Question 7

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

Preliminary Final production

Preliminary Final production

ProgressionI wanted to make many improvements from my preliminary task, there are as follows.The image taken in my preliminary task has got the professional quality to it, however the mise en scene isn't appropriate as the messy school uniform gives it a less formal look. I could of taken the image with better lighting, but l learnt how to adapt the image quality and contrast within Photoshop itself. I am not happy with the font used for the title and the headline and also the colours used for the strapline could be improved. Through both my preliminary tasks, I haven't kept a continued house theme.

As you can see, both my final productions I showed a variety of images as well as keeping a continues house style. The first image taken I used lighting to create a underground rave effect. I then continued to blur the models face to make the image less dull (unlike the image in my preliminary). I also feel that I have progressed in the way I utilised fonts, whilst having a variation of fonts throughout they still have a professional feel to them as they have good separation effects. The fonts and image’s are in my opinion the most crucial factors to make a professional looking image.

LearningMy skill in Photoshop has massively improved from the transition from preliminary to final production. I became familiar with how to enhance image’s and play with text, such as giving it a drop shadow. For example on my double page spread I have raised the text to make it less dull against the background. It makes it more appealing and therefor more professional. Using the drop shadow tool I learnt that by changing the speed and angle of the shadow I could get very particular with my editing in order to have the most effective production.

Adding a drop shadow

The complexity of my layout has changed also, as I have learnt how to add different layers into my production. Before my skills of Photoshop had developed my preliminary tasked looked flat and dull, but by utilising layers I was able to produce a more professional looking image. By following the codes and conventions of other music magazines I was able to use layers to produce a professional looking final product. Some of the techniques I learnt was how to colour text box’s, line spacing, and separation between letters to create variation.

By following my own advice from my preliminary task, I was able to remain to one constant structure, by always referring to my research it meant I didn’t just produce a mess of image’s and text that didn’t have any professional qualities to it. To do this I created mock ups and sketches of what I wanted my final production to look like. Unlike what I did for my preliminary which consisted of very little research .

Mock ups

I also learnt the importance of mastheads, as they are the initial thing a reader will read when viewing the magazine. In my preliminary task my masthead was unrecognisable and didn’t have a relatable font to the theme of a school. Also it had no qualities that could represent the magazine as a whole, unlike my final productions masthead. Due to this I decided my final masthead must look professional and be the symbol for the magazine, thus why I created several options and allowed my focus group to decide which looked the most professional.

From all of the lessons I’ve learnt from the transition between preliminary to final production, I was able to produce my double page spread, which considered all the factors I have learnt.

The unique bright colours against the topless model contrast and create a very eye-catching look. Through repetition and tutorials I managed to position the model just right in order to create the best ‘lens flare look’, thus making it look more professional. By utilising the projector, lighting and the iso I was able to highlight the transition from my preliminary to the final production. Overall these techniques aloud me to have a stand out image which would overall greatly increase the professional qualities of the magazine.

ConclusionIn conclusion the increase of quality from my preliminary task to my final production was large. This is mainly due the fact I have acquired many skills throughout the process of this production. For example my skills in Photoshop have greatly improved, thus allowing me to be able to produce a more professional piece of work. By learning the codes and conventions of different genres of magazine I was able to put them into my magazine by utilising my Photoshop skills. The variety of fonts, house colours, design planning and spacing were all conventions necessary to have a successful final production. If I had not learnt how to use this software to its full extent I would not have been able to produce such a high quality piece of work.