Final Magazine / Interactive PDF

Final Magazine Design

Front Cover

Interview with Cara Delevigne

Interview with Taylor Swift

The Return of Tartan Trend Spotter

Meet The Model : Abbey Lee Kershaw Interview

A/W 2014 Trends Editorial

Overall I am very happy with the final outcome of my magazine and I think it has good continuity and looks cohesive and the style and theme is clear throughout. I think it would stand out on the shelf against other magazines because of the bold contrast of the masthead against the cover and most fashion magazines are usually very bright and colourful so mine would look unique and original and would be a bold contrast against these. I have a large mixture of spreads because I have different proportions of text to image as well as an image based spread and have used a variety of layouts and different grid layouts with 2 column and 3 column e.t.c designs. I think my typography is effective because I have kept to the same basic style or headlines using decorative hand written style typefaces but they all have something different about them keeping each spread looking fresh and unique whilst keep continuity throughout. All of my images have a dark and edgy tone and mood which is the idea I had at the start and I have managed to stick to this so that my magazine keeps the same feel and mood throughout.




Interactive PDF Creation


I decided to create an interactive PDF to make my magazine more accessible and versatile so that it could be viewed online and on other devices such as iPads as a lot of magazines are becoming digital so I wanted to be able to access this market.

I created buttons that scrolled to the next and previous pages before applying this to the master slide and exporting the document as an interactive PDF.

I chose blue buttons and lowered the opacity as I hadn't used this colour in my designs so I knew it would show up on all of the pages and lowering the opacity meant that any text or images behind the buttons could still be seen.

Here is a preview of what my interactive PDF ended up looking like.

Front Cover Development

To help me decide on an image to use for my cover I found a couple that were in the style that I wanted to use and tried out my masthead in various positions firstly to see if it was effective and secondly to see whereabouts it would work best.

First I tried it over her head but it covers a lot of the image so I would like to experiment further and maybe place it behind her head instead.

I also tried it at the bottom and I think this works but doesn't stand out as much as when it was against the grey and the image stops looking like a magazine cover as it would be difficult to add in additional headlines that would usually go under the masthead.

Next I placed it behind her head but I dont think this works either because although it is better than having it in front her head covers too much of it for any legibility to stay and this only works for very well known magazines as nobody without previous knowledge would know what it says. None of these really worked so this image won't be suitable.

Next I tried this image and as the model is more zoomed out I thought it might work better as it would cover less of the masthead. The masthead doesn't really work down here as there is too much white in the image so it gets lost against it and legibility is lost.

As with the last image the model covers too much of the masthead so legibility is lost. Again none of the layouts were effective so this image isn't suitable.

This image had a slight gap above it so there is a decent degree of legibility but the colours dont really suit the style of my magazine and although they are dark I think the black and white or sepia images were more effective at conveying the dark and edgy style of my magazine. The image also still covers quite a lot of the masthead so it wouldn't be very visible from a distance if it was placed on a shelf so wouldn't really stand out so this image also wouldn't be suitable.

This image has the right tones and colours in it but the position of the model is quite strange and covers many areas of the masthead making it lose its impact and boldness. So again this won't be suitable.

I edited this image using the clone and paintbrush and blending tools on photoshop to create a larger space at the top as the plain colours allowed me to do this subtly and I think it looks effective as the masthead has a bold contrast against the grey so really stands out and isn't covering anything so is clear and legible. I would like to try placing it behind her head to blend the two elements together better and make the image stand out off the page.

I placed the masthead behind the image and I think this looks really effective because it blends the two together nicely whilst making the image stand off the page and giving it a lot more dimension.

My original idea was to create a front cover that was text based and had text surrounding the model in the middle. I tried this out with a couple of different fonts and layouts and cut the model out so that it could be placed behind her and the two could be better integrated.

After trying various layouts I decided that this wasn't going to work because all the handmade fonts looked too similar to my masthead as well as it only working in white because other colours looked odd against the black and white colour scheme and didn't work against the masthead. Although this was my original idea I am going to try a different cover design because this isn't working out and I can't see a way of making it look effective.

I decided to add a border to frame the page and create a container for elements to sit within. To keep the model standing out off the page and add extra dimension I placed it behind her so that her legs sat over it and I think this looks really effective and adds a lot of depth to the image. I dont think the blue works against the completely black and white colour scheme so I think white or a darker shade of colour would work better.

In the end I went with white because it compliments the other colours on the page and it looks subtle as this border isn't meant to stand out or be a focal point and colouring it would have that effect which I dont want.

I next added in the barcode and I think it looks really effective to have this resting on the border as it keeps it contained so it doesn't look like its just floating on the page.

next I added in the price and issue number but I dont really like the landscape layout and I think it would look better portrait.

I made it portrait and I think it looks a lot more effective and slots in a lot nicer. I used the same font as on my folio at first but I dont think it has great legibility at this small of a size so I will be changing this.

I chose a much simpler sans serif font that has better legibility and blends in nicely with the cover and doesn't stick out too much as you want the barcode to be something that isn't really noticed.

I wanted to add a headline to the cover to give a hint to the contents of the magazine and the sort of thing people are likely to find to draw in readers and to add some extra detail the my cover as it was looking a little plain. First I tried a sans serif font but I think this looks too harsh against the soft script font used for my masthead.

I next tried a serif font and I think this looks a lot softer and more effective and blends in better with the rest of the cover. I put the top part in italics and gave it an underline to emphasise it more and separate from the subheading which I created in the same font for continuity.

There was an awful lot of white on the page so I decided to subtly add a little colour my colouring the title and making it a focal point on the page. I chose this dark gold colour as it is subtle and works nicely against the grayscale and all of the white without looking too colourful and out of place. I played around with the layer styles to give it some opacity so that the image could still be seen beneath.

Below I experimented with some sans serif fonts for the subheading to give a contrast against the serif heading.

Some of these looked ok but I decided to stick with my original because I thought there was more continuity on the page and there was too much of a contrast between the two styles of font and it was taking attention away from the headline which should be the main focus. The serif font is still perfectly legible and the fact it doesn't have an underline and isn't in italic in my opinion gives it enough contrast and a clear separation.

After receiving some feedback I decided that A/W was a little confusing for readers and writing out the words would be clearer and more effective. Because of the length of this, it needed to be placed on a separate line so I experimented with this below.

Here I played around with the size of it.

I decided that the underline was unnecessary because it separated the titles which wasn't needed as they are part of the same sentence so removing it made them look like they were connected.

After receiving some more feedback I tried filling in the area after my border with white.

I placed the models legs over as I had done before to give it more dimension. I didn't end up liking this cover because I think it lightens the page too much and takes away from the dark and edgy atmosphere I was trying to create so in the end I went back too my original cover as shown below.

This is my final design for the cover. I think it looks really effective and I am very happy with it because the colours of the image give an insight into the style and mood of my magazine, the masthead is very bold and high contrast and would really stand out from a distance on a shelf, and the headline and subheading blend in really nicely with the rest of the cover and the hint of colour really makes the headline stand out. I think all of the fonts work well together and the cover also has a lot of depth and dimension because I layered the elements by placing the model over the masthead and border and the heal dine and subheading text over the model.

Double Page Spread Development

Cara Delevigne Interview Spread

This is the original image that I wanted to use for my double page spread but it was landscape so I decided to extend the space above it using photoshop with the clone tool, blending tool, and paint brush tool.

I decided to have the image cover an entire half of the spread because I think it is effective how it makes her look like she is peeking over the bottom of the paper .

Next I added my text into two paragraphs and placed them about half way down the page to leave room for the heading and subheading. I kept the gap in the middle quite large because the chunks of text are quite wide so it makes each paragraph clearer and improves legiblity as well as adding extra white space which improves the overall look of the page by making it look cleaner and less cluttered.

Next I added in the headline and I chose a bold hand painted style font which goes well with my hand painted style masthead giving my magazine a consistent identity.

I then added in a subheading and played around with a couple of paint brush style fonts because these fit the edgy style of my magazine and link in with the headline and the masthead.

In the end I selected this font because it is clear and legible and is very similar to the headline so they both compliment each other and the page looks coherent.

Next I decided to add in a pull quote to add some extra stying to the page along with the fact that the quote will draw in the reader and encourage them to read the whole article.

I experimented with the layout of this.

I think it looks best centered because it brings a central focal point to the text which should lead the eye in to read the rest of the article. I chose a basic sans serif font in the end to compliment the sans serif headline and subheading fonts but I chose a much simpler font as I wanted it to be legible and clear to read.

I added in some speech marks to illustrate it and attract more attention to it. I then played around with the colour of these.

I decided to keep it light grey so that it didnt overpower the actual quote. I made the quote a slightly darker grey. I chose these shades as I picked them out from the image so that they would compliment it and the page would look cohesive.

Next I made a folio. I chose a paintbrush stroke because this links to the edgy and artistic style I wanted my magazine to have as well as linking to the masthead and the headline font. I think the font of the folio text needs changing though because it is too neat and tidy and doesnt fit with the other decorative elements on the page.

I changed it to this quirky handmade style font that suits the style of my magazine a lot better but is still bold and legible.

I wanted to add more impact to the pull quote so I made the speech marks very oversized and I think this is very effective at seperating it form the body text and giving it more emphasis.

Next I played around with the colour of the pull quote.

I decided in the end that the original grey tones work best because they have more continuity with the rest of the page because I picked the tones out from the image and they compliment it better.


Next I tested out using colour on my headline.

I decided to stick with black in the end because although the colours looked nice they are not as bold and dont have as much of a bold contrast and impact and the style of my magazine is edgy and high contrast so the black suits this better.

The layout was quite spread out and there wasnt much white space so I tried moving things together a bit more although i think I could squash things down even more to leave a nice chunk of white space at the top to makes the page look clearer and less cluttered.

I then experimented with the postion of the headline and subheading to place the white space in the middle and tried placing the drop quote over the image.

I dont think the headline looks as effective here because having the white space in the middle of the page doesnt stop it from looking full and cluttered, whereas having it at the top seemed to solve this problem.

I then placed it back down but moved the header above it to see if the layout would look better like this. I think this looks a little messy and not as neat and organsised as I had it before.

I tried the same position but placed it above and again I dont think this looks quite right because the lengths of all the lines clash. Because of this I will stick to the original layout as it is clear, has good readability, and looks neat and organised.

Next I played around again with the position of my pull quote.

I also decided to keep this in the original layout because placing it above the image meant that the impact of it was lost and there was no focal point to draw the reader in to reading the text so it is a lot more effective here. I think this spread is effective because the headline is bold and suits the style of my magazine, the pull quote draws the readers in and the tones used compliment the image, and the image is bold and quirky and fits with the mood I wanted my images to create.


Next I created an optional layout for this article because I wanted to do a version with multiple images that were in colour.

I layed it out in a grid because this looks clear and organised and allowed me to have white space surrounding the pictures making the page flow better and look more visually pleasing.

Next I added in my headline, subheading, and body text. I chose a two column layout again because I wanted the text to fill the bottom half of the page with white space as a border instead of large gaps. I chose a decorative hand drawn style typeface for my headline to be in keeping with the style of my magazine and the same font as the previous article for my subheading for continuity along with the fact that this compliments the headline and is very clear and legible. I would like to improve the layout and use of white space by squashing everything down to the the bottom half of the page so that there is a gap of white space on top.

I think this looks a lot more effective because it looks clearer and the overall page flows better and it looks less full and cluttered.

I added in my folio.

I decided to use drop quote and played around with the colours. I used the same font and speech marks as before for continuity and because the font is bold and legible and the large speech marks give it more impact and keep the text contained.

I think it would work better to place this somewhere else on the page so that I can use all four images and keep the grid design.

I decided to place it in the middle and I think this looks effective because it joins the images together and creates a focal point on that page as before the images were all equally the focal point so now there is somewhere to focus on.


I experimented with colour.

In the end I went with a simple grey colour scheme. This works best because the subtle greys compliment the subtle blue tones of the image and as the images are coloured using bright colours would have clashed with the images and the pull quote would not have stood out from the images.


Taylor Swift Article (edit of cara delevigne option 2)

I ended up liking both layouts so decided to keep the original as the Cara Delevigne interview and adapted the second layout by changing the title and images. I think it still looks really effective and actually suits my magazine better than the last one because of the dark tones in the images that match the mood and the style I decided to use in my photography style moodboard. I have placed the subheading above the title but I think it will work better below because the lengths dont match up well and it looks a bit out of place.

I think it looks a lot more effective like this as it matches the width of the text and having the headline shorter means that it leads down to the longer length instead of it behing too long and heavy on top as it was before. I think this layout is effective because the images suit the style of the magazine, the pull quote stands out and draws the reader in, and the headline is bold and eye catching and the font really suits the handmade decorative look I wanted my magazine to have.

Fashion Spread Collage Development


Next I developed this layout for a trend spread. I am going to collage around each of the models with clothing and patterns related to the trend.

I decided to use a three column design and lay it out across the spread so that I could fit the 6 models on in a neat and organised manner as the collage will be very messy and detailed so it will really help if the layout is organised.

I added this paint brush stroke underneath the models for a clear separation between the collages and the text so that they all finish in a straight and neat line.

Next I created the images. I also added in titles with hand written style text over masking tape and I think this links to the edgy hand made feel I wanted some of the decorative elements to have and the pale tape contrasts against the clothes and stands out.

The document corrupted at this stage and I wasnt completely happy with how it was looking because the mix of the style of all the collages looked a bit messy and there wasnt much continuity on the page so I decided continue with the collage idea but make a single large one instead as shown on the spread developed below.

Tartan Article/Collage Development

I began by making the collage taking inspiration and some images from one of the mini ones I created above. I added in some paint strokes and I paint stroke title with paint brush style font to add an edgy handmade edge to the collage with fits with the theme of my magazine as well as linking to previous pages for continuity where I have previously used paint brush style fonts and elements.

Next I added the text in a three column design because I wanted it to fill up the bottom section of the page so this meant I could make it quite small. I also experimented with headlines.

None of these headlines were quite working so I decided to create one over masking tape as I really liked the effect this gave on the previous font. I added a handwritten style font to give the impression it had been written on in pen and to also link to the style of the rest of my magazine.

I then lowered the opacity and slightly layered it to give the illusion of it being stuck on.

It didnt quite blend in right with the rest of the page and looked a bit lost just stuck in the middle so I adapted the layout and made it look more 3D by adding dropshadows and this helps it become a focal point and really jump of the page. I angled it slightly and had it coming off the edge of the page and I think this blends it in with the rest of the page a lot better. I also increased the size of some of the collage elements and this helped fill the page and make the layout look more creative and moved the paint brush stroke to cover the edge of the opposite page which links the spreads together and make them feel more connected. I also adpated it to a 2 column layout because the 3 made the page feel very crammed and this allowed for more white space. I think this layout is effective because the collage looks edgy and adds a creative and laidback feel to the magazine which is what I wanted to create and the headline is bold and original and blends well with the cut and paste style of the collage.

Fashion Editorial Development


Lastly I created an illustrated fashion editiorial spread because I wanted to add an image based spread to my magazine.

I chose dark toned images to suit the edgy and dark mood I wanted my magazine to have and to be inkeeping with the rest of my magazine. I started to add in a mixture of hand drawn elements and text. I cut out the model so that they could be placed behind her and so that the text and images looked integrated making the page look less flat and give it more a 3D appearance. I chose decorative hand written style fonts for continuity across my magazine and I also think these compliment the illustrations really nicely. I angled the type and molded it around the shape of the model to so that it is better integrated with the image.

I continued to add in the other elements until the space was quite filled. I think this looks really effective because the hand drawn style of it compliments they style of the rest of my magazine and the white against the grey is quite high contrast so the added elements really stand out.


I then did the same for the other image that will make up the other half of the page.

I tried out this layout at first but it looks too similar too my other image so I will experiment further with it.

I tried placing it behind the chair legs and I think this looks really effective because it is really well integrated with the image but I placed it so that it is still clear and legible.


I then played around with the hand drawn elements.

This is my final design for the spread. I think this looks really effective as the elements are really well integrated and woven in with the image making it stand out and look 3D. As with the other it really fits the style of the magazine because of the hand drawn style and dark edgy looking image.

Initially I layed it out like this but I think the white space takes away form the impact of the spread because there was already a lot of white on the page so it slightly overpowers it.

I think this looks a lot more effective having it fill the page as the images look bolder and it also makes the pages look darker and suits the mood of my magazine better. I left the white line in the middle because the grey backgrounds were different tones so didnt look right touching but I think this should be grey or black because the white flows into the elements on the edge of the images that are the same white.

I changed it to black and I think this works as it keeps the dark feel of the spread and doesnt interfere with the white page elements.

Meet the model interview spread

Next I created another quick interview spread because I wanted to experiment more with a three column layout as the majority of mine were two.

I chose this dark toned image as it suits the theme and mood of my magazine and has good continuity with the rest of my magazine. I decided to add the title in with a border to keep the letters contained. I did a letter in each corner as this adds a fun and creative way to layout a headline. I think the font could do with some development though because it is very neat and tidy and doesnt suit the style of headlines used in my magazine. I think something more decorative would fit in better.

I kept a basic font for the time being but it will be experimented with later on.

I decided on a three column layout because this is something I hadnt experimented with very much in my earlier spreads. I started off by placing it to the right of the page and having them at different heights to leave some white space around it for a headline and subheading e.t.c.

Next I tried out added some boxes around it to add some structure around the text and reduced the opacity so that they could overlap. I also added in a headline but I think the font needs to be something more decorative for the same reasons as with the opposite page.

I tried out a couple below:

I think this font works really well for the headline because it has the hand written style so fits with the rest of my magazine but is very simple and as this spread is all about simplicity it fits in nicely with it and doesnt overpower eveything else.

I removed the grey boxes because they werent really adding anything to the page and I think it looks a lot simpler and cleaner with the extra white space. I would like to play around with the layout of the body text because it doesnt look right with the headline placed in.

I placed it into a single column and I think this looks a lot more effective because it gives a clear divide between text and header and looks quite quirky and unusual whilst looking really simple which fits with the style of the rest of the layout.

I then added in the subheading. I chose a simple sans serif font because the headline font is a thinner stroke than most of my headlines so anything too bold would compete with this. I also began to experiment with hand written style fonts for the 'abby' title.

I think this font looks the best because it is still simple but has a hand written look to it with the varying strokes so better suits the style of my magazine.

To add the folio I had to move the column slightly so that it wasnt covered. I am happy with the final layout of this spread and I think it looks effective because the layout is quite original and it is very simple but still bold because of the high contrast and suits the style and theme of my magazine because of the dark toned image and typography I used.