Mag Production 07/10/09

Design Thoughts

I've been looking through the internet for some ideas for my magazine. This year I would like to do something that is within a mainstream industry. The two areas which are obvious are women's magazines and parenting being as I'm female and a Mum :D 

I've never been keen on parenting magazines they're all a bit 'toddler group' for me, some of them seem like they seem to be as if they're written for their five year old rather than the parents. Massively colourful, cluttered and crammed full of information and adverts for summer camps and childminders. Exceptionally useful, please don't get me wrong, but I don't buy them or even look at them as the whole look of it puts me off.  Also, sometimes the parenting mags I've seen seem to have an underlying message - 'Be a Hockey Mom'. This catchphrase was used continually to describe Sarah Palin during the US elections. What I mean when I say this is some Mother's seem driven to be like PR agents for their kids. They (and the kids) are dressed in the best clothes, full face of make-up no matter what time of day it is, great bodies, great nails, great teeth, the kids go to Ballet, Football, Piano Lessons, Scouts. They have a full-time job, their houses are immaculate and in the latest house magazine fashion, they drive 4x4's, they throw parties for their husbands boss and clients, they holiday in Mexico and have the best ever grandparents lol. They are phenomenal women, but I don't feel they're a good role models for the modern day woman. If they are truly happy on the inside - fantastic, I'm not judging - I wish I had that kind of energy, but not that kind of life. To me it's almost a modern day version of the 50's housewife. 

Looking at what type of magazine I would like to do I can feel an idea forming in my head. It's something combining, women, parenting, power, self-esteem, reality, beautiful design (if I can lol). Looking through some of the magazines on www.issuu.com (what a fab website) I want something simple, clean colours, either b/w and yellow highlights or pastels with an organic feel to it (not greens and browns) but hand sketches, lines and doodles through it. 

I've started to learn photoshop, as I want to create my pages in indesign, but I want the double spreads to look almost like posters, complete pictures in their own right. I'm torn between striking and smooth, or pastel and calming.