Evaluation 7

Evaluation 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Comparing my preliminary task to my finished product, I can see a considerable improvement and progression. The finished magazine looks like a professional product, whereas the preliminary piece does not.

Masthead

The masthead on my preliminary piece only slightly follows the conventions of a magazine. It covers almost all of the top of the page, utilising the space well but it still does not look like a professional magazine as the font is very cartoon like, and this does not reflect the tone of the magazine.

My finished piece looks a lot more professional. The font is large, clean and easy to read. I use the space well, covering the width of my magazine with the masthead.

My masthead's text is placed behind my image which breaks the conventions of a new music magazine. Newer music magazines tend to have the masthead in front of the image because they are not well known, so the text will stand out in the foreground. I chose the opposite of this because I want my readers to see the exclusive interview by looking at the image first. It also implies that my magazine is already established, and can catch the eye of a reader who is looked for quality established magazines. I have learnt that breaking conventions can sometimes be more effective than conforming.

Cover Images

The cover images of my preliminary look vastly inferior to my finished product. My finished image has been meticulously edited, whereas my preliminary image has only been cropped using the magic want tool. I have learnt that a lot of work and care needs to be put into the image to achieve a professional standard.

The image is a medium close up, but does not use the space well. My image could have been moved to better display my models head instead of his shirt and torso.

It would also have looked more effective if I had cleaned up the edges better.

My final front cover image looks like a professional piece of work. There are no white edges, and the contrast and colours of the image combine with the lighting to make my models look as well presented as possible. I learnt how to use layer masks from tutorials on the Internet, and learnt that it is not enough to only use the magic wand tool. I edited the contrast and levels of my image, achieving a natural lighting effect.

Contents Page

My preliminary contents page follows the house style of the magazine. It follows the conventions of a magazine, using page numbers, an editor’s note, and images from inside the magazine, but it is still very bare and plain.

My finished contents page looks a lot more professional. I have used a large, easily readable font for the title, following the house style of my magazine. I use the magazine’s logo in the left corner in order to establish and connote my brand. The font is a white, easy to read sans serif font, with a black 2pt stroke outlining it, contrasting with the dark grey background. I have learnt about the sizes of fonts and the editing techniques needed for the pages to look professional. The font can not be too big as it will look childish, and if it is too small it will be difficult to read.

I have used a variety of different images for my contents page, featuring numerous different bands and artists. This shows the broad spectrum of music features in my magazine, and also connotes an air of quality because it shows I have interviewed multiple bands.