Feedback

To begin with, I showed it my friends, who are my target audience. They also said, “Cool!!” They gave me some advices, that the cover page used too much white, around the title, too. I was noticed that title is the most impact things when publishing the magazine. It makes a different between other magazines. Therefore, for reader, it becomes much easier to find it. But this magazine, there is a lack of impact of magazine, because of using only black and no effects. Speaking of effects, they also advised that in contents page, I had better to be the letters “Content” smaller, because it has no meaning, just showing as contents page.

I also showed it my parents as the other generation, they told that they are good, especially contents page, but they are used the same color, which makes more boring. For example, all pages use the black and white gradations. I thought that made simple and cool, but I leant to use and design more colorful. Using many colors on rock music magazine is a little different, but only a few colors are not good, either.

Evaluation of the Finished magazine

My evaluation

To be honest, I have lots of things that I regret. At first, I could not find out how to use the design soft, so that was the biggest problem for me. Also, I did not understand what I should work, so I asked my friend everything, every class. If I had more time to use for coursework, I might make much better one. But, I think I could make better one than I imaged at first and the preliminary one.

During the making, I looked a lot of Japanese and British rock music magazine as example. Why I was looking the Japanese one? It is my mother tongue, indeed, but I thought hybrid with Japanese and British design became more interesting. The contents page is the evidence.

Planning and evaluation of the article

This picture is the flat plan of double page.

The artist's picture is used above on the right page, because almost magazine put the picture on the right side. The reason is when we read magazine, we read from lest to right. It shows noticeable to put on the right.

The feature of this page is separating their band’s name. I planned the black for the letters, “BLACK”, and the opposite side, it is used the different color. In my point of view, that makes cool and fashionable.

Firstly, I planed to write two articles: Artist’s introduction on left side, and their interview on the right. I believe that music especially, rock genre gives people who are not only youngsters but also other generation. So I decided to write general opinion about “BLACK CATS” and their history. I tried to use formal English and write seriously, because this article is one of the evaluations to them.

In contrast, the interview article is very informal. Writer wrote the same conversation when interviewing them. So it is written their feeling such as laughing. The reason why I did not write in formal English is that contributes readers more reality. To be sure, in this magazine, they are popular. For audience, it is rare chance to see and talk them. As a result, they require to articles more reality, like real conversation. Also, it gives people close to artists. If it were written in formal language, it would be boring for reader.

From these points, I completed my articles.

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Introduction and history

In modern society, CD’s sales are decreasing because of online services such as iTunes Store. But CDs by BLACK CATS are still bought by a lot of people in the world.

“When we met for the first time, we decided to change the world by our music.” The guitarist, Jack Lister said in an interview. “Music is a boig influence in our life, and now most youngsters are influenced by our songs.” The vocalist, David McKnight also said. Now, no one does not about them, especially, UK fans.

The first was the music class at Sussex Downs College in Lewes. Jack heard David’s voice in singing test, and he was impressed. So he attempted join his band, which was the beginning of BLACK CAT, but David refused it at first, because he already had his band. But after separating his band, he decided to join as vocalist.

Before their debut, they played in the school festival. On 7^th of May 2000, they debuted with “Manifest” from Sony music record, and that sold 400 thousands, which resulted in them winning “Sony freshman music award 2000.” Next year, the 3^rd single, “Girls and Boys” was the best-hit song of UK, and that made them much more famous. In that era, no other two members bands were popular, but after they debuted, there were a number of teenager rock bands.

Now, they have released 26 singles, 4 albums. On 14^th of February 2010, they finally will release their first best of album, “ALL BLACK CATS”. That contains all their songs that have been released until now and also there are a few new songs.

Their revolution has been changing. We all hope that their songs will really change our world.

Interview

Q1. Why did you start the music?

Jack: I started playing the guitar influenced by my father when I was 10 years old. When he was young, he played in school band. So he performed every Saturday night. Also, he bought me my first acoustic guitar at my graduation present, so I aim to be musician. In after school club, I made the band and did a live performance in my school.

David: I was aiming to be an opera singer, because my mother loves watching operas. She is singing teacher; so she taught me singing until my voice became lower. I did everything in childhood, like choir, opera for children, and more. I cannot remember. (Laughs) When I was 13, I watched the DVD of “Woodstock”. That was really amazing so I changed to singing Rock. To be honest, I tried to start the guitar, because guitar player was so cool to me, but I could not. My hand was too small to play.

Q2. What was the first seeing each other?

Jack: In the music class, I’ve never forgot that moment. We had the singing test in one day of May, and actually, I was not interested in vocal music, but his singing was really good, I thought he was the best singer who I had ever. So after the class, I talked with him, but he refused. At first, I was shocked but fortunately, my band’s vocalist was stopped singing so I asked him again.

David: He said such a thing, but I did not remember what I sung. (Laughs) The reason was I also had my band, and I did not know him well. So I refused it. After two months later, our member resigned by thinking what doing after graduation. So I accepted his require. I think that is the best decision for me, ‘cause that is the first beginning of “BLACK CAT”, and we had many problems since debut. And I think the most important thing when we are musicians loving music, and I really enjoy this job.

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Photos Editing

This picture was taken by myself in my room. The left picture is the original one, and the right one is changing the background.

Why I changed the background is the face of the original one is a little dark. And it is boring, because of white wall.

At first, I thought that was really nice photo, because I could take me well, but after a while, I changed my mind.

The newer one became more impact and fashionable by using yellow gradation. Also, this color is same as the title letters in contents page.

Photos

I will explain about magazine's photo taken by me.

This is the picture using for cover page.

I took it on the white wall of the performing arts centre., because from my flat plans, I would like to try to make simple design cover. So I think the white background is the best. Also, if I changed my design, it is easier to change the background colour.

The wrong point was their clothes. It does not looks rock musician, so I had to ask them to wear more casual and looks like rock.

This is the picture taken myself for contents page.

I choose the cloth which looks like rock and I also use the white background by the same reason. The things I did better is brightness. On that day, it was cloudy and I did not turn on my room's right. So my face was a little bit dark and that gives deep impression. As a result, I changed the background by photo editing.

Lastly, this is the double page picture.

I tried to take picture that makes them more cool, so I decided to do this pose. But I could not explain details and they also confused what I want.

In conclusion, I regret that I had to take much more picture. Because, when I make magazine, It was too hard to put from a few picture. I could ask them to do more various pose and take their faces more.

Fonts

In my opinion, the second one is not acceptable as font in rock music magazine, because when people see this font design, it can image classic, rich and clever. This is not what the target audience want. The reason why the first one is better is the design is huge, and we image more disorderly than other one.

Flat plans

I started to design the cover of music magazine. From analysis of rock music magazine, the young men who are upper or middle class is the most reader. So my target audience is the teenager boys who are upper and middle classes.


At first, there is a two different covers of magazine. One is the font of title is huge and it gives more impact than another one. Also the subtitle, which is the name of the band and what contents, is vertical writing and use capital letters. People see the camera and I would like to take their face seriously and cool. On the other hand, another one is quite different to first one. The title is wrote in longhand. The photo shot is close to their face and between them, there is a subtitle which is also wrote in longhand. Do you think which cover is suitable?

There is the flat plan of content page.

Two circles of this are the main articles of this magazine. The circle design is particular so that gives more impact and attractive when people see and read it. On the right side, there are small articles and advertisements. The reason why I design these one on the right is English read from left to right, so when people look something, they see the left side first by the mechanism of human biology. So I guess it is the best position to put the main article on left side.

I will explain about the flat plan of the double page on "Planning and evaluation of the article", because it shows more details.