Evaluation question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real music magazines?

My media product mainly challenges the norms and conventions surrounding music magazines as I have taken a more abstract approach to each of my pages. This hasn't been entirely successful because each page looks different and some look like they don't really they belong in the same magazine as there is little consistency in the theme.However I'm glad that I included something different and original in each page and each page communicated different topics highlighted in the PBRnB genre. The PBrNB genre itself does not follow the norms present in the music industry and there is lots of experimenting which leads to different unique styles. 

I wanted the front page to have a sinister feel to it, and I wanted to communicate this without holding back or sugar coating any of the writing or symbolism involved in the magazine. This was done to imitate the bluntness and sheer honesty some  artists from the genre have in the lyrics, regardless of public opinion - their authenticity is clearly communicated in their songs. I noticed that in most magazines, the creator plays with aspects like power rather than emotions or thoughts so I decided to experiment and try to present the artist though his thoughts without falsely trying to make him look more powerful for the front page. The page is mainly dark, and has a contrasting purple accent to give the page some kind of theme in hopes to attract people. I should have definitely put more attention towards the masterhead as it lacks boldness and doesn't really do the rest of the page justice, I am particularly disappointed with it because I have seen how powerful masterheads can be in other magazines.

The Contents Page was more experimental but I think I achieved the connotations of psychedelics and drug use from the blurry distorted writing and colourful background, but this wasn't influenced by any pages from previous magazines. Parts of it were influenced by artwork related to artists who openly communicate their experiences with these types of drugs. The colourful background was inspired by the acid rap mixtape cover and other images with a similar effect. 

The double page spread is the one that looks the least abstract. This is because I tried to follow the conventions I researched for a double page spread. This was the only page where the influence was strictly from other magazines rather than individual images  or artwork surrounding the PBRnB genre and as a consequence it looks less experimental than the others. For me, the most successful area of my double page spread is the colour variation which was completely unplanned, but I think the contrastingly coloured pages fit nicely together.