Final Front Cover, Contents Page and Double Page Spread

When creating my front cover I made sure I used the conventions of a music magazine. Such as the three colour rule, I used the three colours of the Iranian flag immediately giving the impression to readers the magazine is based on the Iranian culture. The front cover image of a middle-eastern looking man reassuring that the magazine is not an english magazine, because he is holding a drum you are given the impression this is a music based magazine. The masthead is in a classy font showing this is a serious magazine and perhaps not something that would attract teenagers. I used different fonts making it seem more attractive and non-repetitive. The main story is placed in the middle of the page and on top of the main in the main cover image linking the two together. I used a sky line with various articles, informing the readers more what is included inside the magazine. I also included two teasers either side of the main picture in a bold font.

For the contents page I also made sure I used the conventions of music magazines contents page. I used the three colors I used on the front cover to match the two together, for the subheadings, masthead and plug I used capitals as this seems to be a convention used on most music magazine contents pages. I added two pictures, linking with the contents menu and adding page numbers to the corner of the pictures. The main title "Win a competition" in a more casual and bold font. I then added a plug to the bottom right corner of the page giving contact details to a special offer to a subscription to the magazine. I also included an editors letter informing readers a website has been put up for the magazine.

For the first page of my double page spread I used a close up shot and used the same font I used on the front cover, I created a quote as if its coming from the artist who the interview is about and a short summary of the artist "Naveed Salaman. For the second page of my double page spread I looked at other music magazine interviews to get an idea of the type of questions that are asked. I chose to go for an interview style where it seems as if the interviewer and artist are having a conversation and the questions are being built up from the artists answer, rather than pre-planned questions. All the        questions are based on the artists music and there future in music, whereas some interviews include questions to do with artists personal life.

Contact List

I took multiple pictures so I would have an option of which images I want to use as a front cover and for the contents page. When taking the pictures I tried to be creative by asking the people I took pictures of to do different poses which I think makes the Moosighi music magazine seem more believable as if it is a real music magazine. I took the pictures against a white background which I feel gave a much more professional effect and something which you commonly see on music magazine images. Shot size?
Once I chose the images I wanted to use I edited them and placed them in the music magazine.

Tester Pictures For Magazine Cover.

I took these pictures as an attempt to get an idea of what i want my magazine cover would look like, unfortunately they did not turn out as well as i was hoping them to. They do not follow the normal conventions of a music magazine cover, the lighting has appeared quite poor as well. From taking these pictures i will make sure I will make sure the lighting  is more professional. I will also try to make the layout more interesting.

Flatplan For Moosighi Front Cover

This is my official flat plan for my music magazine. The main cover picture will be a medium shot of a boy holding a drum in his hands, the masthead will appear in a bold black "Moosigi". With the main heading in bold appearing on to of the main image, "Naveed Salaman, Rumbling the airwaves, Exclusive readers". The plug will say "Top 50 Iranian Songs to Download" persuading readers to buy the magazine more. I will use different yet similar fonts on this page and also use the 3 colour rule so the audience will feel its easier to read.

Font Research

How does font change the meaning of our text?

Many people are unaware of what a large impact font makes. Here is an examples on the left. Each quote says the same thing, a serious sign saying "BEWARE! HIGH VOLTAGE POWER STATION!!!!", the first two are in Comic Sans and Handwriting fonts

"This is showing the choice of typeface can manipulate the meaning of the word" Spikermann and Ginger.

As they do not look serious and you are not able to immediately tell  they are sending a serious message, whereas the bottom three you are able to tell immediately they are trying to send a serious message.

I looked at this website, which shows the impact of different font uses. Here are some Screen Shots from the website.

Here is is an example of "THE SOURCE:HIP HOP MAGAZINE", the first text is written in comic sans, without reading when you look at this you immediately think it is something aimed at children, yet the text itself is not aimed for children but at teanagers. The second text is in Courier font, in contrast to the comic sans font, when looking at this you immediately are able to tell the text is not aimed at children.

World Music Magazine.

I have started researching into world music magazines and found that many are only online. The reason i think this is that music does not play such a big part in many cultures, in England and America music plays a big part in culture, therefore there being many music magazines for all types of genres and while researching into the various music magazines i found there were not many for other cultures.

 "Turkish music portal" is a Turkish music website based on the history of    Turkish music, instruments and the different types, such as contemporary, folk, pop and classic. This was the only Turkish website or music magazine i was able to find, therefore showing that music may  not take a huge part in the Turkish culture.

 This was one music magazine i found amongst many others, showing music does play a big part in the Caribbean lifestyle. Although the website it is called "Island Vibes Magazine" it is not a printed magazine, the website posts recent music and also other topics, such as politics, business and other tops to do with the Caribbean.

This is a magazine website i found based on the Arab world. It is not only based on music but the different arts such as art, films, theatre etc. Whilst doing research on this particular culture this is the only magazine i found based on the Arab culture    as a whole, the others were based on Arab countries separately, yet this is not a printed magazine.

This is the only Iranian magazine i came across, which is based on the latest Iranian music of all genres. It has interviews with musicians and reviews on them as well. This is not a printed magazine. Here is a quote from the magazine of what they wish to accomplish.: "irzamin is an Iranian online music magazine and the project concept is to create a forum to connect the new wave of Iranian independent musicians and bands, both inside and outside of Iran,
 to the Iranian public and the world."

This is not the only African music magazine which i found but what seems to be the most popular, the conventions of this i found to be the most similar to English and American music magazines, such as the subheadings, plug, and the use of the three colour rule. On the website it has a link for beauty, style and events, therefore the magazine is not only based on music.    













Unfortunately i was unable to read most of the website as it was in Polish, yet there was an introduction to the website in english version, while researching for Polish music magazines i did not find many, showing music may not play a large part of the Polish culture other than traditional folk music.

Research On Music Magazines

When looking through music magazines, and specifically looking at the "Wire", I came to the understanding that most of there cover pictures were unusual and did not follow the normal conventions of a music magazine. The main picture is a close up photo of a man looking slightly mysterious, with the lighting coming from above creating a dark shadow on most of his face and also wearing a top hat. He is also wearing eyeshadow on his left eye which in some way shows the audience immediately the picture is of a singer or some sort of music artist and not a model, he also has a very serious expression on his face. The title is very simple and bold, there is only one font and colour used for the subheadings making it difficult for the audience to understand what the main article is relating to the cover photo. The bar code is on the right hand side in the middle which is not a normal convention of a magazine.  Overall there is very little text and variety of fonts and colours used, i get the impression it a purposely simple front cover.

When looking through "Blender" magazine covers i came to the understanding that most, if not all, the cover photos are taken in the same way, with the artist in a medium shot picture. I noticed that the font style and colour of the mast-head was not the same each time and also would mostly be hidden behind the music artists head, showing the magazine is well known enough for the audience to be able to know what the magazine is called without seeing the whole text. This magazine follows the three colour rule of white red and black, there are two skylines, they have clearly shown what the main article and who the main picture is off by placing text next to the music text in a large bold and red font with a slightly smaller subheading underneath. There is also a puff, the other sub-headings other than the main article sub-heading are on the right hand side. Overall this magazine cover follows the normal conventions of a magazine cover by using various fonts, text fonts and following the three colour rule.

The cover picture is of a music artist topless and looking down with only a hat on, the reason for this i feel is to show off his tattoos, as well as the ones on his eyelids, he is also wearing a necklace with the rolling stones logo. The puff covers the masthead, once again showing the magazine feels the audience will be able to recognise the magazine without having to see the whole mast-head. When looking through the "Rolling Stones" magazine covers i noticed each masthead was in the same font yet different colours, and followed the same convention as "Blender" magazine with having a simple white or black background. Each subheading is in the same text with varied font sizes and barriers separating them. There is a three colour rule of black, white and yellow. The main article heading is the largest and next to the music artists head, obviously linking the two. The overall magazine cover is simple.

The cover magazine is of an extremely famous an worldwide known "Michael Jackson", the cover photo is of a close up of his face with no expression of his face. The main article is clearly based on him with his name in large and the sub-heading underneath saying "Unmasked inside his mad, bad world..."  sounding as if this is an exclusive article on his life. All other sub-headings are on the right hand side, on the top right "Jack White" has been written in a large white font standing out from the other subheadings below. There is a three colour scheme used on this magazine cover and every other "Q" magazine covers. There is a puff also included, there is also a sky line saying "The UK's biggest magazine" promoting the magazine even more and persuading readers to buy it. This particular magazine was probably more successful than other Q magazine issues as Michael Jackson is such an iconic music artist, therefore readers who don't normally buy music magazines may have only bought it because there was an article based on him.

When looking through "Vibe" magazines i noticed all the front covers are similar, a medium shot of the music artist the main article is based on with a simple white or black background. I also noticed on each cover the three colour rule is followed yet different colours. They have placed the name of the artist in a  large bold and white font next to the artists head indicating who he is and the sub-heading "The hardest in R&B" underneath his name. With each subtitle they have written the main heading in red with what the article is about in a smaller font under or around it in a smaller and white font, for example the sub-heading "Haiti" in a large bold and red font and then in a smaller white font "A survival story" underneath. There is also fashion advice included rather than only music, on the way left hand side "4 ways ti rock a suit". They have written the Masthead in large red font yet part of it is hidden behind the artists head indicating the magazine feels it is so well known they can afford to hide part of there name.