Magazine layout tutorial

 In this post, I will demonstrate some basic design skills that i learned in class

I started sketching the front cover of my magazines to imagine how I wanted it to look. It was quite difficult as i always struggle with drawing but i managed to do it anyway. I did 5 drafts of my magazine cover and i discovered that by sketching the cover page first would make it easier for me to take the pictures of the object.

I was also tasked with experimenting and making a cover page using designated pictures. This was quite a challenge as it is my first time making a magazine cover but I have seen a lot of magazines for me to try and create one. It is also difficult as i was using Google draw making it harder for me to make a magazine. This is the one i made.

 

Reflection: Making a magazine cover is quite easy for the first time as i didn't need to worry about margins, neatness and how it should look according to its convention. But after knowing that neatness is what made a magazine attractive, making one is now very difficult and challenging.

Location Scout and Risk Assessment

These are the 3 photos I chose for the location scout needed for my magazine

Finding the location i want for the picture is quite hard as my original plan didn't really worked. I tried to go to the alternative locations and still the picture was not good enough though this is just an example of the pictures not the final pictures i will use.

First Location

Teras Ayung

Name	Teras Ayung Residence
Purpose of shoot:	Finding a photo location for my magazine
Media language	Mis-en scene: - Greeneries, a better coloured sky,  Camera shots: - Close-up shots, low angle shot
Pros of location:	- Less cars - Private - Well kept - Spacious  - Easy access, the road is a few turns away - The area looks nice
Cons of location:	- Less does not mean none, other cars might disturb the shoot - Can't control Lighting freely  - Unexpected things might be in the trees
Alternative Location:	This road is one of many isolated and less dense roads. I could find another road that has the same features.
RISK ASSESSMENT	RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Rain - Strong Wind - Motorcycles
Evaluate risks:	- Unpredictable weather these days rain could delay the photoshoot of the car - This isn't the main road of the residence but security do come and visit with their motorcycles. Other people living in the residence can do the same
Control measures:	- Find another road - Wait for the motorcyclist to leave the frame
Implementation Timeframe:	- 2 more days

Name	Vihara Sakkyamuni
Purpose of shoot:	Taking a picture for my magazine
Media language	Mis-en scene: - Green, Isolated, Empty Shots: - Long shot      to show the car and the nature background
Pros of location:	- Not crowded - Clean - Green - Nature
Cons of location:	- It is not open all day - Parking just to take a photo of the car and the place would not look nice to others as it is a sacral place
Alternative Location:	- Garage - Get a lonely spot that is hard to spot
RISK ASSESSMENT	RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Animals in the shoot (dogs, cats) - Rain - People that manages the place
Evaluate risks:	- U can't control street dogs and street cats - Unpredictable weather could delay the shoot - People can be in the frame which would ruin the picture
Control measures:	- Scare the animals away - If it rains, find another day that is not raining - Wait for the people to go out of the frame
Implementation Timeframe:	- 3 more days

Name	KFC
Purpose of shoot:	Get pictures for my magazine
Media language	Mis-en scene: - Dark - Minimal lighting Camera shots: - long shots     to highlight the car
Pros of location:	- The parking if spacious - It is a normal spot for car photography - U can enjoy a meal while taking the photo
Cons of location:	- Crowded - Lighting gets a bit too dark
Alternative Location:	Go earlier than others to take the shoot
RISK ASSESSMENT	RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Other cars from the drive thru - Other cars wanting to park - People and animals
Evaluate risks:	- People who wants to takeaway kfc will go through the drive thru - People taking the dine in option will take the parking space - Both people and animals can ruin the shot
Control measures:	- Wait until the drive thru in empty - FInd a parking spot far enough that they wont be in the frame - Wait for them to leave the frame
Implementation Timeframe:	- 2 more days

Magazine Article First Draft

 This is the first draft of my final magazine

Reflection: Making the article was quite challenging as there a lot of things i want to put in my article put i chose to go on detail into only specific topics such as the body styles, the engine, and the overall experience of driving it. 

Headline: 20 Years of German Perfection

Author: Nicholas a 35-year-old car collector and enthusiast

Sub-heading: 

E46 old:

The BMW 3 Series e46 is a luxurious yet affordable compact luxury car suitable for men aged 35–60 who enjoy a classical, vintage look in their car. The e46 offers different body types. Starting with the coupe, the sedan, the convertible, the station wagon, and the hatchback. The BMW e46 was first introduced during the autumn season in Germany in 1997. A M3 performance model was introduced in June 2000 with a coupe body style and a 2-door style. In April 2001, enthusiasts were given a convertible counterpart as a new model for the e46. The e46 is powered by the straight-six engine from the BMW S54, with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transaction.

F30:

The BMW 3 Series F30, introduced in 2011 and continuing its legacy in the 2021 model, is a luxury yet still in the affordable range. The F30 is targeted at men aged 35–60 who enjoy a classic yet modern look. Offers the same body styles as the e46. Such as the 5-door hatchback (Gran Turismo), convertible, coupe, station wagon, and sedan. The BMW F30 displays the brand's dedication to combining simplicity and complexity, a form of example for its commitment to engineering excellence, just like their nickname, 'the German perfection'. Powered by the straight-six engine, the choice between a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is ours to make. Although a new model, the F30 still manages to look a lot like its ancestors, yet it still manages to combine modern and design improvements. Ensuring it appeals to people who seek luxury yet affordable cars.

Personal Experience:

Having a collection of vintage and classical cars is a childhood dream of mine that has motivated me for the past 35 years of my life. This time it is no longer just a wish of mine but instead a life I'm living. I have driven hundreds of cars that have the same specs and overall performance as the e46 and the f30. Yet nothing compares to these 2 cars. Not only affordable the e46 is timeless and irreplaceable despite its old look. The vintage look of the car is what creates its nickname of 'BMW's Classic'. Using the e46 is an unforgettable experience due to its combination of luxury, comfiness, affordability, and its performance. No other cars offer these niche needs for car enthusiasts other than the E46. Whether the coupe, the sedan, the hatchback, or the other preferred style of the body, the overall performance and satisfaction of driving the car is very fun and memorable. Each preferred style has its own additional benefit. Such as the hatchback and the station wagons which offer the car owner extra space for extra cargo space. The e46 is also known for its responsive steering, precise handling of the car, and well-tuned suspension to safeguard you and your family when driving the E46. The suspension of the E46 will absorb bumps and road imperfections such as a broken street or streets with holes allowing people inside the vehicle to comfortably travel and peacefully drive without worrying about the chances of bumping and a rough experience. The balanced performance and modern design of the E46 make it suitable for driving on the city streets. The exterior look of the E46 can be described as an elegant beauty, a one-of-a-kind, a menacing look living up to BMW’s nickname the ‘Elegant Intimidating Stare.’ The E46’s headlights contributed to the car's overall looks. The E46 is commonly known as the ‘‘Angel’s Eye due to its circular illuminated ring looks surrounding the projector-styled headlights of the E46. Which became the unique selling point of the E46 and turned into a signature trend during the E46 Era. The E46’s headlight is also known for its extra brightness due to the material used to manufacture the headlight. Xenon headlights are used in the front of the car producing a much brighter and whiter light output when compared with other lights BMW’s usually use. Moving into the interior, the E46 is famous for its luxurious look and design style of the seats. The interior is known for its classic and sporty look yet still maintaining its classy style suitable for the overall image of the E46.      

  

Technical Skill (online)

 These are the new skills i've learned

Reflection: The problem is due to my lack of creativity myself. I had to go to youtube to solve the problem which turned out to be simple and easier yet i needed some coding skills which i have learned from the problem. 

The problem: Inputing My statement of intent in my blog post was difficult. Only inputting the link will look like this. Which does not look good and is not pleasing to the eye.

Solution:

Went to youtube to find the solution

1) Download my statement of intent as a pdf

2) Upload it to Google Drive

3) Click the pdf

4) Press the 3 buttons on the top right

5) Click 'share'

6) Change 'restricted' to 'anyone with the link'

7) Change it to viewer

8) Copy the link

9) Make a post in blogger.com

10) Go to HTML view

11) paste the link

12) delete the phrase ' usp=sharing '

13) type 'pre' on the left side of the word 'view'

14) paste this code <iframe src=" " width="640" height="480"></iframe> below it

15) Copy the link on the top 

16) Paste it into the code between the " " (speech marks)

17) Delete the link on the top 

18) Click publish/update

Terminology

Reflection: These are the terminologies I have learned so far for a magazine. Some of the things i haven't memorized yet and have not fully understood. I will try to label my magazines using these terminologies i have listed that i copied from my teacher.   

Masthead	The name of the magazine, in its typical font, on the cover.
Selling line	The short description of the ‘identity’ of the magazine under the masthead,
Main image	The image which fills the cover – a model, celebrity, animal, artefact.
Coverlines	‘Teasers’ for the contents of the magazine on the cover.
Typography/font	The shape, style, size and colour of the letters used.
Drop cap	The enlarged initial letter of the first word of an article – an aesthetic feature which is designed to engage the reader.
Pull quotes	Enlarged quotes from an article – these may be included in coverlines, but are also used in the body of the article to break up the page and to attract the attention of the reader.
Byline	The name of the writer of the article, usually found at the beginning. Simply, it is the ‘line’ which tells you who the article is by.  Masthead The top section of a newspaper which gives the paper’s title, price and date Strapline Memorable phrase that is associated with the magazine. Cover line Titles of stories featured in the magazine  Main cover line The most important article featured, grabs the audience’s attention (featured article) Main image The dominant image on the cover Barcode Used for retailers Skyline A list of keywords featured at the top of the cover Thirds The upper and left third are the most important. why? Prop An image of an item Puff / Boxout A smaller image/text to stand out from the rest of the information (puff=circle. boxout=square) Buzzwords Exclusive, free, new, special edition Banner A block of colour with info inside, usually stretches the width of the cover   Headline The title of the article Subheading Additional info found beneath the headline (Crosshead) Byline The author of the article  Pull quote A quote taken from the article, with the font/size colour changed.  Drop Cap The first letter of the article enlarged.  White space Empty space in the spread, used to break up the content (negative space) Border Empty space around the edges Column Standard layout of magazines Spread Pages of a magazine that should be viewed together (usually two) Caption  Information about an image.  Mode of address The way the magazine/article addresses the audience. Formal, casual, direct (for images too)