What have you learnt from completing this
task?
From completing this task, along the way I
have learnt how to use parts of Photoshop that were needed for this task such
as cutting edges out of photos, using tools such as the feather tool which
makes edges appear softer on an image and how to actually edit photos.
I've also learnt what types of conventions
are on a magazine and why they are placed where they are, these include a mast
head; placed at the top of the front cover aka title, a skyline; placed above
the mast head, it tells you what is in the magazine, plug; this is usually
placed at either side of the front cover, usually a competition etc. it’s not
always there but it does attract the readers attention, bar code, price and
issue number; placed at the bottom of the page so that the reader can buy it,
main feature story and feature stories; these show the reader a taster of
what’s actually in the magazine, main image; a big image to show what the
magazines about or what is in the magazine and finally pull quotes; these give
you a taster or what’s in the magazine, usually placed with a feature story.
I've learnt what types of camera framings
you can take and how you take them and how to correctly lay out a magazine
front cover. Camera framings include; an extreme close up, a close up, a medium
close up, a long shot, a high angle, a low angle, a two shot, an image framed
to the left, an image framed to the right and a central image.
I learnt how many colours you can have on
a front cover of a magazine; three, if it was anymore the front cover would
look too crowded and too busy, therefore with three it doesn't look simple, it
looks just right.
How have you used technology?
Throughout creating my magazine front
cover I have used technology. This technology being Mac computers, PC’s, Photoshop
my iPhone to take my images for the front cover and also for the camera
framings that were published on my blog.
I really enjoyed using Photoshop and
learning how to go about it. Throughout using it I used many tools such as the
Polygonal Lasso tool, this helps you cut out images. Once you have cut the image
out, you can soften the edges using the ‘Feather’ tool, set this to a specific
number of pixels and it will soften the edges, creating a clearer and more
appealing image. In order to actually create my magazine front cover, I had to
use many layers so that I can move different conventions without moving the
whole front cover, I used layers for the text, the white backgrounds which made
the text stand out and the images so that I was free to move everything. I learnt
how to ‘scale’ images, scale meaning reduce and enlarge the images without
losing the quality.
Because I used both Mac computers and an
ordinary PC, I had to explore how they both worked and what was different. I
found the PC much easier to work, but this maybe because I am used to this.
Although, the Mac was very interesting to search through and see how it works.
I found some things difficult to get used to at first such as the ‘copy’ and ‘paste’,
but in the end it seemed easy. Overall I do prefer using PC’s but the only
reason being that I am more used to PC’s but I would still like to discover how
Mac’s fully work.
What conventions have you used and why?
To produce my front cover I used many
conventions in order to make it look more realistic. These conventions being:
A skyline; ‘Struggling to revise? Check
out our revision tips’. I used this as skyline as it could attract reader’s
attention if they want help on how to revise and also with it being located at
the top of the front cover; it’s easy and clear to read it.
A mast head; in big, bold writing to make
sure that it stands out to the audience ,‘Freshers’. I used the title
‘Freshers’ as it short and quick, it catches attention. I also added small text
beneath it to show the audience that it is a Wyke exclusive magazine.
Feature stories; ‘Want to save money? NUS
Extra Discount’ ‘Upcoming Events – From sports to theatre’ ‘ Exclusive
Interviews’ and ‘Sport Mad - the netball team speaks’. I added these feature
stories because they are all relevant to college life and people may be
interested in at least one of the feature stories meaning they will want to buy
the magazine and read about them.
A plug; ‘Win! An Apple Mac for your
college’ this makes the student want to buy the magazine as Apple Macs are a
very expensive piece of technology and knowing they have a chance to win one
for their college makes them want to read about how they can win one.
Finally I added a main image; a photo of a
young student holding folders. I used this because it shows a happy student
enjoying college and it shows she is studying as she is holding her folder for
a subject she will be taking.
Below I have added an convention analysis of my actual magazine front cover, showing the conventions I have used.
What would you change if you were to do this task again?
If I were to ever do this task again, I
would expand my Photoshop knowledge and edit my main image by adjusting the
skin tone etc. I would also try and explore different fonts, maybe choose one
that has a more professional look.
Considering there wasn’t much time to
complete this task, in the future if I had more time, I would also take better
photographs, maybe of a person doing sport since one of the feature stories on
the front cover is to do with sport. I would take a picture of someone in their
sport kit maybe holding a prop such as ball and take the photo in the green
room so that this enables me to choose an appropriate background for the front
cover. I wouldn’t use my iPhone, but I would use an Olympus camera to enable me
to get a top quality picture, so it appears better and also it would be easier
to edit the image. I have never used an Olympus camera also, so it would be a
good experience learning how to use one and getting to know the features it
has.
I would also improve my blog. I would improve things such as my mood board,
names, colours scheme and feature stories and the mast head designs. I would
try to include more pictures on my mood board so that I have a lot of
inspiration for my magazine front cover, I would also look at different types
of magazines. For my names, colour scheme and feature stories post, I would try
to present that in a better way, as I think it looks a bit dull and could have
been made into something that makes you want to read it. Finally in my mast
head designs, I could have added what size font I would be wanting to use and
also what colour I wanted my mast head to be.
