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

Looking back at the preliminary task, I only had basic understanding of the codes and conventions of music magazines. This shows as the masthead is basic and not very well suited for the magazine, the cover lines are sporadically placed and the text blends in with the background. In my final product, the masthead suits the theme better, and fits the page better. The cover lines are placed more strategically and look less out of place. The cover star is also not completely centred in the final product, and is shot in a more conventional medium close up, as opposed the close up in the preliminary task.

AfterBefore

The mast head is more developed with a more unique font.

The background of the image on the final product is more suitable and kept in theme compared to the preliminary task.

More effects have been added to give the magazine a more professional finish.

My preliminary task was my first time using Photoshop, and didn’t require any more software to produce. Because of my lack of knowledge of the software my preliminary task look unprofessional. During the production of my final product, I learnt new techniques and gained more experience . As a result, my final product looks more professionally made, is better structured, and my extra experience with the software means the magazine is of a better quality.

As a result of my better knowledge of technology, I was able to remove the cover star from the background and add a background to the front cover. This gave the magazine a more professional look and allowed me to add a background that is more appropriate for the magazine. I also put more thought into the clothing and the props of the cover star, as he was dressed in more appropriate clothes for the rock theme, and the band were using instruments for the props

In my preliminary task, I struggled to suit the features of the magazine to the theme of it. I used varying colour schemes, lots of different fonts and didn’t think much about the clothing and background of the cover star. In the development of my final product, I learnt to suit the magazine to the themes and the styles the magazine was based on. For example, the cover star was wearing a band top featuring a classic rock band, and the piercing and hat he wore is a common style amongst the rock community. The fonts were distorted and unconventional to suit the theme, the colour scheme was conventional dark colours, common amongst the theme of rock, and the cover star was cut out of the original background and a more spacey background was added, adding to the dark colour scheme

Dark colour scheme

Instrument props

Dark background

During the production of my product, I learnt a lot about how magazines are published, advertised and generally made. Because I have been more aware of these things during the production of my product, I have paid closer attention to them whilst producing the magazine. For example, there was space left around the border, so that the magazine would print properly. I also decided to include some common sales techniques on my magazine, for example giving away free posters with the magazine, attracting customers to come and buy it

During production I learnt how to properly present and structure my articles, specifically the double page spread. For example I learnt to keep the images the dominating section of the page, whilst still leaving plenty of room for the interview. I also balanced the amount of text so that the audience would not feel there is too much to read, but not feel patronised as there is not enough to read.