Evaluation: Looking Back At Your Preliminary Task, What Do You Feel You Have Learnt In The Progression From It To The Full Product?

Evaluation: What Have You Learnt About Technologies From This Process Of Constructing This Product?

A closer look at the technologies I have used & what I have learnt:

Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera

1. Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera

Previous to this project, I had only a little experience using DSLR cameras. I am now fully capable of working them and using the advanced features within the camera to my advantage. I really enjoyed using this particular camera, the lens, which was an 18-55mm was perfect for medium close ups of my models plus the camera body itself wasn't too heavy which made outdoor shoots easier as I didn't need to carry a tripod with me.

Apple Mac Mini (2011)

2. Mac mini (OSX Mountain Lion)

I worked on two Apple Mac Mini's during the production of my magazine and the blog. The first one I used was at college in my media suite, and the second is on my own personal computer at home. Because I already had a mac, I was already used to the operating system and knew my way around things pretty well. Nevertheless, I learnt a few new tricks that will help me in the future.

Adobe Photoshop CS6

3. Adobe Photoshop CS5+6

Photoshop was a piece of software that I used most throughout this project. I created all three pages of my magazine with this tool. I had some existing knowledge of the features within Photoshop, but I wasn't very fluent with them. Over the course of producing my magazine, I have learnt a lot of new skills that will help me when it comes to designing other things in Photoshop.

Adobe Illustrator CS5

4. Adobe Illustrator CS5

I used Adobe Illustrator to produce the logo for my magazine (the masthead). I used Illustrator to do this as I wanted the logo to be a vector image, so that I would be able to enlarge it if needed. I had used Illustrator quite a lot in the past, and more recently in my Graphics class - so I was quite comfortable within the program.

Apple iPhoto (2013)

5. Apple iPhoto

I used Apple's iPhoto to import the pictures from the Canon DSLR camera that I'd used to take photographs of my models. iPhoto was really easy to use and includes some very innovative features. I used a few of it's built in editing tools to brighten my photos and balance out the contrast.

Google Blogger

6. Blogger

During secondary school I used Blogger in class for my IT work. Because of this, I already knew how to do most things in the web app. I did, however, learn how to customise templates and add labels to posts to make them easier to find. I also looked at how to insert HTML code for services such as Prezi 'Embeddables' and SlideShare presentation embedding etc.

Example of a Prezi I made

7. Prezi

Prezi is a creative presentation maker. It allows you to produce stylish, animated presentations for literally anything. Using the easy to use online presentation builder, I created several presentations for this project, including the one above which is 'How did you attract/address your audience?' which can be found in the post prior to this one.

Flickr

8. Flickr

Flickr is simply an online image hosting platform. It is used mostly by photographers who use it to store their many photographs online. You can also follow people on Flickr to subscribe to their 'Photostream' - a feed of their latest photographs. I used Flickr to store my completed magazine. I was able to create a 'set' (a set is a group of photos) which helped me keep organised.

SlideShare

9. Slideshare

SlideShare is an online tool that converts traditional presentations such as PowerPoint's or Keynote's into embeddable digital presentations. I have used SlideShare to embed my Music Magazine questionnaire presentation. I had previously never used SlideShare, but because of it's easy to navigate website, it was really quick for me to pick up how to use it.

Twitter

10. Twitter

I used Twitter to ask for audience feedback on my magazine. I posted a tweet asking for my peers, aka Twitter Followers, to tweet me feedback on my magazine. I then used this feedback to tweak the design and make improvements. Several fellow designers that followed me 'retweeted' said tweet which gained me more exposure and more feedback!

My Forrst post asking for feedback

11. Forrst

Another way I gained audience feedback was by posting on professional design network 'Forrst'. Forrst is a community of designers (invite only network) that help each other by critiquing each other's work. I gained a lot of valuable feedback by doing this.

Evaluation: How Did You Attract/Address Your Audience?

Evaluation: Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Product? Why?

This is a drawing of my stereotypical reader.

As you can see above, I believe the stereotypical sex of a reader of my magazine would be female, and she would be 27. I have drawn her wearing a shirt with an unbuttoned collar and rolled back sleeves, a pair of dark slim fit jeans, dark brown boots, a light pink scarf and a small gold watch. I have drawn her wearing these items as I believe my reader would have a good fashion sense, which is sophisticated yet trendy. The unbuttoned collar and rolled back sleeves are to show that they are laid back, easy-going. The colours (blue, pink and purple) show that she is feminine but not overly stereotypical of a female (pink). The gold watch represents her wealth, she is in a steady job with an average amount of disposable income each month.

I have listed some of my stereotypical readers' favourite things such as TV shows and food. I have said my reader enjoys the tv show 'Dallas' as it is a complex program that is very popular at the moment in American. This shows that my reader is cultured and knows a lot about the American Culture and embraces it. I have also said that her favourite food is 'Nando's Chicken', this is because my reader eats out a lot and socialises (which is one of her interests). Her favourite music is Indie/Pop and she idolises Lucy Rose and Ben Howard (both Indie Pop artists). As well as this, she enjoys shopping with her friends, going to concerts, pampering herself and staying in with her friends to watch movies.

Her favourite shops are H&M, River Island, Next and Topshop. This is because these shops aren't too expensive which represents her level of income, which is around average for a 27 year old. These shops are also trendy, which reflects her attitude to the latest trends and news.

Evaluation: What Kind Of Media Institution Might Distribute Your Product And Why?

Please click each image to take you to the corresponding Flickr page.

Click image to take you to Flickr

Click image to take you to Flickr

Click image to take you to Flickr

Evaluation: How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?

Similarities:

There are several clear similarities between these two photographs. The photo I have used as a comparison to my cover photograph is taken from Q (another music magazine).

• Both photographs are close up shots. I used a Canon 550D SLR digital camera, whereas Q opt to use the newly developed REDone 4K digital camera (far superior and far more costly, starting at £20,000). The angle we have both used is eye-level. I used this angle to symbolise that the artist (model) is 'down to earth', aka on the same level as the readers.
• Both models' hair takes up the page around them. I have done this to provide a better background for the text on my cover, and I presume this is also why Q have chosen to use a photograph like the one above.
• The lighting is very bright in both photographs. I did this to make my model appear natural, and to connote positive thoughts and perceptions. The gesture of my model is very innocent and natural. As people say, my model 'smiles with her eyes' - although there is also a subtle smile in the mouth area too.
• Both photographs emphasis on the eyes of the models. The reason I focused on the eyes was to draw in the reader to pick my magazine. It's a known fact that  the first thing you notice about a person is their eyes, so I made an effort to make my models eyes stand out.
• Both models are wearing make up. I chose not to overdo the make up as I wanted to keep my model looking natural and 'innocent'.

Differences:

As well as the similarities between the two photographs, there are also a few subtle differences.

• My model is wearing a jacket, which is visible at the top of the page (you can see the furry hood)
• The model to the left is wearing quite a lot more make up than my model. My model is wearing only mascara, foundation, concealer and matte lip gloss whereas the other model is wearing lip stick, foundation, concealer, lip gloss, toner, eye shadow, primer, mascara and nail varnish.
• The hand of the model in the left are visible, whereas my models hands are not shown
• The model on the left has bright red/ginger hair, whereas my model has dirty bonde hair. Also, the model to the left has a fringe and mine does not.
• The edges of my photograph have been blurred to better contrast the text that is laid on top, whereas Q has opted not to do this.

VoiceThread on how I have represented social groups in my magazine:

Click the image to take you to my VoiceThread

Evaluation: In What Ways Does Your Magazine Use, Develop or Challenge Forms and Conventions of Real Media Products?

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

Front Cover:

Use (blue squares):

1. As you can see, I have used a masthead on my front cover. Masthead's are typically found in magazines.
2. Another element I have used on my cover is a publication line.
3. I have used three cover lines on my cover, whereas usually there are around three-to-five.
4. To maintain a professional appearance, I have included a bar-code on my cover.
5. I have used a female model for my cover photo, which I decided using feedback from my target audience.
6. As is seen in many well known music magazines, I have chosen to have a feature article. This is presented using larger typography and by having the person in question as the model for the cover.

Develop (orange squares):

1. As you can see, in the top right section of my magazine; I have listed four other articles that are featured in my magazine. I have done this to include more information for the audience who may not have the time to look through the contents page before deciding to purchase a magazine. The magazines I have looked at have not done this.
2. Unlike a lot of music magazines in my genre, I have decided to include the page numbers on my cover. The reason I did this was to allow people who were short of time to quickly find the article they wish to read (perhaps to find the article they initially bought the magazine for).

Challenge (purple squares):

1. It is quite rare to find a cover photo that is a close up of a model. Typically you would find medium close ups or even long shots. The reason I decided to use a close up was to add a nice background for the text to contrast off, as well as to make the reader feel more personally involved with the magazine. By making the face bigger, and subsequently the eyes, I am able to draw in the audience better than if I had used a long shot.
2. Unlike other music magazines, my masthead features a symbol. This symbol or 'mark' is used throughout the magazine to ensure continuity. This can be seen in both the page numbers at the bottom of each page, as well as on my double page spread as a 'tab' in the top right hand corner. Another 'norm' I have challenged is the positioning of my masthead. Whereas usually a masthead would take up the entire top left corner, or take up the width of the magazine; my masthead takes up two-thirds of the cover width. I think this is fresh, new approach to the layout of the masthead. By laying it out like this, I am able to include more information on the cover.


Contents Page:

Use (blue squares):

1. Similar to Q's Contents page, my heading is bold and very clear on the page. Also, they are both serif fonts.
2. Here you can see that I, too, have used a header for each of the sections ('Features' and 'Regulars').
3. I decided it was a good idea to put page numbers on the photographs featured on my contents page. That way, readers can easily and quickly navigate to the articles they wish to read.
4. Like Q, I have a separated section for featured articles. On Q's contents page, they have used a different font and a larger text size to emphasise the articles. In my contents page, I have used a section header and added two extra lines of description to emphasise the two articles.
5. I have used two photographs on my contents page, where as Q has used four (if you include the spread at the bottom). I chose to only use two because I felt it was just enough to make a change from the text but not too much to make it feel busy and cluttered.
6. Just like Q (and most magazines), I have included the title of each article and made it slightly bigger than the description. I have used a sans-serif font for the title but a serif font for the description.
7. Similar to Q, I have included the page number and magazine information at the bottom of each page.

Develop (orange squares):

1. Whereas Q have included an issue number "issue 279" in their title, I have opted to include a subtitle "IN LIEBACK THIS WEEK", a web link to our online website "lieback.co.uk" and the date of the current issue "December 2012" instead. I have done it in a way that you receive more information without it being 'forced at you' - it's beautifully minimal.
2. Whereas Q have used four photographs on their contents page, I have decided to use only two. I used a smaller photograph of the model on my cover in the 'FEATURED' section to show continuity from the cover. I have also used a large photo of a model in another article to the left to show the variety of articles. I thought four photographs may have been too much for my contents page.

Challenge (purple squares):

1. Unlike Q, who have chosen to show only a selection (six) articles on their contents page; I have decided to show a lot more. On my contents page you can see sixteen articles (two features and fourteen regulars). I chose to 'move away from the grain' by putting more articles on their to create the impression that you get a lot for your money. It is also easier for the reader who may find it laborious turning through all the pages to see what is in the magazine.
2. Unlike Q and many other magazines I have looked at throughout this project, I decided not to overlap and of the images in my magazine. That included my contents page. The look I was looking for when I created my magazines was 'beautiful simplicity'. I wanted to make each page look well thought through and well presented. I feel that overlapping images goes against this belief and so I have chosen not to do it.


Double Page Spread:

Use (blue squares):

1. Like Q's double page spread, I have also opted to include the mark from my masthead on my spread. I have done this to show continuity throughout my magazine.

2. Like Q, I have made the heading of my article bold and big on the page. I have done this to make it stand out so it is easy to see when people flick through pages of the magazine.

3. Just like Q, my magazine body copy is split into three columns. I, however, have justified the text on the page to make it seem fuller, more conformed and 'square'.

4. Similar to Q, I decided to indent the opening sentence of each paragraph to make it easier to read. I have also used a serif font similar to Q's.

5. As you can see clearly above, both Q and I have used large photographs of the featured model to fill the entire left hand page. Unlike Q, my photograph is a long shot (whereas Q's is a medium close up).

6. Similar to Q, I have also included page numbers at the bottom of the right hand page. I have also included the name of the magazine and the date of the current issue (December 2012).

Develop (orange squares):

1. Unlike Q, I have decided to include a deck in my double page spread. A deck is a summary of the article or introduction that is bolder and usually bigger than the rest of the copy. My deck is three lines and introduces the featured artist whom the article is about. It allows people to judge whether or not they are interested in reading the entire article.

2. Unlike Q, I have included a second photograph in my double page spread. The second photograph I used was taken during the same shoot as the photograph to the left. I decided to include it as I think it works well contrasting the personalities of the artist (on the left she appears shy, perhaps timid, and on the right she appears confident and enthusiastic).

Challenge (purple squares):

1. Unlike the Q double page spread shown above, I have decided to include a byline in my article. Some music magazines choose not to include this information as the author/journalist may already be very well known (so no introduction is needed). However, because my magazine is new and unheard of, I felt it necessary to include a byline as to introduce an important author that would be seen in many issues of LieBack in the future.

2. Unlike a few of the music magazines I had looked at throughout the course of this project, I decided to include a block quote in my article. This particular quote is out of context to the reader, which intrigues them and may persuade them to read the article and discover what the quote means. These are usually found in editorials and broadsheets. I experimented by using it and I liked it, so I included it on the page.

3. Unlike Q, I have decided to include the page number, magazine name and date of the current issue on both pages. As you can see, due to the background of the page, I have changed the colour of the information to white as to create a better contrast with the background. I decided to include this information on both pages for continuity throughout the magazine.

Production: Updated Contents Page

My updated contents page

From feedback I have received, I have now updated the page number on my contents page to something more appropriate and fitting. It was originally '01', I have now changed this to '05' which is typically the page a contents is on in a music magazine (to allow for advertisements at the beginning of the magazine).

Production: Updated Double Page Spread

My updated cover page spread tag

From feedback I have received, I have changed the colour of the 'tag' on my double page spread. Whereas before it was a vibrant blue, it now matches the colour of my masthead on my cover. This helps the continuity of my magazine by incorporating the same colour scheme throughout.

Production: Completed Magazine

Finished Cover

Finished Contents Page

Finished Double Page Spread

Production: Double Page Spread Article

My article that will feature on my double page spread:

Firstly, I’d like to welcome you to what will hereby be known as ‘Introducing’ - a weekly feature that dives into the world of music and selects only the best unsung heroes and showcases them to the world. You can expect each article to give you information on the artist’s background, story of their rise to eventual fame, what they’re currently up to and where they’re heading next plus my own personal thoughts on their style.

Taking the title as the first ever artist to be formally ‘introduced’ is singer/songwriter; Kristina Rudge. I know what you’re thinking. Who?

Kris, (her nickname of choice) is a northern girl with a powerful voice that is sending shockwaves throughout her genre. Recently queened ‘singer of the year’ by her local singing group; this girl is set for nothing but fame.

Starting out as a backup singer for musicians in her nearby pub, Kris has worked her way up to performing her own ‘mini-gigs’ all around town. She’s famous in her hometown of Manchester for her rendition of Corinne Bailey Rae’s ‘Like A Star’ (which happens to be her favourite song to perform).

When we asked her closest friends and family to describe her in one word, many chose “modest” and “über-talented”. I don’t think they quite do her justice. Her shy exterior is a complete contrast to when she sings; she transforms into a powerhouse, producing resonating choruses of angelic music.

Having been brought up in a musical household, it is perhaps inevitable that Kris would opt for a life as a performer. Ever since she was little, she’d performed in school plays and college productions.

As well as her extra curricular commitments, Kris also studied Musical theatre whilst she was at college; as if this wasn’t enough, she also partook in an extra A-level in Dance at her former high school.

Her teachers described her as a pleasure to teach and a delight to be in the presence of, as did her tutors. This is largely due to the fact Kris aced all her examinations and offered her talent for events such as open evenings and award shows.

Through years of dedication to perfect her god-given voice, she’s finally ready to share it with the masses.

In an exclusive with LieBack, Kristina revealed to us that she’d recently inked a deal with one of the worlds most prestigious record labels, Island Records. Joining the likes of Mariah Carey and Amy Winehouse; we know she’ll make her own stamp on the label.

We also asked Kristina where she saw herself in ten years; she replied “I’m not sure really. If you’d asked me ten years ago, I would have never dreamed of being signed at just twenty-four. I suppose I’d like to have a few successful albums under my belt, and perhaps a private island in the maldives?” The artist later revealed that her favourite place to escape her now hectic lifestyle is her grandparent’s caravan in Wales.

“I don’t really like labels, but I guess my style is probably indie-pop, but who knows what it’ll be in the future…” This is what she said when asked what genre she thought she belonged in.

Kris hopes to start touring early next year, with the aim of releasing her second album sometime later this year. Her debut album ‘Dreaming’ is now available on iTunes; eight tracks of pure bliss. What you’d call ‘easy listening’.

One of the best features of even the best performers in the world is their ability to create their own content and style. Obviously in terms of music this comes in the form of artist-written songs, which from experience tend to be the most heart-felt and powerful. I’ve never come across such a magnificent singer that is also so talented when it comes to songwriting. Every song she has released to date has been one of her own creations. This may sound silly, but just check how many writers it took to write one of Beyonce’s chart-busters. Hint: close to seven.

I think Kristina is the perfect artist to launch LieBack with; she has all the qualities that we think a truly great artist should have. Her music is beautiful and dignified, and she’s got a lifetime of experiences to produce lots of it. She’s modest, kind and very down to earth. I don’t see fame getting to this one’s head!

Kris regularly spends time volunteering in a ‘young performers’ - there she helps kids build their confidence and provide real-life knowledge of the industry.

To sum up: a caring role model with the voice of an angel and a talent that comes once in a generation.

All I can say is, watch this space.

Production: Magazine Changes Based On Social Networking Feedback

I have made a few changes to my magazine based upon the social networking feedback I received. The caption of each screenshot says what I have changed.

In this screenshot I am making my model image (on my double page spread) appear less 'red', I did this by altering the colour balance options in Photoshop. I moved the slider to Cyan to offset the red.

As suggested in my social feedback, I tried putting a grey box around the 'album out now' section of my double page spread. I felt that it looked out of place, so instead repositioned the section.

As suggested in my social network feedback, I have increased the gutter between columns on my double page spread.

I have corrected the alignment issues on my contents page. This included accidental spaces and inconsistent line-height values.

As suggested in several cases in my social networking feedback, I have increased the font size of the publication line on my cover. I also increased the opacity of the drop shadow so it stands out more.

As suggested in my social networking feedback, I have included the editors name and title in the 'editors note' section of my contents page. I also tilted the signature to make it look more realistic.

As suggested in my social networking feedback, I have made the small text on my cover stand out more by adding a subtle black drop shadow.

Here I am using the right eye to overlay the left eye to make it stand out more. I have also blurred the edges of the overal image to focus on the subjects eyes.

As you can see, I have sharpened the subject's eyes so they both match.

As suggested in my social networking feedback, I have removed the redundant copy on my cover.

Once I removed the redundant copy, I aligned the text in the centre of the page.

This is a close up of the copy with a black drop shadow to make it stand out.

Production: Social Network Feedback

I posted my magazine pages (cover, contents page & double page spread) onto a design community called 'Forrst'. Forrst describes itself as "...a community where developers and designers improve their craft through design feedback." Below is a screenshot of post I submitted:

The post I submitted to Forrst asking for feedback. View post

I received a lot of helpful feedback from members of the design community. Below is a selection of comments that I found the most helpful.

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community. View it on Notable

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community. View on Notable

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community. View on Notable

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community

A comment made on my post by a member of the design community

Research & Planning: Double Page Spread Analysis

Double Page Spread Analysis

Research & Planning: Contents Page Analysis

Contents Page Analysis

Production: Updated Double Page Spread

Updated double page spread

I have updated my magazine contents page with the changes that were suggested in my moderator feedback.

I have changed the following:

1. I have increased the spacing between the article and the deck. I have also increased the spacing between the article text and the image, as well as the space around the quote.

2. I have moved the "Album out now" text and graphic from the top right to the bottom right part of the page. I have moved the article byline to the top right (replacing the album graphic).

3. I have added my magazine's masthead symbol to the page numbers (click image to view larger screenshot as you may not be able to see it).

Production: Updated Contents Page

My updated contents page

I have updated my magazine contents page with the changes that were suggested in my moderator feedback.

I have changed the following:

1. I have changed the subheading font for "In lie back this week" to "Proxima Nova" so it matches the rest of the page.

2. I have changed the font for the dropped capital "W" so it matches the page heading "Contents".

3. I have re-arranged the page numbers to conform to the industry standards (the page numbers are now not in numerical order).

Production: Updated Cover

My updated magazine cover

I have updated my magazine cover with the changes that were suggested in my moderator feedback.

I have changed the following:

1. Re-arranged the text on the "Will Jepsen..." cover line so it no longer covers too much of the model's face.
2. I have updated the cover line page numbers to match the contents page numbers.