Production Diary Showing How I Have

Created My Front Cover, Contents Page

and Double Page Spread

By Evie Holmes
Front Cover
I began by finding a font on DaFont that I wanted to use for the
masthead of my magazine. I then print screened the page and pasted
it into my front cover Photoshop document.
I then selected the masthead and cut the excess around it. I then
used a colour overlay to change the colour of the masthead as
well as adding a stroke. I also placed an image that I had taken,
however this was just as an example as I was initially learning
how to use the tools in Photoshop.
Once I learnt how to place an image, I brought in the actual main
image that I wanted to use for my front cover. Again, I changed the
colour of the masthead and also placed an image of a barcode that I
had got off google images. I placed the barcode out of the way of the
hotspots on the front cover so it didnt distract the audience.
From here, I used the quick selection tool around my models to cut the
blue background away from them. I did this for each model and
separated them into different layers. I then repositioned and resized the
models by holding down shift (so that the image didnt stretch) whilst
using the transformation controls. I made these alterations in order for
them to fill up more of the page whilst bringing them closer together,
making the image more lifelike and believable.
I then used the eraser tool to remove the excess from the background
left around the models as well as feathering to soften out the edges.
Once my models were positioned to how I wanted them, I added a
background in which was an image of a music studio. I used this
background as it infers the music genre of the magazine and relates to
the content and story behind the band.
I once again changed the colour of the masthead in order to begin
creating a colour scheme of yellow, gold, red and black. I began to add
cover lines and a strapline to my front cover by using the text tool.
Once I began adding my cover lines, I additionally used the rectangle
tool to add banners behind the strapline and the cover line at the
bottom. I replaced the ~ icon which was separating the cover lines with a
guitar symbol in order to further infer the genre of music and sub-genre
of indie rock. I added a puff in next to the masthead which I had also
repositioned in order for the puff to not be in the way of the model on the
I changed the red and yellow colours round as I thought my magazines
appearance looked more appealing this way. I additionally added more
cover lines and positioned the text to the right to make the presentation
look more professional as well as adding a stroke to them to make them
stand out. I replaced the text in the puff with the official Reading and
Leeds logo as I felt this was more recognisable for the audience and in
result would grab their attention and draw them in to reading my
magazine. I chose to use win Reading and Leeds tickets as the
competition for my magazine as the festivals demographic is similar to
the audience of my magazine.
Once I had inserted all the cover lines on my front cover, I edited them to
ensure they followed the colour scheme which I had developed. I placed a
banner across the main cover line in order to infer its significance in
comparison to the others. I put the main cover line at an angle to liven up
the front cover and make the appearance of it more appealing. I angled the
banner and text by using the transformation controls and tilted the features.
Finally, I brought the barcode back in once I had finished editing the main elements
of the magazine. I used the rectangle tool to insert a square shape next to the
barcode which listed the date, issue number, website and price of the magazine. I
inserted the band name into the second part of the magazine to familiarise the
audience with the feature artist as they appear throughout the front cover,
contents page and double page spread. I also used one of the character tools to
bring the text on all of the cover lines closer together in order to make my front
cover look more realistic and professional.
Contents Page
I began by creating a column which would list the features in my
magazine, keeping my contents page professional and organised. I stuck
to the colour scheme by initially using black and yellow. I used the
rectangle tool to insert sub-headings in the column, and the text tool to
list the features.
I then added a contents heading to the page, making the colour overlay
yellow and adding a stroke. I also brought in the masthead from my front
cover document in order to create branding. I included the issue number
and date, as well as changing the colour of the text in the column to red
in order to match the colour of the masthead logo.
I then placed images of social media icons that I had collected from
google images in order to further convey the young audience of which my
magazine is targeted at. I held the shift key whilst using the transform
controls to make the icons a similar size to my page number without
stretching them. I also added a page number by using the shape tool to
make a square and text layered over it.
From there, I placed an original image that I had taken of one of the
models featuring on the front cover (linking them together). I added a
mask to the image in order to allow me to erase the excess of
background with the black paintbrush tool, once I had cut it out with the
quick selection tool. If I alternatively wanted to bring some of the image
back, I would use the white paintbrush tool. This was a really convenient
skill that I learnt when creating my product as if I were to make a mistake
I could resort back to the original image and it wouldnt be affected. I also
added another image that I had taken as well as a banner at the top to
make the appearance of my contents page look more lively and
I then brought in an image of a concert-like stage that I had
collected from google images, which I used as the background of my
main image. I layered the stage image behind the model to appear
as if she was performing on the stage, like a real artist. The live
illusion links to the sub-genre of indie rock as many images of indie
artists are shot when they are performing.
I enhanced the main image by editing the colour balance and bringing in
more red tones. In order to make the image look realistic, as well as the
background, I also had to change the colour balance in image of my
model to blend the two together. I additionally added a stroke around
the images to make them stand out as well as adding page numbers
over them in the corner for reference and to look professional. I also
inserted the description linking to my main image, separating it from the
column to highlight its significance in comparison.
In order to further convey the music genre, I brought in an image of a
drumstick (x2) to one of my secondary images, presenting my model as a
drummer.
I then had to use the transform controls to rotate the drumsticks to the
angle that I desired.
Once I had the drumsticks presented correctly, I had to apply a mask to
each of them and use the black paintbrush to erase the part of the image
that overlapped the models hand in order to create the illusion that he
was actually holding them. I also added another original image that I had
taken.
I knew that I wanted to create the illusion that my model was standing
outside a gig venue, so I brought in an image of the Birmingham
Institute.
I had to cut the background from the original image so I did this with
the quick select tool. I also adjusted the brightness of the image, I
increased it as I did not have access to professional lighting when I
took the image originally.
Once I had cut the background of my original image, I brought the image
of The Institute back in and cropped it so it appeared closer and I could
capture a long shot of the model posing outside the venue. I also added
a stroke to the image.
Finally, I enhanced two of the secondary images by altering the colour
balances to make them appealing and professional. I also added
anchorage over two of the images by using the shape tool to create a
rectangle and layered over that, the text tool.
Double Page Spread
I began by placing the original image that I wanted to use for the
main image into a Photoshop document.
I then used the quick selection tool to cut the background
from the image.
I used the smudge tool to try and blend the models hair in an
attempt to get rid of all traces of the blue background.
I began creating my double page spread document on InDesign, where I
ensured 4 columns were set to match how I wanted to present the body
text of the article. I placed the masthead logo of my magazine front one
of my Photoshop documents as a page number created with the
rectangle and text tool. I also pasted in the stand first of the magazine
in the position that I wanted.
I then pasted my article into the document, whilst selecting the text box
and increasing the column option up to 4 to match the layout of the
page.
I went back to my image in Photoshop to give each model a layer of
their own, as I wanted to bring them closer together so their
relationship looked more believable, as well as not wanting the body
text to cover the model on the right as she is a point of focus.
I then selected the model on the right and copied her into another
layer and moved her closer to the 2 other models to show that they
are all a collective.
I placed the image of the models into InDesign from a Photoshop
document and positioned it to how I wanted it to appear on my double
page spread. I also used the rectangle tool to add individual rectangles
behind each line of the stand first in order to follow conventions of some
magazines. I changed the colour of the body text by selecting red from
the swatch tool once I had selected the entirety of the text.
From there I then added a grab quote in the top left corner (by using the
text tool) which I had taken from my article, in order to follow conventions
and fill some dead space. I also added the headline of my article in.
The model on the right was still too far over on the second page and was
hidden by some of the text, so I went back to my Photoshop document
and alternatively repositioned the model on the left, by selecting and
copying her into a new layer and dragging her to the right.
However, as I did this some of the models leg was missing, as the guitar
held by the middle model was covering it on the original image. To solve
this issue, I used the paintbrush tool to paint black, the same colour as
the models trousers, in order to fill in the missing part of her trousers.
As the placed image of the models from Photoshop was already linked
to the InDesign document, once I manipulated it in Photoshop it
changed automatically without me having to re-place it. I also used the
rectangle tool again to add rectangles behind the pull quote to make it
stand out, as well as adding a byline in to the stand first.
I then had to edit the article itself as it was too long to all fit on the
page; I did not want the text to take up more than just over half of the
second page so I had to cut the less relevant/weaker parts of it out.
Here is what the article looked like once I had cut parts of it. I wanted the
end of the article to appear on the double page spread as I felt it was one
of my strong points and it also summarised the article/double page spread
as a whole, so I had to cut other parts rather than letting it flow onto the
next (non-existent) page.
I then changed the colour of the rectangles behind the strapline, as well
as adding a stroke around the headline. I also placed in a background
image behind the models of a photography studio white background
with 3 sets of lighting, representing each model by reflecting on them.
I then changed the colour of the headline in order for it to stand out
more against the background.
I realised that the white photography background was too plain, and so I
further enhanced the double page spread by deleting the original
background and replacing it with an image from inside a gig venue,
making it appear as if the band was preparing to play live; linking to the
context related throughout. I removed the rectangles which were
previously behind the pull quote as they no longer went with the new
design. I also changed the body text to white so it was more readable
against the new background, as well as adding a satin effect to the
headline and rectangles behind the strapline in order for them to blend
more with the lighting shown in the background image, also making them
To blend all the colours together and create a scheme, I changed the
colour of the headline to white with a pink satin effect, which looked
much better than the out of place yellow. In addition, I again went back
to my Photoshop document with the main image of the models to
adjust the colour balance. I enhanced the red tones, making the image
look more lifelike and believable, as if the band were actually in the
venue with red/pink lighting reflecting onto them.
To finish, I added in a caption in the bottom left corner of the page, to
further follow magazine conventions. I additionally manipulated the
stand first by rotating it as well as the rectangles behind it, in order for it
to match the slightly titled appearance of the headline.
MY FINAL
PRODUCT