Q7) Looking back at your premilinary task, what do you think you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Looking back at my preliminary task I learnt how to edit codes and conventions using Photo shop and updating everything on blogger. Using Photo shop is quite tricky because I felt like by the time I would find the right tool to edit my front cover/contents/double page spread it would be the end of lesson. However to save my time I would look on You Tube in my spare time to learn how to edit certain things. In some cases I found it useful e.g. using the quick eraser tool to crop the subject from the background and placing in to another plain background. In my preliminary task I didn’t quite like my college front cover as it’s very boring and not appealing. I didn’t know how to edit pictures or use layers properly, if I could redo my college front cover I would make it look more busy and interesting. In my drafts I included all the conventions but it’s not full and the cover looks simple.  I kept the magazines traditional layout, I also noticed that the music magazine Top Of The Pops had changed it’s front cover layout as 2014 begun and they’re not using pink all the time to represent the audience.

This table demonstrates what I have and what I haven't included in both of my magazine front covers

If I could re do my college magazine I wouldn't change anything but I would add more sell lines make it look more appealing by adding shapes more pictures and edit the models picture and make it brighter or maybe put some neatural make up on to look healthy.

In my contents page I found it easy to create as I used the traditional layout from Top Of The Pops music magazine because firstly it’s conventional and secondly it’s interesting and fun. I also became familiar of all the important tools because I spent a lot of time on my front cover.

In my double page spread I have learnt that you can’t create a double page spread it has to be done on publisher because the text doesn’t wrap on Photo shop and in some cases make the page look unconventional. By doing it on Publisher I got to correct my grammar and spelling mistakes ,also wrapping  the text around the pull quote ,this technique makes the page look conventional.

My final Front cover, Contents page and Double page spread

Masthead ideas

Draft double page spread

Photo shop process of my double page spread draft

 I first set the page as A3 then placed my heading at the top using Lucida handwriting and used the conventional colour pink. Then I copied and pasted my text from my draft double page on publisher and layered it out in columns. Columns is a convention for a double page spread and and also questions in a different colour to the text makes it easier and precise for the readers. 

Then used the quick selection tool to separate the object from the background, so it's easier for me rather than spending time erasing everything that's unnecessary.

To make the background look smooth I used the  refine  edge tool. This will make it look more professional and neat.

 I then placed the edited picture on the right side of the page. This is conventional, this could be because when the audience flip through the page they'll notice the picture which should appeal to them to read the interview.  I also put a background to the double page spread because it was very  plain and boring. I used the gradient tool to make the background more effective.  I also changed the font of the sub heading using 'dafont' online and stroked it black to appeal the readers. I then inserted the models name this was an inspiration from another magazine. I then conventionally put in page numbers using the black oval shape around it. And for the music notes I used the shape-custom tool to make it more interesting and fun.

 

Then I stroked the heading to stand out.

Then I used another oval shape for my pull quote and placed it in the middle. to make it effective I wrote ''omg'' to grab the readers attention.

 

Lastly I stroke the oval shape and the music notes and also added ''exclusive interview'' on the top right of the page.

 After finding out that I can't text wrap around the pull quote in Photo Shop I was told to do my double page spread on Publisher. I deleted the text and saved the shape and the pull quote as a picture, I then changed the font of 'emily' and the subheading to the same font as it was on the front cover to keep the continuity and added speech marks to make it look conventional I also changed the brightness of the image to make it look more attractive and not cheap, after that I saved the double page spread as JPEG and used it as my background on publisher. I then put my text and pull quote in using columns. I also put a drop cap in and put a caption of the image at the bottom of the page alongside the website and date that's highlighted at the bottom in pink.

Constructing the contents page

At first I used the rectangle tool to use a background for my contents title this is a conventional technique in a pop magazine and I filled it with pink which is another conventional colour and also would make the contents title stand out from the informational page. I then put the title in and used a font similar to the actual font in the contents page because I couldn't find the exact font I ended up using 'Lucida handwriting' italic, and 60pt.

I then created 3 columns using the rectangular tool, conventionally there's 4 but there's not enough space. I also put effects on top of the columns because its conventional and it makes the columns noticeable. The ombre colours in the columns called ''gradient overlay''.

Then I added the page number by adding another shape to make the page numbers noticable. I numbered the page 3 because when you open the magazine there's adverts then contents page.

To create the shape at the bottom of the page for my page number I used an oval shape and filled it with black. This makes it very similar to the conetnts page from a pop magazine.

 I then used another rectangle white shape stroked it with yellow and put the subheading in with a love heart.