Evaluation

I also should mention here the use of pull quotes. My magazine features two. The NME magazine has one (in the blue box in the middle of the main body of text)

In my double page spread I learned how to make full use of some of the many features of CS5, such as puppet warp 

I used puppet warp to slightly reshape Hannah. I inserted pivot points on the photo (on the head, inbetween shoulders, between pelvis, knees and legs) to help me manipulate the image. I tilted the head downwards in a reflective pose and straightened out the legs slightly.

Post Production

With the products completed, a more in depth analysis can be made.

One thing I noticed about the three products were that it is easy to see which page I started on. Throughout the whole production, my Photoshop skills increased dramatically with each page. This is why by time I came round to doing the double page spread, I was able to produce (quite quickly) something that worked well. Whereas the front cover (the first thing I started with) is not to consistent with the layout of text. In my first draft I had an unappealing anchorage. It did not fit in with the rest of the page and this became apparent in my feedback from my first draft. I removed this and shifted the '2012 NEW EDITION' line up in the space where the previous anchor line appeared. This created a much more formal style and was much  more pleasing to the eye.
I considered the conventions of a front cover and they are outlined in the post above.

Bearing in mind the conventions of the contents page. I was able to quickly arrange a contents page whereby there were a 'features' section with this months featuring articles and a 'regulars' section whereby the regular columnists entered their monthly articles.

simple yet stylish

I based my double page spread loosely around an existing double page spread from NME (see post above for comparison). While it does not compare in terms of format or layout, the fresh approach is mutual between the two. If I was to compare my double spread to anything, I would compare its simplicity to that of the Apple adverts. Their adverts are famous for their simplicity and honesty.

Final Edits

Minor changes to this final front cover include; the slight relocation of the cubase photo from the right of the writing to underneath it as it obstructed the view of the piano keys which I felt were quite an important feature of the front cover (this was also the reason for completely removing the 'cheap looking' yellow sticker. The '+' symbol seen before the '2012 NEW EDITION' is an idea I took from another well established jazz magazine (Jazz Times). After the masthead, the attention is then drawn more easily to this.

Once again not a great amount of changes were made to the contents page as I was happy with it after my redraft and did not want to ruin it by carrying on to change things and add things in that weren't necessary.
I featured the main content lines on torn up paper. This paper came as a standard image on Photoshop Elements 5 and was not something I took a photo of. The font, I feel, reflected the era. The typewritten style gave status to the page. It comes across as being very official and professional. A piece of feedback I received on this page was that they really liked how it came across as being like case file. The photo in the bottom left-hand corner also makes this page feel overall like a case study as this profile view shot of Hannah can connote that the interview conducted with her is in detail and that the magazine knows a lot about her and her life. This refers back to the magazine itself and creates a good overall superior image for Nu Jazz.

I moved the stamp to the left so that I could insert the page number and the website. I missed these out in the first draft. I inserted the page number and website in and thought that it just added the finishing touch to the contents page.

Above is my final double page spread, I have spread a short interview over two pages down grey columns which I added a drop shadow effect to just to bring the two pages to life. Another important aspect I learned in producing things like this is that the most important things that need to stand out can look great with a dropped shadow. I added shadows to the page number, the interview columns, the 'QUICKFIRE' box, the album cover and a very subtle shadow on the words 'HANNAHB' in the 'CHECK OUT HANNAHB ON iTUNES'. 

To create the shadow below the image of Hannah, I created a basic oval shape using the shape tool, removed the colour overlay and then dropping its shadow low enough so you can see a whole oval shadow then I placed this layer behind the main image of Hannah (which I had already created a sepia tone to) to create Hannah's shadow. This gives a bit of realism to Hannah on the page. I deliberately inserted the 'Maybe Maybe Not' font down the left hand side of the page as a modern twist on the whole feel. Jazz can often come across to people young and old, as an old genre when in fact it is still alive and kicking in the music scene today all around the world. This interesting font helped to keep a fresh feel to the page. However to keep it within the parameters of the style of the magazine, I still ensured I kept the theme which had been set on the front cover and in the contents page by adding in that familiar ripped up paper image with typewritten font. 

Draft Improvement

This improvement has seen the removal of the once described 'tacky' yellow sticker (seen previously with the words 'FREE POSTER INSIDE' on it) and also a reformatting of the competition banner (previously seen at the top of the first draft as a bright yellow box with red contrasting writing. The general feedback I received on my front cover was that it looked like it was trying to appeal to a mainstream audience when in fact the genre of jazz itself could be seen as interests of a niche audience so the magazone would not need to try to impress in any special way. In my second draft (conveniently my final draft), I made lots of changes, to improve the overall appearance making references to prior feedback. these changes include; the competition banner which is now featured in a thematically matching torn up piece of off-white paper. Some critisism I received after my first draft also was that the front cover and contents page do not look like they come from the same magazine. This is why I added in the new matching theme of old style paper and polaroid photos from the contents page.

Not a great amount of change happened to my contents page. A mere change around of smaller decorative layers for example the red rubber confidential and top secret stamps. I created these myself using a font which I downloaded from dafont.com. An important part in this process for me has been the fonts. Without a good looking font, your work does not shine, it does not stand out and ultimately your audience will not buy it. Something I learned was how the font can speak volumes. The particular font I used largely throughout the magazine was Reprise Stamp. This font came standard with Photoshop Elements 5*. I also combined these standard fonts with ones I had downloaded to create a flowing, eye-pleasing product.

*All three main products were produced using Photoshop CS5 Extended Edition v.12.0.4

It is worth noting at this stage that a draft of the double page spread was not available due to a complete re-work. It was decided by myself that the standard of the double page spread I had produced was not anywhere near as good as the two other pages I had produced. This was down to a few reasons, the main two being that this initial double page spread was produced on publisher (final dps produced on Photoshop CS5) and I knew for a fact I had not worked very hard in the first instance with the dps and what I had learned for definite is that you cannot create a convincing magazine page without building up from a good foundation. So if an initial draft has no potential to expand, it will simply not go anywhere. So I decided to completely abandon this double page spread as I didn't believe I could expend on the ideas already present on the page without coming across the previous problem of the three separate products looking like they are from separate magazines. So I quickly got working on a new dps and came up with the finishing product seen above.

Drafts



(first draft of front cover for Nü Jazz)



I decided to call my magazine Nü Jazz as it is a play on era. Nu Jazz is a genre of jazz which emerged in the 90's. It is defined as:

'music that blends jazz elements with other musical styles, such as funk, soul, electronic dance music, and free improvisation'.

Bearing this in mind, I thought it would be clever to twist the term 'Nu Jazz' into something even more modern (Nü Jazz). Without opening the magazine, a person with high knowledge of jazz would be able to recognise that the magazine includes articles about jazz covering many different styles thus widely enjoyed by audiences of different styles.


The front cover shows Hannah playing her sax while leaning against the piano. This minimalistic image allows effects to be added without worrying about the overall image. I chose this image of Hannah as she is deep in thought as she plays. It shows a real passion and love for what she is doing. The white walls could be seen as a limitless world or as being in a world with no boundaries. Alternatively it could be seen as a reflection of her imagination, as jazz is very much often a style based on real imaginitive 'colourful' playing. Her age shows that she is still young and exploring a new world of music and, as she progresses, the walls of her imagination would (metaphorically) become more colourful as she explores further and further into it discovering her own 'colours' of jazz. I added an effect to the main image whereby the left hand side is in colour (only real reference is the gold hinges on top of the piano) and fades into black and white by the right hand side. We see Hannah sat in this black and white side of the picture and we can connote, from this, that perhaps she is indulging in the history of jazz and how she has 'stepped' from modern day into the past. The modern style of the saxophone (made out of non-reflective material) further carries on the idea of modernism

The font of 'ON' and 'HANNAH.B' are stylised as so as established jazz musicians will recognise the font as 'Reprise Rehearsal'. This font is typically used in jazz music books and on leading professional music writing programmes such as Sibelius when addressing the title of the piece.

Photos (selection of 12 from over 100)

Demographics - Gender, Age and S.E.G.

Gender & Age

The gender audience for this magazine is mixed however the very nature of the magazine may result in a slightly more interest from males. As most of the very best jazz musicians in the world were male, most of the greatest artists of jazz featured in the magazine will be male. This may appeal to male jazz musicians more as they inspire to be like them.

Age-wise, this would be aimed at anyone from the age whereby they are studying jazz or listen to it as well as accomplished jazz musicians themselves. So the target audience age is very varied. However the language used inside may be more understood by people over the age of 20 and is aimed equally at males and females.

S.E.G.

Because the target audience age is so varied it means that my target audience in respect to the National Readership's Survey Social Grades would come under more than one category. With regards to the younger audience, they may be categorised into C2 (semi-skilled manual workers) whereas the more advanced musicians who would read the magazine would be categorised in B (Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional)