Karla Perez

I like to do things for the first time with little to no background knowledge on the topic. So, of course, I'm going to start practicing my magazine's cover basing it entirely on things that I like and/or have noticed in other magazines I've flipped through. I believe it's important to do stuff like this to get a notion of how lost or ready I truly am to embark on this project's odyssey and it will help me keep track later on of the things I've improved or might have to work a bit more on. To not make this process entirely useless, I'm going to be asking my "art kid" friends to help me and offer commentary, given they've really studied this kind of design stuff. I'll be using Canva to do my AICE Media Project and possibly any other apps that come along the way because InDesign both puzzled and terrifies me. So, without further ado, here's my very first draft: (The text will not be what goes on the cover at all; it's just a ...

The cover is the face of the magazine--it's the very thing that will either capture people's attention or only make the customer glance at your product and go on with their day without thinking twice about it. In order for the cover to catch the eye of the common person, it needs to be perfect. So, in order to make my cover perfect--or, rather, as perfect as I possibly can--I decided to do some research. I found that magazines' covers can vary greatly: Some are completely packed with words full of information, to advertise the stuff that's inside and bring attention to all the colorful letters. Like this, for example: Other magazines are simplistic and minimalistic, almost entirely for aesthetic purposes, but also to bring attention to their main focus: the person (or people) featured. Like these: The magazine's titles can also vary, not just the arrangements. Some magazines' titles are completely lower caps, mainly for the aesthetic of i...

I don't think I've ever seen a music magazine that solely focuses on Latin roots or culture. Either the "Latin or Hispanic or Spanish" section(s) is secluded and made a different, smaller section within a magazine or it's just not put at all. Music magazines are usually separated within some common categories like "Features," "Reviews," "Opinions," etc., but even within some of these titles, there's no Latin representation in the American media. And that's why I decided to make a magazine whose only focus was that: my beautiful Latin culture. Whether you're Latinx or not, anyone can vibe and dance along to the catchy tunes of practically any Latin tune and that's what I want to show with my magazine. It's a product made mainly for a bilingual audience of Latin or Hispanic descent, but it can cater to anyone interested in broadening their horizons music and culture-wise. This magazine will be a special product...

Red is the color of passion; it's a color that you associate with dancing, Latin culture, flowers, etc. Its brightness and ardent vibe makes you feel alive and like you just need to go out and dance. That's why it's the main color of the title and the magazine overall. I went out and surveyed some students at my school and asked them which color they associate most with Latin culture and music. Here's what they said: Red 6 Orange 3 Yellow 4 Green 1 Blue 1 "A lot of Latin flags have red: the Cuban flag, the Puerto Rican flag, the Colombian flag, the Dominican flag. When I think of Latin culture I just think of the red lipstick, red flowy dresses, red roses in dancers' hair--it's just a color that makes me think about the typical dances," said my friend Vanessa. So there you have it! That's why Ritmo mag will center around the color red.

This week was great! I decided on two major components of my magazine: the title and its font. YAY! Everything went by smoothly and there were no obstacles other than time management issues, but that's beside the point. I'm genuinely so excited to continue with this project! I have very high hopes for it. I'm happy to be letting my imagination flow.

After some overdue research, I've finally decided which font my title will have. Here's the progress of my trials and errors: This was the first logo that I came up with but... it has a Serif font and I don't like it anymore. "It looks political," have said all my friends. So this one is out of the question. This one was very unique and immediately drew my attention, but I only chose it because it looked interesting, not because it holds any meaning to me. This one is just too professional and plain-looking. It doesn't fit my magazine's vibe or aesthetic. This one is just simply too edgy and looks wrong. It was simply a fun thing to make. These were all just tries of several different fonts. AND THE WINNER IS..... This font just fits right. It's flowy and looks modern, cute, and simple. It's easy to read and is cursive, which holds significance to me; in Latin/Hispanic countries, children are ta...

Though it's not something we actively think about, the font of a product says a lot about it. Think about the New York Times, for example; they have such a resonant and unique font that they're known for it; they're known for having an old-timey, serious vibe--a sentiment that their title clearly conveys. Or take up Rolling Stone and think about how its title's font affects the feeling it gives off. Or think about Vogue and its chic and sophisticated font. Ultimately, the point I'm trying to make is: the font makes the magazine, too. So, I've been messing around with fonts and trying to find the perfect one for my magazine. While thinking about which type of font I should use, I consulted with a friend of mine who is in my school's Communication strand and has been taught about design elements with their teacher. "It's better to use Serif due to readability and to make it stand out more. For titles, it's better to use Sans Serif, especia...

The time has come! This is it. I'm finally going to decide my precious magazine's name! Here's the previous list of names that I had (I'll give a quick explanation of why I thought of each and why I'm going to choose whichever I choose): 1.  Azucar Magazine: This name was the first one I ever thought of when I sat down to think about what kind of magazine I wanted to create. It's a fun, quick, catchy name, but its only downside is its Cuban-centered affiliation, and I'd rather have it focus on all kinds of cultures rather than just one. The name is supposed to be a homage to the iconic Celia Cruz. 2. Ritmo/Con Ritmo Magazine: This is still mine and my friends' favorite so far. It means "rhythm" in Spanish and suggests a playful, youthful title to a magazine of the same qualities. 3. Muevete Magazine: Just like "Ritmo," this title suggests movement (it literally means "move") and dancing, but this name sounds rather a...

While thinking about the name that I would give my publication, I pondered many titles, many of which coincided with the titles of prevalent magazines--even outside of the United States. For example, I have the name "Ritmo Mag" in mind, but I found out that there's a classical music magazine in Spain with the same title. Because of this, I started to think: what happens when two magazines/publications have the same name? Is it really that bad? Does it affect trademark purposes? Will I get into some sort of legal trouble despite being a minor doing a project for school? Supposedly, I should consult with an attorney about trademark issues that might concern me in case I'd have to change my magazine's name before publishing it. But I'm a minor, I'm poor, and I'm not going to do that, so I'm going to stick to common sense. Were this real life and not just a project for my AICE Media Studies class, I would probably be sued if I use the same name a...

For the magazine, my target audience will be teenagers and young adults. Given the product is going to cater to those interested in modern Latin music, I feel like this is the best age range for it. Also, the magazine will have a youthful and colorful aesthetic to it that I don't think people of other ages would generally like. Needless to say, this magazine can be for anyone who wants to learn about or who already takes an interest in music--specifically Latin/Hispanic music. It's time that this minority get rightfully represented on print--not just as another section of a magazine, but as the main focus.

I've thought long and hard about what I want to do for my end product for my AICE Media Studies class. I knew that I wanted to make a magazine from the start, but I had yet to choose what genre or category it would fall into, but I've finally decided. I will be making a Latin music magazine. It will be a youthful magazine full of color and celebrities. Ever since I was little, I've been in love with music. I was born in Cuba, so dancing, singing, and performing just runs in my veins. It's an inevitable part of who I am. I got out of the womb dancing salsa, tango, reggae, etcetera, so it's only reasonable that I showcase this part of who I am through this exciting project that I have to complete. Just the thought of getting started makes me rejoice in my seat and shake excitedly. I hope you all enjoy the outcome. #LatinxPride

Picture from here . Essentially, a music magazine focuses on music and/or its culture. They can include album reviews, breaking news, photo essays of concerts, music recommendations, etcetera. Over the past years, music magazines--and just magazines in general--have diminished in amount due to the mainstream use of technology and the fact that the print industry is dying. But regardless of its lacking popularity, some magazines like Rolling Stone , Mixmag , and Billboard are still standing still and thriving. Today, specifically, though, I would like to focus on a not-so-popular magazine that deserves all the attention it gets and more: Tastemakers . Tastemakers is, as stated on their website , a music magazine that "exists to give Northeastern [University] students a voice in the music industry and help members develop their craft." They publish four issues every year and allow students from Boston to contribute to their product. I, personally, went to Boston in...

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