For my preliminary task I had to produce a front cover for a new school/college magazine. This helped me prepare for my actual coursework, which was to produce a front cover, contents and double page spread of a music magazine. Also when constructing my preliminary task I learned how to use Photoshop. This is because when I first used Photoshop I did not know how to use it. This is shown when I uploaded my first attempt at using Photoshop. I did not know how to use the tools and found it very hard to do so. However from doing that task I learned how to cut the background from the image, using the quick select tool. I also learned how to use the clone stamp tool, I used it to draw the persons hair that the frame had cut out. But I found this very difficult so my final image had the model’s head not all in the frame.

My preliminary task allowed me to understand the conventions of a magazine. Therefore when I came to make my final product I will know what conventions to include in my magazine. I am going to list all the skills and keywords I have learned whilst I was making the preliminary task and continued to develop when I was creating my final product.

Codes and Conventions: • Mast head

• Feature stories• Free gifts/posters• Footer• Issue number/date• Barcode• Price• Plug• Pull quote• House style

Camerawork:• Different shots (CU,MCU,LS)• High angles/ low angles

Photoshop:• Transform• Add layers• Crop• Text tool• Shape tool• Also all the other tools I have said in question 6.

Research:• LIIAR analysis• Demographics• Looking at existing products• Audience research

Area of improvement: Sky line and footer.

Area of improvement: Feature stories.

Area of improvement: The picture.

Area of improvement: Magazine issue

If I was to do my preliminary task again I would improve where I place my magazine issue number and also would add a price. I would place the issue number near a barcode and either next to it or in close proximity to it I would place the price. This is because when I was making my preliminary task I had basic knowledge of magazine conventions. This showed in my preliminary task; as I forgot to feature a price on the front cover of my college magazine. Also I would change the font I used for my issue number. This is because it is in white bold font, for my front cover I want the issue date/ number to be more subtle on the page.

If I was to do my preliminary task again I would change my sky line and footer. This is because they are white and therefore do not stand out. Also when I was making my preliminary task I did not know how to use Photoshop, this is apparent as both my sky line and footer finish before the end of the photograph. This looks very unprofessional and armature. Also the font I have used in the sky line and footer is very basic and I have used it many times on the front cover. This is not very conventional. Also if I was to feature a footer or sky line on my main product I would place them differently on the page.

If I was to do my preliminary task again I would edit my main image more. This is because when I was making my preliminary task I did not understand how to use Photoshop. However now that I do I would cut my model away from the background and then duplicate the original layer. So that my image would still look the same, but my model’s hair would not get blocked out by the mast head. I would also edit the face of my model to make the image seem more flawless. This is because a real magazine

would edit the model’s face so that it appears flawless to the audience. Another thing I would edit if I was going to do this task again is brightening the image. This gives the image a more professional finish.

If I was to do my preliminary task again I would change the layout of my feature stories. This is because all my feature stories are down one side of the magazine front cover. However they do not have fluidity. Also I would use different font; this is because the font available on Photoshop is very limited. This makes my product look like a poster and not like a

magazine. When doing this task I tried to alternate between fonts and font sizes, however I do not believe the effect I wanted worked. Therefore if I was to do this task again I would get my font from a website. Probably 1001fonts.com, then I would save the text as an image and import into Photoshop. This gives me many more fonts to look at and decide which would be effective and eye-catching.

CONVENTIONS COLLEGE MAGAZINE MUSIC MAGAZINE

Mast head It was bold, bright and stood out. Bold, eye-catching and short. Which is effective.

Feature stories Essentially there were only two feature stories, all down one side of the page.

Six feature stories, down both sides of the page. Looks conventional.

Plug Advertising for free clothing vouchers. This would attract the audience.

Advertising Leeds/Reading tickets, appeals to my audience. Stands out.

Sky line/ Footer Did not look very professional. Used to advertise the college and their trips.

Used only a footer, changed the placing of it. Stands out a lot more.

Barcode, Issue number & Price

Only included a barcode, did not include a price. Included an issue date looked basic.

Included all of these things. The price is down the side of my barcode. This is professional and conventional.

Website Did not include a website for the magazine.

Included a magazine website to the page, below the footer.

Main feature story I did not have a clear main feature story.

Clear main feature story, takes up the most space on the page.

Main image Medium long shot, costume is accurate and the photo is of good quality.

Medium long shot, costume is conventional. Edited the photo a lot.

Secondary images Very dull and does not stand out. Medium close up.

Stand out on the page and look conventional.

Layout There was no clear layout, a lot of empty space. Not conventional.

Clear layout, very conventional of a music magazine.

Colour scheme Red, white and black. Not really targeting the audience.

Red, white and black, targeting my audience. Conventional.

USP N/A My magazine has a USP as it is different to existing products. It has an app and a website.

Photography:Looking back at the photographs I had taken for my preliminary task I think they were very basic. Although I had thought about mise-en-scene, I did not think about the lighting or poses. I only had taken about ten photographs, when in reality I should have been taking a lot more. This did not give me a lot of choice when choosing my photograph for the main image. This showed me that when I came to make my main product I needed to think of mise-en-scene, framing, lighting and poses when taking photographs. My knowledge on how effective photography was for a magazine was very limited, therefore to enhance this I did extensive research into photograph. From doing this I learned how an image and the way it is taken can change a magazine. So when it came to making my magazine I had my research into photography to look back at. This helped me a lot, it helped my design process and how I was going to use a photograph to sell my product.

Layout:Looking back at the layout of my preliminary task I can now see how basic it was. This made my product look very unprofessional. The feature stories were all done one side of the front cover, my secondary image, plug and footer positioning did not look very good. Therefore when it came to making my final product I looked back at my preliminary task and reflected on all the negative points. This helped me decide on the layout of my music magazine, this is because I knew how to improve the look of a magazine. I knew what looked conventional and what did not. Therefore by doing my preliminary task it allowed me to improve and broaden my knowledge on conventions of a music magazine.

As I have said previously I found using Photoshop very difficult, however I was determined to practise using the various tools available on Photoshop. Therefore in my spare time I would research how to use the tools. I would do this either by looking at video tutorials on YouTube or searching on google for a step by step guide. For example when I came to editing my music magazine front cover I wanted to make my model’s teeth whiter. Therefore I searched on google and watched a video on this process; I then looked at a website giving a guide on how to do this. By doing this extra work I had learned a new skill that I could use for my final product.

Overall I feel I learned a lot from making a preliminary task. This is because it allowed me to understand the codes and conventions a magazine. It also helped me develop my skills when using a camera and Photoshop. I have improved a lot from doing this and now I feel I am able to use Photoshop and manipulate photographs. You can see the evidence of my progression through my work and research. However I feel I have improved even more from when I did my music magazine front cover. This is because I feel my contents page and double page spread look very professional and provide continuity. I also used a varied amount of tools on Photoshop and carried on learning about them as I was making my product.