Front cover:
I decided to create a layout my own issue of Q magazine in order to secure my knowledge of the codes and conventions of magazine as well as learn how to use the programme page plus.
My main cover star was Florence from 'Florence and the machine' which was also useful as she is a similar music genre and style to the one I want to create for my band.
Q magazine covers a wide range of music genres and adapts it's style to fit that of the artist or band. In this case, Florence's music genre is indie pop/rock so I decided to make the cover sophisticated through the simplicity of the image and style, meaning no over crowding. In the photography Florence looks relaxed but thoughtful, different from her usual quirky self, intriguing the reader to discover why. Although Florence isn't engaging in direct address, her obvious vulnerability allows the audience to empathise with her anyway.
Being in black and white, the photo has a mysterious element along with emphasising Florence's class, implying a maturity which would hint to her fans she has been on some sort of personal journey, later revealed in the double page spread.
The masthead of Q is emphasised due to the minimal colour on the rest of the cover, important for the magazines personal image, and the colour scheme of red black and white is continued throughout the issue. With Q's house colour of red being the one to inject the life into the magazine, it not only keeps with the style of Q but connotes the passion Florence has for music.
Contents:
On the contents page, I create a collage of artists, whose pictures are all in black and white to sustain the elegance of the issue. I feel the collage works well due to giving a quirky and unique look to the page whilst also informing of the main features inside. This idea is one I hope to carry through in my own magazine as I feel it would be suited to the genre and is a good way to present the features
However to accompany this, I have a 'features' section in the top left to allow any others to be drawn to attention, such as those not specific to artists or a band, such as chart news.
