LO4: Review of Assets, Version Controls And Evidence of Editing

LO4: Review of Assets, Version Controls & Evidence of Editing

Front Cover

Version 1

First I isolated my main feature model so I could filter a 'cutout' background to maintain the 'collage' or vintage style of the magazine. This was Version 1 which was set as a basis. 

Background and House Style Colours

I decided that to convey the neon-lit 'night life' style of music I was trying to convey within the magazine's genre of music, that implementing the house style colours into the background would convey this feeling. This in turn made the lighting more low-key in the purple/pink tint therefore, the main cover image was able to stand out more and be highlighted as a result of this.

I furthered this with another layer of a similar gradient which I overlayed on top of the main cover image with a tint which made the bottom of the page more pink as it progressed upwards to a lower-key purple hue; this was subtly implemented however with a low opacity, to not take away from the contrasting high-key colours of the main cover image so that juxtaposition of colour and lighting could remain.

Version 2

I furthered V.1 through adding my Masthead which I edited slightly to give the comic book/collage like effect of text which had been torn from another magazine, conveying the genre of rock through rebellion. This is in addition to my house style colours which acted as a gradient to colour the background and create a shadow to make the model seem as part of the scene. At this point the magazine began to form successfully.

Brush Graphics and Banners

I used a brush called 'Kyles Screentones' which I used brush settings with (then moving to the 'texture' tab) to edit and alter the scaling of so the style of the brush could be altered to fit what I needed it to do. I used this brush throughout my magazine so that I could create a comic-book-like style which fitted into the themes of a teenage target audience and the significance of teenage rebellion in relation to the rock genre and other media like comic books that share similar audiences and connotations.

When creating my Main Cover-Line I used a mix of brushes and blender tools to create the steam coming from the 'train' part of the cover-line; this was inclusive of using a low opacity rubbing tool so that the steam would fade as it gradually moved upwards and coils around the model's neck. However, the main cover-line caused some issues as the asset was changed continuously to fit within the composition of the rest of the front cover effectively; increasing the size to anchor the cover-line to the main cover-image and to reflect other conventional magazine covers.

When creating the banners which were a part of smaller cover-lines adorning the main cover-line, they could anchor to each other due to their composition in relation to the main cover-line (the steam coiling up the 'exclusive' cover-line and the 'arrives at Sheffield Station' grammatically appearing below the main cover-line to create confluence into one sentence despite being separate parts of the magazine.)

Version 3

This was what I dubbed as V.2 which set the basis as to including my assets and some photography which included using pre-made fonts for the main coverline and pull quote in the corner ('Courier New Bold Italics' and an online sourced font 'All Rights Reserved'). However, I edited these (recolouring and splicing with the rubber and brush tools to make them more visually distinct and fit the house style colours and genre of the magazine, the font following the same conventions of the masthead. I also made the smoke coming from the train car (fitting to the band name) fade and curl behind the main cover image feature so they anchor together better. 

On one of my images the saturation and lighting in the shot were too vibrant therefore, I used the image<adjustments<vibrance tab to edit the lighting of the photo to make it more appealing.

This therefore, demonstrates the before and after of the two versions of this photo. This was an issue with a lot of photography due to the ambient lighting of the shooting location however, it was an issue that could be easily remedied.

Version 4 (Final)

For my final draft of my front cover, I edited some aspects which were initially planned within my visualisation diagram; the primary differences being the renewed masthead and feature which also affected the main cover image and main cover-line however, these all remained consistent within planned house-style colours and font styles which convey the genre of music/rock magazines for a 16-25 (primarily teenage) audience. 

Updates Since Feedback:

When asking for feedback via Microsoft Forums, one piece of feedback I gained was to alternate the corner image to fit the house style colours more so that it would contrast the rest of the magazine less; whilst doing this I also updated the graphics surrounding it (primarily via brush/wet brush tool) as I was unhappy with its previous design and felt it to be low quality.

With this new design, the corner pull quote could now fit in more with the rest of the magazine and would therefore, no longer clash with everything else graphically. I ultimately would change this again as I wasn't happy with how it fit within the rest of the magazine aesthetically.

Final Front Cover

Finally, in my last version of the front cover, I included the feedback sent through to me via Microsoft forms. I used the lasso tool to select the 'exclusive' cover-line to move it away from the model so it wasn't covering him; also editing the corner image to fit the house style colours better than before (as well as the general style of the magazine with brush and blender tools). 

I decided later to edit some minor parts of the page, primarily the bottom left corner photo so that it fit within the conventions of music magazines like Kerrang! through applying a dutch angle and using a different photo of the lead guitarist. Overall, the design's production went as planned however, in the execution of some imagery and coverlines, designs were changed. Primarily the secondary cover-image/pull-quote and banners surrounding coverlines which were changed to make the text readable. Furthermore, the photos had to be edited in vibrance and saturation due to the natural lighting of the photography shoot which forced extensive editing.

Contents Page

Version 1

I started by creating a graphic for the background which utilises different hues of my house style colours so that they remain consistent throughout the magazine.

Version 2

Following this I created some banners to allow my text to stand out from the background; these too were within my house style colours. For one of the borders I experimented by creating a sprayed on effect to create connotations of teenage rebellion which are so embedded in rock culture. For my photos I edited their colours with a mixer and blender brush make them fit better within my house style colours; giving one a backdrop to make it stand out better. 

Version 3

 For version 3 I added most of my assets, creating a border around the top left photo, the text denoting the contents page, headers and slugs which gave additional information about what the pages were about (summaries). Within my house style colours, I created some page numbers with accompanying text so that readers can easily find what pages they're looking for. I had mixed feelings towards the appearance of the contents page at this point.

Version 4

For the final version (before feedback) of my contents page I added some more borders whilst tweaking the others to give the 'spray paint' impression; adding my masthead to further magazine conventions. The primary issue I had with the page was the composition of photos in a way which was conventional of a traditional contents page.

Version 5

I emphasised the page which the feature/interview is on too to fit within magazine conventions. 

Following the feedback I gained via a forum post, I edited my contents page to include an editors note, removing the image which took up the top-right side of the page to accommodate it. I also 'darkened' the background layer so that the rest of the page (text and images) would stand out more so that audiences can find relevant information easier. Overall, the design of the contents page and some specific sections, such as the recently changed editors note, required amendments but the design was still faithful to the planning. The primary issues being the colours and allowing the text to stand apart from one another and the background in a way which made finding the relevant information as easy for the reader as possible. I emphasised the page which the feature/interview is on too to fit within magazine conventions. 

 

Double Page Spread

Version 1

For version 1 of my DPS, I imported and measured the body-copies of my articles which I had drafted previously, including a drop cap and measured borders & gutters. For my headline, I created minor asset to emphasise the word 'star' through juxtaposing the rest of the text in a serif style which uses the house style colours present in the rest of the magazine. The DPS' development was thus far successful however, I was facing issues with the organisation of the text, fitting it within a column layout to fit within magazine conventions. 

Version 2

In version 2, I imported one of my images and included supporting text/splash, highlighted by a banner which was coloured conventionally with the rest of my magazine. I created another banner to allow the headline to stand out from the rest of the page; adding a slug with some additional text to fit within magazine conventions of other rock magazines like Rolling Stone and Kerrang. 

Version 3

For version 3, Implemented a significant number of assets including my page numbers (and their stylised banners) my masthead, some lines to divide borders from text/articles and two more photos, one which I had edited previously and imported (close up). Around each of my photos, I created some outlines to allow them to stand apart easier; stylising them to make them fit within the conventions/style of rock. The double page spread at the time was weaker than my other pages, primarily due to its aesthetics and the stringent following of Rolling Stone magazine conventions which place an emphasis on text in comparison to something like Kerrang! which places it on photography.

Version 4

Version 4 was where I used the image editing tool to edit a background image, flipping it horizontally and turning the image black & white. The effect of this anchors the headline ('meet the star singer') to the background which denotes the feature singing. I also included another image in the corner to fill in white space, including a pull quote to further magazine conventions and feature more members of the band. Different instruments, more representation therefore, increasing the breadth for an ideal self. I was happy with the aesthetics of the magazine at this point however, was unsure of how much it challenged typical magazine conventions, primarily in text layout.

Version 5

Version 5 was the final draft design before feedback which I added some banners (via rectangle tool) to make the text more readable/stand apart from the background. I wasn't confident in the appearance of these banners however, as they didn't fit well within magazine conventions or style.

Feedback

Version 6

Following feedback, I altered the saturation of my banners so they were all consistent, reducing the size of the bottom left image/pull quote so it didn't clash with the text. Overall the creation process for the DPS remained very similar to what was planned compositionally, the only change being the image and supporting pull quote in the bottom left. What was added finally was an initial issue as when all my assets were imported, the white space/background felt bare therefore, giving the magazine an unidealic and dull appearance, something entirely unconventional of the exasperated colour and chaos of rock. However, this created the idea to use the background as an anchor to the headline and interview, as the first page is about the 'star singer' therefore, a large image of him singing in the background felt appropriate and sat within conventions of other music magazines like Rolling Stone.

Version 7

After some additional feedback, I altered the banners and organisation of the interview to fit within a column layout, now altering the banners to reflect torn paper to create connotations of teenage rebellion. I also emphasised/segmented the questions and answers more clearly to make the information more digestible, appealing more to a teenage audience. I also edited some photography through posterising the layers and adding a screen tone/halftone to give a more grunge/comic book style to appeal to the target audience and convey the music genre. I faced an issue however, with photography, I wanted to place a greater emphasis on the photos and the features of the band.

Version 8

Within this design I altered the design significantly as I was unhappy with how the page challenged typical conventions of a magazine, instead altering it to resemble Kerrang's layout through organising the photography on the right side and changing the positions of the articles.

LO3: Production Materials

LO3: Production Materials

Main Cover Line

I began with a fitting font to describe the feature band; due to the link to their costume, a blend of sans serif and serif fonts blended together create connotations of a clash between formality and informality which can also be seen in the band's costume (business wear worn loosely with sneakers). This fits the genre of rock/music due to the conflicting styles of sans serif and serif styled fonts which signifies genres such as indie rock with serif and rock & roll with sans serif.

Next I added some additional text 'arrives at Sheffield Starion' to fit with the locality of the magazine with a sans serif (Hollywood styled) font to make the entire main cover line like a collage of newspaper articles with different font styles. I also altered it to include house style colours and more theming related to the name.  This fits the genre of rock/music due to the incorporation of my house style colours which reflect the neon/80's-90's style in which influential rock bands were so prevalent with the zeitgeist of bands like Motley Crue or Tom Petty.

Finally I edited the text further, drawing on more graphical elements as well as pieces of torn paper to signify the rebellious student audience with text that fits the conventions of the rock genre due to its rebellious connotations seen in the conflicting (formal vs informal) fonts and graphical elements. 

General Assets - Main Cover

Initially I started with a black rectangle which would be a base for my text and work as a banner.

I edited the rectangle with a rubber tool and used a slightly edited version of the font I used for the main cover line due to its rock connotations and fitting setting due to the bullet holes surrounding the text as if its been stamped on during a warzone. This fits the genre of rock through the conflict connotations in the bullet holes which are significant to the name of the magazine relating to the battles in Kasbah for the freedom of musical expression.

Again I started with a basic rectangle and altered it to look like it's been worn out to fit the rock/clash style of my magazine.

I furthered this by using an alternative font style with clashing letter heights (as is a motif in this magazine) with spray paint in the background to further the rebellious connotations of rock as the magazine's genre. 

I then created another banner which uses the school-rebellion connotations seen on the main cover line; using 'courier new' as a sans serif typewriter font to signify the vintage style of the band, magazine and rock as a genre. 

I started another banner using a road sign template to further the connotations of conflict by rebellion in how I would later edit it; this would reflect the magazine's name (Casbah Clash) with the rebellion in Iran for the freedom of musical expression therefore, fitting the conventions of rebellion in the rock genre. 

The connotations of conflict and a 'clash' are seen in the stamped on font which uses rock connotations in the clash between sans serif and serif within a banner that denotes conflict in a setting which would typically be absent of it through the iconography of a traditional street sign. Vandalism also is reflected in the font style which signifies the rebellion that is signified by the rock genre the magazine is based on.

Contents and DPS Assets

For my contents I simply used a serif font due to the inspiration from Rolling Stone rock magazine which uses similar conventions on their contents page; the effect of serif signifying and appealing to a more mature audience who would be interested in finding a specific topic. This therefore, appeals to the upper half of my 16-25 audience. This fits the rock genre through the juxtaposition between formal connotations in the serif font style and the neon/disco colours of hot pink contrasting with black.

For my page numbers I followed the same conventions as my contents page to make the inside of my magazine reflect its influence and appeal to the more mature/classic rock side of the genre. 

 

Lastly I added some graphical elements to fit the page numbers into my house style colours so that the magazine could remain consistent. Similarly to my contents title, the rock/music genre is signified through the juxtaposition between the serif font styles and the neon graphical elements iconographic of night clubs.

 

This asset is planned to be the background for one of my double page spread photos; this is to reiterate the house style colours in the palette used but to also further the magazine's name's appearance throughout and to make the photoshoot seem more branded and official. Connotations of the pink and serif white font signifying the music genre through it following conventions of other music magazines like Kerrang that use a similar method of editing their photos to put their models into a graphical background. 

LO3: Body Copy Draft Articles

Unit 3: Body Copy Draft Articles

Introduction to Interview

The sky was charcoal grey. In the back of a non-descript bar, the other band members preparing their instruments for the upcoming gig. I sat in the dull gaze of the overhead light. Across from me, arms crossed, feet up, sunglasses brazenly dishevelled atop his head, Matt Lewin sat. His eyes were distracted by the congregation waiting to get inside. The star singer likely keeping his voice well prepared for more than just me. Under the subtle buzz of people and the muffled symphony inside; this was to be the setting in which our interview took place. I won't spare a detail, nor will I keep you waiting any longer. - Interview commences

Q: What other bands or artists inspired your genre of music?

A: "A band that inspired me personally would be the Beatles and The Who but the current band inspiring me at the moment is Red Hot Chili Peppers."

Q: What first got you into music?

A: "I think it was my brother. He got a guitar when we went to America (I think it was Disney we went there for) and he knew how to play it straight away and I was terrible. It took me a few years to get used to it but it was that drive to be better than my brother, which is terrible really."

Q: If you could collaborate with any other Artist, who would it be?

A: "Simply Red, I'd like to collaborate with Mick Hucknall or Shaun Ward from Simply Red... Paul McCartney, either of them."

Q: How do you feel the internet has affected the music industry?

A: "It's great in one way, not so great in another. You've got to think that Spotify; every time someone streams a song that artist gets 0.0005 pence every time. They're not getting all the money are they? Back in the day there used to be singles that used to be £1.99 and a lot of the profits used to go to the artists themselves but it's a lot harder now to be a musician, it's a nightmare!"

Q: Are there any pre-existing songs you wish you had written?

A: "Any pre-existing songs that I'd written? I'd say... Ed Sheeran's Photograph. It's so obvious. I don't really like the song particularly but it's so obvious. Writing a song about a photograph. Everybody's had a photograph, they've got it on their keychains. When I listened to it on the radio I thought 'that's gonna be a number one hit'."

Q: What's your favourite gig you've performed at and why?

A: "We did a charity event in Frecheville, The Fairways (a pub). We were in the back of a lorry and it was amazing. We did a full two hours. Actually the electric went halfway through (*laughs) because a generator had gone down but it was amazing; It felt like we were playing at a festival. We do a lot of pubs; we do a lot of working men's clubs so it was a bit different."

Q: What made you and your fellow members want to start The Midnight Train?

A: "Actually the others, Richard was part of a famous band back in the 90's. Rocket 88 I think it was called. These guys have been in many bands: Pete, the guitarist, he's in three bands including ours. They love it that much they'll play wherever whenever. I had to audition to this band, I think there was about twenty people; did my first audition and was straight in, straight giggin'."

Follow-up Question: What made you stand out from the other twenty who auditioned?

A: "What made me stand out? I'd say my voice but it's not that great (*laughs). Probably my personality I suppose. I think as I was leaving I said 'does anyone want a hand, I can move some stuff out for you?' Then they messaged me about five minutes later saying I got the part. I'd say my voice, it has to be my voice."

Q: Do you have any advice for other people want to start their own band?

A: "Make sure you have a variety of different songs. Don't just have your Blink-182. Easy power chord songs just to push yourself a bit. Try and do stuff from the 80's and other eras. This pub tonight, there's a variety of people here; you've got to try and get at least one person so if you do a wide variety of songs in your gigs, you're going to at least hit one person."

Q: Do you feel nervous before every gig or does it start to feel more natural?

A: "No, I feel nervous all the time. I feel nervous now doing this. I'm a nervous person altogether but when I'm on stage it's different. I'm, what do you call it... introverted. I keep myself to myself but when I'm on stage it's like playing a character. You're a band member. You're a rockstar. It's easier. I find singing easier than talking... most of the time." 

Q: What's next for you?

A: "What are my next gigs? We have one, I think It's in Rotherham, Sitwell Arms. In the next three weeks we've got four more gigs. We do constantly get them but from doing them we've got more regulars. we've got more places wanting us which is great because a lot of landlords come to places like these and say 'oh we'll have you as well'. We sometimes have a month where we only do two but depending on if someone says 'are you free next Saturday?' we usually say yes. Sometimes we've got a full month of gigs, around 6. Tiring.

Double Page Spread Article

The high rise buildings, monoliths hiding behind monoliths, the fragrant smells of sulphur and street food, the cacophony of busy streets and the piercing screeches as electricity sparks off the cold tramways. Our city, the city of steel, has been an icon for industrial ingenuity and taken centre stage in manufacturing master crafts of steelworks for the whole world. We take pride in our engineering roots and our city is still amidst picking itself back up following its irrevocable destruction during WW2. We've always been incorrigible however when it comes to this and much of the population has stayed that way, proud of their city. This is common knowledge. 

Where so much of Sheffield seems to fall by the way-side, we attempt to pick up in its growing media industry. A new arm to its stainless steel frame. No better example we have in our city than the bands who have been our voice for years and put our musical prowess into the speakers of millions around the world. Generations raised by the Arctic Monkeys and even more with Pulp as we live our lives as common people amongst the musical deities that all have their hearts and words forged in steel. However, this too is (relatively) common knowledge.

Since these two bands, Sheffield has been keeping itself behind The Leadmill's closed doors as musical engineers begin to grow and develop as we rise back from the atomic ashes of the past. However, finally we have but one of many upcoming artists who will soon be on their way to super-stardom. 

The Midnight Train has been alternating from session to gig recently and have finally arrived at Sheffield Station to be introduced to you. Beginning as a cover band comprised of artists such as Richard Grayson (a former member of Rocket 88), Will Buxton, Peter Watters and star singer Matt Lewin. This caravan has recently begun creating their own singles to show the wider world that this city has more to show for itself than its vibrant history. 

LO4: Creating a Masthead

LO2: Creating a Masthead

Firstly I began with a font I thought fitting of the rock genre of magazines which used a sans serif font to appeal to the teenage audience. This style was then elaborated with back banners around the letters which clashed with each other in each letter's height, linking back to the name and the conflict theme behind it, relating to the liberation of musical expression in Iran. 

Next I furthered the conflict theme through making the banners seem battered and shattering, gunshots present in one of the letters signifying the rebellion of people which is so iconic about rock and it's conventions as a genre. 

Finally I altered the colours to a neon pink so that they would convey my house style colours in a simple format which is easy to read, visually pleasing, unique and conveys meaning through connotations.