Pixlr and Photoshop are two very good photo editing softwares, Pixlr being one I am most comfortable editing normal images with, but I want to learn a few tricks with Photoshop that I can eventually use for my music magazine.
I took it upon myself to look online for real music magazines and find what types of editing they have used on their front covers. One of the main edits were the title of the magazine half hided behind the person on the front. I found a tutorial online to do this and used the two highest voted photos I took beforehand.
My first attempt didn't go too well as I put the writing too far down. This was just to test out the idea so I didn't edit the photo beforehand. If I did decide to use this technique then I would edit the photo on either Pixlr or find out how to make the background of the image all one colour.
The next image worked slightly better as I had learnt how to stretch the text to make it similar to the one I used on Pixlr with my draft music magazine. I like the technique of this and really want to use it for my final magazine but the fonts aren't as nice as the ones on Pixlr. Also, I cannot produce the mirrored K in photoshop yet, but if I only write 'INDIE RO' in photoshop, then go to Pixlr and add the logo in, then it will begin to look like the draft music magazines I produced originally.
Here is the next step in the process of my music magazine. I managed to create to two backwards K's on Pixlr. Pixlr isn't good in the Photoshop is because Photoshop is used by professionals, but Pixlr can do a lot of things in simple ways e.g. my entire prototype magazine was made on Pixlr and therefore can create a professional look. The next problem I faced was with the editing of the lettering behind the artists head. I want to use this technique because it gives a proffessional look but deciding which one of these photos will be the best is the problem. The one to the left is a good photo as it is the typical look of a male on a music front cover, but the photo above, although not exactly what i'm looking for, is ideal for puting the lettering behind.
I asked my audience which they believed was the best image and the majority said the image to the left. The reasons included: I like the pose, I think the light shining behind makes a good effect and the writing is more clearer in this image. After finding this out I then carried on editing with this image.
The first part I had already completed (the mast head) and the editing of the white strip along the bottom for the footer. I now decided to add a slogan for the magazine. I hadn't done this previously in my prototype magazines as I hadn't thought of it at the time and couldn't think of one during the making of my prototypes. It was only till the other day that a member of my target audience asked me if I had a slogan for my magazine and I realised I didn't. A slogan is a key part of a music magazine or any type of magazine as it is a way to remember the magazine. Some slogans
have music to go with them and others are just words, but either way it helps the magazine stand out from others and helps the buyer remember the magazine more so thats why I decided to put the slogan in.
I next added the footer along the bottom of the magazine and then the snippets (sell lines) along the side. I had previously added lines between the snippets to separate them more clearly but these lines had been a dull black and not really standing out. This meant that the snippets weren't drawing my target audiences eyes in and therefore not reading them and not buying the magazine. I needed to add a bit of colour to make these lines stand out and so, following my colour scheme, I decided to make them a green that was between bright and dark. If the green were too bright then it could become neon and relate to pop music which isn't what I want, and if the green were too dark there would be no point in making it green as it wouldn't stand out. I did the same with the artists shirt, which was originally green. I isolated the colour before changing the hue of the colour red to fit with the colour scheme.
I also needed to make sure the writing didn't go over his face like it did in my very first prototype. I realised that the picture I had taken was too close, and that I wasn't going to have enough room on the sides to place the writing without it going over his face. This isn't a HUGE problem as I could get the writing large enough to be seen clearly and only overlapping slightly onto his face. Also, for a neater look I made sure the writing was in a straight line on both sides. Not many magazines do this so I believe it gives my magazine individuality and a house style.
I next went on to creating a sticker, which my target audiences liked as it drew their eyes to the competition within it. I followed my second prototype front cover and put a competition inside of the sticker instead of information about the main artist show on the front cover. Many music magazines use stickers of information to list a competition or a prize within the magazine which draws the readers eyes onto the magazine.
Finally, I added the main writing at the bottom for the double page spread. Thinking of a band name for the boy on the front was difficult on my own, so I resorted to using an online Indie band generator. Many names showed up that didn't match my idea of an Indie band at all, but then the word 'pioneers' showed up. There wasn't a word before this and but I thought the word would go nicely with the front cover. But the word 'pioneers' just on its own didn't sound right and I felt I needed to add a couple of syllables.
I ran though the idea of placing a colour before 'pioneers' and it seemed to fit nicely. After going through a few colour options with my target audience the majority agreed that 'The Yellow Pioneers' sounded like a professional band for the genres of Indie, Rock and Folk.
Next are a few more images of a few possible front covers, including the one to the left. I will then ask my target audience what parts they like of each to create a final front cover.
I also needed to make sure the writing didn't go over his face like it did in my very first prototype. I realised that the picture I had taken was too close, and that I wasn't going to have enough room on the sides to place the writing without it going over his face. This isn't a HUGE problem as I could get the writing large enough to be seen clearly and only overlapping slightly onto his face. Also, for a neater look I made sure the writing was in a straight line on both sides. Not many magazines do this so I believe it gives my magazine individuality and a house style.
I next went on to creating a sticker, which my target audiences liked as it drew their eyes to the competition within it. I followed my second prototype front cover and put a competition inside of the sticker instead of information about the main artist show on the front cover. Many music magazines use stickers of information to list a competition or a prize within the magazine which draws the readers eyes onto the magazine.
Finally, I added the main writing at the bottom for the double page spread. Thinking of a band name for the boy on the front was difficult on my own, so I resorted to using an online Indie band generator. Many names showed up that didn't match my idea of an Indie band at all, but then the word 'pioneers' showed up. There wasn't a word before this and but I thought the word would go nicely with the front cover. But the word 'pioneers' just on its own didn't sound right and I felt I needed to add a couple of syllables.
I ran though the idea of placing a colour before 'pioneers' and it seemed to fit nicely. After going through a few colour options with my target audience the majority agreed that 'The Yellow Pioneers' sounded like a professional band for the genres of Indie, Rock and Folk.
Next are a few more images of a few possible front covers, including the one to the left. I will then ask my target audience what parts they like of each to create a final front cover.
There isn't a barcode nor a price on the front of this magazine because I believe it makes it look messy on the front. I would place the barcode and the price on the back of the magazine to free up space and keep the minimalist but effective look. The price on the back would be £3 as when I asked my target market if this was a suitable price to pay once a month they agreed.
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