Flat Plans with Written Rationale

Colour Usage: For my main colour scheme, I will be featuring a black, red and white colour scheme. As discovered through previous research, these three colours are used to create an overall powerful yet simple and professional colour scheme which does not detract the audience's attention away from the content itself. The colour scheme is powerful and effective, yet subtle and not immediately noticeable. The red and black will contrast against the white background wherever possible to produce this effect.

Image Usage: For the image usage, I was considering a profile shot of the subject either: holding a guitar; playing a guitar or looking at a guitar. The body language will reflect the entire theme of the magazine, as he will not be 'angry' or 'arrogant' as previous cover images have portrayed the subject, and instead will portray normal body language. As for the setting, an outdoor setting would be desirable, however I encountered problems with the lighting the last time I tried to take outdoor photographs.

Text Usage: For the main cover, I would be focusing mainly on teaser use and possibly puns to attract the audience and get them engaged with the magazine before even picking it up. I would use these in other forms of text, such as sell lines, headlines and slogans. The logo for my magazine would also need to be of a consistent look throughout the whole magazine, as well as keeping the text/font the same all the way through to create a coherent feel towards my magazine.

Layout and Font:  Overall, on the main cover, font style will be interesting and professional, meaning that untraditional fonts are not an option. This ensures people take my magazine seriously and it actually gives a positive and impressive first impression. Also having an organised and well-structured layout will make it easier for readers to be able to read the articles and enjoy the magazine. The headline may be placed diagonally to offer a difference to the traditional horizontal orientation of the text. This emphasises key pieces of text on the cover, such as the main sell line or regular sell lines. As for framing, the main image would usually be framed in the center-left of the cover, allowing space for the masthead above, sell lines to the right and the main sell line and strap line below. This gives space for the subject of the main image to be clearly seen by readers, but also allows key conventions to be featured alongside it on the page.

Colour Usage: Much like the aforementioned cover page, a black/white/red colour scheme shall be implemented. The white gives a subtle and gentle highlight to the page, yet the red and black allow a subtle implementation of power and emphasis without being too overpowering. The black and white colours will contrast against each other, creating specific stand-out areas for the contents page. For other areas where causing the areas to stand out is not a priority and not required as much as other parts of the page, the colour red could be implemented into the contents page to give a subtle emphasis on the area it is positioned on, but not an overpowering one which requires the reader's immediate focus.

Image Usage: For the contents page, the images which are used would not be as prominent as the one(s) on the main cover, and would generally be smaller. This even includes the image used to represent the main article, which may only be 60% of the original page size. There could also be many smaller images used to represent the numerous other articles within the magazine. The images would link to the magazine's theme of featuring new and upcoming artists, therefore feature images of the artists the magazine will feature, standing confidently to represent their desire to be the biggest they can possibly be.

Text Usage: The text featured on the page would be generally in third-person, and give minor clues as to what will be featured within the article. This would mean that parts from the article were not revealed in these section, but merely hinted towards. This is an example of how the contents page would use teasers to draw the reader into the magazine and get them prepared for the many articles that are inside. A masthead would also be present on the contents page, creating a sense of cohesion throughout the magazine. Like previously, it would be featured in the top-left of the page as well as the essential information.

Layout and Font: For the contents page, the general rules also apply. The font style must be coherent throughout the magazine, ensuring that the font is also professional and simple. The simple fonts work best in professional magazines, such as Times New Roman or Arial. Using fonts that are generally classed as unprofessional will cause your magazine to appear in the same way. The contents page is also structured well so that there is room for everything to be featured on the page without making it seem overcrowded. The main article image preview would be placed in the lower-right hand side of the page, due to this being the first area the reader traditionally sees when they turn the page. To the left of the page, there will be a table of contents running down the left hand side of the page, giving a clear idea of what will be featured in the magazine. Underneath the table of contents, there will be a smaller image, possibly placed diagonal, which will link to a smaller article within the magazine.

 Colour Usage: Finally, for the colour scheme on the article page, the colour scheme would generally be that of white/black/red, as seen in the previous two pages. There may be certain colours that are added/changed depending on the colour of the background image. For the background of the article, I hope to have a slightly transparent image to go behind the article text so that the text can still be black, but the blank white background does not appear boring or unappealing to the reader. The red/white/black colour scheme will still ensure that a sense of emphasis and power is created, despite the lack of strong and poignant colours such as green or blue. The colours contrast in a light way, rather than an obvious and distracting way. This ensures the reader focuses primarily on the article itself rather than the colour scheme.

Image Usage: For the images used within the double-page spread, there will only be one prominent image used. This is the image featured on the left hand side of the page, the main article image. This image will be of the subject of the article, the new artist of whom the article is reporting on. As for the second image, this will be an almost transparent image placed behind the article text. This image bears no real significance to the article itself, and is merely positioned there so that the article text does not stand out blatantly against a blank white background. This image could be something such as a patch of grass. Were it to be an outdoor shot like this, the weather would need to be bright and uplifting to give the connotations that the new and upcoming artist has a bright future ahead.

Text Usage: The article text would be written in the third-person due to the fact that the article would be reporting on the subject of the article. The language used would be positive and have connotations that resemble the subject's desire and determination to do well. The article image may be accompanied by a caption/pun as many other music magazines do. This enforces a casual and informal reading experience for the reader, ensuring they are happy and relaxed with the publication they are reading. The article would also need to have a headline/article title with a strapline underneath to give information to the reader.

Layout and Font: The fonts featured on this page can vary, yet the main body article text still remains a regular, simple font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Unlike the previous two pages, there may be certain features which the font can be changed for, such as the article title. The font would still need to be simple and not off-putting, but may not necessarily need to adopt a professional tone like Times New Roman or Arial. For example, Impact may be a suitable font to use due to it's simplicity yet emphasis on the text. Unlike the previous two pages, two of the features of the double-page spread overlap (being the article title and the main article image). The text will be placed over a relatively blank piece of the article picture to ensure it is still legible, but also helps to create a sense of cohesion between the two pages. Unlike the main cover, text would not be placed diagonal to produce effect due to the fact that this was only required to draw the reader's attention to the magazine itself. Now the reader is reading the magazine, grabbing their attention is not required as much anymore, so text can be written using the traditional horizontal orientation. Usually, the main article image would be framed in such a way that the subject is standing in a profile shot, showing them in full. This has connotations to the fact that the subject wants as much exposure in the music industry as possible. By displaying the subject in full profile, the reader can get a better grasp on who the article is talking about, and can assume the subject will have a big presence on the music industry due to the fact they are standing confidently in the shot.