Critical Reflection Narration

I am posting the narration for my critical reflection that I am going to record via voicethread after school. This will be linked to my final posting just in case the audio malfunctions. So happy that my project, aside from last minute touch ups, is done. :) I am going to post once more tomorrow going over the progression of my cover story's two-page spread.

This is my magazine, Fembrace. I came up with the title by combining the two words "feminism" and "embrace." My magazine's statement of purpose is "Embracing others through the pure conventions of feminism."

• The product:  This specific issue, made for the month of April 2016, adheres to one specific color scheme/design. As you can see, the dominant hues across the cover as well as the table of contents are grey, white, orange, and black. If I were to actualize this magazine, each issue would showcase a different color scheme. The reason I am doing this is because the universal nature of the colors provides the sophistication I am aiming for. Along with that, the combination of bright and dark colors adds an artistic twist. Working together, these clean yet artistic elements aid my product in appealing to the wide range of audience members I am striving to attract. 

1. The cover: The masthead, which is the black text featuring my magazine's name at the top,  I plan to keep the same for each issue. This allows for easy recognition and again reiterates the sophistication I desire. In order to artistically manipulate the masthead, I have incorporated a hand-drawn orange equal sign that lines up with the letter "F"'s flags in the masthead. Promoting equality is a huge theme of my magazine, and this is a quirky, clever way to highlight that. The cover photo features the main subject of my cover story with the feminine emblem as cardboard cutout for her face to fit into. I did this also to symbolize a theme of my magazine, which is that every individual is deserving of equal status, which is what feminism as portrayed in my magazine is all about. I decided to give my magazine a statement of purpose that I would put on the cover of every issue if it were real. This statement of purpose highlights the sophistication and seriousness of my magazine.
2. The table of contents: I kept the table of contents very similar to my cover, as I use the same fonts, colors, and text box types. For more serious stories, I used the bold-capitalized font. For lighter matters, the pretty cursive presents them nicely. This juxtaposition highlights that there are both ups and downs to the feminist movement where it stands currently. I also used pictures that I took and edited to provide more context to my stories titles. The specific story titles I felt best represented all the issues across the feminist perspective, which include discrimination issues, anti-feminism movements, knowledge and awareness. I feel my magazine is highly educational, which is why I featured an explanatory piece on the gender spectrum. I purposefully structured my table of contents similar to a collage or scrapbook to emphasize my "artsy-ish" approach. I also titled the contents "What's the issue?", as my magazine's main goal is to tackle the controversies of feminism, elaborate on them, and clarify them. 
3. Cover Story: My cover story is featured on my two-page spread. It originally maintained the same aesthetic as both my cover and table of contents. However, the font choice and quirkiness of the photos didn't quite match up, so I decided to create a more cork-board, homemade kind of feel. The dichotomy of the fun design against the serious nature of the article itself encompasses both aspects of the feminist movement, which are the vibrant, warm, community feel along with the crucial goals. The contrast also appeals to my wider range of audience members. The article itself highlights all four components of my research, which I will discuss on the next slide.

• Research: In order to present my magazine and its premise most respectfully and appropriately, I did extensive research and drew insight from many of my peers and mentors. Most of my data is evident in the cover story, but across my magazine, from titles to photos, the research I conducted is present. I used many legitimate internet-based sources from psychologists, historians, and activists. The reason I gathered my information so precisely is because my topic is pretty risky to execute without offending anybody, and I wanted to ensure that if I was going to rub some people the wrong way, I would do so with sufficient support and factual data. I did not include anything in my magazine that I did not find to be a widely discussed and supported topic in my research. My research primarily focuses on the four bullets listed here: the roots of feminism, the tenets of feminism, modern feminism, and the goals of feminism. These are thoroughly highlighted in my cover story.
• Reasoning: My intention behind this project was to voice a side myself that had never been heard. Despite the fact that I am highly observant, I am not normally one to make a statement. I weighed a lot of diverse topics to choose from, but I ultimately chose feminism because it represents a bigger, broader concept: equality. I felt that equality covers a wide range of issues that appeal to many. It is also something I 100% stand by and encourage. Although I didn't outwardly identify as a feminist before this project, this magazine has given me the arena to now do so. My project goes beyond the typical guy vs girl battle that usually encompasses feminism, as well as shuts down the stereotype that feminists are flashy and provocative. My magazine focuses on individual people instead of categories or groups.
• Audience and Distribution: A good portion of my magazine relies on audience interaction and collaboration. Specifically with the monthly inspiration board, featured on my table of contents, all photos, quotes, and artwork are gathered via audience submission. The inspiration board also provides a platform for up-and-coming artists to showcase and possibly sell their work. This component highlights the support system that my magazine fosters through the community and equality it promotes. If I were to mass-produce my magazine, I would facilitate monthly issues with new themes, as well as new inspiration boards with each issue. In order to generate enough audience members and submissions, I would reach out to my range of ages through social media accounts, a Fembrace website, and mailed post card advertisements. I believe planting the seed through these venues is enough due to the appealing nature of the concept, so not much marketing would be needed beyond that.
• My Journey: I can honestly say I am sad that this project is coming to a close. I invested so much time and effort into this and am truly proud of my work. It's almost weird to me that this magazine isn't actually real. Although my career path as of right now does not include magazine production, I know that I love to write and create, so if things don't go as planned, this would be a wonderful alternative. Throughout these past 6 weeks,  I have learned how to combine my literary voice with meaningful research in order to manifest a legitimate product. Before this, I only ever did academic work separate from creative writing. I am happy to have finally been given the chance to synchronize the two. I am surprised at how quickly I was able to develop photo editing/magazine layout skills; I'm not normally a visually artistic individual, and this allowed me to bring that side of myself to life.
• Tools and Resources: For layout and design, I utilized Microsoft Word. For photo editing, I utilized both Paint.net and the Google Nix Collection. For my critical reflection, I combined Microsoft PowerPoint and VoiceThread. The remainder of my resources reside in my blog, along with their citations.

I hope you enjoyed my project.