2. MAGAZINE GENERAL IDEAS
• The genre of my magazine will be fashion and culture, fitting into the same categories as
magazines like ‘Vogue’, ‘Elle’ and ‘cosmopolitan’ etc. I want it to be professional, sleek and
alluring. I love how vogue is known for being so simplistic and that’s the way I want my
magazine to be portrayed but I also want it to be creative and unique. I think this is going
to be hard to fully represent due to the fact I want it to be simplistic to capture the essence
of gracefulness, but I also want it to be unique and creative.
• My idea for my double page spread at the minute is to focus on toxic masculinity and the
struggle of being in touch with your feminine side as a man in this generation. I want to
take photos of my friend portraying him as posing what would be classed quite
‘flamboyantly’. I think it’s an important topic to cover and I also think it’ll make a really
effective double page spread.
• My magazine is going to be print, and the target audience will be generally women from
the ages of roughly 14-50.
3. FRONT COVER INSPIRATION –
SECONDARY CONTENT• Examples:
These are prime examples of what I’m aiming for my front cover to look like. I love the close up
shots, alongside the serious look of the model. Even down to the tall font at the top of the page that
frames everything off.
5. MASTHEAD
DOMINANT
IMAGE
MAIN SELL LINE
ADDITIONAL
SELL LINES
ESSENTIAL
INFO
I’m doing flat plan layouts
of what my front page
magazine cover could be
set out like, and to get a
taste of how I will layout
my images and sell lines to
really appeal to the target
audience. In this flat plan, I
have put the dominant
image front and center.
This is because since my
magazine is a fashion
magazine, the typical codes
and conventions of that is
a straight on angle of a
model staring into the
camera. The model is
usually an attractive young
woman, and manages to
engage and appeal to the
target audience of other
young women who aspire
to look like that / are
interested in the magazine
and the model.
FLAT PLAN
6. First
half
of the
title
Second
half of
the
title
Full page
of the
dominant
image
Essential
information
V
I
S
A
G
E
This is an
example of
what I mean
by the split
up
masthead. It
challenges
typical codes
and
conventions
as it usually
headlines
the top of
the
magazine,
but I think it
looks good.
It breaks up
the front
cover which
could catch
the
audiences
attention.
Where
the
model
would
be
except
bigger.
MORE FLAT PLAN IDEAS
7. FONTS
• VISAGE – Gill sans Mt
• VISAGE – Gloucester MT extra condensed
• VISAGE - HeadLineA
• VISAGE- PT Sans Caption
• VISAGE – Bodoni 72 Smallcaps
• VISAGE – Rockwell extra bold
• VISAGE – Engravers mt
As a font I'm looking for something bold, but not too harsh that will stand out and grab the
attention of the reader. I really liked the fonts “Rockwell extra bold” and “headlineA”,
however they seemed to be to ’loud’ and would probably appeal more to a rock music
magazine. I also really loved ”Bodoni 72..” but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted and it seemed
too thin and not enough in the audience’s face and I want a safe medium. At the minute,
“Engravers MT” is the perfect font for my masthead of my magazine, as I think it does the
job of being elegant and thin but also in your face and grabbing your attention. This reflects
fashion and the modelling industry and is what I wanted to represent.
For additional sell lines, extra
information etc. I think “Engravers
MT” is too big. So I could still use
“Gloucester Mt extra..” for the
smaller, finer titles.
8. PHOTOS AND SHOTS
• Front cover – fashion picture of me. I wanted something shot face first, I feel like
portraits of faces engage the audience a lot more than full body images do.
• High key lighting, professional model photos to suit the theme of high class fashion
industry.
• Double page spread – toxic masculinity USING ben Walmsley – low key lighting for the
three possible sub images but high key for the dominant image. I want another clear
image of my model but I want it to be set up, Ben posing and looking staged etc. I
want this because it reflects the topic of toxic masculinity and how it puts pressure to
mold men a certain way.
• Using low shots and front facing shots with direct mode of address to engage my
audience.
9. PRIMARY CONTENT
These were my main
candidates for a front
cover. I think they all
fit the typical codes
and conventions of the
fashion industry quite
well, they are all
serious looking and
feature me, a young
woman.
10. We shot and I modelled
for all this content
myself. This is the
primary content I will
use in my work; we
experimented with
angles a lot to find
what worked best for
the magazine cover
until we got it perfect.
Some of them didn’t
work out, or the
lighting was off, but I
have included them
11. VISAGE
This is an example of what I’d like my front
cover to look like basically. I would also add
the sell lines, additional information etc.
however this is the general outline for what id
like it to look like once I start making my
magazine.
I am designing it like this because I like the
graceful but simple look vogue is very skillful
at pulling off, and I’d like to mimic that in my
magazine.
I decided to use this image to experiment
with and figure out what to do with it.
12. I started editing my magazine front
page with the photo of my face. I
used the liquify tool to edit my face
in some areas and used the spot
remover tool. This was to make
myself fit the typical beauty
standards, and photoshop is quite a
big thing in modelling photos etc.
13. As you can see I look
incredibly airbrushed on these
photos, however that was the
look I was going for as this is
what a lot of models look like
nowadays.
14. I then started to add titles,
main sell lines and play
around with the boldness of
texts and colours. I went for
a hot pink colour, as this is
generally quite a ‘feminine’
colour but also bold enough
to snatch the readers
attention. Pink is a relevant
colour to the target
audience.
The use of capital letters helped me make
my title and additional sell line stand out
quite heavily.
15. I added a lot more sell lines, using words like
‘exclusive’, ‘reveal’, ‘A listers’ etc. I also
incorporated a pun into the title ‘sleigh girls’
rather than ‘slay’ to match the Christmas theme.
16. I decided to add what's called a ‘page splash’
which is any kind of colour block shape with text
in the middle. I done this to further engage the
reader and catch their attention.
18. Dominant image
Rule of thirds
masthead
Additional/importa
nt information
Main sell line
Additional
sell lines
Page
splash
Top line / sky line
19. I decided to experiment further with the codes
and conventions and add this sparkling, snow
like effect to see what it would look like. I
blended it and tried multiple effects with it but I
preferred my magazine page without it. I don’t
think it fits the elegant codes of a fashion
magazine that I’m trying to convey, but I
experimented out of the typical aesthetic look
anyways.
20. This is my final front page spread I
decided on. I think it has a lot of the
technical features of a regular
magazine that would helpfully draw in
the audience. I think aesthetically, I
have designed it and chose colour
scheme very effectively to convey the
feminine fashion and beauty codes
and conventions. I think it fits it’s
magazine genre very well and would
be eye catching and bold on a shelf,
whilst also being elegant and feminine
and not too ‘trashy’. I think the target
audience (generally women aged 14-
50 who are into fashion) would be
attracted the this magazine because of
my overall use of design, typography
and technical features.
22. Here are some examples of double page spreads I found really unique and interesting. I feel like these
all challenge codes and conventions of typical double page spreads and they all gave me small bits of
inspiration for my own.
23. DOUBLE PAGE PRIMARY CONTENT
I took all these photos of ben myself and directed him
how to pose. I shot them with high key lighting, at a
medium close up angle. These are the best options for my
24. I was trying to get Ben to pose in a way that would be
perceived as feminine and quite posy. I wanted him to do this
as it linked to my theme of toxic masculinity in the real world
and in fashion, and how this kind of behaviour from men is
typically looked down on. However I didn’t like any of these
images.
25. These are some more
images we took that I
could’ve used, but didn’t
think they were perfect.
27. BEN WALMSLEYThis would
be where the
body of text
would be. I’m
experimentin
g general
photos and
layouts of my
double page
spread to
see what I
think would
look best. I’m
using
inspiration
from some
double page
spreads of
popular
magazines
that I have
found on the
internet.
This would
be where the
body of text
would be. I’m
experimentin
g general
photos and
layouts of my
double page
spread to see
what I think
would look
best. I’m
using
inspiration
from some
double page
spreads of
popular
magazines
that I have
found on the
internet.
“This would
be where the
body of text
would be. I’m
experimenting
general “
This is another plan, but
in more detail to give
me a better idea of how
it will look and how I
could possibly adjust
photos, lighting or
columns for effect on
the audience.
28. This is when I first started o
experiment with my double
page spread and decided
to use this image. I created
a new white background
and pushed it too the far
right so I would have room
for my article on the next
page.
29. I decided to experiment with text
to see what looks most
aesthetically pleasing, and
decided that this double layer of
pink titles, creating and almost
3D effect, looks really good to
me. I chose the pink feminine
colour scheme again, because it
matches my front cover and
carries them undertones of
fashion and beauty.
30. I blocked out one half of
the page in the colour
black. I think it looks really
unique and adds a nice
effect, especially
alongside the pull quote I
have extended through a
black rectangle.
31. DOUBLE PAGE ARTICLE DRAFT“My experiences with toxic masculinity and homophobia have been less cruel with me than they might’ve
been with others – my family accepts me, I have a supportive group of friends and I’m overall extremely
comfortable in myself.” Ben Walmsley exclaims, whilst sitting across the table, slouched in his chair. He is
dressed smart, and has a serious look on his face. “Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for a lot of men,
straight and gay. Toxic masculinity is really present in the media, you might not even recognize it when
you see it because it’s been so normalized.” He pauses and leans over the table, “Let me give you some
examples. In High School Musical when Troy’s dad is disappointed when he chooses theatre over
dancing, in Romeo and Juliet when the men must fight to honor their houses otherwise they’d be viewed
as weak, the gay best friend stereotype in films of them being bullied, or exaggerated to be the expected
‘gay’ role in films.. the list goes on. The media just reflects real life, and it breaks my heart to know there's
men out there who feel so trapped and hidden from their own sexualities and true identities.” He looks
pained as he starts re-adjusting his glasses, I urge him to speak about his own experiences, and his tone
turns a bit softer. “I know all this, because I used to be one of them growing up. It was hard to suppress
my inner feelings towards boys when everyone around me was having their teenage romances, I felt so
lonely, but I knew I wasn’t ready to come out to everyone around me yet. Once I did, it was year 10 of
secondary school, I told my friend whilst drunk at a house party and I knew I was ready. I told my closest
friends and they all supported me massively; once everyone else found out, I would get the frequent
homophobic comments. I won’t lie, they did bother me, but I kept my mouth shut.. I wish I didn’t now to
be honest” He laughed. “Gradually, I told my parents, it was one of the hardest moments of my life, and
they took a while to adjust but they supported and loved me the whole time. I hope in the new
generation we can uplift boys and men, letting them know that it’s okay to be gay, it’s okay to play with
princesses, it’s okay to step down from a fight, it’s okay to prefer ballet over cars. We should teach men
its okay to be feminine, rather than rejecting the idea, causing a generation of self loathing masculine
boys.” He now has an empowered look on his face, smiling at me I thank him for his interview.
32. I then copy and pasted my article into the
photoshop document and separated it into
3 columns using the ruler tool. I used the
font ‘Times New Roman’ for my article, as it
is a classic font and looks the most
sophisticated to me. I also added a sub
header to let the reader know what the
article is about.
34. I love the design and
layout of my double page
spread, I think it
communicates the topic
and purpose of the article
very well. It’s not strictly
linked to fashion, but it
links in with femininity,
and how everyone should
embrace that which the
target audience of fashion
magazines are likely to be
interested in. I wanted to
challenge codes and
conventions by doing an
article outside of just
fashion, and more about
something that can link in
and interest the audience.
I love the look of
everything down to the
columns placement, and
especially the extended
black box the pull quote
35.
36. SOURCES FOR INTERNET IMAGES
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/margot-robbie-cover-photos-july-2019
https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/june-cover-vogue-2018
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/529384131194218846
/
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fheadoverheelsjc%2Fblack-white-magazine-
covers%2F&psig=AOvVaw2Zq0sQw2kBxm0I-
Ixa03Fm&ust=1573896343255000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCLD1ronz6-UCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAT
http://s-magazine.photography/ceemes/en/magazine/issue-1-548.html
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F423831014904922071%2F&psig=AOvVaw2HmMzFKLP7-
REruJj7KA4r&ust=1573896669290000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCOjSypH06-UCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAP
https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/miranda-kerr-elle-spain-2016-photos/
https://www.beautyscene.net/editorials/anna-mila-tush-magazine/
http://mod-mag.com/flash-forward/
https://twitter.com/_magazinecovers/status/1122166781118836736
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/halima-aden-hijab-muslim-model-allure-magazine-cover-girl-fashion-beauty-
a7800501.html
I have to source the use of secondary content that I use in my magazine or include in my
production log, this is because of legal and ethical issues and it is wrong and illegal to use
someone else's copyrighted work in your own work without given credit. All of these sources
listed are for every piece of secondary content I’ve used as inspiration / in my work.
• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCH65440mvQ/T6zYnMo77iI/AAAAAAAAAJg/d1ht1mcKekw/s1600/vogue+1.jpg
• https://alexrichardsondesign.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/doublepagespreadladygagaq.png
• https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ClyQL8XDdbk/TXOiVb2P3GI/AAAAAAAAAMc/VRCX2R0JgQk/s1600/DRAFTDPSTWO.jpg
• https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/ce/ec/49ceec6371c7dba322e779cd01299422.jpg
