mind at ease:
- Adorn Cosmetics
- Vyana Plant Beauty
- Odylique Makeup
- Fat and the moon
- Dab Herb
- 100% Pure
Now that we've addressed the cosmetics industry, what about fashion? According to researchers, the fast fashion industry brings in $1.2 trillion per annum, while producing 150 billion items of clothing... That's a ridiculous amount when you think about it! To put this into perspective, it's been said that on average, we only ever wear 70% of clothes in our wardrobes... But why are we buying so much? What has changed over the past few decades that has made this generation the highest consumers of fashion of all time? Firstly let’s start with the ever-changing trends and expectations people now seem to have when it comes to fashion. Over the past couple of years, the 'ideal' fashion trends seem to have changed thousands of times, making people (especially the youth) buy so much more clothing than they will ever actually need… The desire to 'fit in' in today’s day and age is going to be the death of us.
Additionally, the ease at which clothing pieces can be mass-produced nowadays is a huge issue; in more developed countries, thousands of items of clothing are manufactured in factories each day, for our benefit. However, that’s not enough apparently… As well as this, in less developed countries, thousands of people are exploited every day in sweatshops, in order to supply us with even more items to ‘fit in’. How inhumane does that sound?
The workers in these sweatshops not only work in terrible conditions, but they also earn pittance (or nothing at all). Furthermore, what’s even more shocking is, in order to cut down on costs of production, many companies have even resorted to child labour! Now, should we really be supporting this?
These are only a few issues with the fast fashion industry… Not to mention the environmental degradation and animal cruelty that goes along with it all: Fabrics, dyes and detergents are tested on animals before they can be sold to people, putting many of them at risk of severe illness or even death. A few environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry include the harm of wildlife and the destruction of oceans, habitats and ecosystems through the use of landfill sites (to dispose of clothing), and the leaching of chemicals into the ground.
So how can we combat this? How do we avoid mass-produced, animal-derived clothing? First of all, go through your wardrobe and see what you have... you may be surprised what you've forgotten about! Next, donate any items you no longer wear to either a charity shop, a thrift store, a person in need, or even a relative/ friend… If the clothing is simply too old or disheveled to donate, either recycle it, or even cut it up into pieces and reuse them as rags.
Once you've disposed of everything you no longer use (while being environmentally cautious of course), next time you want to go shopping, why not try out one of these vegan brands?:
- Will's of London
- Plant Faced Clothing
- LaBante
- Bohema
- Mashu
-Wilby
Remember, it's the little things we do that make a difference, and I hope together we can do just that.
WRITTEN ARTICLE ANALYSIS
In my written article, I made sure to talk about a topic that is very based around the whole essence of my magazine. The theme I focused on was 'being sustainable/ ethical in the cosmetics and fashion industry', which I feel is a topic that is likely to really grasp the attention of my target audience, and intrigue them into reading on.
In my article, I made sure to use the appropriate language that would be expected to be in a magazine with a target audience such as my own; I did not include swearing or any slurs, as I feel like that is something you would perhaps associate with a rap magazine for example, and I did not use abbreviated words or 'textspeak', as I wanted my magazine not only to be appealing to a younger audience, but also to a slightly older audience, who would perhaps not understand what I was trying to say if I were to use abbreviations.
Overall, I wanted this article to be informative, hence why I used quite a few statistics and figures, yet I also wanted the tone to come across as more casual/ friendly, and so I incorporated rhetorical questions, opinions and emotion within the article, instead of formatting it as you would in a newspaper. Despite wanting to sound slightly more casual, I still wanted to effectively convey my message and say it in a way that expressed the severity of the situation, without being too blunt or patronising. Therefore, in order to give off the impression that I relate to the reader, I wrote things such as 'Believe me, I love the fashion world as much as the next person', or 'Well, let me tell you, you're not the only one', or even just the small act of using 'we' and 'us' instead of 'you'.
In my article, I made sure to use the appropriate language that would be expected to be in a magazine with a target audience such as my own; I did not include swearing or any slurs, as I feel like that is something you would perhaps associate with a rap magazine for example, and I did not use abbreviated words or 'textspeak', as I wanted my magazine not only to be appealing to a younger audience, but also to a slightly older audience, who would perhaps not understand what I was trying to say if I were to use abbreviations.
Overall, I wanted this article to be informative, hence why I used quite a few statistics and figures, yet I also wanted the tone to come across as more casual/ friendly, and so I incorporated rhetorical questions, opinions and emotion within the article, instead of formatting it as you would in a newspaper. Despite wanting to sound slightly more casual, I still wanted to effectively convey my message and say it in a way that expressed the severity of the situation, without being too blunt or patronising. Therefore, in order to give off the impression that I relate to the reader, I wrote things such as 'Believe me, I love the fashion world as much as the next person', or 'Well, let me tell you, you're not the only one', or even just the small act of using 'we' and 'us' instead of 'you'.