Final finished pages.

FRONT COVER:
CONTENTS PAGE:

DOUBLE-PAGE SPREAD:

Audience Feedback

I used Instagram to gain quick feedback from my target audience. Instagram is a very popular app and young people who own an iphone and android phone have the app.
There I uploaded my final pages to see how many likes I get.

Final changes of the double-page spreads

I've looked at the previous designs of my double-page spreads and I saw some disadvantages there, therefore I decided to modify some of the things.

First of all, I've lined up the columns on the first double-page, I think this way it looks more completed and structured. Also it feels the page more, therefore no empty spaces are left. I also made the heading bigger, I want it to stand out and attract attention because this is the cover story.

On the second double-page I put the translucent boxes behind the text, to make it easier to read. I also changed the colour of the font, I think black looks better and also I used black on the first page of the article.

However I did the last line of the article bigger and I also used a different font. I chose white for the colour of it, because this is the finishing line of the article that's why I wanted it to be different and maybe even look a little bit dramatic because of the contents of it.

Finishing the double-page spreads

So far this are the two finished double-pages for my music magazine L'Esprit. Overall, I am very pleased with the pages, however I am planning to have another look at them and maybe bring some changes into them.

Creation of the second double-page spread

Creation of the double-page spread

I've started the creation of the double-page spread, however I realised that one double-spread wouldn't be enough to fit in the whole German's interview. Therefore I decided to make two double-spreads.

So far I am nearly finished with the first double-spread:

Choosing the layout for the double-page spread

I've looked at several double-page spread designs, however I didn't like many of them. These are two which are very similar to my idea of what the double-page should look like.

The interview of German Lavrovsky for the double-page

• (ME): I heard your tour around Asia went really well, what did you like the most about it?
(GERMAN): Oh God, I loved Asia! Loved every part of it, especially Singapore! It felt like I was on the other planet, people are so different. Their culture and traditions are so interesting and cool, I was walking around with my mouth open in every city I was. I love food, generally, I eat all the time, so Asia is like the perfect place for my stomach, their custom food is so nice, I love all this spicy stuff. People! Oh Lord, people were so excited to see me! I mean I knew I am awesome but I didn’t expect so many boys and girls screaming and waiting for me! (Laughs).
• (ME): Where do you look for inspiration for your music and costumes?
(GERMAN): Everywhere! Sometimes I wake up in the morning and look at my fat lazy cat, you know, its big and ginger, and I’m like “mmm I want to look like her” so then I just think of different ways of presenting it. When I was younger, I tried myself in fashion industry, but then I realized people will like me more for my music (winks and laughs). Anyway, I know something about making costumes and I don’t like asking people for help with y designs or finishing work.
Yeah, and about my music – I love travelling, love seeing different cities, countries, small villages, big loud dirty cities. Sometimes the sound of the streets can attract me, or the silence of the valleys. Many people think I am freak and look at world from the different angle…yeah, they might be right. I don’t like usual stuff, I don’t like writing music about love, its booooring, and everyone talks about love all the time. I’m talking about love which happens between a man and a woman. I prefer bringing some deeper message through my music. Love to your cities, or even your cup of coffee. I like making people think about stuff they wouldn’t think in their daily life because they are all so busy with working and making money or raising kids..Or whatever normal people do with their life. (Laughs)
• (ME): I personally think it’s very important to have some sort of connection with the people who come to listen to your music. Is it important for you to see audience’s emotions on the concerts?
(GERMAN): Oh yes, that’s why I love it so much. It’s cool when people adore you(laughs). No I’m joking, I know what you mean. Yeah, it’s very important for me to feel their happiness; people go the concerts or performances to relax, to forget about their daily problems. Therefore I want to make sure they forget everything while they are there with me. That’s why I care so much about my costumes and performances; I want to make them feel like they are on some other planet.
• (ME): We’ve noticed you like to go nude at some point of your performances! You make your performances very amusing for your fans, how do you come up with all your ideas?
(GERMAN): I LOVE GOING NAKED!!!(Screams and laughs). Well, first of all, it gets too hot in all these costumes I am wearing during my concerts and by the end of it I can’t breathe properly, so I just take it off! I never actually went completely nude on my concerts, don’t want the male audience feel bad (laughs and winks). I like feeling free, and when I am at home, especially when I am alone, I like walking around in my pants. A man was born naked so I don’t understand what’s wrong with that really.
• (ME): What about your daily life, our readers and your fans are very interested to find out all about your life.
(GERMAN): I don’t like sleeping. I know it sounds very weird but I think it’s such a waste of time! You can do so much while others are asleep! I usually stay up till 5-6 am and then wake up at 9-10am. Love orange juice in the morning. Oh and I watch a lot of cartoons, love Lion King, it gets me every time ha-ha (laughs). Hate junk food, it feels like I am putting rubbish inside my stomach. I’m vegetarian by the way. I care about animals, I love them, but I care about myself as well..Yeah, I am in love with myself. I mean we live in such polluted environment and unfortunately I smoke since a young age, so I want to make sure that food I eat is kind of healthy. Yeah and I don’t wear real fur or leather by the way. I always imagine my fat cat wearing my skin. Ewwwww.
• (ME): Do you have any favourite things in your life? Food? Brands? Cities? Books or movies?
(GERMAN): God, I am such a freak, I get attached to a lot of things and then I can’t give it up. Food..mmm, I told you I love food. Love nuts and dry fruits, I can go for days eating only that. I know it sounds weird, vegetarian loves food. Trust me; vegetarians can eat a lot of different food from different cuisines. I love reading books, they make people smart. I try to read all the time, fortunately, I have time for books while I travel. I really like Michel Houellebecq, Anna Akhmatova, Chuck Palahniuk; I can go forever about my favourite authors and books really. Love movies, but not the mainstream. Boooring. Love art-house, French films, Old Russian films, especially those about war. Oh yeah, you wanted to know about my brands choice. Well, I might disappoint you here but I don’t like brands. I have this theory that clothes should appear in your life by some circumstances, by some chance, then you will look like your inner self, not like someone you are trying to look. I love vintage shops, love stealing clothes from my mother and my friends. My mummy has a great style by the way (laughs). I think it’s stupid to spend a lot of money on clothes, I don’t think it’s so important, you can look good by spending nearly nothing, and you just have to be creative.
• (ME): Whenever paparazzi catch you on the street you always look good, what’s your secret?
(GERMAN): Wow, really? Thanks ha-ha!(laughs) I know I’m the god of fashion. No, to be honest, I don’t put any effort in. Well, I wash myself. But that’s about it. Ha-ha. When I wake up, I put something on; I don’t actually look for the clothes in my wardrobe. I don’t actually have one. I see jeans, I see a t-shirt, I wear converse or sandals and I go out. I don’t know how I do it really, I just look god no matter what (laughs). Honestly, I think the less effort you put, the more natural you look and the more you look like yourself. I don’t do my hair; it has its own life. It’s always messy, and I like keeping it long. I have this really weird thing for my hair. Since I’ve accepted it has a life of its own, I started feeling the pain of it when I’m getting it cut. I was always very skinny and it used to bother me when I was younger, but then I became a star and I don’t care anymore (laughs).
• (ME): You are 20 now; do you have any plans about your career in future?
(GERMAN): Oh my, I am 20 now. I didn’t actually realize. I think I could have missed my last birthday…I’d need to check. Yeah, I want to release few more awesome albums, I want to travel the whole world and visit every country and show people my music. Also, I want to release few tracks with Kanye West, I think he is an awesome guy. (Kanye, if you are reading this now, I LOVE YOU!!!). And I was also thinking of going back to my old days and maybe try myself as a fashion designer again. If I will, my clothes are going to be very unusual, not the everyday fashion. I’d love to create a costume for my babe Lady Gaga(laughs).
• (ME): And what about your private life, would you be kind enough to share your love story with us?
(GERMAN): Yeah I am in love. Her name is Florence. She is fat and ginger. She’s quite hairy as well. We share milk and we like watching cartoons together. She’s everything I need. (Smiles) To be honest, I’ve been in the serious relationship before but it didn’t really work out, and poor German was left heart-broken (laughs). I’m having so much fun with my life at the moment; I don’t want to complicate it. Love is always a drama, and I prefer peace and quiet. (Smiles)
• (ME): Thank you so much, I hope you will continue to write good music; personally I am a huge fan of your art.
(GERMAN): Thank you! (Laughs) I love giving interviews to the magazines I trust, it’s important that people will know the truth about me

The starting point for the double-spread page. Questions for the interview

On my double-spread page I’ll be posting the interview of German Lavrovsky, the new Russian star of the genre he created himself 3 years ago in Moscow.

I tried to think about really interesting questions, something his fans would like to ask him. I assume people who read my music magazine and who are interested in music generally, are well aware of German’s art of music, therefore I don’t think my interview should be focused a lot on his music career, what is more interesting for our audience, is his daily/private life, something he doesn’t show on the stage during his performances.

Here are some of the questions I'm going to use in the interview:

· I heard your tour around Asia went really well, what did you like the most about it?

· Where do you look for inspiration for your music and costumes?

· I personally think it’s very important to have some sort of connection with the people who come to listen to your music. Is it important for you to see audience’s emotions on the concerts?

· We’ve noticed you like to go nude at some point of your performances! You make your performances very amusing for your fans, how do you come up with all your ideas?

· What about your daily life, our readers and your fans are very interested to find out all about your life.

· Do you have any favorite things in your life? Food? Brands? Cities? Books or movies?

· Whenever paparazzi catch you on the street you always look good, what’s your secret?

· You are 20 now, do you have any plans about your career in future?

· And what about your private life, would you be kind enough to share your love story with us?

· Thank you so much, I hope you will continue to write good music, personally I am a huge fan of your art.

My Contents Page so far

This is my contents page so far, personally I am very happy with it, however I would love to get some feedback from all of you :) thank you.

Process of creation the contents page

At the moment I am experimenting with different designs and layouts, I want to see which of them will work better for my music magazine.

Photos on the contents page

Photoshoot for the contents page

For the contents page I've produced more photographs. This time my model was a female, she is a student in St.Edmunds College, Christina. I think she looks really good on all the pictures.
My idea was Black&White photos, misterious and dramatic, however creative and fashionable, just like my music magazine.
She is also suppose to represent some particular music genre, and I believe her image suits rock singer style the best.

Design of the layout of the contents page.

After Looking at several contents pages in different magazines I've produced two more sketches of different layouts to give myself a wider choice.
This one was created after I've been inspired by the contents page of the magazine Dazed&Confused:

I believe it would look good this way, because there is enough space for the images and the cover lines. It would not look too full and also it looks fashionable and different from usual music magazines.

My second Sketch is a bit different from the first one as the pictures are going to be placed at the top of the page, not on the sides.
I presume, visually it might look better and yet it still leaves enough space for the images and the cover lines.


At this moment I am thinking which layout will work best for me and I will be really grateful if you would give me some feedback about this post. :)