Natikie's AS Media Blog: October 2012

The purpose of this post is to evaluate my front cover and contents page of my finished college magazine.

Front cover

My magazine’s front cover main image is a medium close up of one of the students at college reading a book this fits in with the codes and conventions of a college magazine because it fits in to the typical magazine look and shows what kind of magazine it is. I have also put the title at the top of the cover so that it fits in with the codes and conventions, I also made the title big, bold and in blue which is Leyton’s college colour and to make it stand out and so that the readers eyes are immediately drawn to it. I have also put the barcode at the bottom right corner of the cover; the purpose of this is so that it fits within the normal magazine aspects, I put the sign that says “FREE” just so students know that it is free because most of the time students do not want to pay for things the college provides.

Contents

I have used 2 columns on my contents page so that it is easily readable by the reader. This fits into the codes and conventions of a typical magazine because they normally work down in columns.

Magazine

The Photography was quite easy to do; the cameras were really easy to use and I already had an idea of what type of picture I wanted to take. I decided on the layout of my magazine and what content I wanted to include. It took about 20mins to take these photographs because I knew it had to be a medium close up for the front cover and I had freedom for the type of shots I want to include on the contents page. I made the images mainly about academic performance so it had to do with what college is about but I also added main cover lines about the leisure activities and extracurricular activities that the students at the college could partake in.

At the start I did not read the task properly and took longshot photographs so I didn’t have an medium close up shot for my front cover but I went back and re-read it then fixed my mistake by taking a few quick medium close up shots and I chose one to go on my front cover. For feedback I uploaded my front cover and contents page onto Facebook and asked my ‘friends’ to comment on it, but giving reason on why they are saying a particular statement. Some said that I need to add a photograph of more students or maybe of the building on the contents page. I will take this feedback and make sure that for my music magazine I will have a variety of images and I will also make sure I thoroughly read the brief.

For the content of my magazine I wanted to make sure it was clear that the issue number and date was clear to the students so they will know that this student magazine is a new idea and it will be coming out every week. I also wanted to mention any up and coming events or issues that might be of interest to the students. I think I need to improve the editor’s letter because it is quite basic and doesn’t say much to welcome the students. I would change it so it says: “Welcome back to the new fresh edition of LSC News Weekly where we will be updating you with the hottest and latest news as well as giving you the inside scoop on plans of LSC have a prom. But first and foremost I want to say good luck to all of those who will be taking their exams in January!, inside this magazine you will have so tips and tricks on revising and also a study plan with instructions on how to fill it out if you do not know how, hope this will help you all!”

I would change the placement and colour of the cover line “will LSC have prom?” because it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the magazine. On the contents page I would also change the colour of the masthead because it isn’t consistent with the masthead made in Photoshop for the front cover. I would also make sure that the ‘main features’ heading is directly at the place where the main features are.

I have used Photoshop place my main image on the front cover in the right place, I have also used it to include all the cover lines, issue number, date line, barcode and masthead because all those elements make up the codes and conventions of a magazine. I have chosen a big f text to use as my masthead for the magazine I have developed my previous Photoshop skills by doing this task.

Strengths

I’m a quick learner so I find it easy to just have a mess around with all the tools until I find the one that will do what I want to do. I already have skills in Photoshop so this can make it much quicker for me to create my front cover. The fact that I went through the codes and conventions of a magazine helped me to complete this college magazine because I knew exactly what I had to include.

Weaknesses

I like everything to be perfect so I’m always messing around with the images and text colour, font size I take forever to do a task that is the most simple.

My biggest weakness is using InDesign because I do not have any experience in using this software so all of its settings and tools are new to me, also find that it doesn’t make my work in the same quality of colours, font etc. as it is on Photoshop so my front cover and contents page are two different colours and font which doesn’t show consistency in the magazine.

Key points for development

· Using InDesign for Contents page and double page spread- having to do all the writing for my music magazine in InDesign is complicated to me. I think using Photoshop is easier but I will be practicing how to use this software.

· Using the correct images- For the music magazine I will make sure I read the questions properly so I include all the right things in order for my magazine to follow the codes and conventions to get the full marks.

· My Photoshop skills- knowing how to use all the effects and tools. I will practice this more so when it comes to doing my music magazine I will be good at it.Overall I think that this project went successfully as I managed to stick to my deadlines and create a magazine cover and contents page which I think fits in with the codes and conventions of a normal college magazine with the main image, masthead, cover lines etc... I think that also because I have created this magazine before starting my music magazine it have given me the chance to improve on my music magazine with the feedback given and I now know how to create a magazine which fits the codes and conventions.