2. This is the photoshop document in which I created the cover for the Identity Fraud magazine. Firstly, I took a picture of the victim in the same studio the interview
was filmed in for efficiency – the shot is somewhat dramatic and imposing, and therefore should draw the attention of potential audiences. The saturation of the
colour in this image was then substantially decreased, to reflect the negative and depressing tone of the magazine and Identity Fraud as a whole. In the following
image, I masked around the brightly coloured shirt of the victim and left the colour as it would normally appear. This acts as symbolism and was done in order to
highlight the victim’s successful past, by highlighting an iconic piece of clothing which contrasts when compared to his now miserable life in the present day.
3. I then created the “IDENTITY FRAUD” title of the magazine, with the respective sizes of each word altered accordingly, in order to flow with the style and layout of
the magazine. The colour of the text is a mix of light and deep grey, with black patches of dirt and deterioration covering areas of the bold font, which gives a sense
of urgency and authority in its appearance. In the following image, I duplicated the text and decreased the opacity, putting it behind the original text and giving the
sense of a shadow being cast. The word “MAGAZINE” is implemented in a similar manner, whilst also being scaled down; as this is not as significant and relevant to
the audience in the way that “IDENTITY FRAUD” is. All of this text is of course positioned intricately around the central image (the victim), as to not clash and create
a product that is appealing to the eye.
4. Next, I added a semi-transparent and feathered black layer, which overlays the bottom half of the title text – creating an interesting variety, whilst also blending in
with the black background of the magazine itself. In the following image, I added the first article headline, it is presented in a large font size – due to it being the
primary article of the magazine. It is for this reason also that the headline is close to the central image, whilst remaining near the top half of the cover, and coloured
a lighter grey than the masthead title in order to contrast and pop from the cover.
5. I then continued the theme of articles by adding another of similar design for consistency, this time headlining a slightly less relevant page within the magazine. In
the case of all text elements of the cover, the size and positioning was adjusted accordingly to fit with the flow of everything. The large quote across the bottom half
of the cover is notable, as it lies on top of the central image, rather than alongside it. This is due to it being the main headline of the magazine – an impactful quote
designed to reel in audiences, as well as being designed and presented in a unique fashion. In the next image, I decided to add a purple theme to the cover,
highlighting important and significant pieces of text so that they further stand out to the audience and give the cover a generally appealing look. Certain elements
of text from all of the articles and the quote have been given a purple glow; to compliment this, hints of a purple hue have been added to the title also, adding
further realism to the piece.
6. To further compliment the purple elements of the magazine, the effect of mystic smoke of that colour has been implemented. This resides in front of the victim’s
upper body and face, adding a sense of mystery to the cover. Examples of this can be drawn back to psychics and magicians in fiction, who are sometimes
complimented by a puff of purple coloured smoke and mist. To further blend this all together, a lighting effect has been placed on the left side of the cover – to give
the illusion of studio lights – which also emit a purple hue. This has been done in order to make the interviewing room appear professional to the audience, as well
as adding to the realism of the cover’s purple theme. All of these lighting effects also help to highlight the facial features of the victim, with his mournful
expressions intended to evoke an emotional response from the target audience.
7. Adding final touches to the e-magazine, some information has been added to the bottom of the cover. Due to this being an e-magazine, informational elements
such as the price and barcode generally found on physical copies are not included, due to them not being necessary. The issue number is written in bold white text,
however is uniform with the date below it – containing the same properties, although not bold. In the bottom right corner, a custom made sponsorship logo is
present – which was made in Photoshop before being implemented onto this magazine cover, the words “SPONSORED BY” are also present above in white text.
Both of these informational pieces of text are presented in a small font size, this is to not draw from the main focus of the magazine cover; however, still be visible
to the audience if this is necessary. As a finishing touch, which is visible in the last image; the effect of rain falling (barely highlighted in the bright light) has been
implemented onto the cover. This further emphasises the negative theme of the magazine and the victim’s emotions, whilst also sprucing up the overall look of the
cover – and maintaining the audiences’ interest.
9. Moving on to the double-page spread, I wanted to emphasise the barrier between the victim and his past self. Therefore, I ended up taking inspiration from the film
“The Lion King” in that the character looks into a lake and sees essentially his past; hence the lake setting you will see developed here. I decided to go for a night
setting, as not only is this the setting in the aforementioned Lion King scene, but this will also make the main article and other general white text contrast better
from the background – ensuring a more pleasant experience for the reader. In the following image, I have manipulated the image in many ways, implementing stars
in the now darkened sky, which also reflect into the lake ever so slightly for consistency.
10. Next I darkened the bottom right corner of the image in particular, this is to create a seamless transition for the image of the victim, which I will implement now.
The darkness has also been applied in a believable fashion, with the area now being more practical for image implementation. This shot of the victim is of him
looking downwards, in preparation for him being put onto this double page spread – as it now gives the illusion that he is looking mournfully into the darkened
moon-lit lake. Once again, the colour balance, contrast and brightness among others have been altered; this is so that the image fits into the background as
seamlessly as possible. The black colour of his leather jacket in particular blends with the darkness of the background nicely and the double page spread is starting
to look as I intended it to.
11. Still pursuing the theme of the victim looking upon the reflection of his own past, I have carried out just that effect. An image was taken from a successful moment
in particular from the victim’s past; this shows him in much brighter clothing, with a joyful expression – which is the polar opposite to where he’s at now. The grave
contrast between the two images helps to further emphasise the effect the Identity Fraud has had on the victim, with it also being obviously to the audience. Next I
began to type out the title of the article, which plays on the fact that Identity Fraud allegedly takes a part of you away and you no longer feel like yourself. The word
“REMEMBER” is presented in a stylistic font, due to the dreamy emphasis on the words as it is spoken in this context, whilst the following text is in bold – solidifying
the statement to the audience.
12. A subheading was added below the main article title, this fully equates the audience with what exactly the interview is about, whilst once again maintaining the
theme of reflection with the word “RETROSPECTIVE” used prominently. Next, I transcribed a previously filmed interview with the victim, concerning the Identity
Fraud incident; this is presented in a standard yet professional white coloured font. The interview is written out in full and notes the conversation is between
“Identity Fraud Magazine” (IFM) and “Luke Curry-Glasper” (CG) in order to fully inform the audience as to who is speaking at what time. The text itself is laid out in
a uniform fashion, with each line of dialogue being its own paragraph – the text on the right side of the double page spread has been meticulously positioned
around the image of the victim, to ensure that the final product does not appear rushed and informal. Due to the positioning of the article, it almost appears that
the victim is reading the article himself, depending on how you look at it.
13. Next, I added page numbers to the left and right corners of the double page spread, being 07 and 08. These are typed in an italic thin font, being small in size so
that it is not intrusive – yet still visible to the reader. Due to this double page spread belonging to an e-magazine, I have implemented a link in the top right corner;
upon clicking, this will take the reader to the full video interview with the Identity Fraud victim – which is available on YouTube. This link is represented by the
thumbnail for the video, which clearly states what it is about – although the audience will no doubt be familiar with this by this point. The link section is black in
colour, once again coinciding with the dark theme of the magazine, whilst clearly noting to the audience that this is in fact a link to the full video.
15. Reviewing My Final Designs:
In my opinion, the page layouts are presented in a way that allows for the audience to easily read them. On the front cover, important words and
sentences are highlighted in a variety of different ways to catch the audience’s interest, whilst in the double page spread they are integrated from being
stylized to more formal – allowing for easy readability. The images used are all taken by myself using a HD camera and the rest produced digitally in
Photoshop, making the resolution high – which comes as standard in most forms of media, especially magazines. The content on both the front cover and
double page spread is appropriate for the audience that it is aimed at, I think that it would meet their standards in comparison to magazines of the same
or similar genre.
16. How Effectively have I Managed and
Reviewed the Stages of Production:
I’m confident that I’ve completed every stage of production necessary, managing them in an orderable fashion and documenting all important
information across both PowerPoint presentations. I am pleased with how my final products have came out after a long creation process and I believe to
have reviewed the stages of production effectively.
17. Peer Feedback:
You’ve annotated each step in the creation process of both your final products, whilst writing a detailed analysis of each screenshot which is also
presented in the PowerPoint. Images of reference are used throughout and you have written an in-depth overall analysis to round everything off
appropriately, with the designs themselves appear accurate to what they are intended to portray.
