Evaluation (College Magazine)

 Evaluation

What went well?

Whilst creating my magazine I think that a number of things went well. Firstly, I took lots of images in order to select one from a range of same photos. The fact that I could do them really helped me in choosing the correct image for my final product. I think that the image manipulation of my model on the right hand side of the page really helped me to get the teasers and cover lines in the correct position. If I were to publish this magazine and it was on a shelf in the shop, the main cover lines and teasers would be seen as the left hand side of the page is shown. The layout of my magazine I planned from the very start, which helped me a great deal. Once I gathered my images, all I needed to do was insert them into Photoshop for the cover and my other writing on the page was already there. The masthead which says ‘LSC weekly’ was the largest font on the magazine. I did this so that it stands out, every audience needs to know what they are reading. Next up from that was my main cover lines, these has to be big so that it entices the audience to buy it or pick it up in my case because my magazine is free. I chose to keep it free so that the audience doesn’t have to think twice about picking it up. Also, because it is situated in the college it appeals to the audience. Many college students are stuck for money or spend it on something more valuable, a college magazine not being one of them. So by me keeping it free I have made the right decision. For me, the easiest programme to use was Photoshop. I managed to understand where the tools where and how it worked in a short period of time. However, I did struggle with InDesign. InDesign caused me some problems as I didn’t know how to use it appropriately. I knew how to get the page up by clicking on a new document and selecting international paper, but I couldn’t make the text box transparent. In the end I used help from my teacher and soon got the hang of it. The main cover was easy to create and took the least time, while the contents took longer. But now that I have created both of the pieces, I’m the most happy with my contents. For my contents page, I gathered inspiration from another college magazine which I found on the internet. I liked how she made her contents page stand out with colourful boxes and tried to insert that into my own design. Unfortunately, mine isn’t as good as hers but mine is unique in my own way.

What do I need to improve on?

The parts in which I need to improve on is the main cover. Judging from the feedback that I received by asking my peers. I was told that in order to make my magazine look more realistic I should change some of the fonts on the front cover. So for example, I could change the cover line and not make it so bold. Or I could change the teasers and alter them to make sure that it fits in well with the magazine. One aspect that I know I could change and it would instantly make the magazine look better is the size of the writing and the way the picture is set out. On the left hand side of my image there is a white wall. That is done purposely so that the cover line and teasers can be included. If the white space was a little bigger the writing would fit in well and it would improve the magazine. On my contents page, I could improve the colours that I used.  Over the background I used a purple box which is a little transparent so that the background image can be seen. I tried to change the colour of the text so that it stands out more but I faced some difficulties with this. In the end, I decided to stick with the colour of pink even though it blended in a little. I need to improve my skills on InDesign in order to create a successful piece of work.

Points to develop

My three points of development for when I’m crating the main task is

1)      Make sure that I understand how to use InDesign properly and ask for help when needed and if I don’t understand a certain aspect of it.

2)      Research different magazines of my genre (R&B and Hip-Hop) and analyse them in depth to create a final magazine that is realistic and is similar in the way things are set out.

3)      In the main task make sure that I take a variety of different shots and in different locations to make sure that I exceed the full marks that I can get.

College Magazine (Final Copy) Cover and Contents

Image For Front Cover (Chosen)

   Out of the images that I posted in the previous post, I have chosen this image for the Main Cover of my College Magazine. 

Pictures for College Magazine ( All Images Taken)

 

My College Magazine ( SCAN )

The college magazine that I will create will follow a similar layout to the one sketched out by me. 

Captions, Features, Headlines may change. 

Case Study - College Magazine Analysis

Front Cover : 

This is a college magazine that has been created by another student from another school. In order to create my own magazine, I wanted to analyse another college magazine to get ideas. 

I think that the way this has been created makes the person want to pick up the magazine because it has a use of bright and light colours which invite the reader. The 'W.E' stands out which stands for Wyke Entertainment, but another meaning behind it is 'whatever'. It appeals to the audience a great deal. As the masthead is the writing that will be seen first, it is vital that it is bold and bright. With this magazine, the creator has been successful in ensuring this. The issue sate has been clearer stated below the Masthead. 

The main image used is a medium close up of a student, this is clear as the young girl is carrying a folder in he hands. The fact that there are students in the background makes it look quite natural and real, and not acted out. The background image of the college makes the theme of the magazine seem very real too. The main strap lines are on the main image but do not take the attention away from everything else on the page. The way in which the colour scheme of Black, Green, and Purple has been used within the main cover lines and the Masthead gives the magazine that neutral feel. And almost makes the reader feel that they can relax at college and it isn't as scary as it may look. Also, the font of the anchorage fits in well with the page.  Lastly, as any real magazine a bar-code has been used. On this particular magazine it has been placed on the bottom left hand side of the magazine. 

Contents Page 

Once again, the masthead used on the contents page is big an bold and stands out amongst the other writing. The alignment of the main features of the magazine has been aligned to the left. This is typically like any other magazine and therefore it is easier to understand. The creator has managed to keep the house style the same throughout the two pages which I have seen. The colours have once again been maintained and manage to give the magazine a sophisticated look. The images to the left hand side of the page contribute to the magazine widely. It shows different parts of the college and it includes students that attend the college.This gives the magazine a calm and welcoming effect.

Overall, I think that this magazine has been created well and it does include all the main features of a real magazine. I will try to incorporate some of the features from here into my own work.  

Case Study - Magazine Two (VIBE)

Front Cover: 

The skyline that has been used here is a clear indication that this issue of the magazine represents their 20^th Anniversary and is in fact a special edition which provokes the audience to buy it to keep, as it is stated ‘collectors issue’. Alongside this is another article which will feature inside the magazine is a ‘special’ article on Kanye West.

The masthead that is clearly visible through the bold font and vivid purply pink colour has been designed to stand out. You can almost see it all and it is a clear and shows the audience that this is the magazine they have always brought and with it being the 20^th anniversary, they continue to keep it bold and energetic. Connotations of beat, rhythm, music and rhyme have been shown.

The main cover line is in pink and white. This has been kept consistent throughout the cover and supports the image of the artists on the page.

Medium close ups of Pharell and Daft Punk. They are both wearing dark colours against a white background which makes them stand out. The can also represent that there is a dark side to them, the glitter and sparkle on their outfits suggests that they are happy to be themselves in the industry of glitz and glam. The serious facial expression on Pharell shows that he is serious about the industry that he’s in. The selling lines of the magazine are short and snappy. The hash tag that has been used makes the reader want to talk about the artists ‘Janelle Monae & Robin Thicke’ on the social networking site Twitter.

Targeted at ages 16-30, Vibe Music Magazine focuses on the rap and hip-pop music scene and the artists. The main cover of this specific issue takes it attention to both male and female reader. Many people are interested in different artists, but the glitter and sparkle may grab the female reader’s attention, and the use of pink which is very dominant.

The barcode is clear and visible on the left hand side of the page at the bottom. It clearly shows that there is more to the cover as it says ‘Cover 3 of 3’ so along with buying this magazine there are 2 more covers to be seen. The barcode also clearly states that it is the summer issue.

Contents Pages:

The contents pages have been separated out into two different pages with advertisements of different things in between. I think that this gives the magazine a cluttered feel and can almost make the reader lose interest. 

The first contents pages has Daft Punk featuring on it regards to the front cover. On the left hand side there is a clear writing of what else the magazine has to offer. The writing has been kept clear and uncluttered and easy to understand with it being white on a black backgrounded box. The 'V' that states that it is Vibe magazine has been let loose at the top right hand side of the page. This is in the colour red. This suggests the fire and tons of exclusive information that Vibe is prepared to give within the 20th anniversary. On the second contents page, there is now an image of two different people. They are posing with glasses of champagne in front of a VIBE balloons. This states that the magazine are very happy to be celebrating their 20th anniversary. Alongside the image of them both, there is also another image of another celebrity, clearly indicating that he will be featuring on one of the pages. On the right and left hand side of the pages are there subheadings of the different articles and the different font sizes to tell the reader which page they will be issued on. 

Double Page Spread: 

This double page spread doesn't have a full article on it, just two large images of Pharell and Daft Punk. They are both in very vivid colours just like the contents page and the front cover of the magazine. The fact that Daft Punk are in robot costumes suggests that they aren't like any other artists. There is something different about them and they have a lot more to give. The colours also suggest positivity and the way they are with their job, happy and ready at all times. The main cover line says 'Dancing with the stars' in bright colourful writing which shows that they are playful and have a laugh whilst doing what they enjoy the most. The images look almost something out of the extraordinary. The writing on the right hand side of the page is in white writing which clearly stands out and gives a minimal amount of information on the two musicians.

The language used throughout this magazine is Colloquial, words such as 'ain't' are used. This is because the magazine is aimed at teenagers and an audience up to their mid 30s. The music genre of Rap and Hip-hop has been portrayed throughout the different types of artists that are being showcased within the magazine. Musicians such as J Cole and Robin Thicke appeal to younger audiences who produce music to their taste. At Vibe, readers are encouraged to provide content. Vibe Magazine is published by Intermedia Vibe Holdings, based in New York City. 
Additional Information: It was founded by Quincy Jones in 1993 in partnership with Time Inc. It was first called Volume before it was called Vibe. 

 

Here is a image of the press pack taken from Vibes Website, it explains all the different types of publishing methods used. I will explain in 'distribution methods' what I will use for my magazine.