Colour Scheme - Drafting & Planning & Research My Layout

I have tried to incorporate a FEW colours into my magazine design that will enforce the look I wish to convey, but also make it stylish and fun to read. I wanted to use black text like every conventional magazine, maybe a sultry hue of red (Hex Colour #DC1427) added to parts of my magazine.

On my first draft using the programme 'PagePlus' I used superstar Christina Aguilera to appear on my magazine. In my real magazine, I will use artist 'Monika' as my issue star, and elements of my Christina draft magazine will foreshadow my new magazine, incorporating the same headlines, cover headlines, text and colour schemes.

Some colour schemes I looked at for my REAL magazine included:



Black, White and Purple were good choices as black and white are good contrasts in all paper forms of media, and a magazine specifically would benefit from having a bright contrast which is neutral in gender such as Purple. A dark purple (maybe darker than the one on the image, left)

Also, I decided that Purple would be a good way to make text stand out in quite masculine pages, but there's a feminine touch to purple which would highlight the purity of a female star on certain pages in the issue.

Here, I decided that maybe I would have a female cover star, but a dominantly male issue inside to create a good gender contrast. But after hours and hours of contemplating my decisions, I considered that maybe a more female magazine would be efficient as my magazine focuses on the music made by powerhouse vocalists, and not many of them are men. Plus, my primary results showed that it's mostly females that are interested in my magazine, so yet again, I had to change my mind.

Add caption

THIS IS THE ONE! Not too pink, not too red. The hex:colour I've chosen above is #DC1427 (which is slightly different to the image, left)
However, I know that this sultry hue of fuchsia will adhere to my magazine as it fits precisely with the magazine attitudes, the attitudes of the cover stars, the personality of the issue stars, photography, typography and matches the overall look of the enterprise. 

Final Choices for Magazine Name/Artist.

My Magazine Title: VOCALIST
My Artist's Name: Monika
Name Of Album To Be Released: Canvas
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CD Tracks: 

Ink:                            
Tattoos are a big part of her life and each one has a story. Slow ballad. (Released).

A Fresh Start:                                             
Each mistake is a lesson. Up-tempo Ballad, (Released)

Say Something:            
Sadness, sorrow & regret. Covers Christina Aguilera & A Great Big World. Tearjerking. (Released on Download)

Believe:              
Empowering and trusting in yourself. Protecting and loving yourself. Club style. (Unreleased.)

I Will Be:                                      
What I was, What I am, and What I Will Be In The Future. Acoustic. (Released)

Mary Poppins:    
Be unique, and knowing that all children are brought up differently, no prejudice. (Unreleased) 

Resistance:                              
Lively song, big beats. Referencing the PlayStation Shooter Game, underlying meaning that                                                  no-one can make you do anything that you don't want to do (Released on Download)

Plan B:                                             
Repeats the line "Well that didn't work, so we need a quick change of plan!" (Released)

Weight Lifting                       
Talks about keeping healthy, and working hard and finding the right balance. (Unreleased)

Prospect Park:                         
Relives her childhood, as Prospect Park in New York was a great chill-out spot. (Released)

Verschwinden:               
Translates as 'disappear' in German. Rubs through details of Monika's depression. (Unreleased)

Remember:                                                      
Always make room for good things, but never forget those who have been there                                                                           with you. Dedication to fans. Lively, static. (Unreleased)

Hanging On...                                              
Gives details on how people lie when they say they have "moved on" (Released)


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Support acts: There are none.

Analysis of PagePlus Magazine Draft

PagePlus  [December 23^rd]

Beginning with the front cover, the design I tried to use was a sophisticated layout, including the use of different typography including my favourite font, the headline. The masthead of my magazine, VOCALIST, is in a large busy font which is covered slightly by the large photograph of cover star Christina Aguilera. I chose this image as it was previously a cover for a well-known magazine and would (obviously) fit perfectly on the front of mine.

My main cover line uses rhyming to grab the reader’s attention and the dark, bold typography which is at an angle down the front cover, was incorporated to show a modern, yet stylish side to my magazine. The other cover line underneath the main one reads ‘The Voice coach is BACK’ and this (although not shown in my draft) is in a better font to this basic one, but is basically to give a better insight to my magazine.

I added this cover line, as it was one of the necessities to my magazine, that I inferred from my questionnaire results. The questionnaire stated what kinds of topics people wanted to see inside a magazine they might buy and ‘other aspects of their lives’ was one that scored quite highly.

PagePlus  [December 29th]

My contents page includes a large font, laid on top of the photograph of Christina Aguilera (from the same photoshoot) which reads ‘What’s Inside’. I used this instead of the classic ‘Contents’ as I wanted to make more of statement with a different heading.

Also, the page numbers are spelled out in the same font as my masthead which shows consistency and also, it imprints in the reader’s mind which page something is on. The bright pink colouring I chose as a backing to my photos and text was to show the femininity of the issue star and also to appeal to my predominantly female audience.

PagePlus [January 5^th]

The large photograph I used from the Maxim magazine (2013) I thought would look good as covering half of my double page spread. I placed two quotes from the article on the other side of my double page spread to show a link between both pages. The large quotes are easily noticeable by the reader and keep them reading.

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Most of my fonts and pictures have changed from the original piece as it is a different computer and the fonts haven’t been installed.