Hello guys! For my covers, I wanted to create them in such a way it not only attract my target audience juniors/seniors in high school, but also all the other grades as well. Such as, freshmen, and sophomores and even late middle school possibly. For the first one I want a little playful and fun, using a handwritten typeface for the "Habitat" but used a bolder typeface for the title. For the second layout, I want with a different approach focusing on a "fashion look." This magazine could feature the article that talks about the fashion and food. For the third one, I went more on the funny side, using a hashtag, and emojis, because nowadays this is the teens lingo.
Can't wait to hear from you guys! Thanks!
Hey Naidin,
ReplyDeleteFavorite Cover Photo: Option 1
I think this photo best speaks to your target audience and is the most dynamic of the three photos chosen. Images with people laying on grass is a current trend (see the movie posters for Fault in Our Stars and Boyhood).
Favorite Masthead: Option 2
This is by far the most polished of the three masthead designs. I can really see this on a magazine cover.
Favorite Cutline Treatment: Option 2
I really like the color treatment you used on the word food its very eye catching and once again works with your audience.
One minor critic I wouldn't use the Masthead typeface anywhere else other than the masthead. Consider finding other typefaces to use for the cutlines and article headlines..
Nice work!
Thank you Rob for your thoughts. And I I do agree with finding another typeface! I just wanted to keep everything unified but that makes sense.
DeleteNadine – wildly different approaches, great! I agree with Rob’s comments above, although I’m afraid that if you use the cutline designs from #2 with image from #1 – the figure will appear to be in danger of being cut! Not sure the different approaches will work together. If you are primarily talking to young girls, then I would suggest you work with Layout #2. Fashion talks loudly to that audience. But… if you are hoping to widen your audience to include both male and female your only choice is #3. Because it’s school – I’m allowing you all to continue to define your audience… and maybe this is the point at which you say that your best designs, here, are for girls… so that’s your audience. There will still be the question of whether this magazine is for home-schooled girls (#1 design) or high schoolers who are more connected to pop culture (#2). I think I’ll limit my comments to Layouts 1 & 2, and leave #3 alone at this time. If you decide that’s your choice, then let’s discuss it in class.
ReplyDeleteLayout #1 – The handwritten font is eye catching, but not sophisticated (which is fine if this is for homeschoolers). I think the theme title, however, is complicating the top ½ f the page and challenging the masthead for prominence. Please rethink the size and possibly the position of this element. Then your next challenge is the readability of your cutlines. Remember – you don’t have to use all of them, but I wonder if a more uncomplicated “list” might not work best – sitting directly under the theme – or maybe both theme and cutlines in 1 line across bottom of page. If, as I’ve suggested, this magazine is a subscription-based mag sent to home schoolers and their family… this approach could work well.
Layout #2 – this is clearly connecting to pop culture, and is a bit controversial with the cut lines sitting in bold, abstract and sharp shapes. I wonder if those shapes are a bit large for the composition. If they were smaller then you’d have more options with the masthead… which presently seems to be less important than almost any other element on the page. Hmmm… not good. Masthead is for branding, and must be at the top of the visual hierarchy ranking. I wonder if the masthead I see on Layout #3 would work here? As Rob mentioned – repeating the masthead font (especially if it is an expressive font, as I see here) for an inside use isn’t usually done. Another reason to find another solution for the cover.
I’ll be interested to see which audience you choose.
Coni,
DeleteI stand corrected when I said I like the cutlines for layout two I meant to put the subhead (my mistake). I like the treatment of the subhead on layout two I actually prefer the cutlines on the first layout.
Thank you Coni. This critique helps me a lot. I think I'm going to aim for girls in high school, just because I feel I can be more creative with that and I noticed that there's lots of magazines for girls, like Seventeen, Teen Vogue, GL, M, and Twist. So I think I might lean towards that.
DeleteNadin, I love the use of triangles in the second layout, but the white background is so dominating; maybe try lowering the transparency on them and see if it makes it less overpowering. I think the masthead in the first layout fits perfectly with your audience and gives the magazine the right tone. But I think the most clever thing was the use of the # in the third layout's title. This directly speaks to your target audience and should be used in which ever layout you choose to continue with. Nice work!
ReplyDelete