Evaluation Question 7

1. Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you
feel you have learnt in the progression from it to
the full product?

2. From noticing details on magazines to analysing them, all
aspects of my knowledge have been greatly improved
upon. Additionally, various skills have also been learnt
throughout the whole process, which have made it easier
to research and create a music magazine.
At the beginning of this course, analysing a magazine
was a daunting prospect. Picking out individual codes
and conventions and discussing how they function was a
foreign concept. However, I am now able to not only
identify these features, but also attempt to implement
them into my own magazine.
To start, I could only confidently identify the main image
and perhaps the masthead. I had limited knowledge
about the separate elements of these features so I could
not build on them. However, I am now able to not only
identify these features, but also attempt to implement
them into the front cover of my own magazine. I am also
able to talk about the codes and conventions of these

3. The preliminary task practiced the basic techniques
of laying out a conventional music magazine. With
features such as a main image and a puff being
used in a very basic sense. There was little
knowledge about the names of other features and
why/how they should be used. In the case of ‘SIX’
magazine, many of these elements were used
incorrectly.
Additionally, ‘SIX’ magazine did not look
professional, with a low quality image and the use of
bold, highlighted textboxes. This also did not look
good, so it was something to avoid for the next
magazine we designed.

4. The preliminary task also taught me the importance of high quality
images. Having out of focus or fuzzy images can make a magazine look
very unprofessional and often quite messy. They bring down the overall
quality of the page on which they are used. This is perfectly demonstrated
on the contents page of ‘SIX’ magazine, in which you can see one of the
images is slightly out of focus on the subject. This only devalues the
quality of the whole page.
Another point was the layout. Extensive research of other magazines,
after the preliminary task, showed that a good layout is very important. It
not only changes the look of the magazine, but also the whole
atmosphere. It can show informal and formal styles using colour and
positioning of text boxes and/or images. Examples of poor layouts are
obvious on the contents page of ‘SIX’ magazine, where unprofessional
highlighted text boxes are used. There is also a lot of empty space, which
can make the page look bare.
The use of technology has been improved. Programs such as blogger and
Internet Explorer have been used extensively throughout the production of
the most recently designed music magazine.
Group work has played quite a substantial role. The ability to be able to
share ideas and get constructive feedback about drafts is invaluable when
creating a music magazine. Fellow students can analyse the different
magazine drafts, giving feedback on what’s conventional and what’s not,
and on what looks good and what doesn’t. Much of the progress that has
made been made is down to peer’s critiques of the work at various
different stages.
Working with people can help improve social techniques, as well as
empathy (through the sharing of ideas and appreciation of feed back).