Day 15: Cover/Masthead + subscript

     Today, I was discussing my frustration regarding Indesign with a fellow student, and she had mentioned to me that she had similar issues, so she had decided to use Affinity. With her help, I had downloaded it and begun to work on my magazine. I had taken the picture I intended to use for my cover a few days prior, and this is it.

I am aware that the clothing choice is a bit bold, but that correlates with what my entire magazine is centered around. My initial intent to obscure the headline with a cutout of my subject/model was unsuccessful due to my inability to use the selection tool (like it quite literally would not let me). 

At first I was bummed about it but I had ended up spacing the two words out and I was pretty satisfied with the way it had turned out. I used complementary yet light colors and a subscript in addition to the masthead; both fonts having characteristics of lifestyle/luxury magazines (elegant curves and sharp lines, with sophisticated and iconic moods.)

The direct gaze my model gives the camera is additionally a key feature of luxury/fashion magazines.

Production Planning Day 14: Brand Name Analysis

     Within my planning process, I've been mentally prepositioning where everything will go. I am unsure if I will be able to carry out exactly what I had mentally envisioned because of the limited capabilities( or my lack of understanding of the capabilities) regarding the application I am working on. I attempted to make a few drafts of my magazine, but they hadn't efficiently fulfilled my vision, and were therefore disregarded. 

   For this particular blog post, I wanted to analyze the brand name and WHY I chose it.

    "Diva Daily" was chosen to construct a strong brand identity that reflects confidence and empowerment. The word "diva" carries connotations of power and glamor, positioning the magazine as aspirational (aligning with contemporary conventions) and sharing high end fashion values. 

    I chose diva daily because this title appeals to the target audience of young and modern women who value self expression and individuality; although I do believe it's a good name to appeal to any age range, given that divas are not confined to a particular age group. 

    The word daily suggests accessibility and routine, as well as signifying the frequency of hypothetical published editions from my brand. This word also suggests inclusivity rather than distant or elitist like some fashion brands. The combination allows the magazine to balance  exclusivity and everyday relevance. 

Additionally, the use of alliteration in "Diva Daily" strengthens memorability and catchiness, which therefore boosts engagement and recognition; essential features in effective marketing and audience appeal. The name supports the magazine's representation of women as independent and empowered, challenging traditional stereotypes and allowing for a new perspective regarding the relationship between clothing and identity construction.

    Essentially, the brand name is selectively and implicitly chosen to communicate and reflect my intended genre conventions, target audience, and magazine values.

Production Planning Day 13

     As I had previously spoken about on my last post, I am having recurring issues with the InDesign application, so I had attempted to research any other approved applications to do my magazine on, given that applications like Canva are not exceptions. I failed to find anything, so I decided to suck it up and attempt to run the application at home. Fortunately, I had more time and patience, and was able to start up a file and get an idea of the color palette and other elements aside from our introduction to it in class a while ago. 

    Majority to all of the pictures in my magazine will be deep focus. The pictures will be taken on a camera with flash, so lighting will be high-key, but may change accordingly. 

    InDesign is a little tricky to work with, so the idea I had for my table of contents layout may have to be adjusted. 

    I wanted to clarify that some things might be changed according to convenience or other hinderers I might come across. Planning is just a general idea and it's not an explicit layout of exactly how the product of my magazine will be. 

    I know I want my magazine to follow the typical codes and conventions of contemporary magazines, but I want to add a spin on some of them for the sense of diversity and uniqueness that will make my project timeless; and characterized to my preferences.

   I know I want to speak on these issues because I don't like discriminatory attitudes and I don't like predetermined standards, especially unwarranted ones. 

    I am speaking on these issues because I want to bring awareness and clarification on situation(s) that people may not know about or be too subconsciously ignorant or unaware of unintentionally. I have also firsthand witnessed these situations and how they impact people, so I believe it would be interesting to educate others.

    I will attempt to try again will Indesign tomorrow and will document my experience. 

Production Planning Day 12: Content, placement, color palette

     In today's blog, I am stating the portion of planning that is enveloped in the style guide. By this, I mean my main focus today was to establish the general color palette I wanted to use and the placement/content of my magazine.

    I did today simultaneously on two computers, one being a laptop (where I am blogging this, with my style guide blog open on a separate tab that I am referring back to) and on Adobe InDesign through the computers with the application in the back of the classroom. 

*20 minutes later*

The computers were excessively slow so my idea to do the two collectively unfortunately doesn't seem like a possibility today. 

    I want the brand to be named DIVA DAILY. It will likely extend across the top of my cover image like Elle, and depending on the picture I use it will potentially partially obscure the brand name.

     I intend for the color palette to remain neutral, using majority tones of ivory and gray/taupes. 

    My magazine intends to focus on clothing and its relationship with identity.

    The feature article will be titled "defying societal implications on pieces of clothing". Within this article I will contain an interview with Nemo, the featured model/subject; and an annotated transcript interviewing her about her experiences with clothing expression. 

    Another article will be focused on curvier women and differed standards, like stricter societal expectations critiquing their presentation/clothing choices. I want to do a side-by-side comparison picture layout somewhere within this article, with different body type models wearing similar outfits. I don't intend to be controversial with any of the topics discussed; but it's typical for this genre to speak out on issues that may have opposing opinions or perspectives.

    The table of contents will include small pictures besides the headlines dividing sections. The back page will conclude with another frenzy of models wearing diverse, standard-defying outfits.

Genre Research Day 11: Project Proposal

     My name is Sofia (or Grey) Rodda and I will be completing this magazine myself. The genre I chose is inspired by mainly contemporary, luxury and lifestyle magazines, and as I had previously stated on a post, I chose this 1. out of personal interest 2. The conventions of this particular magazine stand out to me and I felt the issues I wanted to speak out about efficiently fulfilled the requirement of social significance and it's something I'm passionate about as well, so I kind of viewed it as a two birds one stone type of thing. '

    My intended/potential audience are people with interests in fashion and culturally/societally aware of modern issues. The majority of fashion magazine audiences are female, so that will likely be my primary audience. However, I'll try to best tailor to an androgynous audience, because I don't mind who reads my magazine as long as they are engaged lol.

I'm assuming my audience will also be more of a youthful audience (teenagers-40s but predominantly teens - 30s)

    The social issues I intend to target are the societal implications given to pieces of clothing and perceptions that are prepossessed by individuals who have never had any previous interactions to construct or warrant that particular perception. 

    Regarding software I'll most likely be using adobe or something similar that is Cambridge-approved. For hardware, the camera I will be using for my cover shot and likely the majority of my pictures is the Canon Powershot Digital Camera.
I will continue looking over similar magazines for reference points and I'll ask for external insight or constructive criticism on my ideas for my magazine. 

    My plan is (obviously) to create a hybrid contemporary/luxury magazine, attempt to visualize my ideal magazine layout, ask my friend what outfit she thinks best conveys the message and preparing it, keep an eye out for an intriguing pull quote, attempt to buy hard copies of this particular genre for inspiration, and establishing the tone and color palette for this magazine. 

Genre Research Day 10: Last Research

     To the grand finale regarding the research portion of this project, I thought it'd be interesting to do a brief summary of everything I've learned/ general codes and conventions for contemporary and lifestyle magazines like I had done initially; similar to the introduction/conclusion type of setup essays have. 

    Although most magazines use a clear grid, some subtly tweak it. For instance, text blocks may align off-center or a main image might bleed off the side. The "rule of thirds" is often applied, but with the understanding that asymmetry can be just as, if not more engaging than a standard symmetrical layout. 

Whitespace is often times used aswell, preventing visual clutter or overwhelming the audience while simultaneously conveying sophistication. The amount and placement of whitespace can influence the percieved value/tone of your content.    https://www.thegridsystem.org/thinking-with-type/    https://www.nngroup.com/articles/good-visual-design/ 

 There's often a very intentional set of fonts (2-4 main ones) used in magazines depending on what aspect is being worked on (headlines, pull quotes, etc.) With the contrast highlighting important information and creating visual appeal. Some fonts are synonymous to the particular aesthetic and influencing the feel . Line spacing (leading)is adjusted (body text especially) for improved readability. Kerning (between characters) is adjusted, especially for headlines and logos influencing the intended feel; which can make a drastic difference. Editors/designers will often times rephrase line breaks or adjust them to eliminate them.  https://practicaltypography.com/ https://fontsinuse.com/ 

There's often a carefully curated color palette regarding the magazine genre, that goes beyond aesthetic value. It's about conveying mood and guiding the eye. The consistent use of particular colors create cohesive visual identity across the issue. Image cropping is additionally intentional, used for emphasizing certain elements and directing the reader gaze. The gaze of subjects in pictures looking at camera engage the reader, and those looking away may be guiding the reader to something else.    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eliane_Karsaklian/publication/317178916_A_Picture_Can_be_Worth_a_Thousand_Stories_Interpreting_Advertising_Differently_in_10_Countries/links/592a7f0f458515e3d469fa64/A-Picture-Can-be-Worth-a-Thousand-Stories-Interpreting-Advertising-Differently-in-10-Countries.pdf  https://color.adobe.com/trends https://www.pantone.com/color-systems/pantone-color-systems-explained?srsltid=AfmBOooqeb_Glf9WNvsLmjt_ShLgqTFybREqENh022ZYgbVFVfH7-t8c 

https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/ The relationship between the layout impacts the storytelling. What do I mean by this? For example, a full page image might be partnered with a small, intriguing headline on the opposite page; or a series of smaller images to suggest a progression or comparison. 

    Onto content: Lifestyle magazines might feature something luxurious, but the editorial angle will often focus on how the reader can achieve a version of that within their own means. Even "purely observational" articles have the underpinning of the content to provide actionable advice or insights for the readers personal life/call to action. Even though they're not entirely academic, they often feature experts for credibility. While many magazines aim for a broad audience, there are certain features like vocabulary, references or cultural awareness that create a sense of belonging or tend to tailor even more to certain audiences. 

    Content and color palette is meticulously shifted depending on seasonal trends. While each issue is self-contained, there is at times an overreaching narrative or idea that progresses and extends throughout several issues (ex: the progression of a trend or prominence of an idea over time). The choice of print paper also communicates the magazine price point and identity. Textured and thick matte paper may signify luxury and a glossy stock might be something faster-paced.

https://www.sappi.com/en-us/insights/articles/neuroscience-touch https://magculture.com/ 

Project planning Day 9: General Planning

     For today, we were instructed to begin planning our magazine. For the majority of my researching process I looked into conventions for both fashion/luxury magazines AND contemporary/lifestyle magazines. The reason I'd been researching the two collectively is because I had initially had an idea of what I wanted my question to be structured upon and I had asked Google how my article should be categorized; and I feel that in reference to examples I had seen, it's best to label it as a hybrid. (Though I do believe it's more contemporary-oriented.)

    Regarding the feature article; I wanted it to be touching and emotion-evoking. The topic I am thinking to choose may be considered somewhat controversial regarding the audience; but then again, what isn't?

    I was thinking for the feature article to be on "defying societal implications on pieces of clothing" and the cover will likely be a picture of one of my best friends, Nemo. She's always had such an expressive sense of style and she's inspired me to be more confident in wearing what I really like. Unfortunately though, clothes have implications on them that you'd never even imagine. I just think it's absurd that there are genuinely so many perceptions that are implemented onto what and who you are solely regarding what you have on. I've always had a passion for overturning the ridicules that society tries to convince us are normal when realistically, the assumptions are diabolical. I'm not quite sure what picture or outfit I'd want to use yet, but I can provide a few examples of pictures I've previously taken of her for you to get an idea of what I'm referring to.

    This is a picture I've taken of her with her digital camera. I think that in addition to the implications given to the clothing; because she's a curvier woman, it likely doesn't help her case; but I'll save my piece on that for the feature article.

    I simply think these kind of thought-provoking topics are very fitting for the contemporary/lifestyle magazine, and her ability to throw together something that is thematically cohesive and simultaneously fashionable is a really good feature for the luxury/fashion magazine.