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Saturday 17 March 2012

Magazines part 1

So I ve always been hooked magazines.
I started at a very young age with Barbie Magazine and it was kinda helpful cause I learnt how to read before I even started school and when I got bored of it I started reading W.i.t.c.h. magazine and it became quite an obsession.I had to buy it every month as well as any other thing in shops related to it like pencil cases or books (which were so short I d finish them in a day).Apart from that I think it was quite an amazing publication.I used to spend a lot of time trying to draw the characters and even trying to create comic strips myself( which was a lot of hard work btw but i managed to make a 2 page one), as well as trying to imitate them in real life with my friends(I was usually Irma).They also had creative contests like make your own comic strip(see that's where I got the idea)-and they would give you guidelines as well,design outfits for the characters or make a drawing of your wardrobe with labels showing your most precious possessions or the ones with the most sentimental value.
In case you ve never read W.i.t.c.h. mag here is some background information on it.
W.i.t.c.h. is a comic series about a group of teenage girls-Will,Irma,Taranee,Cornelia and Hay Lin(the name of the mag comes from their initials obviously)-who,you guessed it,have magical powers.Their powers correspond with elements of nature-water,fire,air,earth- each girl having the power of a different element while Will who is also their leader has the power to bound them together.As well as saving the world in their free time the girls also have to deal with normal teenage problems like school,boyfriends and parents at home where no one knows about their powers.

What is cool about W.i.t.c.h. is that each girl is different with her own style and personality(kinda like the Spice Girls) but somehow they don t fall into stereotypes and their characters are well developed throughout the series.Obviously the first thing you notice about them is their style of clothing or their most evident personality trait but as they go through different adventures together you realise theres more to them than that.
When the girls transform into witches they have some epic costumes-think edgy/pixie/warrior-colour coordinated with the addition of some pixie wings.Their enemies are quite fierce as well,my favourite being Nerissa-i think that was her name-an 100yr old witch who still looked around 20 who would appear in the girls nightmares literally, where they had to fight her.


While the mags target audience were mainly preteens the stories were very well written not too childish or too serious,with just the right amount of drama.They put emphasis on their normal teenage problems as well as their responsibilities as witches.Many teenagers would read them as well which made me very proud to be a fan.The artwork was quite amazing for a kids mag as you can see in the pics.
I stopped reading W.i.t.c.h mag when I was around 11 or 12 and it was a gradual process,by that time it started to lose it s appeal and the story writers seemed to have run out of ideas.
Anyways I still think you can draw inspiration from the characters style.

 



Will is more of a tomboy and comfort is the most important thing for her especially when she is riding her bike or when shes going to swimming practice but this doesn't mean her style is boring.She is sporty and loves colour so she would be quite on trend these days.

Irma s style is all about being fun and quirky.Her favourite colour is turquoise which she wears quite often and she loves accessories like funky hair clips and bracelets.She also wears multiple earrings.To channel her style always look like you re ready for a concert and have some witty lines prepared as well ;)


Taranee s style is a lot like her element,fiery.She loves retro pieces,Aztec prints and often wears scarves in her hair.


 Cornelia s style is very lady like with a youthful edge drawing inspiration from her hobby,ice skating.She likes midi skirts,pastel colours for special occasions and berets.


Hay Lin has a passion for fashion which is reflected in her style.Her style is fun,girlie and she tends to wear purple quite a lot.