Contents Page Draft

 

Final Cover Page

 

Developing My Cover Page

 

Originally I had planned on sticking with this design for my cover page, but upon further research of magazine conventions seen in black hair and beauty/skin publications, like Essence, Ebony, and Black Beauty & Hair I decided that my draft did not exactly meet the standards of my magazine genre. For one I felt the cover looked washed out and empty, which is the exact opposite of black hair and beauty/skin magazines. So I partially scraped the cover page, only leaving behind the taglines, masthead, main image, anchor text, cover lines, buzz words, and barcode.

The masthead was bleak and camouflaged, and while I tried to do a monochromatic look for the main image the pink on-pink background had a camouflage effect as well. So therefore, I replaced the main image's background with the original back drop and filled "Lux" in with a neon green color to draw attention to the masthead. I also brightened the blues and yellows into a neon color to brighten the page.

At this point the cover had an excess amount of free space along the taglines and cover lines that made the page looked barren. I referred  to my tagline and cover line research,  and found that the words were sparse compared to what is usually found in black hair and beauty/skin magazines, so I began to fill in the empty spaces with content. After filling in the empty space along the sides of the page with more taglines and cover lines the page still didn't appear visually appealing. I blurred the background of the main image so that the text on the page became easy to read and allows the image to become the center of attention. I also added and neon blue and green shadows behind the cover lines to add color to the page and make the title stand out. These slight changes made a huge difference in the appearance of my cover page as it looked more realistic and adheres to the conventions of magazines. 

Cover Page Draft

 

Double Page Spread Outline

 

Content Page Outline

 

Cover Page Outline

 

"She Shoots, She Scores!"

 

Below are photos I took of my model in downtown Miami. I spent the entire day helping Isis's with hair, makeup, and wardrobe for her birthday dinner that night. We both agreed that pink would be a good color that appeals to my predominantly female target market, especially since the results of my survey showed that this audience finds pastel colors appealing. Isis's dress is complementing and trendy, but not provocative and conservative, which makes for a suitable attire for a teen based target market who is into the same youthful fashion. My model is also a representation of target market, as she is also a black female teen herself who is interested in hair and beauty/skin. I used camera of an iPhone 12 with flash on take these pictures for the best quality to capture the beauty of the dress. 

The Show Must Go On: Background

Due to the pandemic there are limited options for places where my photoshoot could take place. At first my photoshoot was going to take place at this beautiful studio in downtown Miami as it had the elegant and feminine aesthetic I was originally going for. Unfortunately the studio closed as a result of COVID restrictions and I could no longer use it as my background. Regardless of this bump in the road the show must go on and I have to persevere. I have decided to carry on with my plans elsewhere, as my model's birthday is coming up and will take place at a beautiful restaurant in downtown Miami. I will take advantage of this moment and conduct my photoshoot at the restaurant. Fingers cross it all works out. 

Below are pictures and videos I took of the location I had originally planned on doing my photoshoot. 

 

 

Meet My Models

                     Model 1: Isis Sanna 

I chose this model because she is an aspiring beautician, with a passion for hair and has a thriving hair business. Isis fits the demographic of my target market, which is black female teens interested in hair and beauty content, therefore I figured that she would be an ideal candidate for my feature story and main model. Isis is also within arms reach as she lives a short distance away from my house, so she is a convenient option as a model. She also has experience with modeling and, as she is a brand ambassador and model for clothing companies, so her expertise will help me with posing, lighting, and clothing choice. 

  Model 2: Kristie Lapante 

Kristie is also interested in hair, more so with natural hairstyles, but her interests predominantly resides in skincare and fashion. This makes her well rounded in fashion and skincare information, in which she can give me insight on content that would be engaging to my target audience. Like Isis, Kristie is a representation of my target market which also makes her an ideal model choice for my magazine. As you can see Kristie's style and aesthetic is similar to that of the models seen in black hair and beauty/skin magazine, which is fierce and fashionable.                                     

        Model 3: Tishana Campbell 

Tishana is a client of Isis that I will be using as a hair model for my double page spread, She will used as a visual representation of Isis's work to give readers a bit of insight on Isis's business and her abilities. We chose this model in particular because her hair length and desired style showcases the inclusivity of Isis's hair business, as she caters to all hair lengths, textures, and styles. 

Magazine Research/ Inspiration

 I drew inspiration from these magazines as Essence magazine has an excellent usage of colors and font types that create an appealing, but simple magazine cover.                      

Other than the eye popping hues of blues and bright colors, the font styles and text placements caught my eye. This issue made Zendaya the main focus of the page where as the masthead, taglines, etc, fall second to the eyes, which I found was an interesting change of pace.  The bright yellow and pink color used for the taglines are n effective tools used to draw attention to the words on the side of the page, and mixture of basic, yet elegant font styles made the words easy to read.. This issue has a good balance of large and small texts with a nice mixture of bolded and thin fonts, which creates a formal, but elegant look that I like. The medium to large spacing between each text box prevents the texts from being overcrowded and increases readability. The blend of numbers, script, and icons (plus signs & exclamation mark) creates a rich display of information and adds a pop of variety to the page. I will keep these observations and conventions in minds as I formulate my taglines. Although the masthead is in an interesting and appropriate position and sizing on this cover I am not to fond of its placement and sizing for my own publication. 

Since my model is wearing different shades of pink I had difficulty finding a background that would be complementing to her entire look instead of distracting or visually overwhelming. Upon further research I stumbled upon this issue with Halima Aden, whose pink appearance was similar to that of my model. I found the pink on pink background absolutely stunning and a brilliant use of monochromatic colors. This motivated me to play around with different shades of pink. As you can see below some were hits and others were misses, but in the end I decided to use the second color.  

                               

Sources of Information: 

Essence Zendaya Issue: 

https://www.amazon.com/ESSENCE-Magazine-Aug-2016-Zendaya/dp/B01J0037OG

Essence Halima Aden Issue:

https://www.amazon.com/ESSENCE-MAGAZINE-JANUARY-FEBRUARY-HOLLYWOOD/dp/B083G566TBrfr

Feature Story Draft

 Pain kept her hands moving like a well-oiled engine. It let her know the nerves in her hands had not completely given out yet, but she could not say the same for her legs as they threatened to buckle beneath the weight of her body. Isis Sanna, a Miami hairstylist was on hour 5 of the 8-hour box braid install she had naively gotten herself into. Hard work was not a foreign language to Isis, but it certainly was not one she felt she could speak fluently. “It was passion and ambition that coaxed me into first laying my hands in someone else's hair, but it was the pressure of that responsibility and the long, gruesome hours of labor that nearly hindered my desire to do it again,” Isis Sanna says as she describes her experience from her first time professionally doing hair. “Despite the challenges the smile on my client’s face as she looked at herself in the mirror was an affirmation that this is my calling and I would do anything to see that smile again.”

Isis Sanna gained interest in hair by watching her mother, “who did hair as a side hustle spend hours shaping, braiding, and pressing hair into these beautiful, intricate styles.” Sanna “stood by watching in curiosity and amazement as she (her mother) transformed these women into their most confident selves.”  This had a lasting impact on Isis Sanna as it was her first introduction into the world of hair. “Ever since then I have always wanted to bring this kind of radiance out of women, just like my mother did.” Sanna aspires to be one of the top hair stylists in Miami, with a successful hair company and magazine. She plans on taking her dreams beyond borders and “expanding business internationally to become globally known.” In addition, she envisions being the CEO of a hair company. “I want to leave Miami and move to Atlanta to have more networking opportunities,” Isis explains.

In wake of the Coronavirus, Isis has had to put these ambitions on pause. “There has been a decline in my clientele and with the decreased income, I have struggled paying for hair supplies and bills.” To acclimate to these struggles, Isis has had to use her savings to keep her business afloat and implement safety measures for her client’s well-being. Considering this, Isis has persevered and is now saving money for a hair salon through online business endeavors. “I am currently offering virtual braiding and wig install one on one sessions to clients.” 

In recent months, her work has gained some traction, as one of her hair videos went viral on Facebook, accumulating thousands of views and comments. “This recognition pushed me to work harder at the craft.” Isis explains. “Hair is a source of confidence, beauty, and a statement piece that should be nurtured and worn with pride,” is the philosophy Isis exercises throughout her brand. Sanna believes that “If people remain true to the craft, the craft will remain to them.”

Interview Response

Below are the answers my model gave in response to the interview questions. 

1. Who or what has inspired you to pursue a career as a hairstylist?

When I was a young girl I watched my mother, who did hair as a side hustle spend hours shaping, braiding, and pressing hair into these beautiful, intricate styles. I stood by watching in curiosity and amazement as she transformed these women into their most confident selves. They would leave my mother’s chair with a new bounce in their strut and a smile that was unmatched. Ever since then I have always wanted to bring this kind of radiance out of women, just like my mother did. 

2. What are your long-term aspirations for this craft?

I plan on being one of the top hair stylists in Miami, with a successful hair company and magazine. I hope to expand my brand internationally and become globally known for the quality of my work. 

3. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

In 5 years with hard work and prayer I envision myself as the CEO of my own hair company, with two hair salons up and running. I want to spread my wings beyond Miami and move to Atlanta where there are more networking and business opportunities. The possibilities of the outcome of my life 5 years from now hopefully is somewhat aligned with this path. 

4. How has the coronavirus affected your business?

Due to the pandemic there has been a decline in my clients. With this decreased income I have experienced difficulty paying for hair supplies and bills. Before COVID-19 the stream of income I received from travel jobs helped to pay the mortgage and bills in my mother’s house, which I currently work out of. However, I have had to dip into my savings to keep my business afloat and implement safety measures to offer my clients safe, quality service.

5. What current business endeavors are you pursuing/achieved?

The pandemic may have limited physical opportunities but it has not deterred me from pursuing my goals. I am in the process of saving money for a hair salon and have recently begun looking into starting a hair business, where I will sell weaves, wigs, and extensions. I am currently offering virtual braiding and wig install one-one sessions to clients who are interested in learning the technique.

6. When did you realize that this was your calling?

I realized this was my calling as my clientele grew. People would travel out of their way to have me do their hair. I was immensely touched that they had such trust in me to style their hair and it warmed my heart that my passion for being a hairstylist finally got the recognition it deserved after years of pursuing my dreams.

7. What does hair mean to you?

Hair to me is a form of expression and an untapped well for creativity. It can be twisted, beaded, cut, braided, straightened, etc. into all sorts of designs just as clay can be sculpted into virtually any shape. Hair is a source of confidence, beauty, and a statement piece that should be nurtured and worn with pride, which is a philosophy I exercise throughout my brand. 

8. Who would you like to work with?

In my opinion I would love to work with celebrities such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Niki Minaj. Working with these three beautiful talented artists would be a blessing and an honor. They could potentially assist in promoting my business, while I am helping them in looking and feeling amazing for photoshoots, music videos, or award shows. 

9. What advice would you give an enterprising hairstylist like yourself on how to overcome hardship?

Always think positive and believe in yourself. The many downfalls you encounter is just the beginning of a blessing waiting to happen, patience is key. Having the mindset that you will succeed and strive will lead you in the right path even when everything wrong seems to be happening at the moment. Remain true to the craft, and the craft will remain true to you. 

10. What has been the most memorable moment as an entrepreneuring hairstylist?

Everyday holds a new surprise but the most memorable moment I experienced happened when a video of a blunt cut lace wig  I installed on a client went viral. I posted the video of the client’s hairstyle like I typically do on my Instagram and within days my video was circulating around twitter and Facebook with thousands of comments and views. This was the first time I had experienced such recognition and it was a validation that pushed me to work at the craft more and stay true to the path I’m on.