A presentation which reflects on the creation of the finished product, exploring the creator's views and opinions of how it turned out and what could potentially have been done better.
2. Research
• Strengths
• Despite ultimately failing to find any decent examples of sculpture magazines as I had hoped to
do, I was able to use Issu, a website and search engine archiving a multitude of different
magazines on digital format, to find examples of both a front cover and double-page spread. This
would, in turn, allow me to refresh my understanding, having undertaken a similar project not too
long ago, on how such magazine conventions are structured i.e. Some may take the form of
several paragraph of texts at the bottom of the page while pictures pertinent to the written
subject are spread across the top of the pages. The following three magazines utilised for my
research are (in order) The Spirit of Ireland, BBC Wildlife and The Great Outdoors.
• After successfully completing my research on these three otherwise disparate magazines, I
immediately turned my attention in to identifying the common features inherent in their visual
presentation. One such example of this that came to light is that both blue and green colours are
used prominently in the first two magazines I looked at, due to their focus on both the countryside
and nature, respectively.
• Weaknesses
• Although I felt I was extremely dilligent in carrying out my research on the computer, I could have
easily perused through the physical magazine copies sprawled across the classroom table and
taken pictures using the best quality camera possible, which would then be used as screenshots as
a means of explaining its structure, similar to the final examples that I chose. Had I taken this
course of action instead of using the Issu search engine, it would have saved a considerable
amount of time in picking out magazine examples.
3. Planning
• Strengths
• While I did not have a fully concrete plan at the beginning of the project due to being undecided
over exactly what I wanted to do, this gave me the opportunity to formulate and experiment with
potential ideas, with the intention of identifying what could work well and what would not. Some
ideas that had promise, but were ultimately rejected, as a music magazine with a review of Nick
Cave’s Ghosteen album acting as a double-page spread or a magazine about the exhibitions on
display in the York Art Gallery, particularly the Ancient and Modern sculptures spread across the
Gallery’s exterior. Subsequently, I would then translate these ideas onto a digital mind map, with
different purposes but fulfilling the same function: The first would house several of the potential
ideas I had considered, while the second would focus on said ideas for the final product itself.
• After deciding upon what form my final idea would take, I began looking for images similar to the
ones I planned to incorporate into my finished double-page spread. As I had ultimately chosen the
theme of sculpting, this proved particularly beneficial as I was easily able to locate images of the
works of renowned artists like Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore or the late Niki de Saint Phalle.
However, this did not apply exclusively to images thereby giving the freedom to seek out
documentaries on YouTube and BBC iPlayer. The latter app eventually proved to be a significant
influence in the formation of my final idea for the double-page spread as, having uncovered a
documentary made by the BBC in the early 1960s about Barbara Hepworth’s impact on art, I felt
compelled to likewise write about her work and explore the legacy she has left behind.
• Weaknesses
• Although I feel I explored as many potential magazine ideas as my abilities would allow, I could
have explored many other ideas for my magazine, such as nature reserves, which undoubtedly
would have given me the opportunity to talk a little bit about myself and, in so doing, create an
opinion piece on the Wildwatch group at St Nick’s Fields Nature Reserve and the steps they are
taking to ensure the survival of trees, insects and birds for future generations to see.
4. Time Management
• Strengths
• Although I was keenly aware that this magazine project was extremely time-
sensitive, which could have potentially caused a great deal of stress and
caused me to fall behind considerably, I did my utmost to ensure that,
throughout development of the project as a whole, this did not happen. To
this end, I would go through a tutorial of how to use InDesign with my tutor
(studying such aspects such as how to create a double-page spread and
incorporate images into the article) which proved a tremendous helping hand
in the development of my final article and allowed me to submit my project on
time for evaluation, albeit just barely.
• Weaknesses
• While I am quite content with how the finished product itself has turned out, I
feel that if I had more time to develop my work, I could have added a few
more additional elements to give it the appearance of a genuine magazine,
such as a back cover which would have featured a picture of a statue
stationed at the steps of the path leading up to the main building of the
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with a potential line of text revealing the name of
the person who took them, namely myself.
5. Technical Qualities
Similarities:
Both the Sculptureview magazine and my finished product
prominently display a statue as the main subject of the
products’ front covers, with the masthead positioned
directly at the top of the magazine (or near thereof).
While the first sculpture is impossible to identify, due to
my knowing nothing of it, the second, being part of
Barbara Hepworth’s portfolio, is easily identifiable by its
distinctive shape and given name, Square with Two Forms.
Differences:
Perhaps the most significant difference between the two front covers is the
environment in which the images have been taken. Although the location of the
Sculpture View image (left) cannot be determined owing to the colour of the
background behind the sculpture, it does heavily suggest the presence of a
museum, possibly in America. However, my final magazine product (right)
prominently displays a Barbara Hepworth statue in the open area of a sculpture
park, with a tree (and several others thereof) prominently displayed in the
background, thereby giving the audience an opportunity to try and determine the
location which many will immediately recognise as Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Additionally, my sculpting magazine contains a multitude of conventions inherent
in a typical magazine issue such as a masthead, sub-images, barcode, date line
and price tag to name a few whereas the other features very little, with the only
convention displayed prominently being the masthead.
6. Aesthetic Qualities
Strengths:
While there are a number of elements in definite need of improving, I feel that
the images used to create the magazine and double-page spread, primarily
consisting of images of Hepworth statues spread out across the pages lengths,
have turned out particularly well, as it is evident that they prominently display
both the benefits as well as the majesty of having sculptures being displayed
prominently in the open areas of a museum or sculpture park.
I also feel that my decision to write about Barbara Hepworth’s work and her
influence in sculpting today was, at the risk of potentially sounding arrogant,
was made consciously as much as it was aesthetically because, being one of the
few women artists of her generation, it was imperative that she be the main
subject of my article.
Weaknesses:
Due to their positioning as well as the choice of colour used to
create them, certain elements of the front cover are more
difficult to read than others. This is particularly evident in the
headline advertising the feature article studying Barbara
Hepworth’s legacy, which is positioned directly underneath the
plinth where the Square with Two Forms is situated and is
coloured grey, thereby making the text difficult for readers to
decipher as mentioned above. While this is only a trivial issue at
best, it is one that I would readily rectify to ensure that it stands
out against the plinth of the statue, with green or rusted orange
colours being potential candidates.
7. Audience Appeal
Having completed my magazine to the best of my ability within the permitted timeframe, I feel I have appealed to my
primary audience of readers from 25 years of age onwards by including as many pictures of sculptures throughout the
finished product so as to ensure that even the most aspiring of sculptors reading this magazine would be instantly
captivated, thereby making good on the promise I had originally made in my formal proposal.
For anyone who is fascinated by the subtleties and complexities of sculpting that has dedicated a minute or so to reading
my article on Barbara Hepworth’s work, I hope that it has genuinely motivated them to think about pursuing a career in
sculpting. If this is so, I would recommend going to Yorkshire Sculpture Park or The Hepworth Wakefield in order to do some
research into how sculptures can be created and then, based on said research, formulate their own unique, inimitable style.
These can range from the abstract to character-based creations, the latter most likely based on the artist (or subject
thereof).
Editor's Notes
What were the strengths of your research? How did your research help your product?
What were the weaknesses of your research? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
What were the strengths of your planning? How did your planning help your product?
What were the weaknesses of your planning? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
Did you manage your time well? Did you complete your project on time or would your products have improved with additional time?
What would you have done if you had more time to produce your work?
Compare your work to similar existing products and discuss the similarities and differences
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page alongside an existing product
Use text boxes and arrows
Does your work look good? Was it creative? What aspects of your game’s visuals do you like? What would you improve? How would you improve it?
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them
Use text boxes and arrows
How have you appealed to your target audience? What specific bits of content would appeal to your target audience.
Refer to your findings from your questionnaire.
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them
Use text boxes and arrows