Evaluation: Question 7

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



At the beginning of this year I began the project of creating the front cover and contents page of a student magazine. This was the first time I has used a mac and the InDesign program before and I was looking to experimenting with both of these formats. Since then I have progressed to being able to confidently use these programs and have completed the front cover, contents page and double page spread of a music magazine which I have designed and created.  There has been a significant improvement in my work from the music magazine compared to the preliminary task.

Firstly, I feel that my skills in taking my own photographs have improved: at first I struggled with the composition and considering the text around the image and having the subject look into the camera to interact with the audience. Here is an example of photos I had taken for the student magazine task.

I can clearly see how my work has improved when comparing this to the photos which I took for the music magazine below. The subjects are looking at the camera and they are projecting a positive image. Because these images are taken in studio conditions I had to be able to understand the different types of studio lights and why they are used, I had worked in the studio previously to this completing work for my Photography AS level work and I feel this has definitely helped me improve my photo skills.

From the preliminary task, to the full product I have progressed to having a better understanding of the magazine industry by researching publishers such as Bauer Media and Conde Nast. Since the student magazine I had begun to research music magazine by generally observing them in shops and paying particular attention to Q magazine which was a helpful guide for creating V magazine. My research skills have become more detailed as for the student magazine I had not referred to any kind of magazine before creating the pages, I feel that if I had done this then the final outcome for 'IMPACT' magazine would have been more appealing and professional however for a first attempt I feel it is a good effort.

An example of Q magazine

My front cover of V magazine

Technology has influenced my work in ways such as the production: for the student magazine task I struggled with using InDesign as I had not used it before and it took some time to get used to this. I feel due to this factor not all the choices I made were beneficial to the student magazine front cover, if I was not happy about a certain factor such as the colour scheme I would not change it as it would take too long. However after asking for help when I reached the music magazine project I was able to correct things I was not happy with. This is how I had progressed from going back and editing certain points I wanted to improve for the front cover and double page spread.

The first draft of my front cover

My final draft of the front cover

My first draft of my double page spread

My final draft of my double page spread

Other technologies I have experimented with are photoshop, for the student magazine I had not used this program however it was neccecary to use it for the music magazine to improve the quality of my photos. At the point my attitude had changed and I was much more willing to attempt to use Photoshop and I feel because of this positive attitude I was successful in using this program for the tasks I wanted to complete.

The program Indesign was the fundamental tool for creating my music magazine and without the work I completed for the student magazine I would not have been able to produce the work for my music magazine which I spent a lot of time and effort on. I am glad I was able to experiment and practise my Indesign skills while completing the student magazine as it has helped me improve the skills I initially developed and use them to create the pages for my music magazine with these skills I progressed them further; helping me create new things such as the pug for my front cover.

In conclusion, due to the preliminary task my work has made a notable progression to a higher standard and the creation of my music magazine - V- has conveyed a realistic and professional music magazine. There have been many different parts of my work which I have progressed on resulting in creating a strong product for the final task: such as my research skills, and general development of creative work on the programs InDesign.