Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have

learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Preliminary TaskTo start my preliminary task of making a school magazine I did sketches that I based my front cover and contents page on; these sketches did not really change and this was because I did not really know how to use the software that was available to me.

Preliminary TaskIn the preliminary task I think that my front cover is very amateurish. The coverlines are fine but they go over the model and it is hard to read over the models dark clothes as I picked a dark font. I think that you can also see that the picture is not of a good quality as the models face is obscured by her hair and this was because I was rushing to finish for my deadline.

Preliminary TaskThe contents page for my preliminary exercise is very basic and there isn't much written content; but the written content is split into two sections of regular and feature content. The colour on the contents page is also the same colour as the front cover title. I feel the pictures I have taken are amateurish because I have pulled them to make them fit on the page how I wanted. I have also added the page number over the images but I feel that they are hard to see on some.

Main TaskThe sketches for my main task are also similar but I have deviate in places and I believe that this is because that I knew how to use the software more effectively and could solve problems that occurred when things did not look as effective as I imagined. I also changed things based on my questionnaire results so that it would attract the audience I wanted.

Main TaskThe title appearance for my preliminary and main task are both similar as I used the ‘Blending options’ tool for both of them but I think the title on my main task looks more professional. The coverlines are easier to read on the main task compared to the preliminary exercise and they are also shorter and positioned better on the page. I have also included a strapline which includes a variety of R’n’B artists names. I have also added the issue date and price to the main task front cover. I did not have these on my preliminary task.

Main TaskI think you can see how my contents page has evolved from my preliminary task to the main as the pictures are of a better quality and there is also more written content. I have also used my front cover title in the to right hand corner in the same style as on my front cover. I also feel that the page numbers over the images are easier to see compared to the preliminary exercise.

Main TaskFor my main task I also had to make a double paged spread in which I had to research, write and fit an article onto a double spread. For the background I used a brick image that I had taken. I have also used my front cover title in the same font as on my front cover in both bottom hand corners along with the page numbers.

ImprovementsFor the preliminary task my Quark Xpress knowledge was basic and you can see this in the contents page. My skills have evolved from the preliminary task to the main as I have used a colour grading background for some of the pictures I had taken. I have also used my main title in the same font as on the front cover. My journalist skills have also evolved as I had to write an article.

I also think that my camera skills have improved too as the main image picture for my preliminary task was not of a good quality and this was because I rushed to meet a deadline. Because of this I decided to organize a photo shoot for my main task cover image which meant that I would have a variety of images to choose from. I also think that my creativity skills improved when doing the photo shoot as I had to tell the model what to do and how to look to get the image I desired.