The only issue with the A5 design was simply the fact I lost them. I had no intention of not using them until my Mac decided to update and I had to work around it. Therefore the main point was to create a school pack this school pack would be involving a magazine and some cards for the kids to take away but due to loosing that I wanted to create this blog in order to explain that. I could off re made them however due the timing I had lost them in I decided not too. Therefore the focal point has changed slightly only meaning that instead of a school pack it is just a magazine the fire fighters can give out after assembly’s.

The back cover was needed just to make it all come to an end. I did alter this quite a bit because I wanted to make sure I was ending it on the right message.

this below was the first design and I didn’t actually have a link to the LFB website and thats pretty much where I gathered all my information from and collected the research and I wanted the kids to be able to connect to this quickly and find out more information if needed be. so for a while this was the front cover but I altered it to end on the right message.

final design:

Due to there being a minimalistic theme throughout this design I felt like I had to continue that throughout. So I decided to start the back of the magazine of with the link to the LFB website and to continue the theme – on each page below the number I added the yellow and red lines to link with the idea of fire and their service and I think people associate these colours with them quite well. Therefore to showcase the continuation throughout I decided to add the two lines underneath this to make it stand out and show a connection through the designs – this also allowed the type to have a bit more structure otherwise it was very randomly placed. I then thought because this entire thing is for LFB I wanted to showcase their logo like I did at the beginning to show its all part of same design. Underneath I then added what was on their website for when people want to communicate with them – or how to reach them and they sit in black and red type. I could of just left it like that but I wanted to add an image due to the target audience I felt without an image it was such a boring design and too simple, by adding this image of a fire fighter (jack) in the gear near a fire truck to me represented them well as an overall and great way to end the magazine.

the mock up for this is slightly different purely because its the end of the book so no double page spread needs to be displayed.

here is the simple mock up:

I decided to create a mock up like this just to show what it would look like if they were stacked and handed out like this to schools.

Now I decided for this magazine not to be that long – in fact it was more of a educational catalog that fire fighters could give to school children after finishing the assemblies to educate them not only about fire fighters themselves but also LFB and if these kids would want to be a fire fighter here is how and everything you need to know.

I wanted to end this magazine quite quickly and not go on forever due to the target audience and after a while they wouldn’t continue reading. So we continue the title theme again with a red box with the title fire trucks and equipment and this is the category for the next DPS. I used a lot of negative space in this design and wanted to almost mix it up a bit in style of placing images. So on the left hand page I started with rescue and fire trucks and gave a brief explanation and then underneath equipment. The issue with this topic is that fire fighter information and truck information could generally go on forever and its really complex therefore knowing the audience would be schools kids (secondary school kids) I just wanted a brief explanation then I would add links elsewhere to find out more.

I then decided to add a little information in red that read that if you want to find out in detail about all the equipment contact them as there is so much to discuss and if the kids are interested they can find it out further.

starting on the left hand page I have started a collection of images that then fall over the gutter and into the right hand page. I felt like because I was discussing a lot I felt like a variety of images were needed – but to engage the audience I decided to make them sit with one another and create this collage effect. I think this lay out not only interest the audience its different but it allows the audience to visualise in a unique way different parts fo the equipment used.

I think this page is a great way to end this sort magazine as I feel like its a teaser for becoming a fire fighter allowing the audience to connect with it and want to find out more. its a perfect way to end due to the colours and the layout as it displays a more unique look in comparison to other pages.

thesis the final mock up for this design and when added to the mock up I decided to make a few alternations such as moving the images over so it wasn’t so close to the gutter other wise you couldn’t visualise them therefore now there sits a white line where the gutter is. I also forgot to mention that there is another did you know fact that I added the bottom of the right hand page to allow the audience to walk away with some sort of knowledge.

This page is all about drills. Fire fighters do this regularly and is part of their everyday routine and I feel its important to educate that.

This was the first page and the first mock up I created BUT I changed it. I am not sure if its my eyes or its actually seen like this but t he big image on the left hand side looks wonky and when adding it to my new mock up it appeared wonky and it was driving me insane therefore I re did the photograph and went from there.

I started the left hand page again with an introduction bar indicating this was about drills and training. I then added a bit more a clear photograph – this was given to me bye my uncle and it clearly shows what its like and the location that drills take place. I wanted to showcase just one image to engage the audience and then the next page showcase the type. I made the image centre in line with the end of the block title. I made it large but not to fill up the entire room leaving negative space to allow the design to breathe and also fit in with the rest of the other pages – then I wanted to showcase where they went for their training and drills and thats located at the bottom of this page acting like an image caption. We then move onto the right hand page. I could go into a lot of detail about drills and training but I felt like it wasn’t needed – this information was taken my own knowledge and therefore I was able to choose how it was wrote. I could of made an entire page because there is a lot – but I wanted to keep it short and sweet for my audience. I then decided to break them up the top paragraph being dedicated towards drills and the next about training – we then have images down the side.

Due to changing all my other designs I felt like I had to change the mock up for this design as then they all come together really nicely and efficiently. SO after alternating the image and adding the features that made this design the design it needs to be – I made a new mock up.

I had to re download the mock up therefore some elements were slightly different to other mock ups but I tried my hardest to make them the same.

The annoying thing about this mock up is the fact the colour background is a different colours to the other mock ups but I do not think that matters so much as its not part of the design. Below sits the mock up for this design: Having this mock up really allows you to see if the double page spread meets the theme and the connection to the front design and I feel like it does and portrays the same style and message we want. The one thing I wish I could change is the type I would off changed it on this one however then I would have to change the entire magazine which I just don’t have time for but now I have learnt that type in a magazine needs to have a certain paragraph edit to make sure all the type is in line with one another.

The first thing I created was the magazine therefore the first thing I looked into was the magazine layout that I wanted to use for the front cover and the inside of the designs:

I find layout plays a big role within magazine design as it gives the overall message not only on the topic but also you as a designer.

First magazine front cover inspiration

The first one I loved was this one below, the colours linked well with my topic however for me it was not the outcome I was after. However the reason I am putting this here is to show I did not just go for the first design layout I found – I found this one first experimented with this (but lost the screenshots) and then took elements from that experimentation which would feature in my design meaning the blog ‘icon’ title was something I wanted to include within my design.

INSPIRATION FOR FRONT COVER / LOGO DESIGN

This design was one of my all time favourite designs as its so simple and so effective in the way in which they have displayed their message. The biggest inspiration for me was the type in the corner, ‘rite’ it was so simple but caught my eye right away – which inspired my logo. The positioning of the page worked so well which also inspired me and the little details either side. I personally love having white surrounding the design as it lets the image breathe and the type and title breath a lot more.

Double page spread layout inspiration:

Now I did not stick with one design layout throughout the making it was more of a case of being inspired by a variety of a designs. Now I wanted to make sure there was colours within the design as it is aimed at kids, therefore I picked up designs that had colour. I always aim there to be some elements of white within the designs, as for me it makes the design look clean and simple, but adding colour I felt had to be done right and work well with the topic.

If you look at all these designs, you’ll notice every single one has an element of colour within them. I actually did experiemnt with the first layout, but it did not work at all, I did the exact same layout but changed it to red and added fire fighter colours however it was so cluttered and from that I knew not to just stick with colour just adding elements of colour would allow the design to come together.

This one was the biggest inspiration for my designs, reason being, that the designs feature a ‘pop’ of colour that goes over white backgrounds. The yellow stands out but also allows the white areas to shine through.