For example with this task time was a key asset and had to make sure it was always on my side as this task was quite lengthy I had to make sure I had all my research in tact before I could start at first I couldn’t keep up due to me being complacent I took longer than required to take my pictures, I then quickly caught up and kept to my personal deadlines. For the introductory task I was only required to do was a contents and a front cover, in contrast to the main task which an additional content was added, a double page spread. This meant that this project would take much longer so I had to plan my work properly.
Another thing I learnt was how to use the more complex tools in Photoshop in which I never used for my introductory task. Tools such as lasso tools in order to cut perfectly around my models, gradient and blending tools to have backgrounds to my perfection. When I first started my project I only had a slight insight on Photoshop I had to learn how to set up an A3 canvas for my double page spread which was a bit hard as I thought it was straight forward I thought it was under page set up but in fact it was under image then rotate canvas. I also learnt how to use the camera efficiently with my first project I just rushed my pictures but with this one I made sure the focus was on point and had my models doing exactly what I wanted.
In producing my music magazine it required a lot of decision making, such as background colour, models used and importantly genre of music. These decisions were made after looking back at my audience research and making these decisions relating to results. This meant that some of my descions were to the expectations of the audience although I did generate surprise in terms of the genre of my magazine. In which it was meant to be a ‘funky house’ magazine but I made my magazine to be hip-hop.
I also learnt how to address and attract my target audience in terms of font. As my audience are trendy urban hip-hop readers they are attracted to big colourful fonts with exclamatives, rather than curly formal looking fonts. This is because typical magazines use big fonts in order to attract their audience for this reason I did the same.
Throughout my work I discovered the strengths and weaknesses of my work. For example I think my front cover as a whole has a unique floor to it as I used more than three colours and they were all eye-catching, also with my masthead, I believe the stars brought out the page and as a whole stands out of the rest of the magazine in he shops. Another strength is that I followed and at the same time challenged conventions as most magazines don’t photograph groups, which is what I did. I also used the colours purple and white which is the source of my magazines uniqueness. The weakness in my projects was that I didn’t manage my time as well as I intended leaving me to trail for a while I also felt as if I rushed my contents page as I didn’t have that many ideas for it. Furthermore another weakness that laid within my project was that even though I gained a little more knowledge in Photoshop since my introductory task I feel as If my skills were still a bit basic leaving my magazine a bit plain.
I used controversial props such as headphones and New Era baseball caps in order to fit with the stereotype of hip-hop artists and the way they dress, also within a group its almost unavoidable that there would be an individual that is more important, within my magazine I made it clear that the one that was matching (red) is the most popular within the group.
I did make one noticeable typewrite error in my work specifically on my contents page instead of writing “free poster look INSIDE to see who its of “I wrote “free poster look in to who its of” I suppose looking at it at a teenagers point of view it makes sense as teens these days miss out words whilst texting as they know their receiver will catch a gist of what they mean. This problem was solved easily.
Furthermore by me drafting my layout on paper and scanning benefitted me as I had a clear idea on what I wanted my final outcome to look like. For my front cover in which took longest to produce I used my draft layout knowing exactly how to position my masthead and cover lines, the same with my contents page as I didn’t know what to do with it as there are many different examples online I decided to it on paper so it saved time. With my double page spread which was not included in the preliminary I had no idea in what I was required so I drafted it and once produced on Photoshop, it was well done.
In order to see what sort of reception my magazine would receive I distributed a feedback sheet and produced an album on face book consisting of my music magazine, contents page and double-page spread. With my feedback sheet I distributed it to 20 people and one question was ‘ what do you like/don’t like about the three images above” and received answers such as ‘ I like the effects used on the models’ and ‘ I don’t like background colour, it’s a bit girly and not very hip-hop’ as I said before I wanted to add uniqueness to my magazine which is why that comment was embraced but not taken into account. On face book I received a substantial amount of likes and I asked people to comment about it and received positive criticisms, this disadvantage was that on face book the people who liked where my friends and may have liked it in order to keep on my good side, in addition the negative criticism I received where all because they don’t listen to hip hp and only included black people. Although there were many pros as people told me what stood out and what they adored, showing me that had in fact targeted my audience with success.
There were also strengths and weaknesses of my contents and double page spread.
Contents Strengths: my audience liked the way i kept the theme flowing . They liked the way what my models were blended into he background . Furthermore they liked the way i challenged conventions of a contents page by putting information everywhere. They liked the way I put the contents title on either side of the page.
Weaknesses:
My Audience didn't like that i didn't include the girls. They said that it was a bit masculine even though there was a purple background.
Double Page Spread Strengths:
in retrospect to he contents and front cover my audience like the colour scheme. They also liked the photo i used and the effect of a white glowing outline around them. They also liked the content(text) they found it amusing . The font I choose was used consistently and legible.
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