Contents Page Task

As well as creating potential front pages, I also had to design 3 possible contents pages as part of the task. These pages had to also attract the target audience throughout the layout and images used.

                                                                                                                                             

Here is my 1st contents page with a banner running along the left hand side hosting the title of the page. This links in with one of my original front cover ideas as well as "breaking the mould" of the typical magazine contents page genre. This gives a fun ambience straight away and creates the magazine to be seen as new and up to date. Images are at both the top and bottom of the page, showing storyline's described in the page title summaries index, which is placed between the two in a simple list format to add a piece of normality and convention to the page.

Here is my 2nd contents page which hosts a banner running along diagonally along the top left corner. This creates interest immediately by looking at the page due to the offset text, giving an unusual shape. There is an image filling the rest of the top half of the page as well as layered "polaroid" shots along the bottom. The polaroids images idea gives a more "school-like" approach (which also links to the fact it's a school magazine), showing the images to be fun and spontanious.There is also the index of page summaries laid in the lower center of the page, closing the gap between images.

    Here is my 3rd contents page with a title running along the top, being a typical aspect of the magazine contents page genre. This keeps it simple and familiar to what students will already know and understand. This is next to an image of a triangle (linked to the first chosen front page). 3 images run down the left side column of the page parallel to the index of page title summaries, so as when reading from left to right, readers will see the image before reading on to understand the story behind it. The main storyline is the first summary as this is the most important part of the magazine. There is also a banner running along the bottom of the page to give any extra notes.   

• Overall i think the 3rd contents page design would be the most effective in my magazine due to having a simple layout with slight added features that make a big difference such as the triangle image next to the contents title which links to my chosen front page design which hosts a triangle image in the corner. Another feature is the banner along the bottom of the page which gives an added aspect to add interest. This also links to advertising banners which are frequently used on social networking sites which my target audience regularly go on, therefore this aspect will be second nature to the audience of my magazine. I've been able to give the information clearly as well as give "younger generation" aspects, such as the images and banners which should attract my target audience to wish to be a part of my product.                                                   

Front page sketches task

In preparation for creating a school magazine, I have created 3 sketches of ideas for the front cover of my product. When thinking of titles and story lines for my magazine, i had to keep in mind the target audience, being fellow students. This made me realise I would need to use bold fonts, strong images and rhyming or adapted language to entice teenagers to want to read my product.

Here is my first cover idea.
My title here uses alliteration to immediately grab a readers attention as well as naming the magazine to be full of gossip, a teenagers favourite pastime! Alongside these "in your face" ideas, an underlying message is given due to the title being similar to the popular television show "GossipGirl". By using this play on words, the students (my target audience) can subconsciously think that this will be something they enjoy due to already being a fan of something linked with it.
My choice of storyline for this cover was to link together with the title of "gossip" as well as give a rhetorical question for the readers to feel the need to answer by looking further into detail at the article. Also by giving a relationship scandal, it's a typical thing to happen at school and is always the height of conversation between students, so by using this in a magazine, hopefully this would get my target audience excited and talking about my product with enthusiasm.

Here is my second cover idea.
For this title i took a newer approach, using "text-talk" to give the name G4U (Goffs For You). This is very appropriate to my target audience due to using a "language" in which is very popular with teenagers of the present. Due to students constantly using text-talk to speak with their friends, this would give me the impression that if they saw this on a magazine they would be attracted to it seeing as it's in "teenage language". This also creates the feeling that the magazine was specifically made for the younger generation and gives them a sense of feeling special and it is much more personal.
The storyline of this cover is to make the students feel proud of their achievements and be acknowledged for all their hard work. With the use of alliteration this also gives a memorable piece of text. By using a smiling student, obviously proud of their results on the cover, this also shows the pupils of goffs take pride in themselves and gives a positive attitude to follow by other teenagers.

Here is my third cover idea.
This name was chosen due to wanting to give a name that would be easily remembered. By using alliteration and school name, this creates a memorable title. As well as the obvious link with "glossed over" to the fact that this is a magazine product, involving glossy paged spreads, there is also the underlying message that parts of gossip of the school are "glossed over", the truth being hidden and suggests that this magazine will reveal them. This should spark interest with my target audience due to "secret gossip" always being a popular conversation. Lastly, the use of the word "over" above an arrow suggests the readers should turn over to continue to read on.
My choice of storyline here was to immediately get the younger students of the school involved with something and feel properly initiated into a new "school family".  Beside this, this is a topic the older students can be familiar with due to going through the process of being new to the school themselves. This should then attract them to read this due to them wanting to read how others are reacting to a situation they've been in.