Evaluation blog

Thankyou for viewing my blog. Here is a link to my evaluation blog.
 http://jamesvhmusic.blogspot.co.uk/

Audiance feedback video

Completed Feature article

Completed front cover

Completed contents page

Photography development

I used adobe fireworks and adobe Photoshop to edit these photos.

Some of the techniques i used to edit these photos are:

. Magic wand tool. This is a tool to take away part of the photo that is not wanted. It takes away part of the photo that is similar in color and tone.

. Rubber tool. I used this to manually get rid of some of the photo. This is good as you can manually take away the parts of the photo that the magic wand couldn't reach. However, his might take longer to do.

. I also air brushed his skin to make him look slightly brighter.

. I also used the simple crop tool which manually crops out the photo which can make the further editing a lot quicker.

Chosen photographs

I have chosen these two photographs because:
. All 3 are very good quality
. They adress the pages that i am making very well. They suit what i am planning to do
. They should all appeal to my target audience
. Suits the "hip hop" context

Feature article draft

Contents page final draft

Front cover final draft

Photography for artist 1 (Konrad)

First front cover draft

Feature article script

The unknown sensation, Konrad fresh out from college has struck many people’s minds with his unique music. Recently around the world, Konrad has hit new heights he has never experienced before and "loves it". After touring America Konrad wants to settle down in the UK and focus more on his tracks to complete his albums.

Since the age of 6 Konrad has wanted to be involved in the rap game. He was first inspired by the song "big pimpin" by Kanye West in 2000 and he has been his idol ever since. From 9 years onwards he has had singing lessons and guitar lessons and has thrived in it ever since he started. At the age of 11 he started rap music and that’s where he thrived most. Through his teenage life he has excelled in music, getting as through all his music exams and thriving in all of the music productions at his school. At the age of 18 he left school to focus on his music life. He passed all his main exams which make him equip able for any job, however I don’t expect he will do anything other than music.

At the age of 14, Konrad has started writing some of his own songs. He writes, sings and performs all his songs. He normally has a bass to rap with, however he designs the base track as well making him an all-round performer. He has posted his songs onto YouTube and has a large amount of views. A well-known music producer saw his video and was very impressed and contacted Konrad, his music career started from here. He has his own YouTube channel and has thousands of subscribers and is increasing daily. His channel is so well known, it is advertised on other YouTube videos increasing his fame and popularity.

Many people call him "the young Jay-Z" "rap maestro". His music reflects these nicknames and he is improving every second. We were fortunate enough to have a chat with Konrad. When recently asked "Is your music for your entertainment, or for the fans?" He replied “I do what I do as I love doing it, of course I take into account the fans reactions and reviews, but I mainly do it because I like too". We also asked him "Is your music lyrics based from experience, or made up?" he said "I write my music from personal experience, otherwise it would be fake and I am not that type of guy".

His debut album 'Spark' was a big seller; it was rivalling all the top main rap artists. His album went into the top 20 in the UK; this is incredible for his debut album. He is set to release his next album in the upcoming month and expects a bigger outcome than his first. Even though he is only an upcoming artist, he still achieves big things in his early days. Konrad is set off on a UK tour and will be performing at most of the UK festivals. He is the guy that can do it all, performing, wiring and promoting, what a guy. He takes every chance to get what he wants and thrives for success. All of his income is earned from his rapping, selling his CD's and performing at gigs. Even though he has not reached a global level yet, he could still rival all the top rappers as he is an all-round performer.

Contents page draft (hand drawn)

feature article draft (hand drawn)

front cover draft (hand drawn)

Inspiration for background shots

These three photos are what I plan to make my photographs look like. I like the way the photos all connote different things and I believe this would suit my magazine cover very well. Even though I will take more photos and will probably be different to these, I will try to base my photos around these as they fit the rap style/genre very well.

Photography planning

Setting/Location

I will try to use an urbanized location for my background. I will try to use an old train track or an old and dirty ally way. I believe these two locations are appropriate for a rap magazine as most rap music videos feature these types of locations and the rap audience will recognize this. These locations could connote poverty or negativity. This is similar to the rap style/genre which will be appropriate in my magazine cover. Another location that I might consider is the underground train environment which is similar to the rap genre and styles making it look more professional. 

Framing

Framing is very important when taking a photograph. You have to think of what will be in the photo and what will not be as you want to feature all the things that need to be in the photo. Framing can make a person look very big or very small as you can position them in a way that they give across a specific message.

Light

The lighting in any photograph is very important as it directs the thoughts and feelings. Having a light photograph can connote a very bright and happy mood. This is not always good in a rap magazine as rap is not a typical happy type of song. Having a dark background connotes a completely different mood to a bright background. A dark background connotes a scary or evil vibe. This is more suited to a rap genre as the lyrics are more associated with that type of vibe. Whereas a light background connotes a happy and light hearted vibe, this is not suited in a rap magazine.

Choice and re-shoots

My re-shoots will be taken if any conditions are not acceptable. The re-shoots will be taken if the photos aren't what I expected or don't match my criteria that I want. I will take over 50 photos and I will filter them down into about 10 to 15 possible photos. This will enable me to choose the best ones, this means that my re-shoots won’t be so difficult and time consuming.

Photoshoot schedule

Main feature artist - Konrad

Date: 10/11/14

Time: 12:00 - 15:00

Location: Newbury train station

Outfit: Black skinny jeans, high tops (preferably red), flat cap, baggy hood (preferably red), black T-shirt 

Makeup: No makeup

Hair style: Spiked up, however will not be seen in the hat but more shots will be taken without the hat.

Shot type: Medium shot, showing the background as well but mainly the artist being the centre image. Two locations will be an ally way and a train track, will get a wide shot and a few medium shots showing most of the background.

Lighting: The lighting will be fairly dark. I will try to dim the surroundings to make it as dark as possible. I will also add additional effects in the editing process.

Props: A flat cap and some golden chains will be used on my cover as they represent a rappers style.

Re-shoots: Encase any conditions are not appropriate, the re-shoot will be scheduled on 20/11/14. This re-shoot will be taken if:
. The weather conditions are bad
. I don't get all the shots I need too
. The shots do not work out/photos are bad

Cover artist 

Date: 13/11/14

Time: 11:00 - 13:00

Location: Newbury train station, Chieveley wreck.

Outfit: Black skinny jeans, high tops (preferably red), flat cap, a baggy hoody 

Makeup: No makeup

Hair style: Pulled down, whipped to the side showing over the flat cap.

Shot type: Medium shot, showing the background as well but mainly the artist being the centre image. The two locations I will use are an ally way and any brick wall.

Lighting: I want the lighting to be fairly bright. This will be helped by the timings of the shoot as the day is at its brightest around mid-day. 

Props: 
. Flat cap
. Chains
. Sun glasses

Re-shoots: In case any conditions are not appropriate, the re-shoot will be scheduled on 24/11/14. This re-shoot will be taken if:
. The weather conditions are bad
. I don't get all the shots I need too
. The shots do not work out/photos are bad

Possible outfit ideas

Style 1

Style 2

Both of these outfit ideas are suited to my artist. I believe style 2 is more suited as the clothes chosen are more appropriate. The jacket symbolises his English presence as Enlang is stertyped as cold and dull, this is the need for the jacket. The blue shoes are a modern trend that is going on at the moment. The hat and sun glasses are just accessories to the whole outift. It will make my artist look more diverse and different, this is good as he will stand out.

Designing my artist

Choosing the right artist for your magazine has to be appropriate for the genre of the magazine you are doing. As I am doing 'rap' genre, I need to adapt my artist around the rap style involving clothing, colours, appearance, background, location and content.

Solo artist - profile

I am going to feature a solo artist in my front cover and contents page. The information provided about them has to be suited to the rap genre. I will use two models/artists, one on my front cover and one featured on my feature article. Both these artists will have information about them on the page that they are on. 

 

Morgan - Morgan will be an 18 year old upcoming rapper from the UK (London). He will be promoting his new and upcoming music. He has finished his education life and focused on his successful music career. He has brought out new songs that have not hit full popularity yet, so this magazine will promote himself and his music. Morgan has his own unique fashion sense based on the rap style. He has only been a professional rapper for a short time and wants to be successful quickly. He earns money off of rapping; he performs at national festivals and is becoming increasingly popular as time goes by. Grew up in a poor neighbourhood, didn't have much income as a teenager but earns a lot of money off of his music.

Konrad - Konrad will also be an 18 year old rapper. He will also be a new upcoming artist promoting his new album. He will be featured on my feature article page, with Morgan on my front cover. He has finished his education life with high success. His purpose in this magazine will be to promote his new album. He is very interested in Sport and physicality and is shown by his body tone. He is very humorous and is shown by his use of words in his music and the names of his songs. Konrad is more into the street side of rapping making his style a bit more urbanized.

Both fashion styles includes Skinny jeans, high tops, flat cap, baggy jumper and a printed shirt, even though most rappers use this fashion sense, he will wear this style his own way to make the style unique. The fashion style will be enticing towards the audience as they will like his fashion sense and will want to copy his style.

The appearance of the artist on the front cover of the magazine will be positioned very dominant and serious setting the tone of the front cover. The background will be a rough/dirty environment not only proving the classic English weather; it will also present his background and lifestyle. I will take a variety of shots with the artists in different positions so I have a variety of photos I can choose from. I will also set a grey scale on the background but leave the model itself in normal colour which will make him stand out. For the background, I will use a rough environment, like an old train track or an ally way. 

The colour scheme I will use is red, white and black/blue. I will colour coordinate his clothes with these colours. These colours will contrast well as the dark black/blue will highlight the bright red colour, this will make it stand out and be noticed. The red colour connoted danger/blood/caution. This is appropriate for my magazine as the rap language is that style/genre (rude/aggressive). 

Mood board for my artist

Further mast head planning - pulse

All these mast-head ideas have been planned and thought through. Each idea has different features in them. My color scheme is red and black

The first idea (top) is very simple which makes it easier to read. The U is put in read emphasizing that you should buy this magazine. The scattered red on the mast head is enticing towards the audience as it is visually appealing

My second idea is also very simple. The line going across the mast head is very appealing as it weave in and out of the letters making it more enticing. The U is in front of the line identifying that you should buy this magazine. The line is red improving the color scheme.

My third idea is a bit more complex. All the letters are red apart from U which highlight that you should buy this magazine. As all the letters are in boxes, it makes the mast head unique and more readable. This idea was favored by the audience meaning its more appealing.

My fourth idea is my favored idea. The line across the middle connotes your pulse, this makes the mast head more enticing and appealing. It also follows the unique color scheme. It also features serif in the text, this makes it more sophisticated and mature.

My fifth idea has a different style to the other. The scattered text at the bottom makes the mast head unique as it makes it more enticing. It also follows the color scheme making the magazine more approachable. This idea was also very popular by the audience, this shows that

Mast - head idea/planning

Color meanings/connotations

  Red

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure.

Red brings text and images to the foreground. Red is widely used to indicate danger (high voltage signs, traffic lights). This color is also commonly associated with energy, so you can use it when promoting energy drinks, games, cars, items related to sports and high physical activity.

  

Orange

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation.

To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red.

Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.

  

Yellow

Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. 

Yellow is seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is often used to issue a warning. Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it is not recommended to use yellow when selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a yellow business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety.   


Green

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

  

Blue

Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness. Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.

Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

  

Purple

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can use bright purple when promoting children's products.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.
Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.

  

White

White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.

White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning. 

White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility, so you can use white to suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.

  
Black

Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black or grey background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.

Name planning

Pulse - Could connote the rhythm/beat of the music. Resembles heartbeat, could suggest that the type of genre will excite the reader.

Fuse - Gives the message of mixed style of music or more than one genre of music. This name is also noticeable and bold; this could make the cover more eye catching. Fusing the music genres together.

Anthem - Resembles a type of song. This could fit the genre of classical or slow music. This could attract a different audience to what i have planned. The word itself is very long which could resemble the style of music/genre the magazine covers.

Hype - This would fit the genre of rap or rock music as that type of music is fast and loud. This could resemble the exciting and energetic mood of the magazine and the music genre.

Spark - This could connote fire/energy/excitement. This fits the genre of music i have chosen (rap). The word itself is very noticeable and appealing as it is short and fast.

Target readership/audience

Target audience

The target audience for my magazine will be teenagers and young adults, an age range of around 16-30. I will target both genders. It will target the middle class with 'normal' families/students at a state school. They should like music or have a preferred type of genre of music, or they could play an instrument which involves them in music. They're creative and academic, showing an interest in the multimedia industry. They all like to socialize in person and also over the internet. They should have a job, mainly based in the A to C category.

Character profile

Geoff is an 18 year old boy who loves music. He is into rap, listens to Eminem, childish Gambino, and example and shows a deep interest in music. He sings and plays guitar. He has a large group of friends, boys and girls, who love to socialize and meet new people. He has a very relaxed state of mind trying to balance his school work with his social life. However, if his work gets too heavy he doesn't go out with his friends. He has a very simple fashion sense, white shirt, skinny jeans and Nike shoes. This look resembles his relaxed and laid back vibe. His hobbies are writing songs, singing, playing football and playing video games. Geoff works at his village shop earning enough to pay for his own clothes. He sometimes goes out with his friends to the cinema. He does not have a girlfriend however he talks to a lot of girls. In his spare time he plays video games, or sings. He likes Nike and Top man; he spends most of his income on buying clothes from those shops. He likes to watch East Enders and Waterloo road. He goes on a summer holiday once a year; he went to Spain last year and Greece the year before.

Planning front covers - 3 ideas

Idea 1

A typical music magazine should include all the main features a magazine has as it will make it look more professional and unique. The mast head will be big and bold and central, with a stand out colour, which will entice the reader into looking further into the magazine itself. It should be the first thing the audience reads, so it should entice them enough to carry on reading what is in the magazine. It will also have a variety of cover lines and selling lines along the left of the page. This will leave the main model on the right of the page leaving all the writing on the left. This improves the neatness of the cover making it more formal and sophisticated. The colour scheme will be blue, pink and grey. I will use blue for the mast-head and some of the text, grey for the background and pink for the remaining text. These three colours are good contrasting colours as grey makes blue and pink stand out. 

Idea 2

I have another magazine idea. I will put the mast head big and central of the magazine, this will show importance and dominance over the magazine. I will put my model in the middle of the magazine positioned very serious and dominant as it will set the tone of the magazine well. I will then put my cover lines and selling lines to the side of the magazine filling all the background space. If there is enough space, I will try place another banner somewhere along the bottom to make the text less overwhelming. Colour scheme will be white, blue and black. I will use white for the background, blue for the mast head and black for the remaining text.

Idea 3

. Large mast head, covering a lot of space (middle, centre)

. Selling lines and cover lines to the top left and right, to cover any 

. Model all in the middle, covering a lot of space, serious/solemn pose

. Banner along the top/bottom

. Colour scheme will be red, black and white

All these features will be applied to a draft magazine that i will create. These features are all in current music magazines and i will try apply these elements into my music magazine to make it look as professional as possible. The background will be black/grey with the mast-head being red and the text being white.

House style - Pulse

Market research video

This is my market research video showing what the audience want in a music magazine.

Feature article analysis