Magazine Advert Flat Plan

My research into magazine adverts promoting an album release showed me that the artwork used on the cover of the album is typically the same as that or a similar shot used for the magazine advert. Because of this I do not need to think of taking new images but instead how I shall present my existing album artwork. From my research I also concluded that my magazine advert must include the album name, artist name, release date and to consider using the artist's website or other social networking links, reviews and the most recognizable songs featured on the album.

Below I have made a few flat plans of how I could layout my magazine advert. I have done this using a graphics tablet which has allowed me to quickly sketch out my ideas on the screen which is helpful because I can then place my album artwork in different arrangements which shall help me to decide which idea looks the best.

Idea 1

For my first idea I wanted to use the name of the EP as my main inspiration for the advert. The EP is called 'Pictures' and my first thought that came to my head was a polariod photo. I then developed this though into having the photo used on the album cover that I have created as the picture in the polariod and where there is typically writing of what the picture is of instead will be the name of the EP. By using the same photo as the album cover it will help to make the product more recognisable which helps to promote the product which is the overall function of the advert itself. On the magazine advert I have also included social network logos for 'twitter' and 'facebook', the web adress for the artists website and also 'OUT NOW' in the same typeface as the artists name.

Idea 2

My second idea is the one that I am going to use for my final magazine advert idea because I feel that this design best represents my artist. I have used one of the photos from my first photoshoots for the anchillary tasks as the background and then on top have placed the actual image of the product artwork itself which as I previously mentioned helps to make it more recognisable and promotes it better. All of the text and the image of the product is centrally aligned which gives it a clear, fresh and uncluttered feel which is what I want to achieve as I feel that to much visual clutter would actually deter my audience from looking at the advert.

Now that I have chosen to use design idea 2 I shall now develop this idea and using more capable programmes I shall properly produce the magazine album advert. I shall consider adding on the facebook and twitter logos aswell as the artists website adress as I feel that these social networking and online spaces are very important in promoting an artist just as much as traditional methods as promotion.