Do you like it?

     So, this week I've made a little bit more progress on the actual magazine pages. Yesterday I felt amazingly attached to Joomag.com and this is what I have managed to create.

    The cover has not a lot of progress because I haven't taken the pictures yet, but the masthead and the border lines are going to be present surely. What I like about the lines is that they enclose the picture better and focus the reader's eyes into the center of the page. Now, consequently I will need to focus the food towards the center of the frame when I take the pictures. The lines are not sharp, which again goes with the theme of the magazine. For the color of the masthead, it's still undefined. Also, I need to figure out if I want to do cover lines, and if I do, what font to use. At the end, this page is EXTREMELY a rough draft... I just posted it to show you what I have been envisioning.

     Remember that 4-page interview I mentioned in my previous post? This is somewhat how I want the first two pages to look.

     As you can see, the doodled lines and unsharp font is a recurring theme throughout the magazine, since it goes with the RAW masthead and genre. I took the background picture yesterday in my backyard, but I don't know yet if I want it to be an actual plant or vegetable leaves like lettuce, arugula, basil, mint, etc. I thought of the plants because the other page is going to be completely covered by a picture of my mom in the kitchen, so the kitchen and the plant background would give a feeling of a home environment to the following interview. Since the subject of the interview is not a professional chef but more like a suburban mother/cook, I want the audience to feel the connection to home and as if they were reading an interview from their next-door neighbor.

     These are some of the pictures that I took and edited in my iPhone:

   

    This process is extremely difficult because, even though I know it looks good, I always feel that I need outside opinions. Until now I've asked around 12 different persons but I need a critical eye to evaluate my pages. I need someone that will tell me move this, take out that, change this... But obviously I don't have any magazine expert friends, it's all on me and my non-expert and barely critical friends. I trust myself but at the end of the day, I'm not the only reader that will obtain the magazine... I NEED OPINIONS PLEASE!

    See you soon!

-SP

May I ask you some questions?

     This is what I see when I talk of an interview two-page spread, or in my case, four-page spread.

  This would be the beginning of the interview, featuring a picture of my mother maybe in the kitchen while cooking or standing with her dishes in front of her. I really like this layout because on the left side I could play with fonts and colors in a white background while also giving a brief overview of what's going to be discussed in the following pages. On the right side, the image of the main subject emphasizes the topic of the interview and gives a clear image of the person.


     When I googled "interview in magazine layout" this very interesting pictures showed up. They analyze and give insight in the interview layout of  Kerrang and ELLE magazine (respectively).

 

     I find these images extremely helpful since I know how an interview should look in a magazine. It should include:
- bold text
- color-scheme pattern
- the subject of the interview in a picture
- a catching main heading
- the first letter of the paragraph should be bold and big
- the questions highlighted in a different color
- an interesting quote from the subject where the image goes
- Subject should look into the camera

     These are some of the questions I've been thinking on asking:
1) What are your thoughts on processed foods?
2) Why do you choose to eat healthy and only cook with organic ingredients?
3) How do you feel when cooking?
4) What is a secret you would give the readers?
5) What is an ingredient that can never be absent in your food?
6) What do you order when you go out to a restaurant?
7) How has your Instagram life affected your passion for cooking?
8) Of what you cook, what is your favorite dish?
9) What are your plans for the future as a chef?

     Do you see what I'm planning? I do, but if you don't it's alright because I'll give you guys a draft soon enough for you to be able to understand my ideas.

-SP

An inside insight

     What's on the inside? I've been asking myself the same question... Somehow I have spent a lot of time talking about the cover, and too little planning the inside table of contents and two-page spread.
   
     Honesty, I envision for the table of contents to incorporate images and text. I don't want the page to be completely digital or computer-made, but more appealing and relevant with my genre. In my mind I have this image of a wooden board, going across two pages. Also, placing in the board items like flowers, vegetable leafs, ingredients and cooking utensils; my idea is to provide a kitchen vibe in the table of contents, as if the text was supposed to be part of the recipe. The board must be wooden so it encompasses the earthy and organic vibe I'm trying to provide my readers with, the vegetables must be bright colored for them to pop out and let the audience know that vegetables and fruits are an amazing, and not at all boring, source of food. Text font? That's something I'll need to choose in a near future...

     Now, for the two page spread I want the story to be related with the cover image, so my main story will be in bold and bright colors in the cover, letting the readers know that it will be the most interesting story in the issue. It's going to be an interview on an Instagram chef, you must already know the main subject of that interview, of course it's my mom. So, the front cover is going to incorporate my mom's food and then the name of the story (TBA) will be bolded so the readers are directed to that section of the magazine. Thankfully I know how to write an article because I belong to the school's newspaper The Circuit, where I've written many stories and have interviewed a lot of people. However this article may help me get my writing to the next level, especially since it includes an example for an interview and explains the best way to ask questions. The most interesting part for me was when the author, Guillermo Rubio, said that the best way to avoid boring answers from the interviewee is to ask open-ended and broad questions. I'll take that into account.


-SP










Citations: 
Rubio, Guillermo. "“So, Do You Always Wear White Underwear?” – How to Write an Exciting InterviewBy Guillermo Rubio." American Writers & Artists Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.

Yes? No? Maybe? So?

     During the week, we had an interesting activity in class, where we discussed each other's projects to get different opinions. It became really helpful since I got to understand not only my view but also my classmates' thoughts on RAW.

     This is what I gathered:
1) First we discussed the masthead and the title. This was my, and their, first choice.

 RAW
     We discussed how this masthead goes with the genre and concept of the magazine since it encompasses the whole idea of organic. They believed it was perfect since the rusty and unfinished lines give the illusion of an earthy vibe in the cover. As for the color, we agreed that depending on the background color it should be popping out but not in an extremely bright color, maybe something neutral and natural.

2) For the genre, my classmates mentioned how maybe it would be better to change a little bit the concept of the magazine from organic gourmet food, to easy to make organic/ healthy recipes. However, I don't intend on following their advice. Why? Because RAW is not supposed to be only based on healthy and organic foods, but it is targeted to that audience that wants to eat healthy food the same way they would feel like when eating in a 3-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world. There is a mistaken concept that when trying to eat healthy, the recipes should always be basic or easy to make, and I don't think anyone should eat something basic. I want my readers to embrace delicious eating while at the same time cooking with the best and healthiest ingredients in the market. So, sorry 8th period friends, I won't be following your advice this time...

3) Inside pictures... This one person brought up an interesting and brilliant idea that I am planning on using (thanks Alex!). He mentioned how in the inside, maybe in the table of contents, I could use a wooden board as the background and play with images and texts on top of that board to add depth and that kitchen vibe to the magazine.

     Something like that, but with the text and vegetables on top, incorporating the content along with the props. I think it would look very good. 

4) The last topic discussed was the location of the masthead in the cover. 

                               

                             CENTER                              VS.                                    LEFT

     My friends have all agreed for the masthead to be in the center, however, something tells me that the right place is in the left corner. Anyways, I cannot make a decision until I take the pictures and figure out where it looks better. For me, it looks more appealing on the left because it's not covering any important part in the frame where the food is going to be located eventually. Oh by the way, see the orange color? I was playing around with Joomag and, with that background (I have not chosen an official background), the color orange looks amazing because it contrasts with the green and brown from the table.

     Bye readers!


-SP

Paper food just became delicious

     Look at this!

     That woman is just amazing! As you heard on the video by Helen Rennie, playing with sauces adds contrast to the presentation. Also, I really liked the tips she gave about the micro greens, I'll definitely make use of it. However, the one thing that stood out for me was how she sketched the presentation even before plating the dish.

     Let's try:

     As you can see, I incorporated some of the pictures I posted already. On the top right corner I'll put some of the appetizers that are made of cucumber and salmon. On the main plate there's the tuna tartar tower on one side of the plate and glazed balsamic vinegar stroked through the white surface, also I included some of the red pepper drops around with the green micro leafs. Located in the 8-shaped plate on one side I could have pesto and shrimp pasta and on the other side some green or back olives. I really liked the look of it but I must wait until the weekend and see how it will turn out. 

     Just in case you don't remember, this is the background that I used in the drawing. 

     Okay, it's starting to look more real... I LOVE IT!

-SP

PS: I'm not the best illustrator, sorry about that.





Citations:
Helenrennie. "Sexy Food Plating (this time in HD)." YouTube. YouTube, 26 May 2015. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.

I would judge a magazine by its cover

     After destroying my mom's pristine kitchen and going through every single one of her cupboards and looking at all the tablecloths, plates, and boards, I managed to set some backgrounds I could use for my cover image.

        

     It is so hard to choose between so many options. I plan on cooking and taking the pictures next weekend with my mom and at that moment I'll see what decorations fit my cover dish. Also, I need to start planning on the pictures that will be inside with the articles and index.

     Yesterday, I went to Publix to buy some sushi and when I was in the line waiting for the cashier I went through one of the cooking magazines that was displayed, it was Cooking Light magazine. This images popped out from the pages and called my attention:

    

     I find it interesting how most of the cooking magazine photos have a red detail somewhere in the frame, a hint of greens is somewhat present in many of the pictures too. Why? Well in my opinion red is a color that always stands out in any background that it is placed, giving the pictures a hook or driving the eye of the reader to a specific point in the picture. I just Googled "color red in food" and this article just answered my question. The color red, triggers appetite because it raises the heart rate and affects the metabolism, producing a sensation of hunger. Now it makes sense... Red is a good option to always include. I have in my house these Peruvian red pepper drops that she buys in Fresh Market that look amazing in all of her dishes. They would give that small but perfect hint of color that I'm looking for, also they look different than any other red vegetable so maybe it will give my cover image a little bit more interest or attraction from the readers.

     From the pictures I took from the Cooking Light magazine, I particularly like a lot the third image because that is my breakfast every Saturday... It's extremely delicious and healthy. And of course my mom taught me how to cook it to perfection. This recipe could be present in the inside of the magazine.

     As I read through this article, it was very interesting how the writer recommends to play with the colors. she specifically gives an example by saying " Visualize the combination: poached chicken breast with supreme sauce, mashed potatoes, and steamed cauliflower. Appetizing? Or how about chicken, french fries, and corn? Not quite so bad, but still a little monotonous. Now picture roasted red peppers, grilled stuffed chicken breasts on herb-flecked orzo, and a drizzle of green pesto. Dazzling!". The author gives a very vivid example that helps me with my vision when it comes to color contrast.

     Let's go to @kalamartinez once again and look for the plates that I will cook to have in my cover.

     

This is my personal favorite.... The tuna tartar.

  
     Why is the tuna tartar my favorite? Well, first of all it's exquisite in flavor and secondly it looks delicious, the green avocado on top contrasts with the pink tuna and red pepper drops, also my mom always plays with sauces like the glaze balsamic vinegar which she strokes on the white plate. I'll learn that trick for it to look as perfect as it does in those pictures.

Al right, see you in a bit.

-SP




Citations: 
Susanina, Vladislava. "The Color Red Triggers the Appetite. Red Is Encouraged for Restaurants, Kitchens, and Dining Room Colors." Psych2Go.net. N.p., 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
"Food Presentation Tips." How to Live Gourmet. N.p., 01 Oct. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.

You know... I can see the future

Alright RAW is falling into place now. Let's discuss the cover.
     I've been spending hours in this website trying to find the perfect font for the masthead. I want it to be relatable with the whole organic aspect of the magazine. Up until now I have narrowed it down to 7 beautiful fonts, and after fighting for a long time with my computer I finally got to download them.
     Here they are:
 RAW    RAW

    RAW  

 RAW RAW

  RAW       RAW

     Now, My favorite fonts are the ones in white because they give more like an earthy feel to the name. I want the magazine to encompass all the aspects of the organic products and lifestyle. My vision is seeing my customers reading through my pages and feeling that the content that I'm providing stays true to the natural side of food. So, regarding the mastheads, I want it to have a rusty appearance, like it is in fact a raw sketch, no defined or sharp lines in order for it to belong with what I'm intending to provide my audience through content and pictures. 

     As to the color of the masthead I'm still ambivalent. Since I want the title to reflect the genre as an organic culinary magazine, I don't know yet what direction should I go. Especially since all fruits and vegetables are extremely colorful, I could either choose any vibrant color or I could go towards the direction of the greens and browns to incorporate earth colors in the cover. 

   A quick confession, I'm actually very scared of choosing a font and a color for the masthead because that's the first impression that readers have when picking up a magazine. According to an article by BBC, topography in texts or titles is extremely important when trying to reach an audience. In the article, Julie Strawson who is the director of Monotype that is an international type-design company said that the importance typography goes all the way back towards the Greeks, she said "The Greeks created handwriting and that's one of the most personal ways of communicating". This quote literally expresses my fear of election. But don't worry, I'll come through by choosing the best one, you'll see soon enough. 

     Phew.. Sorry for my long description of my masthead. But yeah, that was just the title, let's move on to the cover image. 

     As I said before, I envision something from a bird's eye view perspective, a plate or wooden board arranged with some seeds and vegetables and the main dish somewhere in the picture. I don't know yet what I'm going to help my mom cook for my cover, but I've been going through her Instagram account constantly looking for inspiration in her posts. 

     I've been submerging myself in youtube trying to figure out some important techniques when taking food pictures, which apparently I've heard it's not an easy task. However I found this video uploaded by Donald Skehan who has a food blog and recipe book for which he takes his own pictures and cooks his own meals. As Skehan mentions in the clip, lighting is the key factor to taking mouth-watering food pictures, especially because I don't want the dish to fade into the background or seem untidy. 

     Here's the video, hopefully you'll enjoy the tips as much as I did!

     Well, obviously an appetizing plate requires careful composition and previous thought. That's why food presentation is considered an art for many. My mom told me yesterday that arranging the ingredients neatly before cooking is as important as the final presentation of a plate, everything has to be carefully placed when thinking on a good looking plate. I found this very interesting article that provides useful information on food presentation. 

    The tips that most stood out to me where:  

        1) Arrange in odd numbers

        2) Play all the senses

        3) Change up your plate ware

        4) Less is more

        5) Add height

        6) TAKE CLUES FROM NATURE (ding ding ding goes perfectly with my genre)

        7) Use contrasting colors

     Okay, I'll leave it up until here for today. I'll keep you posted on the next couple of days of more advances. I think it's going to be amazing! 

-SP

Citations:

"Do typefaces really matter?" BBC News. BBC, 20 July 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Niz, Ellen Sturm. "How to plate your food like a pro: Celebrity chefs share their secrets." TODAY.com. TODAY, 02 Oct. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

"What do the colors of fruit and vegetables mean?" Dr. Smoothie Healthy Taste Sensation. N.p., 16 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

The story of a change of mind

     I'm having a serious problem... I don't know where to start thinking. Should I start by the masthead or figuring out the main image of my cover? Ugh, this is not an easy job.
     Well, for now let's discuss the masthead. According to this article, the masthead should be striking, appealing to the audience, and especially out of the ordinary. I liked one section of the article where the author provides a set of steps or ideas to figure out a title for a magazine, that's where my thinking process started.

Get to the root of it! If you think your magazine title is boring...

• Do more research on the subject and find related words
• Try to think of a rhyming word or phrase
• Crack open a dictionary or thesaurus
• Pay attention to Latin roots and meanings
• Abstract the word or phrase with apostrophes or abbreviations
• Even a baby naming website or book might help inspire you!

     Those two in red are the path that I'm intending to take. As of now I don't have a long list of names but enough to call it a good start. 

     As you can see my mastheads are working their way through my notes on my phone... Lately, I've been more aware of words relating to food and eating so that I can come up with the perfect title. I want it to be one word, not common, maybe not in english, something that can call the attention of many. Because of what I've been imagining, my main source of ideas has been this website with MANY words relating to food. 

     Wait, wait, wait, I've just had a last minute realization. I can't believe this is happening in the middle of a blog post, I was wandering through Snapchat (as always) and I saw it, my masthead, my title, the perfect name to call my future creation.  

     RAW! I cannot think of a more perfect name. Simple, sophisticated, interesting, just amazing. 

Definition of raw

rawer

play\ˈrȯ(-ə)r\; 

rawest

play\ˈrȯ-əst\

1. 1:  not cooked
2. 2a (1) :  being in or nearly in the natural state :  not processed or purified raw fibersraw sewage (2) :  not diluted or blended raw spirit

     According to Merriam Webster, raw is something natural, "pure", that's exactly what I envision my magazine to be. Now everything is clear, I want the genre of my magazine not only to be culinary but to be an organic culinary magazine. For me, it's not the same thing... In my house we usually eat very healthy, most of what we eat is organic because of all the properties and minerals that these products provide. However, many people may argue that eating healthy limits your options when going to a dinner, a restaurant, or even a party but that's not very true. Here are many tips that show how eating healthy is not an excuse to making unhealthy decisions, for instance, in the article, Michael F. Jacobson, PhD., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and coauthor of the book Restaurant Confidential says that "You need to be an assertive consumer by asking changes on the menu". He especially advices to order vegetables instead of fried or processed foods, which of course reinforces my idea that RAW food is better food. So, RAW will be directed to everyone that decides to take the healthy route but at the same time want to be indulged in the good ways of cooking and eating. The magazine can feature recipes that are based on organic products or restaurants that provide a more natural menu, especially here in Miami (since it's the farthest I can go). 

     RAW is meant to be simple, fresh, natural, elegant, attractive, elevated, and available to all the healthy eaters out there that feel pressured to eat unhealthy food whenever they go out. 

     Now you know how indecisive I am... I can promise it will not be the last time I have a drastic change of mind. 

-SP

Citations: 

"What's in a Name? How to Make Your Magazine Title Stand Out." Flipboard. N.p., 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

Reader's Digest Editors from the book Stealth Health. "20 Tricks to Eating Healthy While Eating Out | Reader's Digest." Reader's Digest. N.p., 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.