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Amy Callaghan's Media Evaluation

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Final Touches

I made some final changes to the front cover and the contents page. Firstly, I reduced the size of the slogan to 18pt so that it is more subtle. Finally, I added a black outline using the strokes tool on Photoshop around the yellow text to make it stand out and readable against the many colours of the background, which initially made the text difficult to read. I then replicated this with "March 2010" on the contents page in order to provide a consistent appearance.

Perfecting the Font

I eventually decided to use the font "Franklin Gothic Demi" as the secondary font to "Franklin Gothic Heavy" because it is bold enough to stand out on the front cover, therefore making the text noticeable to a reader. Also, it is not too bold to distract away from the titles. It helps to maintain the professional appearance of the magazine and the fact that it is sans serif makes the font tie in with the modern, "cool" image that the magazine is trying to depict.

I also changed the font of the feature descriptions of the contents to "Franklin Gothic Demi" to correspond with my front cover and tie in with my house style.

I also changed the main text to "Franklin Gothic Demi", including the text in the "Behind the Scenes" and "Access All Areas" boxes to match my house style.

Experimenting with Possible Fonts

I attempted to replace "Tahoma" with "Century Gothic". This, however, is too small to be seen clearly from a distance and has a similar appearance to "Tahoma", so the same issues of whether this font makes the magazine look unsophisticated and therefore unprofessional still apply.

I used "Bell MT" in this instance. The serif on the letter forms creates a traditional look that would be associated with formality and would therefore not create the appropriate appearance for a magazine aimed at an audience of young adults.

I changed the font to "Georgia", which provided a more official, sophisticated look. Nevertheless, the serif on the font provided the same problem as "Bell MT".

I then changed the font to "Franklin Gothic Medium" which suited the look of the magazine more. However, it was too bold and deterred away from the titles.

Final Edits

Based on the examples of front covers I gathered, I realised I needed to fill the empty space in the red bar at the top of the page next to the logo. I decided to place a box containing extra information on a feature in the magazine. I conformed to my house style by making the box yellow and keeping the text within the box red and black. I also kept the same font as before, "Franklin Gothic Heavy".


I also changed the font of "I wouldn't change a thing!" to "Franklin Gothic Heavy" to make it more noticeable. This font is bold and therefore makes the text stand out from the page more effectively.

I decided that "Tahoma" compromised the professional look I was aiming to achieve for my work so I experimented with different fonts. Here are examples of the fonts I tried but which proved unsuccessful.

None of these fonts had quite the professional appearance I required for the cover to look realistic. Furthermore, they all paled in comparison to the bold"Franklin Gothic Heavy", which made the fonts seem insignificant and uninteresting. They all failed to be powerful enough to stand out to a reader, especially next to such a strong font as "Franklin Gothic Heavy".

Editing the Double Page Spread

I altered the long-shot on Photoshop by adding a black and white effect. I then placed the photograph behind the text and placed the text down the left hand side so the model would not be obscured. I then placed a quote written in "Franklin Gothic Heavy" at the bottom of the left hand page and changed the colour to white to contrast with the dark colours of the photograph. In the style of "Q" magazine, I then placed a mid-shot in the top right hand corner of the second page with the text situated around the image, and placed a quote over that. The font was still "Franklin Gothic Heavy, however, I changed the colour to black to contrast with the white background. The background of the colour photograph is white to match the colour scheme, and the subject is wearing a red top for the same reason. I have also placed a logo and a page number in the bottom right hand corner of the page in the same way as I did with the contents.

Further Editing of the Contents Page

As an extra addition to the contents page, I added a logo and the page number in the bottom right hand corner of the page. This makes it appear more realistic and professional because it follows the style and appearance of other such magazines.

After Further Editing

I edited the cover further by reducing the size of the feature headings so that the model's head is not covered. I made the text of the quote smaller so that it would seem less imposing and to make the word "ANNA" stand out even more as the main heading. On the right hand side, I rearranged the text so that it was aligned as opposed to angled, as before. This provides a more professional, sophisticated and realistic appearance compared to a real magazine cover. I also added the price and date underneath the main heading.

More Reccy Pictures

I took another photoshoot after realising that the images I had previously taken were unsuitable for the sophisticated look I was trying to portray. I took a series of close-ups and mid-shots of the subject wearing clothes that tied in with the colour scheme. I tried to get the model to appear "moody" and rather serious, therefore portraying the element of "coolness" that many bands or popstars from Indie magazines tend to convey.

Reccy Pictures for Double Page Spread

These are the images I took for my double page spread. I took a series of mid-shots and close-ups to try to replicate the feeling of intimacy that is conveyed by band shots in Indie magazines.

Creating the Double Page Spread

I wrote the article and left spaces at the top of each page for images. I then added a bold, black headline in "Franklin Gothic Heavy" and a description underneath in "Tahoma" captials, providing consistency for the previously used fonts on both the front page and the contents page. I chose to use a white background because it provides a sophisticated look and it is the easiest colour to read text off because it is so clear. I created a box in the top left hand corner that described the type of feature the article is showing, inkeeping with my colour scheme by using black, white and red and making a white box on the left hand side, imitating the white box shown on the front cover in the top left hand corner. Furthermore, I have created a red box with a white box in the top left hand corner and placed this in the top right corner of the spread, which further provides information to the type of article this is. Also, the font used is "Tahoma" because it is not bold and therefore will not be mistaken for a heading, and it is inkeeping with my house style.

More Double Page Spread Research

This double page spread shows half of the left page comprising of an image of the band, and the right page with a smaller image in the top of the right page. Quotes from the band are highlighted in bold in various places through the article. The colour scheme of the article is simple and consistent with three colours, white, black and blue. The article takes up a large portion of the space, however the images complement it well.

Research into Double Page Spreads

This double page spread from "Kerrang!" magazine uses the colour scheme of black, white and red throughout. They have used shots showing the subjects mid-action as opposed to usual cover shots, which depict the subject(s) posing in a particular stance. The shots used are mid-shots and close-ups, which allow for a more personal insight into the bands the readers are reading about. The images are black and white, which set a more serious, sophisticated tone and relate to the idea of an older audience. They use bold, attention-grabbing titles and text which is in the same colour, but a small white box is also included on the right side with black text and a read box containing the heading. This gives the page more variety and breaks up the large mass of black that is continued through the photographs and background.




This double page spread is monopolised by an image of the band with a large white headline in front. The article is containted on one page, with a black background and various snapshots showing the band in action. The main photograph is a long shot whilst the smaller images are mid-shots, creating the impression that readers are going deeper into the world of the band in a more intimate way. A quote has been highlighted by large red speech marks behind the bold white font, in-keeping with the black, white and red colour scheme.

This double page spread has a much more informal appearance compared to the others I have researched, from the various snapshots used at the bottom of the pages that appear as if a fan has taken them rather than a professional photographer, giving the impression of closeness to the band and creating a relationship between subject and the reader. A large image of one of the band members dominates the centre of the spread, with the small article placed at the left hand side with a white background and black text. The box underneath the article is black with white text, showing consistency between the colour scheme.

Final Stages of Development of Contents Page

I have added a green box on the right hand side to remain consistent to the colour scheme adopted on the front cover. I also added two black arrows containing sections of information that may particularly interest the reader, one containing red text and the other green. This again matches the colour scheme, and the font used is "Franklin Gothic Heavy". This time, however, I changed this font from upper case to lower case and put the word "EVER" in capitals for further emphasis, because "Tahoma" was not bold or striking enough to have the same effect. I have placed black, rotated rectangles behind the "FEATURES" and "REGULARS" titles and changed the titles themselves to red, which stand out against the black yet still remain consistent to the colour scheme. The boxes make the page appear more varied and interesting whilst relating further to the colour scheme.

Developing the Contents Page Further

I changed "MARCH 2010" to yellow to make it stand out from the main title and to relate to the coloured yellow box I have created on the left hand side. The yellow relates to the colours used on the front cover, and it also links to the yellow on the guitar strap in the photograph. I have began to add features down the left side, with "FEATURES" in "Franklin Gothic Heavy" and the main titles of each feature in "Tahoma", both in black to relate to the colour scheme and the colour of the jacket the subject is wearing. The description is red and in "Tahoma" capitals, relating to the white text used on the cover that was also written in the same font. The red relates to the band of colour used at the top of the page that the logo sits in. On the right side, I have created a "REGULARS" section, again placing the title of this section in "Franklin Gothic Heavy" for consistency, and because the font catches the reader's eye immediately. The colour scheme used mirrors the other side of the page exactly, with black used for the titles of each of the page names and the titles of the section and red used for the page numbers. The only difference is that there is no description for each page in the "REGULARS" section because it is not required in the same way that the features unique to different issues are.

Creating the Contents Page

I decided to base my contents page on the "NME" contents page I found whilst researching because I found its style to be interesting, varied and as a result attention-grabbing. I placed the logo at the top of the page and made it smaller to fit the word "contents" at the top. In doing so, I reduced the size of the white box at the top to fit the scale. To remain consistent, I left the logo in black and placed "contents" in black next to it to make the words appear as if they are merging. I split the page into three sections and placed a mid-shot of the subject from the front page in the centre, to show that it relates to the main feature in the magazine. The image shows her playing the guitar with her head down, imitating the style of "NME", who selected images of subjects playing instruments for their contents pages. Since the photograph is an action shot as well as a mid-shot, it provides the reader with an insight into the world of the popstar as they play their music and therefore creates the impression of a relationship with the reader and makes them want to read on. I also added a description underneath the story, with a headline and page numbers, to describe more about the main feature of the magazine.

Contents Pages Research

I researched a few examples of contents pages from magazines before creating my own. This contents page has the text in the centre to the left with a series of mid-shots and long-shots around the edges. I think this is effective because the varied images make the magazine look interesting and makes the reader want to continue. The background is white with black and red text, black consistently used to show page numbers and provide description and red to highlight features included in the magazine.


This cover uses a mid-shot to show one of the larger, more important features of the magazine, with all of the features listed down the side. Although I like this sophisticated look, it does not show what is in the magazine enough to make me want to read it and if a reader did not like the popstar that is being featured, they may be inclined not to purchase the magazine. The background is white, contrasting with the dark jacket worn by the popstar, and red is used for the page numbers while black is used for the text, tying in with the colours worn by the subject.

This contents page looks interesting and varied. The bold, black title, accompanied with the logo, catches the reader's eye immediately and the red background of the box down the left hand side complements the colours of the logo and arrows used on the right hand side. Two long-shots have been placed in the centre, with a heading relating to them. The page is broken up by boxes down the right side which splits the magazine content into sections, yet remains consistent using black and white as the colour scheme throughout. The section that the magazine wants the reader to see is highlighted in bright yellow at the bottom of the page, so that it can clearly be noticed and so that it appears different to the rest of the colours used.

Before the Final Edit

This is the cover before the final edit. I have placed a large red "PLUS" on the right hand side of the paper to contrast with the green background, with the names of bands placed in white underneath, which ties in with the colour of the cover model's name and therefore shows consistency. I have placed the names of the bands at angles to one another to make the cover appear more interesting and varied and to convey an informal feel. I also placed the image of a bar code with the price and website on the top of it in small writing, in the style of magazines such as "NME" and "Q". I have also changed the position of the slogan so that it is underneath the main title to create a more professional appearance and to show that the slogan relates closely to the title, allowing the audience to immediately associate one with the other.

Final Stages of Cover

I decided to change my logo to plain black because this would provide an effective contrast against the red and the white. I also increased the size of the logo to stand out so that it was instantly clear which magazine it is from a distance and by just glancing at the cover. I placed the logo with two letters in the white box and two letters outside to make it appear more central. I added a slogan and used italics to emphasise "THE", showing how the slogan relates to the logo. I decided to change the colour of the quote to yellow so it can contrast against the darker background and can therefore be read more easily. I then changed the colour of "ANNA" to white to further contrast against the black of the jacket, but also to appear different to the quote placed directly above it. I used the font "Tahoma" to write small descriptions and pieces of information. This font complemented the bold, upper-case font of "Franklin Gothic Heavy" effectively because it was smaller, simple, sophisticated and easy to read while not appearing too masculine or feminine and as a result appealing to both audiences. I added an extra line of description saying "WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ON TOUR", with the "REALLY" in italics for emphasis and red to link with the line above, which is also in red. I created a yellow circle containing extra information about a feature in the magazine in a similar style to magazines I have researched. The yellow stands out against the green background yet complements the red and green well, whilst appearing interesting and eye-catching. I placed the word "STALKER" in black and the enlarged the word "CAM!", placing it directly underneath in red to contrast. The circle shape creates variety on the page which therefore makes it more interesting to look at. I created a black band in the red band at the bottom of the magazine over which i placed a notification of a competition. The word "WIN!" was placed in "Franklin Gothic Heavy" on the left hand side, the yellow allowing contrast with the darkness of the black and making the word more noticeable. Beside it are three pieces of information about what the reader could win in "Tahoma" to contrast with the large, bold "WIN!".

Further Development

This is the cover after further development. At this stage, I have placed the logo into the white box in the top left hand corner and decided to use the logo with the red "Z" at the front, although this was altered later to the original logo. I placed the quote "I wouldn't change a thing!" in red to tie in with the colour of the description "THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW" to keep the cover appearance consistent. I placed the word "ANNA" in yellow to emphasise the cover star's name. The brightness of the colour makes the word eye-catching and it stands out against the darker colour of the jacket behind it, making it more noticeable to a possible reader.