New Logo & Banner

Having had a problem with my previous logo when turning it into a banner for my website, I decided to rethink some ideas.  Since I had shot some still life for content of my online magazine, I thought that it would be nice to incorporate one of those images as a background for my logo/banner, as it would bring together the idea that it was a beauty magazine.  Below are the new designs that I created, along with feedback from my target market focus group.

1

From the original image I cut out a piece from the centre of the image to create the smudge in the design above.  I like the simplicity of this idea, however as a banner this still gives me the same problem that I had before with the menu.  If the banner did not take up so much room on the web page, I might have considered having that as a sticky scroll too.

FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK

The feedback for this design was mixed.  A third of the group really liked the idea of combining the smudge in the banner, whereas the other two thirds thought that the smudge looked really out of place and a bit 'blobby'.  With regards to the feedback, this logo/banner will not be chosen for the magazine.

2

For this design, I have used the full product image as a background for the banner.  With this design I have also played around with the idea of having the menu and logo next to each other in the banner.  This would allow me to pin it to the top of my website page, meaning that the menu will move as the reader scrolls, which is what I originally had planned.  This is not preferable, as ideally I would be able to just have the menu bar stay at the top when it reaches it.

FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK

The feedback for this design was a lot more positive.  Everyone in the group liked this banner, as they felt that it had a better finish and looked more professional.

3

Here, I have again use the full product image as a background for the banner.  However, this time I have experimented with having the title of the magazine on one line, as this would make it work better as a sticky header.  I do like this banner, but I think that with the name and menu all on one line, the spacing between them is not enough for it to be distinguishable and effective.

FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK

The feedback for this design was, again, more positive.  As it is very similar to the banner above, the feedback was basically the same.  The group agreed that this design also looked professional, however they preferred the design above because of the way that the name of the website was laid out.

4

As a working logo, I decided to go with the majority vote and use number 2 as my banner, however when I showed Elizabeth she was not keen on it. She said that because the logo font was the same as the website font, it was not a distinctive logo.

Therefore I went back to my banner design, changed the font of the title and moved the menu bar to underneath the logo.  I am much happier with this design, and the feedback from my focus group matched my feelings.

FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK

The group agreed that this was a much better layout and design for my magazine's banner. It was said that the font was a lot nicer and more distinctive and the general concessus was that this should be the banner used on my website.

Website Problems

Since I have been creating my website, I have been faced with many difficulties.  When I began creating my website, I had a clear design idea that I wanted to stick by, however I am using Adobe Muse and some things that I would like to achieve do not seem to be possible.

MISMATCH BANNER LAYOUT
I was really happy with the logo that I had previously decided on, however having made it into a banner for my website I no longer think it fits with the theme of my magazine.  As a square logo I think that the design works well, though when it is translated into a banner and the square is so small in the middle, you lose the effect.  I also feel that it doesn't look as professional as I had hoped, which I think could be to do with the pink/purple coloured background.

Current Website Homepage

I also have grown to dislike the font that features in the logo, as when I have started to write features to be added to the website it does not look professional.  Therefore I think that I need to re-work the logo and banner so that they fit with the concept of my magazine and make it look more professional.

MENU TROUBLES

I wanted a banner with my logo across the top with a horizontal menu underneath.  When the viewer scrolls down the page, I want the menu to scroll to the top and then stay there as the rest of the page scrolls, so that the menu is always accessible for the reader, similar to the Get the Gloss website (see below).

However after googling for hours and seeking John's help, it seems that this is not possible, which is frustrating as I really wanted it to work.  I still want my menu to appear and stay at the top of the page when the reader scrolls through the website, so I have come up with some possible solutions to this problem:
      1) Pin the banner as well as the menu at the top of the page so that they both stay there when the reader scrolls.
      2) Change the design of my website.
Because I do not want to have a banner that scrolls with the page as well, and because the current banner design that I have is not working the way that I had envisioned, I think that my best option is to adapt the design of my website.

Mid-point Thoughts

ORGANISATION

Organising teams of people has been extremely difficult so far.  I feel that I have been well organised in trying to gather a team, however the communication back to me has not been good.  I have sent mood boards to my photographers with available dates to work with, however in some cases I have had to prompt them in order to receive a reply.
My models have been good at letting me know their availability and working with them has not been so difficult.  What I have struggled with the most is making sure that the whole team is available at the same time, which in some cases has meant that I have had to photograph the looks myself.  This has not been a complete disaster, as I am fairly confident behind the camera for beauty shots, however when I want to use specific techniques that I do not know how to achieve, I need to make sure that one of my photographers is available to help me.
From these occurrences I have learnt that to make operations smoother along the way, there are things that I could do prior to photoshoots that would improve the communication between myself and my team.  For example, creating call sheets and setting up a group message to communicate with everyone at one would probably make things slightly easier, and in turn it should improve the organisation of the group.

PRODUCTION
I am still a bit behind on my production schedule, however I am making up good time and getting on with my work in order to get myself back on track.  So far I have completed four of my photoshoots and I have another one planned for the end of this week.  After my week off for Easter, I need to crack on and get all of my shoots done so that I can start adding content to my website layout.
For the content of my magazine, I have photoshoots complete, however I need to begin writing up my articles to accompany them.  This will be hard if I leave it much longer to begin them, so my aim for the next few weeks is to make a start on the articles.

PROGRESSION
To progress further and achieve everything that I have set out to in time for the project deadline, I need to focus on:
- Completing my photoshoots
- Finalising my website layout
- Building my website
- Writing my magazine articles
This is achievable if I am strict with myself and make sure that I stay on track with my schedule plan.

Skincare Photoshoot

INSPIRATION

This moodboard of inspiration for my skincare photoshoot shows natural looking skin with highlights and a neutral lip colour.  I think that when creating a skincare look, it is important that the make-up looks natural and not overdone, otherwise it would defeat the point of the look being about keeping your skin healthy without the need for make-up.  To go with the make-up look, I would like to create a plaited hairstyle to keep the model's hair off of her face.  This will allow me to really focus on her face and the make-up, and it will also incorporate the idea of the overall trend behind the magazine - structure.  I believe that braids represent this well because they are quite regimented and tight against the head.

http://www.thefairytalemakeupartist.co.uk/strobing/

https://www.listaddicts.com/top-7-best-summer-cornrow-styles-for-women-2015/

http://www.elle.gr/article.asp?catid=24964&subid=2&pubid=129833215

https://www.newbeauty.com/treatments/lip-enhancement/

http://www.illamasqua.com/gleam-in-aurora/

http://www.lifewiththechampions.com/wedding-day-beauty-look/

UNEDITED IMAGES

The theme behind this photoshoot is skincare.  I wanted to create a natural effect with the make-up to mirror the idea that skincare regimes are becoming more popular and that they can make someone's skin look better without having to wear as much make-up.  I feel that I have achieved the outcome that I was aiming for with the make-up, and I am pleased with the way that the skin looks fresh and smooth and I have worked with the conventions of beauty to achieve the imagery above by creating close-up shots of the face and adjusting the lighting so that the highlight really stands out.

For the hair in this image, I wanted it off of the face so that the focus would be on the skin.  I opted for cornrow braids, as they took the hair back but still portray the idea of structure, being in regimented lines down the back of the head.  I am happy with the braids and the way that they sit, however the model's hair was quite layered and you can see these layers falling out of the braids in some of the images and there are also little fuzzy ends of hair surround the braids.

In post-production, I plan to brighten the images slightly to really show off the glow of the skin.  I will also be cleaning up the loose fuzzy hairs, in order to achieve the high quality, clean cut imagery that I want to publish in my magazine.  I will also crop some of the images, so that it is focused just on the face and the skin.

Lip Photoshoot

INSPIRATION

Here is a moodboard of inspiration for my lip photoshoot.  I want the shoot to focus on the trend of dark lipstick shades for Autumn, so I plan to use Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick in Shame, as shown in the image above.  To compliment the lipstick shade, I would like to create a soft gold smoky eye, using a similar shade to the pigment shown in the moodboard.  I think that the combination of this eye and lip look will create a nice image that mainly focuses on the model's lips.  To accentuate this and make sure the focus is on the lips, I will have the model's hair pulled off of her face.  Similarly to the hairstyle seen in the image, but probably a bit tighter to the head and not as pouffy on top.

https://uk.pinterest.com/abco11/beauty/

http://www.polyvore.com/eye_shadow/collection?id=463738

https://uk.pinterest.com/explore/it-cosmetics/

http://www.urbandecay.co.uk

http://www.estanbul.com/mevsime-uygun-5-koyu-ruj-onerisi-437335.html

http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/tips/g8585/gold-makeup-eyes-lips/

http://www.allfashionnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/How-to-Use-Dark-Purple-Lipstick-Well.jpg

UNEDITED IMAGES

Today I did a photo shoot for one of my lip looks, which I am really happy with.  My photographer was unavailable so I shot the images myself, but I feel that they have come out well.  The theme of this photoshoot was to focus on the lip, and the trend of dark Autumnal shades.  The lip line that has been created is clean without a bleed, which I am impressed with, and I feel that the bronzed shades of eyeshadow work well with the lip colour in order to make it stand out.  Here I have worked with the conventions of beauty in order to create a set of imagery that draws your attention to the model's lips.  I have done this by creating a neutral make-up look with a bold coloured lip that stands out most within the imagery.  Having the hair off of the face also allows the viewer to focus more on the make-up, and in particular the lip shape and colour.

The hair I am disappointed with.  My aim was a smooth, sleek bun with small wisps of hair falling around the front of the face, however my model had very think hair which was difficult to get as sleek as I had wished.  The wisps of hair also look a lot messier than I had originally envisioned, therefore some of the stray hairs will need to be edited out in post-production.  Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of this photoshoot, however there are parts that need to be worked on in the post-production stage in order to achieve a cleaner image, ready for my magazine.

In post-production I do not plan to do a lot to the images, because I do not want to over work them.  I would like to brighten the subject of the photos slightly in order to make the make-up really stand out, and I will tidy up the extra wispy hairs that can be seen around the side of the head.

Changes to my project

On receiving feedback to the project proposal, I have decided to make a few adjustments.  In my original project, it was suggested that my target audience would know more about the subject areas within my magazine than myself, meaning that I would not be supplying more information to them than they already know.  Having spoken to my mentor, we have decided that some changes to my project would be beneficial, as I proposed to achieve a lot of work that, on reflection, I might not be able to cope with alone in just a few months.
Elizabeth suggested that my original idea had been done before and to be unique I needed to have a forecasting element to my magazine. Below I have outlined a new plan for my project.

FOCUS

The aim of this project is to create an online magazine that acts as a trend forecasting platform for the public.  The website will allow the viewer to explore beauty, hair and fashion trends for the upcoming season - the first issue being for Autumn 2016.  Alongside forecasting features on beauty, hair and fashion, the online magazine will hold interviews with new, up and coming creatives and exhibition reviews.

I have chosen to continue with the platform of an online magazine for the reasons in my previous proposal - it will allow the viewer to be more interactive with the magazine, and most people have access to the internet in today's society, making it more accessible to a wider variety of people.

Features will include forecasted trends for the upcoming season in the format of photo shoots and articles to accompany and explain what the trend will be about.  Interviews with up and coming creatives and exhibition reviews will still feature within the project, however I need to refine which exhibitions to review.  Moving imagery will be used throughout the website, as well as high fashion imagery to add dynamic to the magazine, and it will be an interactive experience for the viewer.

TARGET MARKET

The target market for my online magazine will be similar to the one previously proposed - the magazine will be aimed at creative professionals and people with an interest in the creative industry.  The initial age range to be focused on will be men and women in their mid 20s, however the magazine will also be able to cater for a wider audience.  The target market will be primarily based in a major city, with great interests in fashion and beauty, and the future of the industry.

Age:
20 - 40

Sex:
Male/Female

Location:
Any major city

Occupation:
Creative professional/Creative student

Interests:
Fashion, beauty, museums such as the V&A and the National Portrait Gallery, exhibitions such as 100 years of Vogue, conventions such as the Glamour Beauty Festival, magazines such as i-D and websites such as Beauty Papers.

The target market described is an outline of whom I will be primarily aiming my online magazine at.  Alternatively, the magazine can be available to anyone who holds an interest in the subjects explored.

COMPETITORS

BEAUTY PAPERS
"A creative biannual about the culture of beauty."
Beauty Papers, founded in 2015 by Maxine Leonard and Valerie Wickes, explores the ideas that form our interpretation of beauty.  It connects ideas of some of the industry's experts with new talent, and writers to generate a more diverse, cultural understanding.
Beauty Papers is similar to the proposed online magazine in the way that it brings creatives together through articles and interviews.  However, the fact that the proposed project intends on focusing on the future of beauty and fashion, sets it apart.  Beauty Papers also offers a physical copy of their magazine, whereas mine will solely be online in the form of an interactive website.

UNIQUE SELLING POINT

The unique selling point of the newly proposed outcome for my project is the element of forecasting in the magazine.  The online space will include photo shoots, moving imagery and articles based on the trends of the upcoming season.

FEATURES

- Beauty - Hair - Fashion -

The online magazine will consist of three feature areas: beauty, hair and fashion.  It will focus solely on these three areas as the target audience is men and women in the creative industries.  Also, there are already many magazines out there that cater for other areas, such as art and culture, therefore I have chosen to be more specific and stick with just these topics.
Each feature area will have visuals and articles that talk the reader through trends for the next season.  I plan to have various sections within the beauty category, however hair and fashion will just be sole sections with different areas explored within them.

PRODUCTION ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS - Creating a forecasting space online that is open for the public to view at their pleasure is an innovative concept that will capsulate the audience within the future of beauty, hair and fashion.

WEAKNESSES - Producing the number of photoshoots and accompanying articles proposed is ambitious for the time frame, especially as it is shorter now that I have adapted my idea.  To keep on track, I shall have to revise my production schedule and be sure to keep strictly to it. Collaborating with other creatives will help to ensure that the projects targets are met and that each feature is completed to a high standard.

OPPORTUNITIES - The online magazine will showcase the trends of the upcoming season and the new talents of the creative industry, as well as working with current successors of the industry.  The online magazine aims to entertain and inspire creatives, and, if successful, it could be continued with more issues and features to be published on a regular basis.

THREATS - Managing a team of creatives, such as models, photographers and videographers is already proving to be difficult.  Moving forward, organisation will be vital in order for the project to be successful.  Members of the creative team will have to be committed, and sourcing a larger team than necessary will allow for cases of unavailability.

FMP Proposal: Feedback

GRADE ACHIEVED: C1

TUTOR MARKER: Jennifer Anyan

TUTOR COMMENTS: A proposal that is a good starting point and provides rich and diverse areas for developing interesting content.  The proposal is also ambitious, you need to be realistic about who you are writing for; is the target market you have outlined potentially more knowledgable than you are in some of the project areas - how will you develop content that appeals to the top end of that readership?  You could also consider Hungertv.com and Nowness as competitors - Nowness may not strictly be a magazine but the boundaries and definitions of online platforms are now very fluid.  Greater conceptual analysis is needed in order for the project to really fulfil its potential, you created make-up inspired by the World goes Pop exhibition - what was the design methodology you employed in doing this?  Far greater experimentation and a more questioning approach is needed here.  Some of the proposal sections would benefit from further explanation, for example page 10 - you need to explain what this is showing us?  Would it be a section of the magazine on your own illustrations?  Do you intend to write about your work too?  You have a good starting point, however there is much that needs to be considered in more detail in order to elevate the standard of what you can produce and also to make this project practically manageable: this is what we need to discuss in the first tutorial - a clearer plan of exactly what you are going to do and how you are going to do it.

REACTION TO FEEDBACK: At first I was disheartened by my grade, but since receiving my feedback comments I can understand why I only achieved a 2:2. Having looked back over by proposal alongside my feedback, I agree with the comments and am confident in moving forward and what to do next.
I think that when I was writing my proposal, I was quite overwhelmed by my idea and wasn't entirely sure where I was going with it, and I was getting lost within my own ideas.  Because I wasn't sure myself on some ideas, I lacked in test shoots and I didn't leave myself enough time to create more than one or even recreate the one that I did.  On reflection, I needed to have defined my concept before I started writing, as well as having a plan for the number of shoots and features that I intend to include.  Having already spoken to my mentor, Elizabeth, we have decided that it would be more manageable if I create a soft launch of a magazine, rather than a full first issue.  This is because I have been very ambitious with the amount that I originally set out to achieve, and a soft launch will allow me to create fewer great features, rather than many average features.
Moving forward, I need to go back to the beginning and pinpoint the concept behind my magazine and map out the features in order to be able to find a dedicated team that will be willing to help me.  Once I have my definitive idea and map of my website, I can progress into the staging of my project and the shoots.

MOVING FORWARD: To be able to move forward with my project, I need to rethink my concept and aims.  The next stage of this project will be to redefine my idea having received my feedback.  In my feedback, it was mentioned that my proposed target audience would possibly know more about the project areas, due to having proposed my online magazine would be aimed at professionals within the industry.  Rethinking my project and the outcome will allow me to create something more appropriated to my target audience.  Once I have redefined my project and discussed it with my mentor, Elizabeth, I can then map my contents and build a team of creatives to work alongside me.