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

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What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Photoshop is an editing software manufactured by Adobe Systems Inc.  Whilst using this software I realised that it allows users to manipulate and correct the colour on photos. Photoshop opened my eyes to how many professionals are able to edit out many of their mistakes without any of their audience realizing. However it was a very long process to get the handle of; from selecting a different layer each time, to applying any effect I may have added. There were many tools on Photoshop that I had to get used to in order to perfect my skills. 2 of the main tools that I think I used the most were the ‘Move Tool’ and the ‘Magic Wand Tool’. Since i was always inserting objects, I had to become an expert at what these two tools could do. As well as the outline tool that let me cut out bits of an image that I didn't want included.  I have to think that Photoshop was the software that most of my music magazine was made, and has helped me greatly makes my magazine seem more professional.

 InDesign was the hardest program I used during my magazine creation, although I didn't use it as much as Photoshop. Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software application; it can be used to create posters, magazines, newspapers. Whilst suing InDesign I realised that it was the perfect software for applying text to any picture of background. It allows the text of my music magazine to seem more realistic, through the layout and structure. With the help of the guidelines I was able to insert on my front cover the cover lines where all align with each other on both sides of the page, making it seem more professional.

A popular website I was able to find online was ‘PicMonkey’. PicMonkey is an online editing website which allows uploading any image from your computer and editing them with a given range of effects. I think that this website gave me and escape from Photoshop, and was a quick and simple way of quickly edit an image that I thought needed to be portrayed differently to my target readers. Once i had edited my images, PicMonkey also gave me the option to share or save the image, I decided to do both on social media, this gave me the feedback I needed, whether the effect that I had chosen was a good choice or not.

When it came to presenting my evaluation in various ways, Prezi was a presentation website that I had come across, which allowed me to display my work in an eye-catching mind map. I think that Prezi also helped me a lot, as it enables the readers the say interested through the different designs and colour of my own choice. With the help of Prezi I was also able to upload images that would help the readers imagine what the context is about or trying to portray. After making the mind map I was fortunately given the options to share and save my mind map which would allow any other person interested in media, which thought as a great way of expanding its target market.

Blogger was the main source of keeping track of all of my work, it help me whenever I didn't know what was needed to be done or even what had been done already. It was a checklist of my progress, and showed me how to publish my work online. I was also able to categorize my work into subheading, such as homework and class work, which helped a lot when it came to fine missing work that had to be completed. I was also found out how to make various blogs depending on the content I could even give them different titles and URLs.   

How did you attract/address your audience?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

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Plans I Didnt Follow

Plans I didn't follow

The most obvious decision that I wasn't able to follow was the drawn up plans I had made as an over view of what my finished products would have looked at. The main reason that I think I didn't stick to these drawing is because of how simple they looked. I don’t think that I included nor had a clear idea of how much I would actually need to put into each of them.

For my front cover drawn plan I included quite a few conventions such as masthead, puff and selling lines. However when it came to actually producing it I wasn't able to include all of them, I was probably thinking that the front cover would look too informative on just one page and decrease its professionalism. Therefore I didn't include the puff and instead added more selling lines as that is key for a front cover page as well as a ‘plus’. The main reason for this was, because of the magazines that I had used for inspiration all had clean cut images. For this reason, I too wanted my magazine to have a clean cut image for its brand, which I also think is good for my target readers as they are young adults, I didn't think that a lot of information would be needed. As you get older I think that interpreting what the magazine is about comes easier. For example if Jay Z is on a magazine the magazine is more likely to also include his daughter or Beyoncé and therefore the selling  lines would need to be put on. However for if it’s a magazines for young children then more would need to be put on the front in order to keep them interested.

I would have to say that my contents page was the page that I had the most time struggling with. I knew from the beginning that once I couldn't find the right picture to use for my content page that I would be able to stick with the plan. At first I planned on on having one picture on the side with text all around it, but then afterwards I started finding it hard to choose a background color. Therefore I decided to do some research and found out that most pictures taken by professional as use the background they've been given and just edit it, to make it brighter or fit the concept, which is what I decided to do. This also meant that I couldn't stick to the planned schedule I had made either as I had to recall the model I had used and retake some pictures. Once I had decided to use the background from the picture, because of the position of my model in the photo I had to also change the position of the text I would later on include.

Producing the double page spread was the easiest part for me,  I think I was able to keep to the drawn plan I had and include some things here and there. For example sticking to the position of where to place the interview of my featuring artists as well as well image to go behind as the background as well, managed to fit fit perfectly together.

My Final Pages

My Final Pages

Front Cover Editing

Front Cover Editing

In order to make my front cover more appealing, all I had left to do was add some more selling lines towards the top side of the models face, this way the page will look more full and informative. I also researched and saw that on the front cover that I used as inspiration; most front covers had puffs or a plus. When it came to deciding where on my front cover the ‘Plus’ text was going to go; I firstly went with positioning it just above ‘AZALEA’. However the background was of my models body warmer was black and therefore clashed with the

actually plus sign. So I therefore decided to position it just to the right of my models face as the lighting was brighter making it easier for the readers to notice it.  I then decided to make the featuring sign ‘ Exclusive The Queen of Hip Hop AZALEA’ larger, since it is the main unique selling point that will attract my potential target audience. The selling lines on the right side of my front cover also needed to be tidied up; as the spaces between each line weren't even which I thought would not help my front cover’s professionalism. I also decided to add ‘Issue 10’ on top of the bar code, just to give it the edge.

Contents Page Editing

Contents Page Editing

In order for my contents page and cover page to flow I decided to add the similar background covers for my subheadings, and got rid of the black line at the bottom. After a while I didn't feel it was necessary that I had it, I think I was trying to make sure that both my content page and double page spread flowed together nicely, however later on I realised that my double page spread is the page which is supposed to stand out the most as it contains the featuring artists on it. I also decreased the size of my fonts, this way I can add more text onto the page and make it seem more informative. Although when it came

towards the bottom of my page the colors started to clash with my models clothing. Therefore I decided to add a small advertisement instead, in order to make it stand out compared to the rest of the text on the page I used a larger bold typeface to catch my readers eye. However I didn't want it to seem to different to the rest of the page and ruin the color scheme i had chosen, so I therefore used a similar typeface to the titles I've been using and a similar bold red.

Front Cover Editing

Front Cover Editing

The final things that I wanted to add to my front cover page were the saturated red around my headlines. This way it’ll be easier for the reader’s to identify what the main content of the magazine will be. I also edited ‘The Queen of Hip Hop’, giving it an outer glow; this was because the background of some of this was black due to the models cloths. So I thought

the glow would help readers to read it better. I also changed the date from the ‘4 July 2015’ to ‘July 2015. The reason for this is because when it came to asking people how often they thought my type of music magazine should be published, the majority of them picked monthly. I then went online and done some research finding out that magazines that are published monthly don’t include the date of the month on their magazine.

Contents Page Editing

Contents Page Editing

After adding in the advertisement text using InDesign, I decided to go back onto Photoshop and add a white box around the text. From some research I’ve done on content page advertisements they tend to make the text stand out from the rest, therefore I used a different typeface as well as the color. I also looked at some examples that VIBE had

previously published and realised hat they have always choose a different font for their featuring artist excluding the page number, or even sometimes change its position compared to all the other page numbers. For this reason I wanted to make the typefaces the same as the one i had chosen for the front cover this way, it helps the pages to flow. I also changed its position more towards the models image this way

Double Page Editing

Double Page Editing

After looking at my double page spread I realised that the black lines at the top and bottom were a bit too thick, so I therefore decided to make them smaller. However in order to do this I had to stretch the background picture which included the actual model. I also changed the size of my strap line at the top of both pages this way it would be more noticeable for the

readers. I was also thinking that the text on my double page spread was a bit small for the readers to see so I therefore went back on my InDesign and made the front 1 more size bigger. At the top of the page I also noticed that it was a bit plain, so I decided to go back on InDesign and include a small strap line. ‘Aimee Lee reveals her heart breaking story, page 21…’ This will also benefit the magazine as well once the readers finish reading the double page spread they can ten move onto reading another page that is advertised at eh top of the pages.

Contents Page Editing

Contents Page Editing

For my contents page I decided to add in a little advertisement at the bottom left corner to make the page look more realistic, with the help of InDesign. From some research I had done on what to advertise inside a magazine most website had written how some magazines done advertise other business products or service, but advertise an offer of their own for their readers, this way the magazine would still be gaining more attention. I decided

to go with ‘Subscribe Today for just £5.57 a Month’. The typeface I wanted this sentence to be was something that is completely different from the rest of the page this way it would stand out more from the reader’s perspective. I also decided to get rid of my ‘PLUS’ paragraph as there wasn't any more room for it and it looked a bit too random for this page. From looking at some researched contents pages, I realised that they always make the main featuring artists number page bolder or different in some way from the rest. So I therefore decided to go with the same typeface as my model’s name on the front cover page, this way it would be easily recognised from the readers that this page number will have her interview on it. At the bottom right hand side of my contents page, I included some social connections for my music magazine. Beside the social connections are the logos of the accounts I have created, this way if the red writing that I decided to type with, wouldn't catch their attention the logos will as they’re are well known companies. 

Cover Page Editing

Cover Page Editing

Looking at my magazine’s front cover I was thinking that it was looking a bit too simple so I therefore decided to add some more selling lines around my models picture. This way, the

 readers will have more of an idea of some the featuring artists in my magazine as well as some of the other magazine’s contents. I also decided to move the publishing date for my magazine to below to the masthead; this was so I could add in a strap line. The reason I decided to use a strapline is because straplines are known for being a type of catchphrase for your business. They are most commonly seen in adverts and on large signs; but can also be useful for promoting a business’ message. In Britain, straplines are md, and they are often called other names, including ‘slogans’ and ‘taglines’. Therefore the ‘slogan’ for my music magazine is: ‘SPECIAL EDITION   2015 MAXIMUM HOT 100’.

Cover Page Editing

Cover Editing

After getting the idea of how I wanted my magazine front cover to look I, was able to send the masthead of the page behind the main image. To do this I had to unlock the background in order to send the masthead behind the model in order to increase its underlying. However when I had done this there was a white line forming around my models head, making the image look less real. So I then was able to identify the exact color of her forehead and blend in the rest of her face without the white line forming. I also decided to do some research on whereabouts prices are located on pages and found out that it all depends on the actual price. Prices that are very low and cheap, are located on the page somewhere the reader can instantly see it, almost as if the magazine is also advertising the price. However since my magazine is £3.99, I decided to leave the price above the bar code in a smaller fonts size.

Contents Editing

Contents Editing

From this stage I added in the anchorage text for the image of Drake’s concert. Anchorage text allows readers to know the meaning behind the picture being in the magazine. As

known from some research done, readers tend to look at the images first especially for the age group my music magazine is aimed at. Therefore the readers can find out some extra information for the specific artists or gossip they are looking for from the image displayed.

I also changed the position of the anchorage text from my model’s image as I didn't want the page to look too constructed where everything is at an angle towards the corner of another. I also decreased the size of the ‘Plus’ page numbers, although I don’t know if I will be keeping it on the page as I can’t find the right position to put it on my contents page.

Contents Page Editing

Contents Page Editing

For my contents page it took me a while to get to this stage, even though I had already drawn up my plan and layout for every conventions I would use. After finding the layout best

for my magazine, I decided to add the anchorage text to my models image as well as the page number. I also moved the text containing the magazine’s social connections further to the left hand corner and made it a smaller size, this way all the text flow together and nothing looks out of place. I also wanted the masthead from my magazine cover to be on my contents page as a logo for the magazine, for this reason I decided to editing the typeface in order for it to look exactly like it did on the magazine cover. 

Content Page Editing

Contents Page Editing

Now that I have got the layout that I can actually work with, I managed to copy all the text and masthead as well as the small image i had on the side onto this page. I was finding it hard to make both contents page and cove page flow together at first, but once I managed to add a color gradient of grey to the background for some reason I thought it looked 100 times better. I also changed the color of my masthead from red to black but kept the TAKEOVER as red. This was because I wanted the masthead of the magazine to be represented as the logo for my contents page. Turning ‘CONTENTS’ from red to black would make it stand out more from the rest of the text so that the readers are able to instantly know what the page will be about. From some research that I had done on contents pages, I realized that almost all publishers tend to use guidelines in order for their numbers to stay in line with one another. Therefore I inserted some of my own so that the page would have more structure.