1. Step by Step Contents
Bethany Harvey

2. Step 1
Drawing
Drafts
Before I started to develop my magazine and taking any images, I did 2 layouts in which I would like my
contents page to have. I drew these layouts, considering my target audience because I wanted it to be
clear enough to read as well a looking appealing to the audience. However, I wanted the contents to be
full of information as this is the next page the consumers look at.
I also looked at similar music magazines who have the same target audience as my magazine does, e.g. Q.
From looking at other magazine layouts I saw that the full they are and wanted to make mine fuller to
make it stand out more to the audience. Therefore, at this point I was trying to decide if one page was
enough as none of the magazines I looked at had 2 pages for their contents.

3. Step 2 Computer Based
Drafts
After I designed my hand-drawn layout, I produced the layout on the
computer of my preferred layout that I will be using for my magazine,
so it becomes more clearer and I can use this as a guide for when I
start producing my magazine contents page.
I decided to use this one, because I wanted to make the contents
appealing but informative, so that it attracts the target audience
enough so that they want to buy the magazine.
The fonts I have chosen to use are basic and easy to read. They also
follow on from the front cover so there isn’t to much variation that
the audience get confused. I used the same text from the front cover
title “Rock On!” for the contents title. This is so the magazine has a
flow and the consumer can compare them.
The colours are simple and don’t clash with the background or with
each other. The colour scheme is continued within the contents page
so the magazine can be noticed from any page within. Also, I created
a small logo for the title “Rock On!” and just used- “R!” I thought this
would be more effective than using bullet points.
The sizes are in order of importance, starting from the title being the
biggest so it stands out the most. After that, the text will be near
enough all the same size, besides the page number as this will be
slightly smaller.
I have had the writing on either side and then images down the
middle because I thought this would look different and effective.

4. Step 3 – First Draft
After collecting some images, creating the title and
deciding on a layout for my magazine, I produced a
quick draft to see if all the fonts, colours, images and
the layout all work out. However, as I was producing
the contents page I saw that just like the front cover,
the original colour scheme I had chosen wasn’t
working out very well, therefore I changed the colour
scheme to match the front cover. However, as you can
see it didn’t work as well as I expected as many factors
on the draft are out of proportion and the colours
don’t match.. Therefore myself and fellow classmates
come up with things I needed to change;
• Images were to small
• Not all the text would fit on, as well as the images
• The editor’s section needs to be more creative
• To much information on the page, the consumer may
get bored
• Lacks creativity
• The cover artist isn’t in the contents (no images etc.)
After collecting the negatives, I decided to do a second
draft and change what needed to be changed.

5. Step 4 – Second
Draft
After producing my second draft as shown, I still wasn’t
satisfied. After looking at the bullet points on what needed to
be changed, I planned out what needed to be done.
I decided to put less information on the page and make the
images a little bit bigger, even though everything would still not
fit on the page properly. I added another image of the cover
artist and placed it on the contents page. I took out the editors
section, but after looking in other magazines I realised that
most magazines have an editors section. To be a little more
creative I highlighted the red on the cover band to make them
stand out more and be a little more creative,
For my next draft magazine I will be changing;
• The amount of information on the page
• Have a double page contents to fit everything I require on the
page
• Make the images of the other bands a lot bigger so they stand
out more and possibly edit the images to look more creative
and appealing
• Add more images to the page
• Put the editors section back in, just make it more appealing
• Possibly have a red border line at the top to make it more
colourful and bring out the red in the magazine

6. Step 5 – Final Draft
For this draft I made all the
changes I said I would from the
previous draft (2) and also some
other minor changes, i.e. Having
an issue number.
As you can see from the
previous draft there are a
number of changes that have
made me extremely pleased
with this one, that no more
drafts will be needed. I have
added the red border line, so it
can bring out the red in the
magazine. I have altered the
cover bands name and made it
so it matched the contents page
title and also moved their image
so it slightly overlaps the
contents title- therefore it’s not
as ‘neat’. I have made the other
bands images bigger and also
edited them to make them more
appealing. I have spaced out the
information across 2 pages and
put the editors section back in The images on the page also contain the number page that they are on within the magazine, which makes
with a few minor changes, such it a lot quicker for the target audience to read, if they don’t feel like looking through the contents. I have
as adding my image there and also added some other images of the cover band which vary, to show that a photo shoot took place and
my name. they did different things. I prefer this contents page to the drafts as its more clearer, simple but informative
at the same time.

7. Conclusion
In conclusion, it took me 3 attempts to get the right contents page that I was 100% pleased with. I used Macromedia Fireworks,
Quark Express and Photoshop to produce this magazine. I feel it helped that I come up with a favourite layout even though my final
magazine cover didn’t quite match, however working from the layout guide helped me see where everything could go and where it
may look better. I think I have progressed excessively from the first draft and that is down to researching other magazine and getting
some more ideas for my magazine and simply finding ways in which it helped the magazine looked more appealing to my target
audience.
The colours in the end became more of a red, black and white theme and I feel this is because the magazine looks better when it has
a colour theme, rather than loads of different colours as it makes the magazine more recognisable to the audience as well showing
the type of magazine by using the colour red.
The sizes were a lot bigger than I anticipated at the start, but after seeing the sizes on the magazine I realised that my predictions
were wrong and the title, band name and slogan need to be bigger, as well as different colours.
The images I used were better in the second and final draft as I didn’t costume the actors in the right ‘rock’ way for the magazine.
However, after I spent the night taking new ones they became a lot better and I colour coded it by getting them to wear red so they
blend in with the magazine. Making them black and white and just having their red piece of clothing in colour, I feel made an effect
that I couldn’t find any other magazine doing, therefore I thought it was diverse and unique.
Finally, I feel the last draft was the best and therefore I didn’t make any more as I was fully satisfied and overall, I was very happy with
my final contents page and I feel I have satisfied all my target audiences needs and the magazine front cover is appealing enough to
attract the target market.