SHSG sixth form magazine front cover sketch

On the left is a picture of my original sketch for my version of SHSG sixth form magazine, and on the right is what it now looks like now I have added some colour. 

I chose to call the magazine 'Emerald City' mainly because the schools main colour is green (like an emerald) and it is something that is Southend High is recognised for. I also chose Emerald city as the name for my magazine because its known from a popular childhood film, The Wizard Of Oz. This link gives the magazine a less serious and almost more playful and inviting feel, and it may lead to the people in sixth form reminiscing about their happy childhood (when life  was simpler and more care-free, and not centred around work). Also, in the film The Emerald City is a place where everyone wants to be, this may also give off the message that everyone wants to be at SHSG sixth form. I tried to mimic the font 'MS PGothic', as I personally think it would be a nice font to use. As you can see, I plan to do this title in white with a green glow/stroke around the edges, as I feel this compliments the name of the magazine quite nicely.

For the main image I plan to photograph people (girls and boys as it is a mixed sixth form) on a bench, some of whom will be doing work and smiling - to portray that the people that attend SHSG sixth form are hard working and friendly people, who are enjoying this sixth form. I plan to photograph this on a bench which is on a path of some sort, and then edit the path in photoshop to appear like its glowing yellow (like the yellow brick road in The Wizard Of Oz). If this is not do-able, I will attempt to edit in a yellow path from scratch on photoshop. The yellow brick road idea is not just to include another link to the title, but also is there to symbolise the path that SHSG provides you, and will eventually lead you to your dream destination (like in The Wizard Of Oz when The Emerald City is the destination at the end of the road, and its where supposedly anything is possible). 

I chose to keep the main colours used in this magazine front cover coherent to the colours used in the SHSG logo (red, yellow, and green). I also included the logo, which I felt was extremely important for the magazine, so that it is instantly recognisable as a SHSG magazine.