Final pages

 After a million and one edits, these are my final pages.

Double page spread P2

 At this stage I was mainly experimenting with different layouts for my double page spread. This was a difficult process for me because I was struggling a lot to find out what would work best for my magazine. I created another alternative for my final double page spread. Though I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out, it goes better with my theme so I decided to go with it.

Double page spread

 I then started to work on my double page spread. I decided I would try several layouts and experiment to see what would work. Below is my first idea. A few changes will need to be made in terms of layout so I'll definitely take that into consideration when working on my next design.

Evidence:

Alternative

 I also attempted to experiment with the design of my content page. My specific inspiration was As If magazine.

My version:

Through feedback I was able to establish that this idea would not work as it doesn't provide visual balance, seeing as the left page is quite busy. 

Content page design

 After some extra research and experimentation, I decided to stick with my original design, but made a few changes to the images and layout of the page

Outcome:

Practice

 I made an attempt at reproducing a content page for the XXL magazine:

Mine

Original

Key takeaways:

What I took from this is that I could possibly make the page less text heavy or reducing the size of the image to balance it out. In terms of spacing, I could've definitely made more space between the sections of text. This will make the page less cluttered. 

The placement of the Aspire logo would work better if it was centered. Lastly, could incorporate more colors to reinforce the brand identity. 

With all these ideas in mind, I decided to redesign my content page

Content page-extra research

 While browsing through the internet in search of inspiration, I found a pattern which a lot of music magazines follow when creating a content page. I noticed that a lot of these pages include a large cut-out of a model featured in the cover story to draw viewers' attention to it. The most appropriate examples, which I will include below, are from the XXL magazine.
These pages specifically are able to balance both bold visuals and clear organization. The layout is clean and structured, making the page easy to navigate. I decided to experiment with this style and created a similar version of my own

Feedback and alternatives

I was informed by my teacher that the layout of my previous content page was too busy, it needs to be easy on the eyes. Furthermore, the colors were too dull and it is important for me to experiment with color. The black and white theme further dulled it down. Once again, I was back to the drawing board and created two alternatives. I received feedback for these too and was advised to use more eye-catching images and incorporate more colors.

Alt 1:

Alt 2:

Layout and design-content page

 I decided to create double page spread for my content page. My idea was to create a unique design and one that would also be appealing to my audience. In this post I will outline my process.

Finished product:

Images used in the final content page

 

Cover page redesign

 While working towards the final, I figured the best approach to take was to make as many alternatives as possible, and experiment with different styles to see what works best for my magazine. With this sentiment in mind, I began the design process. I changed the background color to draw more attention to the image and to brighten it as a whole. 

Results:

Alternative image:

Editing for cover page photos

 Using lightroom, I made the images more vibrant so that the colors could stand out. 

Cover page photography

Once again, I used my brother as the cover model and tried to some extent to take photos in a brighter background. I also incorporated more colors into the photos and unique poses to make them more visually appealing.

Flat plans for all pages

 After receiving feedback and deciding to change my cover image, I began to work towards my final pages. I started by creating flatplans for all my pages with an idea of how I wanted them to turn out

Feedback received

 I received feedback regarding my cover page. My teacher informed me that the background was dulling down the colors, and the cover image should be changed. With that in mind I went back to the drawing board and took more photos

Design

 I started on the cover page design, which I decided to change after receiving feedback from my teacher. Below I will attach the original and my process

Finished product:

Alternative: