The sub questions I need to answer…• ‘In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms

and conventions of media products’• ‘What have you learnt about technologies from the process of

constructing this product’

Task8-Evaluation Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

N

umbe

r: 1

786

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Front Cover & Contents Page

The brief was to use a image manipulating programme to produce a front cover and contents page and write the process of how on to a website ‘blogger.com’. Here I have produced exactly that for my preliminary task.

As you can see on the left I have I have designed the front cover using the software Photoshop and the contents page on Adobe InDesign and finally placed both products on to InDesign. The brief indicates that we feature a photograph of a student in a medium close-up the text laid out appropriately alongside a masthead.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

My Front pageHere I have produced my masthead at the top left hand corner which is known as a terminal zone. This area does not attract many people as this is not where the eye travels first, however abiding by the conventions of industry standard, I feel it stands out clearly by the use of blocked typography and colour schemes.

Here I have designed my main image as a medium close up shot which is stated in the brief, this allows the audiences to focus immediately at her, the way her posture and stance is positioned allows the readers to feel comfortable and at ease whilst reading the front cover. The fact that she is listening to music is a plus point as students enjoy and spend their free time listening to music.

Here I have placed one of my main cover lines ‘ world of work’ this suggests students who are now thinking about university or joining the working atmosphere suitable here. I feel by capitalising the lexis ‘world’ gives the sense of hard work and determination. I have also used many other sell/cover lines surrounding the main cover line for example ‘ back to college 5 fashion tips’ interests young females as they want to look fresh, prepared and comfortable in what they wear to college- by using the number 5 shows a sense of informality and slang to gain the readers attention easily.

By positioning the colleges website, date, price and issue number at again the terminal area of the magazine allows students to read the entire front cover before laying eyes on the price-as the audience loses interest.

By placing an insert of a photographed image that I have taken, gives more of a natural free to the magazine her body language suggests her free period revising in the park. This attracts readers as she is more relaxed and doing what she wants.

I have used 3 words at the bottom of the page almost as a banner to show the jump students have made from summer back to college- the way the colours of ‘stay summer successful’ transition from one colour to the next connotes the summer feel.

By using the word ‘FREE’ capitalised attracts interest as students wouldn’t want to miss something on offer.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

My Contents PageHere I have attached a editors note to show and have a sense of who she is and why, how and when she writes these sorts of magazine.

By using the title centred and spaced shows the bold, blocked typography this suggests it’s used for emphasis.

By using the same three phrases here shows the consistence approach to this magazine and that everything is here to evoke meaning.

The images on the contents page are placed at different orientation's gives the magazine some edge and student feel to it.

Here I have used student quotes to give new students that are joining the college some information about what they feel. The contents page is purely aimed at students at college and what interests them.

The colour schemes used throughout the contents page is very basic colours such as reds, oranges and blacks these sorts of colour connote passion, success and new life- this is what the magazine is about.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Comparing Front Covers

Masthead- main text on a magazine.

Main cover line-to attract audiences.

Website- for more details about the magazine.

Banner-to frame the magazine.

Barcode- to purchase the item.

Date Line- to indicate how old the issue is.

Main Image-to attract you to the magazine.

Image insert- show what’s inside.

Serif Fonts

Colour schemes- this is consistent to show the professional aspect.

Both magazines follow the rule of thirds which divides the page up into 9 boxes- where each box holds meaning towards the audiences most important corners for gaze.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Comparing-Contents PageMasthead- main text on a magazine.

Images-make the contents page more attractive and illustrates items much better.

Page Referencing- to easily navigate through the magazine.

Serif Sub titles & numbers.

Quotations from students to help make other students feel comfortable and giving there opinions.

Website- to find out more about the magazine.

Editors note- allowing students to get to know the writer in who writes these magazines.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

‘In what way does my media product use, develop or challenge the forms & conventions.’

My magazine has followed many of the codes and conventions a typical magazine would have, for instance using a bold masthead near the top centre to ensure this catches the audiences attention.

The use of cover/sell lines on the front page sticks with the conventions as this helps draw attention to what the magazine wants to known for. My magazine ‘back 2 college’ main cover line is ‘world of work’ you can easily see this from the bold lettering this follows industry standards house style such as lucky their main cover line is ‘perfect hair & gorgeous glow’ again this is following the conventions of a typical magazine.

The main image on my magazine, I feel I haven’t entirely met the conventions as the image is big and at a medium close up which does follow the convention however the way it is aligned does not look like a official magazine cover.

I followed the rule of thirds divide up which allows me to position my text and photographs that would interest the reader.

Almost every magazine has a barcode, date, issue number, maybe and insert and a lot of colour to draw certain audiences in. I have followed these conventions by abiding by this and using this in my own magazine.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

‘What technologies have I learnt from the process of constructing this product?’

Photoshop In Design Blogger Digital Camera

Photoshop is a desktop publishing software used across many industries. Photoshop is a design programme used to manipulate images. Using this programme I have gained a lot of basic knowledge to create a front cover and contents page such as specific tools like ‘crop’, ‘colour swatches’ and ‘colour gradient’.

I had not used this image package before this task and have learnt many things from this which will help me in the future to create/manipulate images.

In Design is again an industry standard programme from Adobe, which is a text based product which helps finalise products- you create text and images using another software and bring everything together using InDesign.

InDesign was a new software to me and using this has helped with my assignment for instance tools such as the ‘rectangular tool’ allows images to exported in.

Overall I enjoyed using InDesign and feel that this helped the layout in my contents page.

Blogger.com is a website experienced in catering for personal diaries or a collaborative space.

I used blogger.com for the first time and learnt the basic essentials quite easily- in how to create a post, how to upload and publish a post. Also, adding images from my home drives and inserting it was difficult at first but was soon overcome.

I feel blogging my procession through this task has helped me keep up to date and write down step by step what I needed to do and finish.

In order for me to take my own photographs I had to use a Sony digital camera, to capture the different shot types; long shot, medium close up and a range of others.

Getting to grips with a digital camera wasn’t difficult however using a Sony camera was- after a few attempts I knew how to control it.

This helped me structure my image/model as I could hold the camera at any position/angle to ensure I get my photograph how I wanted it, however due to time constraints I was unable to take more photographs.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Above you have the stages that I have used to work with my ideas using the software Photoshop.Below I have used the programme InDesign to show the stages I went through in inserting images such as this close up for instance, I had to use the rectangle frame tool to size how big I want the image then from file placing a image I want from my home drive then select it.

Stages

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Strengths-Front Cover & Contents Page.

My magazine-front cover and contents page were given audience feedback from a student itself, the strengths they had mentioned about my magazine was that;

• The use of colour schemes was very effective as this caught her attention at first glance also is very consistent through out the magazine which appeals to the audiences both female and male.

• The cover lines are very informative and pin point the exact detail to the magazine and what is inside.

• The images used on the contents page is very different orientations which give the magazine a sense of edge which would appeal to young adults. The use of a variety of shot types interests them to read on.

• The magazine overall fits the brief and is aimed at students.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Weaknesses-Front Cover & Contents Page

My magazine-front cover and contents page were given audience feedback from a student itself, the weaknesses they had

mentioned about my magazine was that; • There was many blank/white spaces on the

contents page which almost gives the idea that the contents page is incomplete and needs finishing.

• The main cover line on the front cover needs to be big and bold, you needed to increase the font size, also by using a very basic font it wouldn’t attract a student reading it.

• A lot is going on in the contents page which can be confusing at times and looks very clustered/ untidy.

• By using the obviated form PG4 to stand as page4 doesn’t tend be on a magazine.

Poon

am P

arm

ar C

andi

date

Num

ber:

178

6

Overall Success• The overall success from this preliminary task was using

different software's and programmes to design a front cover and contents page. By learning now this will help me in my main task.

• I am quite happy with the overall result of my magazine however due to time constraints I couldn’t finish it how I would of liked to.