MY MASTHEAD DRAFTS:

REFLECTION:

I have attached 5 masthead designs I’ve made to connote and be appropriate for the music genre of EDM, I also tried to make them unique to initiate an individualistic brand. I experimented with fonts, colours, text size, shapes and special effects (bevel and emboss, satin, inner glow etc.); I found the most effective special effects to be bevel and emboss and drop shadow. I followed the conventions for EDM music by keeping the fonts quite simple whilst fun, childish and bright/eye catching. My audience of EDM music listeners and fans will know this magazine is aimed at them from the neon pink colour used and they will be refreshed from the use of colour- most EDM magazines I have researched have white or black titles instead of coloured ones- this will make my magazine stand out from the rest. Whilst creating this I made sure to go through all the elements of AIDA to end up with the most successful design.

My favourite masthead is the 1st or 2nd design. In the 1st design the two colours fit the music genre well- the pink represents the fun, party, childish side of EDM culture whilst the black firstly represent the magazine name because part of the word is blacked out, and the black also plays off rave culture and being underground in dark places. Similarly in the 2nd design the same connotations are made from the colours, I also think the font somewhat resembles spray paint or the text used on a poster for a rave, it is urban and distorted and this is commonly found it underground bunkers where EDM raves and parties were initially held. I also like the unique and fairly warped vibe the font has.

I don’t like the other three masthead designs as much. I feel the 4th design has probably been done before and is too basic so doesn’t hold that individualistic image I am looking to create. The 3rd design does resemble spray paint and then has the connotations of raves underground however I feel it is too simple and won’t surprise or draw in my target audience and sales won’t be made. Finally I think the 5th font is once again not unique enough for an EDM music magazine masthead. I think this font could be used for captions/subheadings etc. but I don’t think this meets the conventions or aesthetic of an EDM music magazine masthead.