I'm crap at making magazines, help me *crys*

[bucko]

Hello I have to redesign a magazine and it is Rugby World I'm remaking. I hate it, I'm so not creative enough, can you please look at it and tell me what is wrong, please be nice I know it's really BAD! This is why I'm asking here. Yes I have been researching and looking at other magazines.

Also why is my perfect scanned image background going all grainy no matter what size it is in InDesign? I scanned it in at 600res.

Cheers for all help, I'm hoping to get it done this weekend. I'm just finding it really hard. :cry: :cry: :cry:

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/magazine/6.jpg

Edited May 14, 2005 by bucko

[groovydesigner]

the picture is disgusting ,so change it

the font of the header doesn't fit .

that's all i think

[bucko]

What is wrong with the picture? I mean I need an action picture.

[frozentoast]

i would say try and get the text to look seperated from the cover by using a bevel or drop shadow maybe

[groovydesigner]

remember it's a magazine!

[SamIAm]

The picture doesn't really speak to the game but looks more like a mugging!

One of the problems you have is that there's a lot of text and the font color/size doesn't show up too well against the image background. Maybe reduce the amount of copy too.

You need to give the header a little more emphasis so people can quickly know what they are looking at.

Information like pricing doesn't need to be at the top. YOu have to make the person interested in the magazine first, if they are, they will take the time to find the price.

That's my 2cents, hope it helps.

[The Jorge]

The yellow text doesn't go well with the picture. Makes it harder to read actually. Some kind of separation of text and image would work better, as someone already mentioned.

[bucko]

Hi I changed the image is this ok? I still think it looks rubbish, what is a better colour than yellow to stand out a lot of colours I try just bleed or look cheap. I have made the header more impacting though I couldn't find a bevel option in InDesign. What size of the text would be good were it's talking about exclusive and the regular articals etc? Cheers,

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/magazine/7.jpg

Yes I know the header is a bit messed up lo.

[Toonie]

You have spelt "EXCLUSIVE" wrong in both images for a start

[bucko]

lol well spotted thanks!

[phedot]

You need to make the pricing a little smaller and need to add a black stroke around the text...

[bucko]

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/magazine/8.jpg

Is that better, the main image is being worked on. There also needs to be a bar code on, ill do that later.

Does anyone think there should be a background, wat type of background would go well with everything?

btw I did bevel on the text, fixed the typo but I couldn't find black stroke or glow if thats wat you mean.

[Toonie]

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/magazine/8.jpg

Is that better, the main image is being worked on. There also needs to be a bar code on, ill do that later.

Does anyone think there should be a background, wat type of background would go well with everything?

btw I did bevel on the text, fixed the typo but I couldn't find black stroke or glow if thats wat you mean.

585919710[/snapback]

The picture still isnt right , i dont like the way wilkinsons head is chopped off at the top and bottom maybe you can make the break less obvious by blending it ?

[bucko]

That is what im trying to fix atm :)

[SamIAm]

You seem to have gone too much in the wrong direction, this is more like a news magazine than sports.

You were on the right track with your original it just needed some tuning.

[coquette]

The guy's face is cut off. It looks funny.

I'd say go back in the direction of your first try, but change the font sizes, header font, etc.

[bucko]

Na noone else seemed to like that, I will rework the image on the new one and be done with it. Anyway I couldn't get the font colours to work with a big image like before.

[thetechroom]

well for starters, your exclusive is Lawrence Dalligio but you have a picture of Jonny Wilkinson, your reason?

[bucko]

:p I was meaning to change that, these are all just roughs atm. Pfft now I got a contents page, leading page into an artical and any other page I want to do, gee im stressing now lol.

[coquette]

I wasn't saying you should use the first image, but that you should go back in that direction. Maybe a not so "I'm getting mugged" photo would suffice.

Well, I'll just wish you good luck.

[bucko]

Thanks, will be working on this again tonight i want to chill for a bit. I love neowin for feedback on work, I just :o on doing this contents page, I have done the text but getting things to fit is really hard.

[bucko]

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/ma...ront_cover5.jpg

Decided to do it in Photoshop since it just seems to work better,

What you think, again it's just a mock-up things not aligned yet etc constructive criticism please!

Thanks! Doing contents page tomorrow with this new redesign, I will take a photo of the original magazine I bought to tomoz as well.

Edit, new strap line

[Steve]

Not bad, but for me...

- The title looks too 'squashed up' - vertically stretched.

- The magazine 'motto' doesn't work where it is right now... It'd work better, beneath the magazine title, IMO.

- I'm not 'sure' over the yellow boxes you've used, they just don't seem to fit right for me...

- Align the bottom of the bar code, with the bottom of the Month + Price text area.

- There's a few spelling mistakes:-

- Pre Sure = Pressure?

- Surgey = Surgery?

[bucko]

The title looks too 'squashed up' - vertically stretched.

I can only find height in % on character box in Photoshop CS. I cant get it to fit if I just increase the normal size so I used that, is there a better way or better font to use?

I'm not 'sure' over the yellow boxes you've used, they just don't seem to fit right for me...

Well please tell me a better solution ;) remember the photo is bright so colour text does not show up well in some areas.

There's a few spelling mistakes:-

Is it just the ones you mentioned underneith that? If so done them, thanks for feed back done the others you suggested.

[bucko]

Here is a touch up, need to know a good font for header though?

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/ma...ront_cover6.jpg

Here is the old one in comparison.

http://www.potton-delph.com/bucko/stuff/ma...ne/redesign.jpg

[james_french]

here a few things...i really like wot you're doing with it...it's coming along quite well..

one thing i would suggest is you need either a logo...or to make the header into the logo...is you look at successful magazines..particularly the future publshing ones..total guitar, united, etc...the titles are all nice graphics as well..

since you are using photoshop i would suggest instead of the yellow boxes either try doing a yellow stroke, yellow shadow or yellow glow on the words you have currently in the yellow boxes...they just don't seem to fit at the moment...

keep going