Research on the importance of typeface

TYPEFACE:

The typeface I choose is one of the most important decisions I will make about my magazine. I need to make sure that the reader can understand the messages I am denoting. Typography (Typography is the art and technique of arranging type and the space around it) is important because it is used to connote/ convey a specific mood or feeling e.g. a cursive font can be light-hearted but a stronger, bolder font is used to show readers that you should be taken seriously. The font will convey to the reader if I am professional, Modern, Traditional etc. the layout of the typeface and imagery can change the reader’s mind, belief and interest.

I need to think about the typography:
Layout

• A standard layout has one or two columns, but if I want to stand out and keep the reader interested, I may want to try three to five. 
• I need to use a variety of sizes to keep the layout engaging.
• Layout should be clutter free, clean and reader-friendly.
• Another important factor is type alignment. For example, everything left justified is an industry standard and traditional in ads. Remember to stay consistent when aligning your text.

Spacing & Margins

• Use correct spacing and make sure all my type is legible. I need to look at ‘leading’ (space between baselines of text) and ‘kerning’ (space between letters). Too much white space in between letters may be distracting, while too little space will feel crowded.

Colours

Colours must go well together. I must look at contrast between the type and the background to make sure that the text is legible.

Font
Is the font saying I am traditional or serious (eg serif fonts) or more modern and unconventional (a san-serif font). Font such as Comic Sans can be seen as fun and can appear  “cheap”.

 

Colour Research

1. Cool Colors

• Cool colors are said to make you feel relaxed, calm, tranquil and rejuvenated. That's why cool colors are used for spas, hair salons, vacation websites and commercials for companies that want their products to calm you. The color green is said to make you feel fresh and healthy. Lighter, airy shades of green--such as cucumber, light lime and mint--are said to have a calming effect. Deeper, richer greens symbolize wealth and prestige.

The color blue is not only supposed to make you feel comfortable and calm, but also trusting and secure about the company using that color. Typically, banks and financial institutions use greens and blues in their advertising to make you feel that your money is in good hands. Purple is used less often in advertising. Violet makes a product feel sophisticated and royal.

2. Warm Colors
• Warm colors are said to make you feel more energetic, happy, alive and vibrant. Pink is one of the most recognizable colors for femininity, playfulness and excitement. Almost all girls' products and advertising include the color pink. The color red is said to increase your heart and respiration rates. Because of this, red is often used as a color for passion or danger--or sometimes both.

Yellow is eye-catching, which is one reason it's used in advertising and in-store marketing. Yellow makes you feel sunny, warm and happy, whereas orange makes you feel young and healthy. When advertising luxurious or expensive items, many companies will use the color gold--the color of wealth, prosperity and affluence. The simple color brown symbolizes durability, stability and hard work.

Black and White

• Many people think of black as the color of death and white as the color of innocence. But in marketing and advertising they take on different meanings. Black is the color of sophistication, power and class. Black is often used promote a bold and luxurious product. In advertisements and commercials for luxury cars, almost all the featured cars are black.

In the advertising world, white is the color of cleanliness, crispness and simplicity. In a hotel room the bedsheets, towels, robes and even some comforters are always a crisp white. Many hotels use white linens because they evoke feelings of cleanliness.

Information from ehow: ‘Important Colors in Advertising a Product’ by Andrea Griffith    

Font Styles

Font Styles Research for My Magazine

Considerations for my front cover

Considerations for my front cover

Target audience:
Female and male, 15-35.Majority would be students

Rhythmix readers wear skinny jeans, logo/band t-shirts, checked shirts, plimsolls, Converse, Vans, Doctor Martens

Shop at stores like Topshop, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Asos, H&M, Monki, Rokit, HMV and charity shops• Likely to play an instrument like the guitar, drums, bass

House style- to give my magazine a specific look so the reader can tell that it is my magazine.

Rhythmix magazine - masthead on the top left position.

The artist/band-positioned centrally and in a large form.

 The main cover lines-the boldest font on the page.

 Cover lines are the second boldest text on the page, whilst the (occasionally used) brief outlines of the articles are in smaller font

Main image, the mis-en-scene (especially costume) is significant because it’s part of what conveys the overall vibe and genre of the entire magazine.

o   Casual clothing- often jeans, Hoodie or a T-shirt with messy hair. Clothes are frequently of a dark colour.

o   Expression- artists can appear removed and often have little facial expression

o   Props- often this is a musical instrument and frequently a guitar

o   Shot types-close up

o   Location and setting- mostly in the town rather than in the country- could be anything from a park bench to a street scene to a courtroom

o   Lighting- mostly a natural or a dark light- again depends on the mood of the song

o   Positioning- lead singer is placed centrally and to the front to engage with the audience and for increased recognisability

o   Editing- often uses straight cuts which can suit particularly indie rock music

The main image always follows the colour scheme.
The top 1/3 of the magazine is the only part seen on newsstands, therefore for this reason mastheads are always put on the top 1/3 and also this is the purpose of skylines.
Pugs increase the visual quality of the magazine and encourage the reader to buy the issue.
Barcodes, datelines and price lines act as extra general information for the reader.

 Use the personal mode of address such as “you” towards the readers.
 

The graphics tend to be limited to three colours in order to make the page easy to read, attractive and still conforming to the genre and style of the magazine

  My title is: ‘Rhythmix’.

 

My slogan is: ‘Rhythmix- feel the vibe’

 

Use a sans serif font called Verdana. Verdana is designed to be readable at small sizes.

 

Hand drawn draft- Double page spread

This is a hand drawn draft of what my double page spread may look like.

Hand drawn draft- Contents page

This is a hand drawn draft of what my contents page may look like.

Hand drawn draft- front cover page

This is a hand drawn draft of what my front cover may look like.

Front cover planning

Photography and how it is used

Photography and How It is Used

Contents page mock up

This is a digital mock up of a contents page. I think i will do something similar however i will not be using those colours. I have used them on my mock up because i wanted to be able to see the differences between the sections.

Photography inspiration

Photography Inspiration

Test Shots

Test Shots