Draft on final evaluation

Final Evaluation

I think that in a way it relates to other rock magazines. Since it is a rock magazine it does not relate to hip hop, techno or other types of magazines. I tried and hope succeeded in creating a rock magazine that does not have all the ‘in-your-face’ writing and graphics but a magazine that has a taste of elegance. Layering my magazine front cover, keeping the contents page simple but elective and creating an interesting double page spread.

I used simple design techniques on all of my music magazine pages. Although I did layer my front cover to what you would first see, second and then thirdly. I thought of some catchy words and sentences and put them onto my front cover, added some funky fonts and I had my front cover. On the contents page I had one image which I thought might look good alone and it did. Then I added some text and picked out a good font. Finally on my double page spread I had the idea of having one big picture of an amp and then having a interview. I followed my plan and it worked out well. Coming to language I would have to say that I used appropriate language suitable for probably all ages. Since I tried to do a more elegant but at the same time rock magazine my language should be formal. Instead of using lots of images I used one image per page and tried to turn them into outstanding images.

I approached the task thinking that I needed to create a formal, elegant but at the same time a rock magazine. The equipment the school offered was more then enough. All I used was Photoshop and XARA. I borrowed a camera of a friend making sure that the pictures were good quality images. Also I didn’t want to use many pictures so I tried to create images that would stand out.

The biggest problem I had was on my double page spread. XARA wouldn’t allow me to put the picture right in the corner. Because when I changed it into a JPG the picture would go up by a bit and so would the text. I had to download a different program so it would work. It took me a while to find that program. Also I had some problems with my contents page because I couldn’t get the picture from Photoshop onto XARA. What then happened was that I decided to just do it at home because there I would have XARA and Photoshop on one computer because in school we don’t. Also, it took me two week to get the pictures I needed because the guy I needed for the front cover and the other ones was not in Shanghai at that time.


I had to wait for two weeks for a friend to come back to Shanghai so I could get the pictures. Because he played the guitar he had all the accessories I needed. Once he got back I got straight to business. Getting the pictures took some time because the camera I planed on using was broken and his camera was being used by his dad who was in Beijing. After about two days of waiting my camera was repaired and I could use it again. Since I only used one picture of a person, it wasn’t hard getting him to pose; but then I had to pose for his magazine.

Since my friend’s house was under renovation we couldn’t find a good spot to take the pictures. We then decided to bring all the guitars and amps to my house. This took a while because on that day it was raining so it was hard to get a cab. Since the only props I used were a guitar and an amp it wasn’t that hard to move things around. I didn’t use any costumes in my photograph because I just told my friend to put on something that would make him look like a rock and roll star. I think that the picture did turn out rather well even though I waited a long time for them.

I didn’t do a draft drawing of my magazine. I had an idea in my head and did it as I went along. I knew what pictures I was going to take so I took them and edited them. I didn’t find it that important to do a draft because it wouldn’t have changed anything. Since I had my draft in my head it worked out good. A draft might had helped a bit but in the end all turned out good I am happy.

Since I wasted two weeks waiting for the pictures I could have been done way earlier. Everything went quite quickly once I had the pictures. While I was waiting for the pictures I decided to do the questions on my teacher’s blog. Also I started with my text on the front cover which then helped me a lot. Once I got the pictures it was no problem finishing it because I had all the text ready.

Some things did extend my creative control. For instance I did not know that I could change the guitar on my contents page to how it looks now. It took me a while to figure this out on paint.net but then it was fun. I tried different things out and in the end that’s the won I chose. I tried different fonts out to finally come up with one that would suit my idea and also look good. Audience feedback confirmed that they liked what I did with the guitar and how I chose my different fonts.

I did have some problems with the technology limiting my creative control. For example it was really hard getting the picture of the amp onto XARA. Because I edited the picture on Photoshop XARA had some problems excepting it the way I wanted it. It copied the whole page so when I put the picture in the bottom left of the page there would be a huge white box next and under the amp. After fumbling around for about one day I figured it out. However explaining this would be impossible fore me.

Well my ideas slowly developed over a few days. Even though I did not do a draft layout it still turned out exactly how I wanted it to. Also my questionnaire did give me a draft idea of what I wanted to put in my music magazine. Also when the project started my taste in music changed to rock so I decided to do it on rock. The anchorage text just came to me. Since I didn’t have the pictures in the first two weeks I had to do something so I did the anchorage text. Once I had the pictures it was easy to put in the text layout.

Audience feedback confirmed that they liked the contents of my rock magazine. At the same time they also surprised me because I was expecting them to want something different. Not rock and roll instead I thought they would want techno or house, but they did not so I felt relieved. I realized that teenagers like to go back in time listening to good old rock and roll. I think this gives them a sense of reality in a way that allows them to fell good and free. Also they all liked the idea of coming up with a new rock and roll star Josh Pride. They started laughing when I told them my ideas but in the end they were surprised to see how rather well it all turned out.

I believe that I have represented rock music pretty well in my music magazine. Readers enjoyed reading through my magazine, however I did not expect this since I thought that teenagers might like hip hop or techno more than rock. Through this magazine I realized that rock just can’t be erased or deleted. It will continue being one of the best music styles in the world.
I belief that the sense of reality I have created is that rock and roll doesn’t just come to you, you have to find it to be it. On my front cover you can obviously see that the magazine is about rock and roll, this means that I excluded other music styles like techno or house. On my double page spread you can see an interview that i made up, because we were not allowed to use actual stars, I made up a new rock and roll star. My magazine that I have created does not exclude anyone. However I also do not think that a five year old would read a rock and roll magazine so I would have to say that it is for teenagers up to the late thirties.

Christopher Zerwes

Questionnaire

Questionnaire:
What would you like to see in a music magazine?
-reviews of artists and movies
-interviews
-history
-concerts
-style
-something old school
25% said they would like to see review of artists and movies
50% said they would like to see intervies
10% said they would like to see something old
15% said they would like to see concerts
Who would you like to be interviewed?
-Josh Pride
-Daughter of Elvis
-Somebody from AC/DC
55% said they would like Josh Pride to be interviewed
25% said they would like AC/DC to be interviewed
20% said they would like the Daughter of Elvis being interviewed

Who are your favorite music artists and why?
-Josh Pride because of his wicked hair
-Elvis Presley because of his amazing voice
-The band Led Zeppelin for there enthusiastic music s
35% said Elvis Presley
55% said Josh Pride
10% said Led Zeppelinongs
What music do you listen to?
-Rock
-Electro
-House
-Hip Hop
20% said Hip Hop
25% said House
35% said Rock
20% said Electro
What particular music magazine style do you like?
-Funky
-Modern
-Stylish
-In your face graphics
40% said Funky
30% said Stylish
30% said In your face graphics
Would you like to see album reviews?
-Yes, it would bring me up to pace
-No who cares about that stuff
-Couldn’t hurt to know
50% said Yes, it would brin me up to pace
20% said No who cares about that stuff
25% said Couldnt hurt to know
Would you be interested in the history of any music type?
-Rock n Roll would be very interesting
-Defiantly the history of Electro has got to be wicked
-History of Jazz would be interesting
60% said Rock N Roll
25% said Jazz
15% said Electro
Would be interested in pictures music assets?
-Yes of a Turntable
-Yeah defiantly of a guitar
-Good picture of Marshall Amp
40% Marshall Amp
40% Guitar
20% Turntable
What age category do you fall into ?
12-14 20%
14-16 45%
16-18 35%

Double Page Spread

Frontcover and Contents page

Double page spread interview text

Interview with Josh Pride
“The “Rocker” returns to his roots”
First interview since 1999!

Where have you been all this time?
Oh well I’ve been to almost everywhere in the world naming the places would take me hours. Places I especially remember for their kindnesses are places in Europe like Germany or Switzerland but also on the other side of the world like Beijing and Shanghai. However I did not do the tour for money, for me, instead for my charity. I started traveling at the beginning of the tour a year ago.

What was your experience?
Well that in every country they have their own little culture. Like in Germany they all like drinking beer and eating these big hot dog looking like sausages. In Amsterdam they legalize weed. However, it would take me a along time getting used to the conditions in countries like Africa or Indonesia, because it’s hot there almost every day year round.

How where you first introduced into the music business?
When i was about 16 playing out on the streets in Boston a man came up to me and asked who I was. I responded and he invited me to his office. I later on found out that he was a big music producer. He started me playing small gigs for various clubs in Boston and after about a year he discovered I have a good chance in the music business. That’s how it all started.

Where was your first onstage performance?
My first gig was in a club called “Calibre” in Boston I never really forgot that place because the reaction from the crowd was amazing. They were really surprised that somebody like me from my back round could play and produce something like that.

Yes, speaking of back round, how was your childhood?
Well my father left me and mum when I was 2 from then on the times got rough. At the age of 6 I found out that my mother was using drugs, I tried getting help through the school but that was really hard. When I was a teenager I started hanging out with people I shouldn’t, bullets were flying and I started dealing drugs. After about a year I walked by a music store and saw the most beautiful guitar ever. I started saving and because the money was good, a week later I bought the guitar.
I started teaching myself how to play. At the beginning it was really hard but after a while it got easier. Since my mother didn’t have a job we somehow had to pay the rent. So besides being a dealer I started playing on the streets in rich areas of the city. That’s when the man saw me and my life took a turn

Are you planning on doing a concert here in Boston?
Well actually yes I am. Since today is Tuesday the 4th 2009 I would say most probably on Saturday. The money raised will again go my charity called
“Money for the helpless”

What do you think about politics?
Well I think that they play an important role in a country but sometimes they’re just talking complete bullshit. Going on about how they want to help the poor and change the world when they are doing nothing and putting it all in the army.

One last question Mr. Pride! Who is your favorite artist?
I’d have to say it’s a mix between Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. They inspired me a lot when I started playing. Probably more Jimi Hendrix because he was still around.

1) How does the choice of band featured in the article suggest who the target audience will be?
Well since there is no band the question is pointless. But the since the article is about clubbing in Rotterdam i would suggest that it is for young adults who enjoy clubbing

2) What type of language is used in the article? Give examples of words or phrases which are specific to the style of the magazine
Well id have to say its writen in a way that young adults would enjoy reading it. For example rave the planet is an expresion maybe not everybody would use but young adults would enjoy it.

3) How is colour used?
The backround is black and white and the text and some pics are very party like

4) What style of text is used? Is it similar to any other pages? What does it say about the image of the magazine and the audience?
Its a kind of funky dance text.

5) How is the double page spread laid out? How much of the pages are taken up by images and how much by text? How does this reflect the audience? What do they value?
On the left side there is not lots of text but some good pictures and on the right side half of the page is pictures and then some text. They are talking about clubbing or smt.

6) What tone is the magazine using when addressing the reader (as a close friend, a member of an 'in' crowd or an informed intelligent fan?) - provide evidence
More of a close friend beacause when you go clubbing everybody is your friend.

7) How is the artist/band presented to the audience through the images? You may wish to carry Again there is no text are band so the question is useless. The images on the Party world are in your face and look like fun
There is no artist

8) How does the style of the article match the style of the front cover?
There is no front cover

9) Does the article demand any prior knowledge? Give examples.
No not really

1) How does the choice of band featured in the article suggest who the target audience will be?
id have to say it would be for teenagers who like hiphop but since i dont know who the artist is it is hard to say.

2) What type of language is used in the article?
Give examples of words or phrases which are specific to the style of the magazineThe language used is more slang american gansta. GZA, same shit all the time, ..

3) How is colour used?
Its a black red writing on a white backround. That then makes it really easy to read.

4) What style of text is used? Is it similar to any other pages? What does it say about the image of the magazine and the audience?
I cant read the text is it really blury.. The magazine is probaly for people who dont know what to do with there life. Who then turn to rap and gansta music.

5) How is the double page spread laid out? How much of the pages are taken up by images and how much by text? How does this reflect the audience? What do they value?
On one page there is one big image of a guy doing a poz and on the other there is lot of text.I find there is lots of text on the left page but since its an interview its ok...

6) What tone is the magazine using when addressing the reader (as a close friend, a member of an 'in' crowd or an informed intelligent fan?)
- provide evidenceIts kind of an informed intelligant american magazine. From the language used you can identify what i said.

7) How is the artist/band presented to the audience through the images?
You may wish to carry out a textual analysis.He looks like some kind of wannabe gansta. He looks like he didnt have a good childhood and is now tryig to make his lifing thrue the music industry rapping...

8) How does the style of the article match the style of the front cover?
there is know front cover given

9) Does the article demand any prior knowledge? Give examples.
Yes because you got to know who the guy is.