CCR

This is my Creative Critical Reflection, in which I address certain topics that have to do with the creation of my magazine.

 Thank you.

My Final Project

So this is the end...

I hope that you enjoy this magazine, it is a little piece of me wrapped up into five pages.

Thank you....

The real end

Well I finished....

My magazine is all done, its a little surreal, I never thought I could create something this nice. I am proud of myself for putting the effort and for figuring out this software (working InDesign is my biggest accomplishment up till date).

I just wanted to sign off, because my last two posts are my critical reflection and my magazine. This is me saying bye and thank you reader for your support.

I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have :)

The real InDesign p.2

Tutorials on tutorials on tutorials.

As you have gathered from my introductory statement, I have started to gather up information and tutorials on InDesign (the lady who does most of them has the calmest voice I have ever heard), the application itself has a lot of features and aspects.

I started by watching an introductory video to InDesign, it basically summed up the program and who uses it (it was not very helpful on technical skills). There was another 30 minute introductory video tutorial that I could not download (I will get back on the progress of that video), I am relying on that video to basically open up the gates to InDesign nirvana. Due to those technical difficulties, I forged ahead, and started watching a mini tutorial on the tools of InDesign and their functions. This mini tutorial was short yet effective, the explanations were concise and explicit. I learned how to use all the tools from the toolbar (I feel so informed).

These tutorials have been a great help for learning the basics of InDesign and have helped me greatly in the progress of my magazine, which I am very thankful for. The 30 minute video turned out to be 43 minutes and basically ended up teaching me everything I would ever need to know on the program (thank you very much Terry White).

Right now I am putting the final touches on my magazine and finishing up on my table of contents, I know that I am short on timing, but I plan to finish this all tonight and start on my reflection tomorrow (which is the last day I have to even do this project, so that shall be an adventure!)

Wish me all the luck in the world, because I am in need of it.....

The real rough draft

As promised yesterday, I present to you the rough draft of my piece on Wynwood (for my double page spread). All I have left to do is type up and summarize the interviews and start on the actual formatting of my magazine (so in translation I really need to get on that InDesign flow because this is due on Sunday).

Enjoy....

        Wynwood. A culmination of the arts packed into a frenzy of nightlife and a warehouse district. One of Miami’s many gems, where the art is found on the side of buildings and the street is a runway. Making it a perfect location for quality street style starlets to wander about, and for me to capture these starlets in action.
Wynwood is a great outlet for self-expression, every person had their unique vibe and character, this was reflected in the clothes worn. On this particular night print was everywhere, on the walls, on rompers, on shorts, shirts and pants. It was print galore and the fashionistas of Wynwood were sporting it. With this rainforest of colorful print, also came the army of minimalists, decked out in all black and sleek ponytails. These minimalists also came in light washed jeans and white blouses, but the biggest must-have of the streets of Wynwood had to be sneakers. From Adidas Superstars to New Balances, I saw this sneaker trend on every man and female with feet, the use of these shoes ranged from casual wear to lavish ensembles. The sneaker trend has not only taken over the streets of Wynwood, but high-fashion runways of Paris and Milan (so I would recommend snagging a pair of these sporty shoes).
        Wynwood was also hat central; fedoras, baseball caps and the casual dad hat stood out in a wave of heads. The fedoras were worn with more relaxed styles and mostly by females, they gave off a very bohemian aura, with some beachy waves in their hair and strappy sandals. The baseball caps were sported backwards by the male population, following the recent sporty trend seen on almost every runway, these backward caps served as a pop of either color or design to their mostly plain outfits. The casual dad hat (which has to be my top pick), was worn forwards, framing faces very nicely. I saw these hats on both males and females, giving off a 90’s vibe that has recently surfaced (for the typical tumblr hipster this hat is a staple).
       Of these hundreds of strangers, I happened to stumble upon a select nine and without any notion of their names or careers, I photographed and interviewed these people on their style and fashion choices.
        Here are the strangers of Wynwood...

The real double page spread

one of the walls 

In addition to the photo shoot, last weekend I was able to create the content for my double page spread.

To conquer this feat I explored Miami's coveted art district (where the art and the fashion blend into one), there I went to the Wynwood Walls and while I gazed at the lively painted murals, I also gazed at the unique street style.

one of the "strangers" that was interviewed

I went up to complete strangers and asked them about their fashion choices and what defined their style. It actually went very smoothly, everyone was really into showing off their fashion sense and they loved being photographed (I was even asked for my information and to keep in contact with them). The only mistake I made was not asking for their names or age or career choices (I was supposed to model my format after a similar segment that the New York Times publishes that I mentioned in my past postings). But, I solved the issue by calling my spread "The Strangers of Wynwood", this gives the participant a mysterious quality and focuses the reader solely on the fashion.

A rough draft of the interviews and my write up about my experience (which will be featured in my double page spread) will be coming real soooon.....

The real photoshoot

I had the photoshoot (and I am so so so so proud of the outcome).

Also I did indeed get a location, we shot at a golf course in the "golden hour" of lighting.

the cover to my magazine!!

I was very stressed out just by the thought of this photoshoot, I had cancellations left and right, last minute outfit choices and location issues, the kitchen sink of issues basically (and getting teenage boys to model is a difficult task for they do not have a fully developed sense of masculinity and fear that it will be obstructed by a modeling job).

I was able to conquer these difficulties and had some lovely pals model for me. I took, edited, styled (ran through a golf course trying to get good lighting) and built every shot. I was so happy with the outcome, I was able to get the vibe and feel that I wanted to accomplish for my magazine.

Next post on my double-paged spread.....

The real location (struggle)

A great location is a wonderful thing.

This is a quick little update (I will be posting more today a little later), I am having a huge struggle with the location of my photo shoot (which happens to be today!). I have my models set and ready to go, but I really need a location that captures the urban arty vibe that I want my magazine to give off. 

Miami would be ideal, but it is too far of a drive to transport a small team of models (so that's out!). The city of Weston is the furthest thing from what I want, I want more of a city scape, something a bit retro and grungy. My last resort would be Ft. Lauderdale, there are many places that I could shoot at, they just need some looking into (also the length of the drive is a very big problem). 

I shall be back with some more information...

The real stress

potential model with some editing

I basically have a week left for this project and I am terrified.

I am taking a break from all the research for InDesign and starting to cast some models and work on my double-paged spread. I am planning to get this all done this week and then start working on the layout of my magazine for the last week. But, I am facing a few issues...

First issue are the models, I need to decide if I only want female models or if I want both, I am leaning more towards both genders so that my target audience is more vast. My main goal is to get models that do not embody average beauty, I want interesting beauty and people who are actually interesting and unique. Today I got some potential prospects and took some head shots and mid shots, so I am progressing. I also edited the head shots with some filters from Visco cam just to play around with the feel.


Another HUGE issue for me is the location, it has to give off the vibe and embody the feel of my magazine (which is leaning towards artsy and urban), but that issue might be fixed this Sunday (one of my models knows THE coolest places to shoot at, which is a relief). The location is also helpful in the people that I want to feature in my double-paged spread, I need a unique place where I can find unique people who are also just every day.

My last and most disturbing issue is time. It is a factor that I have completely undermined and have absolutely no control over (which freaks me out!!!). So, what I really need is to get these models shot and get visuals this week in order to start the layout next week...

potential model with some editing 

The real InDesign p.1

Well here it is.

After weeks of procrastination (more like days, but a little hyperbolic statement never hurt anyone) I am finally posting this. This is my experience with InDesign.

I have decided to go about this in parts because of how much I have to learn and master. Part one (which is this post) will touch upon the resources that have been made available to me in order to master this program, I will explore the tutorials and provide feedback. The following parts (I am not clear on how many they will be) will feature my actual application of this program (which is basically me messing around with InDesign to see if the tutorials were relevant).

Am I scared? Terrified. Will this result in success? I kind of need it to for the final outcome of my project. With this said I will not ride gentle into this dark night!

So lets start by exploring the resources I have in order to prove successful. I have a tutorial which includes 44 brilliant InDesign tutorials (many lengthy videos, I am very excited), there is a A tutorial for good typography in InDesign (which includes videos, articles and visuals oh my!) and that just about sums it. So I have a lot to watch, read and of course learn (I NEED to get this down), I will report back with extensive feedback.

On my way to watch/read these tutorials....

"44 Brilliant InDesign Tutorials." 44 Brilliant InDesign Tutorials. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
"40 Best InDesign Tutorials - Dzinepress." Dzinepress 40 Best InDesign Tutorials Comments. N.p., 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.

The real time crunch

Spring break got to me. I fell into that hole of procrastination.

I have not been able to sit down and look at Indesign tutorials, or figure out how it works and that puts me on a huge disadvantage time wise. But, I will make up for lost time next week, I plan to start watching the tutorials and figuring out how to piece together my spread.

I also need to shoot!! I have to get my models together to do so, but before I want to figure out the layout and formatting, the good thing is that I have made my direction pretty clear, so I know what I want my magazine to embody. I also need to start my two page spread, which requires me to photograph street fashion (which is a LOT of work and time). I hope that I did not overshoot with my ideas.

Next week will be promising....

The real research: The cover page

Salutations and good day, here is the cover page blog that was promised (break has not engulfed me, I have not been compromised)!!

This post is centered on the cover page of my magazine (due to the importance that it holds), I want to focus on formatting and the layout of it, as well as start to get an idea of what makes a successful cover page.


I decided to start by using the Pinterest compilation that was made by Mrs.Stoklosa, there I found an article on what makes a successful cover page, and lets just say I learned a lot.

One of the main issues stressed was how the person featured in the cover looked, buyers do judge a book by its cover in this case and the cover page is the center of attraction for the buyer. The person featured should look directly at the camera, as if they were looking at the buyer. The cover page should also be simple and stick to the main concept of the magazine, this includes the cover lines and the masthead. The cover lines should be concise and to the point, they should attract the reader with minimum words and should be enticing, numbers and lists are a great way to attract readers.

I also looked into some art direction for the cover as well. The covers for Love magazine had incredible art direction, I am thinking of basing my cover page off of one of their covers. Their covers are different and are concurrent to the theme that they are expressing in their issue, its not just some smiley celebrity or model. I also love that their entire magazine is also more on the artsy urban side, I want to express this in my magazine as well, I want to embrace all kinds of beauty and turn it into a combination of fashion, lifestyle and art that is attainable to the public.

Next I conquer Indesign....

"55 Best Tips for a Successful Magazine Cover." Magazine Designing. N.p., 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.

The real update

Why hello there reader, how are you? me? I am great thanks for asking!!

Currently  I am on break, but that does not mean that I will fall into the tempting hole of laziness and Netflix (I will not be compromised). This is a short little update post on what I plan to do this week and what is to come (get excited). 

A blog post about cover pages will be heading your way in the next 24 or so hours, as well as the start to my editing journey (yes, I will be facing the might photoshop program that is In Design). I am the least tech savvy person I know so mastering In Design will be quite a feat, that is something that I need to start right away. Also a nice little post about layouts, models and the general vibe of the magazine will be in the works (just giving you some spoilers). 

I have lots to do, this little chat has been fulfilling....

The real research: the double-paged spread

I promised a post on my research for my double-paged spread and here it is!!

So, after some much needed exploring and reading (as well as searching), I found my much needed inspiration/model/format/holy grail. Because of Mrs.Stoklosa's recommendation, I have ultimately found my holy grail, it is a quirky little column that the New York Time's fashion section does called Life as a Runway, and I am in love (I have reached Nirvana).

Life as a Runway's writer; John Ortved, takes people off of the streets, in certain locations or events (such as the MOMA) with unique style or outfit choices and asks these street fashionistas questions on their choice of attire as well as takes a candid picture of the individual. It is exactly what I want to do for my double-paged spread, I also really like the format (formatting is my biggest feat with this spread) and I am modeling my spread after this column, with a few tweaks for it to meet my vision. What I like about Life as a Runway's format is how it is basically a conversation transferred onto print, Ortved flawlessly captures a nice little conversation that he has with the individual he chooses, asking them about certain pieces of their attire that stands out, by having this free flowing conversation the reader is also able to experience the individuals personality as well (which I also want to focus on). This format proves to be extremely successful and highly entertaining, but since I have to also elaborate on my experience photographing and interviewing strangers I plan to keep the conversation a little longer and go into topics such as the definition of fashion or true beauty ( I want to get more juice out of the individual). That's where my spread would model after Humans of New York, I want to encompass that journalistic storytelling aspect that Brandon Stanton (the author and creator of Humans of New York) is able to encompass.

Back to the research...

"Humansofnewyork." Humans of New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
Ortved, John. "Spring Fever Hits Bryant Park." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Mar. 2016. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

The real meeting

I am on cloud nine.

Today we had the opportunity to meet with our Aice Media Studies teacher (Mrs.Stoklosa) for some feedback and discussion on our blogs and chosen topics for this final portfolio project and all went fabulously.

Mrs.Stoklosa had very positive feedback on my blog posts (this makes me very proud since I wish to pursue this as a career) and she also gave me some advice for the layout of my double-paged spread. She enjoyed the Humans of New York inspired spread, but recommended that I add a more journalistic aspect to the spread (which I am happy to do since writing about street style is pretty entertaining). Due to this feedback, I think that my double-paged spread will not only consist of pictures and mini descriptions, but one page will concern my experience in photographing these people and elaborate on the most interesting stories. With this idea though, comes a great focus on layout, I would need to find case studies and model my layout after these magazines.

Thankfully Mrs.Stoklosa recommended The New York Time's fashion section, which also models after this Humans of New York format and goes out on the streets of New York to photograph certain outfits that pertain to the topic of fashion chosen. I am excited to look into this because formatting is really one of my biggest feats.

Expect a post about formatting real soon (I will conquer the format)...

"Fashion, Style News & Trends." The New York Times. The New York Times, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

The real feedback

Hello again!! This post is not so much research focused but it centers around some feedback that I got from a concentration group on Friday (which basically saved my life and opened my eyes to countless possibilities so thank you Mrs. Stoklosa).

So...In the focus group we worked around these pods that allowed us to display out blog on a screen, the groups were of 8 people and they worked out magnificently.

I got very positive feedback from the members of my groups, they thought that my central idea to embrace beauty and defy the standards of the high fashion industry in my magazine were uplifting and refreshing. They also enjoyed the fact that I still wanted to keep an interesting art direction that resembled that of Vogue and Love magazine (I was extremely relived that they were able to understand the madness that goes on in my head).

I also got an amazing idea for my two paged spread due to the feedback that was given to me(thank all the higher powers in this universe)!!! Due to the fact that my magazine is centered around embracing real beauty found in real everyday women and girls, I was suggested to do a play off of a popular Instagram page called "Humans of NY", in which a photographer takes pictures of people off of the streets and asks them questions and you are able to look inside the lives of the people of New York. I would change this to be a fashion version that includes a run down on their outfit and an idea of their perception of fashion or beauty. I still need to look into this idea, but it relates to my magazine and would be something refreshing and very interesting to see.

Friday was an eye-opening experience now back to research....

The real research

Now this is where the mice are separated from the men...It's research time.

Pinterest (in specific the Pinterest compilation) has been a God send, it has steered me into the right path of what I should research and has aided my focus.

As I browsed the various articles, I came across an article called,"The year in magazine covers: These were the most talked-about images of 2014" from Salon.com. What caught my eye about this article was Lena Dunham's Vogue cover (aside from the fact that I adore Lena Dunham), the small paragraph on the subject talked about her released unedited pictures. These pictures showed minimal retouching (which was mainly focused on making the images look fantastical and out of the norm), Dunham commented on how she felt respected by Vogue due to the minimal retouching done to her pictures. I respect this and I want to relate my magazine to this, I want my magazine to feature real girls in all their unedited (besides maybe filters) glory. This article has served as an inspiration to the concept of my magazine.

I have also started to look at Vogue magazine (the online version) and I am so in love with the art direction and the simplicity and modernity of not only the site but the articles. I'm looking at Vogue as something related to a case study, I want to model my magazine after some very specific aspects that Vogue embraces. The art direction is a main focus of mine as well as the photography of their models. The pictures are dramatic and edited beautifully, with minimal editing on their bodies (as stated earlier with the Lena Dunham example).

I am excited for what is to come (like really really excited).....

 

"Here Are the Unretouched Images From Lena Dunham's Vogue Shoot." Jezebel. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

"The Year in Magazine Covers: These Were the Most Talked-about Images of 2014." Saloncom RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

"Vogue Magazine: Celebrity Covers, Subscriptions, and More." Vogue Magazine Celebrity Covers Subscriptions and More Vogue. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

The real introduction to a real fashion magazine

This is the introduction to half of my final grade in this class, that sounds rather terrifying. My name is Isabella Guerrero and today I embark on the journey that is my magazine spread. I chose this medium because this is the career path I want to take, I want to be in this print world, I want to either be an editor to a magazine or write in one (both would kind of be a dream), so I am rather excited, maybe a little nauseous too, but mostly excited (also extremely scared with a dash of anxiety).

I decided to go with fashion because it is a passion of mine, I know that I will enjoy it and that I will be able to work extensively on the subject, but then come the three billion problems that come to mind. I need models, I need research, I need a decent camera, enticing graphics, extensive skill on photoshop or any other picture editing software and I do not want this to look petty ( I also have this blog to take care of). These issues circle my head throughout this 50 minute class period and right before I go to sleep. But, there is hope for me, I have these six weeks to really grow and explore as a person, stress can be good if managed the right way, it serves as a great motivator and pushes for perfection (also writing really serves to calm me down so these posts might be lengthy). 

My central focus for right now is research research research, I started to visit some Pinterest sites that  have been compiled to aid my research, I have a lot to read and pull from which is comforting. I know the direction I want to go in, I want my magazine to break the stereotypes and even though I love the world of high fashion, I strongly believe that it is not accessible to everyone and that it creates insane restrictions. I want my magazine to represent the real girl, someone who is not model thin or has designer outfits, someone who you see every day, someone who is accessible to all body types and budgets. I want all of this while still keeping it fashionable, I might even expand it to a lifestyle magazine but still mainly fashion centered, a mix between Vogue, 17 magazine and also a dash of Love magazine (due to its amazing art direction). 

I look forward to this all....