MY FINAL FRONT COVER

After tweaking it once again, this is the result of my final front cover with the changes made from the feed back I received. Lets look at it in terms of the Four F's of Magazine Design....

FORMULA

"The Articles and Features should remain the same each month."

I believe my cover conveys this as being a consistent magazine that provides enticing offers and entertainment to the audience, that would make them re-purchase every time. The 'exclusive free download' for example, implies the specialty that comes with buying the magazine as they get this free offer that they couldn't without buying it. encouraging this re-sale. 

The cover also conveys consistency through its three-toned colour scheme. This makes it seem professional and not too dull, and not too painfully bright at the same time! I found it important to keep the colour balance just right, as did the Q magazine with the black and white cover that influenced me. 

Overall I think my magazine has aquired its own theme and is something that would become recognizable and the triangle or the orange colour, for example, would be associated with my magazine. 

FORMAT 

"What the magazine looks like."

As it is the front cover, it needs to be something my target audience would be attracted into buying as this is what sells the magazine because this is what they see first! The colour scheme would appeal to my target audience as the black and white has a relaxed, almost sub-dued look about it and isn't too in your face, almost reflecting the kind of music genre it is for with the guitar music. Also, the black and white magazine cover isn't used as often in terms of music magazines, which adds an element of individuality to it which would make it stand out more on a shelf and the idea of being original is a commendable trait in the indie genre. 

In terms of fonts, I used three different ones, while this is something that doesn't usually happen, I think I have pulled it off. I wanted the font that look almost hand written, as it reflects the relaxed nature of the indie genre. I think the type writer text is also interesting and quite different, in keeping with the individual qualities. I also wanted a simple font to make the sell lines and title easy to read, as it is important for the reader to recognize what is in the magazine at a first glance. 

The image is, again, something that is needed to relate to the audience and I think that it works. The boy on the cover has a style and is of a similar age to the people who I would ideally like to read the magazine. I did break a few conventions here as he isn't looking directly into the camera. This almost adds an element of mystery, I think, and he looks pretty relaxed and laid back. 

FRAME

"The margins and gutters"

For this F, I think I can apply my sell lines on the cover to this. The text in the black boxes was inspired from my style models and I think it means that the text doesn't get lost in the background image. Something I had to change from my previous draft was the alignment of the sell lines and to keep them straight like in Q magazine. I think this works well as it looks professional and is easy to follow as the reader would just read it straight down. As the target audience is teens and young adults with a busy life style, the easier to read the better. 

FUNCTION

"What the magazine is for"

The magazines audience is pretty clear, as people all guessed correctly when I asked them in my peer research. The Indie genre is conveyed through the young adult, the relaxed style of writing, the guitar, the fashionable clothing, all hints to the fresh, new music that the magazine is about. The slogan reinforces this by saying "Your music, from a whole new angle" it makes it personal and directed straight to the reader, and the "whole new angle" is a play on words to do with the triangle logo, and the idea that it is something different. The title 'Chord' is recognizably to do with a guitar, which again, is associated with the indie genre and music as a whole.