Improvements needed...

-Original model needed for cover photo.
-Different angles of photos needed.
-Different setting for photo's.
-Different texts needed for front cover and DPS.
-Different colours needed for DPS on article.
-Gaps between Q and A and the pararaph at the top needs to be bigger.

Mr Nicolle feedback summary...

No surprises as you already know it's your pictures that need more work. Consider the setting, mise-en-scene more carefully as well as cutting and cropping. Also editing to achieve your desired effect.
Front cover- too much white space on the background. Most of font is the same size. Check against research.
Low level 2.

Mr Smith Feedback sheet...

Lauren Kruge Feedback

Feedback from Shannon...

Lauren Assessment

DPS draft...

Contents draft...

Front Cover Draft...

This is the first proper draft of my front cover. This is not the model I will be using on my finished piece but the model I wanted was not available in time for this draft.

Artist Profile...

Name: Mathew-Alex

Age: 19

From: Manchester

A talented guitarist Matthew-Alex had always envisioned a career in music, his talents had been recognised at a young age and he spent time at both the Yehudi Menuhin School and Juiliard School in New York studying classical guitar. It came as somewhat of a surprise then when he switched from classical to folk music via his fascination with Klezmer music. Whilst in New York Mathew visited the Lower East Side of Manhattan and saw Gogol Bordello play and has never looked back. From YouTube videos to playing at open mic nights in pubs he began to do solo gigs in social clubs around the centre of Manchester where his mix of Balcan Folk and British Folk has garnered him a devoted and ever expanding fan base meaning he then got to perform at smaller Folk Festivals like Rochester Sweeps and Holmfirth folk festival. He is a very talented musician getting inspiration from the likes of Show of Hands, Lucy Ward and Ahab. In his spare time he enjoys composing and writing his own material and spending time with his family.

Interview Q & A - Draft Article so far...

'If I've heard correctly, you started off by playing classical guitar, what made you switch over to folk?

I find folk a much more social type of music which is why I decided to start playing it. People who play folk are really friendly and very welcoming and they often meet up and play informally over a few drinks in pubs which I like. I also feel that there is less of a competitive attitude to playing this genre compared to classical music, people learn at their own pace.

'When you are playing, how does it make you feel?'

Playing this music makes me think about how I am preserving an old tradition. There was a time when folk music was very much on the decline and endangered and thanks to various revivals it has come to the fore again. Playing with other folk musicians is definitely the best part of it because you feed off each other subconsciously to make good music. When you really spur each other on the audience picks up on it and it makes for a cracking atmosphere.

' Do you prefer playing in smaller or larger venues?'

Whilst playing in a larger venue is a sure sign that you'll have made it as a performing artist, I prefer the smaller and more intimate venues because you can actually see the audience and their individual reactions to the music. There is nothing better than playing a home gig at your tiny, local venue especially when it's the place where you originally started out playing your first, nerve-wracking gig.

'Is there anyone you would like to duet with in the future?'

I have always regarded Steve Knightley from Show Of Hands as a major influence in my guitar playing. He is a seasoned professional as well as a brilliant song-writer who sings about current issues and previous important events in his life. It would be a great honour for me to be able to duet with him just for one gig.

'Any plans for 2012?'

This year, I plan to go to as many festivals as possible to soak up the atmosphere and hang out with other like-minded people. They are definitely the best places to discover up-and-coming artists too. Also I plan to establish myself more as a gigging artist in my local scene and hope to team up to form a strong band to eventually record a promotional EP.

1st Draft Magazine Mock up...

Here is my first photoshop mock up of my front cover. There are a lot of things I want to change the next time round but this is just to give me an idea of how things would fit on the page. I like where the 'FM' is on the page and I am happy with the colours. Also I am happy with the placing of the barcode and price. I like the look of where the other text would go however I need to find a colour that will work well, the purple was just used for the time being. Also I was struggling with putting a banner across the bottom so I just inserted text to let me see how it might look. I am happy with the position of the model, I may however decide on a different background although I do think this works rather well.

Test Shots so far...

Here are some of the tests shots I have so far. Some I like for either the front page or the double page spread. I've got a few different settings as I was wanting to see which one I thought would look the best. There are a couple of myself as we were trying to see if it would look any different having me hold the melodoen rather than my other model. I am happy with a few but would like to go out and get more to improve.

Colour Texts on Background...

Black on white is still the easiest way to present type and to read it and you change that colour at your peril. Using coloured paper, coloured type or a heavy type patch often reduces legibility. In tests carried out by Karl Borgrgrafe (cited in Favre and November 1979) to see which colours worked best together, the following taxonomy of colour mixes was discovered, starting with the most legible, and working through to the least legible.

Black on yellow

Yellow on black

Green on white

Red on white

Black on white

White on blue

Blue on yellow

Blue on white

White on black

Green on yellow

Black on orange

Red on yellow

Orange on black

Yellow on blue

White on green

Black on red

Blue on orange

Yellow on green

Blue on red

Yellow on red

White on red

Red on black

White on orange

Black on green

Orange on white

Orange on blue

Yellow on orange

Red on orange

Red on green

Green on orange

As you can see, black and white comes pretty near the top although the list suggests that a yellow panel behind the black type would improve legibility (which is why important warning signs of danger are usually printed black on yellow.)

From: Designing for Newspapers and Magazines, by Chris Frost, Routledge, 2003

Note: though black on yellow may be more striking than black on white, it is unlikely to be more pleasing in large quantities. Magazine designers have to strike a balance between legibility, impact, and reader satisfaction.

Between getting attention, and not being annoying.   CE