Evaluation

NAME: Nicola Carroll
CANDIDATE NUMBER: 2187
CENTRE: 33435 Aquinas College
AS Media Studies
OCR G321: Foundation
Portfolio
Brief from OCR syllabus

Q1) Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience for my media product is young females
aged 16-22. My ideal reader would be interested in Pop
Music, High Street Fashion and ‘A List’ celebrities such
as Beyoncé or Rihanna. My type of Consumer would
shop at places like Topshop and Riverisland and their
fashion sense would be body-tight Dresses and
High Heel Shoes for example.
From my Audience Research I have noted that there
are a lot of Indie and Rock/Metal music magazines out
there, making Pop magazines underrepresented. For
this reason I wanted to make them just as noticeable
as other genres of music therefore I chose Pop &
Fashion as my sub-genre, because I think the two link
very well together as a hybrid genre for a music
magazine, also this suits my personality and opinions
extremely well so I wanted to make a product on
something I was interested in myself as well as making
it interesting for my target audience.

I aimed my
magazine at…
Who know what
music they like…
Influenced by…
Who spend
money on…
Who like to shop at…
Enjoy concerts
and festivals…
Females
Aged 16-22…
2

I have made my magazine similar to Billboard and the audience that buys it however,
may also be interested in high street fashion as well as Pop Music / Artists.
I also felt that there was quite a large gap in the market for a Pop Magazine aimed at
elder females, as most other Pop magazines are aimed at younger teenage females
but I wanted to make a magazine aimed at older teenagers and maybe even for girls
in their early 20’s. This would be my unique selling point.
Similar Products

Sub- genres & hybrid publications
• My audience research has shown that there is
a gap in the market for the chance to create
more Pop magazines. Due to this I decided to
make my Individual magazine which combines
Pop Music and High Street Fashion as Pop is
underrepresented in the music industry. My
magazine is aimed at a primary audience of
Females ages 16-22.

Also Based on my research I decided to name my magazine ‘’Individual’’ as
this is what my most wanted by my audience. I also liked this name as the
other were a bit too mainstream, and I wanted something different but basic,
so I went with Individual. I also like this name as my magazine is about
Fashion & Style Sense, which makes you who you are as an Individual, so it
reflects effectively on what my magazine includes.
I also wanted to have some idea as to who to feature in my magazine, so I asked them
who their favourite Pop Band where, the majority of people said The Saturdays. But in
the end I decided to feature Beyoncé and Jessie J, as I wanted to use Solo Artists in my
magazine which again would reflect the masthead.
Another question I asked my audience was ‘’what special offers would you like to see in a
music magazine’’, a large sample of people choose discounts which was Ideal for my sub-genre
as it includes fashion, so I have included pugs in my magazine to advertise any deals or offers
in some of the shops that my primary audience may shop in.
Audience Research / Primary Audience / Ideal readers

showing why current audiences enjoy using these publications.
These issues of Billboard use very basic,
get feminine colours to attract the
attention of young females. It also
appeals to the same genre of music
lovers than my magazine does.
Most real media products have a narrow
primary audience in terms of age, as
magazines such as We Love Pop and Top
Of The Pops are aimed at young teenagers
between the ages of 13 and 15. Where as
mine as a much broader audience, aimed
at females aged 16-22.
To make my product I have combined the colour scheme with my
primary audience to make it appeal to females of an older age.
I have used different shades of purple to show that it is aimed at older
females, rather than using pinks which show it would be for younger
females. But I chose purple as this is still a strong feminine colour.

This billboard content page has the page
numbers and descriptions in columns down
the middle of the page with a clearly
labelled heading for each category.
So for example on this content page the
headings are ‘’Upfront, Features and Music’’
to show the audience where to look when
searching for a specific section. Like on mine
the audience may see ‘’Fashion’’ and look
there first cause they want to read about
their favourite celebrities style, for example.
Billboard’s images are placed on the top right hand side just below the heading of the
page, with the main image located to the right of the page numbers so that it stands out.
But on my contents page I have organised my side stories on the left hand side with page
numbers written in the bottom left hand corner to show the reader where to go to find
out about it. My main story is the biggest picture so that it stands out from the rest.
I have also included a cover story on my contents page where as this issue of billboard
hasn’t. And finally I have used a pug to give my audience the chance to win something,
which will make them more interested.

For my double page spread rather
than using my original house style
of a white background with purple
writing I decided to have a purple
background with white writing so
that my heading would stand out
more. Also the colour of the
heading contrasts with the stars
hair colour making it bolder and
more visible.
I chose to use a picture of my sister as the
star for my main story (dps) as she has
similar hair colour and hair length to the
real star, she also has quite high cheek
bones and long eyelashes like the celebrity.
When I was taking the photo of
my sister, she was stood in front
of a white wall so that I could
get the white balance between
the background and her skin
colour. This also made it easier
to remove the background
when editing it on Photoshop. I
also tried to use natural
lightning, however I needed to
make her skin look slightly more
tanned as she is quite pale in
real life.

showing why current audiences enjoy using these publications.
• My target audience would enjoy my publications because they include points of
interest such as celebrities; clothing, hair products and beauty products. Etc.
• I have starred celebrities such as Beyoncé and Jessie J in my products as these are
the type of people my primary audience would see as ’idols’ and look up to. My
magazine also includes articles / interviews about these celebrities which the
consumer of my magazine will enjoy reading.
• I have also included reviews of newest albums and any hair/beauty products as my
primary audience is older females who would enjoy reading about the most
popular products or to see what their favourite celebrities use/wear.

Q2 : How does your media product represent particular social groups?
I have filtered my star to reflect my ideal reader, by dressing them in the sort of clothing
that my consumer would wear.
My star is wearing a long tight blue velvet dress, which is similar to
the type of clothing my primary audience would buy.
As my primary audience is older females who listen to Pop music,
they would buy and wear more dressy clothing such as, tight dresses.
My star also has long dark straight hair. Most girls who are into this
genre of music would like to have long dark straight hair, as this is seen
as ‘mainstream’.
Also my star is wearing natural looking makeup which gives a medium
coverage. Most female Pop artists where a fair amount of makeup, but
however still look natural. She is wearing a liquid foundation which
matches her skin tone and wears eyebrow pencil to make her eyebrows
darker and more defined. She also wears a neutral pink lip colour which
gives her lips a slight tint without looking too over the top.

In my publications I have included discounts/offers in
well-known shops such as Topshop & River Island as
these are where a stereotypical late teen – early 20 year
old female would shop for their clothes. Also in these
shops they even have clothes inspired by celebrities
which makes the costumer what to buy the item even
more as it is worn by their favourite celebrities or ‘idols’.
On my contents page I have included different categories to separate out the contents.
I have named one of my categories ‘’Fashion’’ and placed it in the middle of the categories
as this is where the readers eyes focus on first, and also to make it easier for the consumer
to find what they are looking for, as this is the section they may be most interested in, as
young females are attracted to the idea of looking like ‘A-list celebrities’ and fitting in with
the crowd by buying the latest clothes, hair/beauty products and listening to the ‘right’
type of music and going to concerts of that music genre in order to be apart of your social
groups.

MODE OF ADDRESS:
My star uses direct eye contact in order to get the reader feeling involved. My
star is a solo artist which reflects the masthead of my magazine ‘’Individual’’. The
stars posture detonates confidence, which is what all young females wish to have.
IDEAL READER:
My star represents the ideal reader, with the use of mise en scene. Her clothing
and performance connote a confident side, which meets the traditional
conventions of a female pop star. Therefore my audience would ASPIRE to look like
and be like her.

To appeal to the correct target audience, my star would have to represent an idolised version
of the ideal reader. In order to appeal to as many consumers as possible, the star must
appear mainstream. They must have an appropriate appearance and performance,
to make the consumer want to buy the magazine. For example, direct eye contact to make
the reader feel engaged, a neutral or positive facial expression to make the star seem
interesting, no person would want to buy a magazine with the star on the front cover looking
moody or threatening, positive body language, so the star actually looks interested
themselves as if they want to be there. Neat hairstyles and neutral makeup as you don’t want
to star to appear ‘overdone’.

Direct eye contact
with audience
Neutral/positive
facial expression
“Barely there”
make up (natural
look)
Neat blonde hair
Short tight dresses
are feminine and
youthful
Demure body
language - she is
posing for the camera
She is trying to appeal to a young, female
audience as a positive role model.
Beyonce Knowles-Carter: mainstream representation

Facial Expression -
Not smiling– No engagement
with the audience.
Long hair is un-brushed
High heels are worn to
encourage the male gaze.
Stockings and suspenders
are worn – provocative
Body language -
Head turned slightly, lips
half open & her hand
running through her hair -
playful and maybe even
flirtatious – attract the
male gender.
Black clothing – makes
the model appear thinner.
A woman wearing black
implies submission to
men. Black outfits can
also be overpowering.
Beyonce Knowles-Carter: niche representation

COSTUME: Both outfits
represent different
images. The bodycon
dress connotes
innocence, whereas the
high heels and
suspenders connote a
more rebellious side.
Both these would appeal
to different audiences.
Beyonce would wear a similar outfit
to this while performing because it is
an everyday causal dress which is
appropriate to be worn in front her
of fans and in public. This represents
the image she promotes.
Unlike this outfit, this outfit would
not be appropriate for her
appearance on stage, as it
would not appeal to the audience.

Direct eye
contact, side on.
Neutral facial
expression, slight
smile.
‘’Barely there’’
make-up (natural
look) But, the photo
is slightly blurred
Wavy messy hair,
looks quite dull
and flat.
Baggy jumper, casual
clothing.
Neutral body
language – doesn’t
seem bothered

Neutral facial
expression –
positive role model.
Direct eye contact
‘’Barely there’’ make-up
(natural look) clear
photo.
Straight neat shiny
brown hair.
Tight bodycon dress –
feminine/youthful.

COVER STAR:
In all the photographs of my star, I tried to make sure she would be APSIRATIONAL for the
readers. She is the same age and gender as my IDEAL READER, therefore would attract the
TARGET AUDIENCE. The mise en scene of the star represents a positive role model for
young woman, and the use of tight / slim fitted clothing connotes a sense of confidence.

Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your product?
I researched the music magazines Billboard and Cosmopolitan in order to get an idea of the differences in the ways they use media
conventions and institutions to give me an idea of how to develop and distribute my own music magazine using my own conventions for m
y choice of genre to attract my target audience. Both magazines are different genres and so using both examples helped me to develop my
magazine as my genre is a mixture of both,
Pop and Fashion.
The brand statement for Billboard is ‘’Billboard is the world's most influential music media brand‘’, This makes the magazine sell better as
it bases itself on statistics and facts and therefore people will buy the magazine because it looks professional and recognisable rather than
buying it due to their opinions. Whereas I decided to make my magazine recognisable and professional through its appearance, e.g. colour
scheme and house style, rather than using a brand statement, because I felt that if I did use one it would make the company look like they
need to ask for people to read their magazine, whereas if I keep it basic and simple people may seem more interested and feel less forced
into buying it. However my top banner (which advertises a competition) is the first thing the consumer will see when they pick up the
magazine and this will encourage them into buying it without being too in their face.
Although Billboard magazine generally features mainly female artists and attract the female audience some of the magazine have
‘’women’s music’’ or ‘’women in music’’ written at the top of the front cover to show that the magazine is aimed at the female audience,
so females can see that this is one option for them when choosing a magazine and makes it easier for the consumer to decided weather
this is the type of magazine they would be interested in. Whereas I just stuck to a feminine colour scheme to show that my magazine is
aimed at females.

I’d choose to distribute my publication
as I feel that Individual and Billboard
would both compliment each other.
Prometheus Global Media currently publish and
distribute Billboard; respectively rank the top
songs and albums regardless of genre
Prometheus Global Media was formed by
Nielsen Business Media which is a company that
that enables companies to understand consumers
and consumer behaviour.
As the genre my publication caters for is becoming more and more popular amongst
concert goers, Prometheus Global Media would have the expertise to promote the genre
in concerts (through “Nielsen Business Media”). Individual would also compliment
Billboard, as it is a branch of Pop and R&B music.

Individual would be a weekly magazine priced at £4.75 an issue, which is a similar price
to Billboard which is issued weekly, which is more expensive than Top Of The Pops
magazine but that is issued monthly.
There will also be a lot of advertisements in the magazine.

Q3: What kind of media institution might
distribute your product?

The publication claims itself to ‘’Play The 100
Most Popular...’’ which attracts anyone of
any age or gender who enjoy listening to
music as it does not specify a specific genre.
Advertising ”Bruno Mars Q&A’’ on their website
also attracts the reader and creates a unique
selling point. This may also encourage the
website audience to buy the magazine in order
to find out more about other artists.
Having a large variety of genres and selling the magazine world wide increases the brand
reach. This means that the brand can reach a wider audience, and therefore sell more.

Ways for the audience to find my product.
Website
Tours & Concerts
Twitter feeds
Facebook pages
Instagram

Merchandise
The merchandise can be bought from any festivals or concerts, online from our website,
or as a free gift when you buy the magazine or as a competition to win all 4 items.

Q4) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms or conventions of
real media products?
My media product is made for my primary
audience which is young females age 16-22
who are interested in Pop Music & Fashion.
The Hybrid genre of my magazine is Pop
Music and Fashion, in order to show that and
to make sure I have met all the relevant forms
and conventions I have looked at example of
real media products.
I have used Billboard, Top Of The Pops, Sugar
and We Love Pop as my examples that would
help me to use and develop the appropriate
forms and conventions for my subgenre.

FRONT COVER.
I think that each of my media products uses and
develops the forms and conventions of real media
products, such as the examples of other magazines that
I have used.
I have used an appropriate colour sheme for my target
audience throughout my magazine, including the front
cover, contents page and double page spread.
The colour scheme I have stuck to is Pink, Purple and
White as my target audience is teenage girls. This makes
the magazine recognisable and more appealing to my
audience, as well as having a professional look to it.
I have also continued to use the same font throughout
each product to make it easier for the consumer to
read.
However more important details may use a different
font and could perhaps be made bigger or highlighted
using a different colour to make it stand out, for
example the Masthead.
The masthead is much bigger than the best of the text
on my front cover to draw the readers eyes to the name
of the magazine before reading what its about.
Also the name of the front cover star is in a bigger font
with a bold outline again to catch the readers attention
to who is being advertised in my magazine.
My front cover also includes conventions such as a pug to show if
there are any competitions or offers.
A top banner to advertise any additional offers/competitions and
A bottom banner which gives extra details such as if there is a
website to go with my magazine or to present what products are
inside the magazine, which is what my front cover has. My front
cover has topics written at the bottom to show what contents are
inside, for example,
Music, Hair, Beauty etc.

Contents Page
My contents page also uses the appropriate
forms and conventions for its genre/subgenre.
It contains a bold masthead ‘’This Week’’ with
the title of the magazine written above
‘’Individual’’ to make it recognisable through out.
Page numbers are displayed neatly down the
centre of the page with a small description of
what is on each of the page, so it is easy for the
reader to find what they are looking for.
The page numbers also come under different
categories to make it more organised and easy to
allocate. For example I have used 3 categories,
Features (which includes interviews or any
upcoming events) Fashion (which is things like
hottest hairstyles or best deals of nail/beauty
treatment) And Reviews. So reviews on albums or
concerts for example.
The Page numbers are different colours to the
writing explaining what is on each page in order
for it to stand out.
My contents page also includes a main image
which is usually found in the middle of the
contents page and this is where the readers
eyes automatically look at before anything
else on the page. So the main image
becomes the main focus of the contents
pages.
There are also smaller images used which are
called ‘’side stories’’ this just gives the reader
a brief idea of what sort of articles are going
to be inside.
For example, one of my side stories is an
image of an new artist, which tells the reader
that some where in the magazine there is
going to be an article or story on that certain
celebrity. All of the images also have small
numbers on them in one of the bottom
corners to indicate which page it is on. And
sometimes there will be a caption
underneath explaining what is in the photo.
Finally, on the right hand side is my editors
letter which just very vaguely tells you a little
bit about themselves and explains why they
made the magazine.

Double page spread
For my double page spread I have done it on
Beyoncé which matches this example perfectly.
The house style or colour scheme doesn’t normally
have to remain the same as your front cover or
contents page but I have kept mine consistent for my
double page spread because I want it to be
recognised and I also wanted it to look professional
all the way through.
My masthead for my double page spread uses the
same font idea as the star on my front cover, as
they’re both celebrity names, and so I want them to
stand out against the rest of the text.
They both use the same font and colour. I chose the
font ‘Pepsi’ for star names as this is a very big/bold
font which would contrast against a more dull
background. I also decided to use a darker purple as
an outline of the text to give it more depth.
Compared with this double page spread, Mine uses
the same colour either side whereas this has a grey
background behind the image. This makes the actual
article stand out more. Whereas with mine, I have
used a purple background behind the text and the
image because I want them to stand out equally.
My article begins with a Capital letter just like any double page spread, this
is used to introduce the readers attention on to what the article is about to
get them interested and wanting to read on.
My article is set out into separate columns which makes the article easy to
follow. My rows are kept neatly in line below one another to make it easier
to read accurately, whereas the rows on this contents page are all over the
place which makes the article look a bit out of order and not as neat.
The text is kept onto one side whilst the image is kept on another side, this
just again makes it neat and nice and easy for the reader to see what is
happening on the page.
However the masthead on this double page spread does slightly overlap
the centre, but I have tried to keep mine to one side.
Although this example doesn’t use a sub-heading I decided to include one
in my product to give a little more detail on what is in the article.
Towards the end of my article I have also added a couple of extra details
about upcoming concerts with the star to get my audience involved and to
give a little more detail about how to enter any compeitions which could
help you win tickets to various other events.

Q5) How did you attract/address the audience?
I chose to address the ‘Pop’ audience, by using colloquial language and music for young teenage girls.
For my cover star I used a 17 year old female because she looks natural and would be a positive role
model towards my audience, instantly it hints at more of the same kind of stars that will be found
inside the magazine. Also on my cover I included artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Jessie J, Ellie
Goulding and many more.
The fonts used within my front cover may be successful to attract the genre aimed at because it
relates to the neat and innocent audience that i want to attract, and it also relates to the contents of
the magazine
My magazine is similar to billboard or top of the pops due to style of music, artists used and their
appearance. This being a pop magazine, I can compare the two, and get a rough idea of what I can do
to improve my own work.

Front Cover
Masthead
Main Image
Cover Star
Pull Quote
Extra Images/
Side Stories
Free
Giveaway
Repetitive
Feature
Features
Anchored Text

Gender, Age and Genre...
Gender:
My magazine is aimed primarily at young females
The cover star is a female however she doesn't
look amazingly beautiful , she just looks casual
which is the look my target audience would
prefer.
Age:
The primary audience for my magazine is mainly
aimed at teenagers from the age of 16 to 22. The
cover star is within this age range so the reader is
aspired to be like her.
Genre:
The genre is ‘Pop’ this is portrayed through the
cover stars clothing and appearance. It is also show
through the other stars included in the magazine
and through the stars name.
Front Cover

Colour:
The use of the purple colour stands out because it
contrasts with the white so the purple text is
what the reader concentrates on.
The purple colour is totally opposite from the
white so its eye catching drawing the reader in
and encouraging them to buy the magazine.
Extra Artists:
The use of the extra artists listed at the side tells
us that there is information to offer about other
artists and not just the artist in the image, this
creates a wider audience because if the reader
does not like the cover star there are other
features they can look at.
Main Feature
The main storyline stands out on the page
because there is a bold outline used around the
text.
Front Cover

The word ‘win’ in used twice to
put an emphasis on how no
other magazine offers a
competition as good as this and
that therefore draws the reader
in. This is the first thing they will
see when the magazine is put on
the news stand.
This is a repeat of the free giveaway
the reader gets with the magazine.
With this being top of the page this
is the first thing the reader will see
and the word ‘win’ is written in a
different colour to make it stand out
from the rest of the magazine.
The word ‘free’ draws the reader
in because it is something that
they don't have to pay for. It is
also in written in a larger font
To try and persuade the reader to
buy the magazine.
The masthead stands out because it
is in a bright colour and also it
meets the conventions because it is
in upper case text which means the
magazine will be recognisable and
easy to find.
Front Cover

Contents Page
Using pictures emphases
the main articles and
draws the reader in making
them what to read the
magazine. It also tells the
audience what is included
in the features. Also
page numbers are written
in a different colour so that
they’re easier to identify.
The heading uses the same colour
and same font as the front cover
and the rest of the contents page.
This is so that the magazine keeps
a consistent housesyle but also
creates a unique selling point,
meaning people will want to buy
the magazine.
The white text stands out from the
purple background, making the reader
look at them and therefore reading the
magazine to find out more..
Giving the reader free giveaways
and competitions draws them
into buying the magazine if they
like the offer. Including it again
on the contents page shows
them where to look for it and
reminds them that its there.

Double Page Spread
Title is in a big bold font compared to the rest
of the text as this is what the reader sees first.
We want to encourage the consumer to read
the article,. so the title is what has to stand
out.
The use of two different colours and two different
fonts draws the reader in because it makes the
heading and sub-heading stand out from one
another and gives the reader an idea of what else is
included in the interview.
The grey box includes
extra information about
the star such as
upcoming events or new
albums, which draws the
reader in because when
they go to turn over to
the next page they will
immediately see this
before turning the page.
The image is much
larger than the text
because this shows the
reader who the article is
about. It also draws the
reader in because it lets
them see what the artist
looks like and what she
is wearing so that they
can be just like her.
The text is written in columns so that
it is neatly organised and easy for the
consumer to read.

-A repetitive colour scheme consisting of purple, white and pink.
-The purple and pink are feminine colours so it relates to my primary audience which is why
I kept it consistent throughout.
-The white contrasts with the purple and pink making the more important features stand out.
e.g, mastheads, headings, sub-ending, free giveaways, discounts, compeititions, etc.

Q6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
constructing this product? Constructing a Front Cover
To construct my front cover I had to start of by selecting an appropriate cover star for my target audience. I decided to
use a young female in their age range to make the magazine appeal to them. I used the magic eraser tool to get rid of the
background to give it a suitable background colour for my magazine. I made my background white so that the text would
stand out against it and any important things such as offers would catch the audiences attention for example the cover
star name, to make this stand out I used the stroke effect to give it a darker outline which gives it more depth. And on
both banners I used a darker colour for the word ‘win’ to draw the reader in. Again I used a dark outline for each of the
cover stories to draw the readers attention to what is inside the magazine. Lastly I used a large ‘plus’ sign which shows
which artists are featured in the magazine. It is a lot larger and bolder than the text beneath it to catch the readers eye.

Q6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process
of constructing this product?
Constructing a Contents Page
I started of by picking an appropriate masthead I chose to use ‘’This Week…’’ to show that this was the contents page of a
magazine, I kept the colour scheme the same throughout to make it professional and recognisable. I used the lighter purple for
the top and bottom banner as this is the colour I used for my banners on my front cover, I then used the darker purple colour
for the ‘individual’ which I have written in the top left hand corner to show that this is the magazines own contents page. I
used the bottom banner to advertise other places you can find information about the magazine, for example social networking
sites such as Facebook and twitter, and I also introduced our own website which will include the most recent music updates
and any new fashion styles. I then selected appropriate images to show what other stories are inside and a larger image to
make the main story of the magazine stand out. Next when I started to write the pages and page numbers I started off by
sticking to one colour for the page and another colour for the page numbers, but I decided it looked better if I used 2 different
colours to make it stand out more so in the end I used a light pink colour and a lilac for the pages and a darker purple for the
page numbers. I then decided that there was too much white space and so I needed to add something in order to fill it up and
to make the page look fuller. So I decided to add headings to separate the pages up to make it clearer to the reader and to help
them find what they’re looking for so they can just scan the page to find what they want rather than having to read each one. I
decided to put the headings in the darker purple too so that they stand out and are therefore easy to see. Lastly I added the
editors letter, I decided to write this in a lighter colour and to place it on the right hand side of the page in the centre as this is
the last thing the resder would read before turning the page. And the offer at the bottom of the page again in the dark colour
to make it bold and catch the readers eye.

Q6) What have you learnt about technologies from the
process of constructing this product?
Constructing a Double Page Spread
First, for my double page spread I decided on
using the lighter colour for the background to
make it more interesting for the consumer to
look at, I then therefore used a white text on a
lilac background so that it still followed the colour
scheme but was still easy to read. I then selected
a font for the masthead, I used the font ‘Pepsi’ as
this is quite a large bold font which represents the
genre of music my article is on. I used a darker
outline around my white text, to stick to the
theme of artists names, which makes them stand
out. Then, I chose a different font for my sub-
heading, I used the same colours for this (white &
dark purple) so that they would stand out against
the lighter purple background, and I kept the font
the same too to grasp the readers attention, and
the words I wanted to highlight were in the dark
purple colour. This makes it more clear to the
audience what the article is about.
Next, I chose an appropriate photo of someone
who looked similar to the artist I was writing
about, I chose my sister as she has dark hair
and dark eyes like the majority of female pop
artists, I also used her as my star as she is in
the same age range as my target audience and
the celebrity in my articles.
To get the right image I had to brighten it a
little as the original background was slightly
too dark and you couldn’t see her clearly, Also
there was a shadow of my star in the
background of the taken photograph, so I had
to crop it, however this didn’t matter too much
as went it came to putting the edited photo on
my page I had to use the background remover
tool to get rid of the background all together
anyway in order to make the photograph look
professional when placed in the article,
Another thing I had to make sure of was the
image size to make sure it fit the page
perfectly.
After this, I added a short description at
the top of the right hand side of the
page to give the reader a brief idea of
what the article is going to be about. I
then started of the article by using a
‘Dropped Cap’ to draw the reader in.
This creates a dramatic start to the
interview making the reader become
more interested and encouraging them
to read on.
Finally i decided to add some quotes to
the article said by the star, to give it
more meaning and emotion towards
the reader and to make her a well
known positive role-model who her fans
look up to and idolise to be like her. And
just to finish it off I added some extra
information in the bottom corner of the
page (like a grey box) about any
upcoming events, as they will look here
before turning the page.

Uploading to my Blog
As well as using Photoshop to construct, create and edit a magazine front
cover, contents page and double page spread we also use a website called
‘’blogger’’ this is where we can upload our work on a weekly or monthly
basis to keep up with what we have done in previous lessons. Our teacher
can then view this to check our progress and tell us if they’re any
improvements needed and therefore what to do to improve it.
Once all of our work is uploaded, at the end of the year, the teacher will
send it off to the examiners board to be marked.

Looking back at your preliminary task (Aquinas College Magazine),
Q7) What do you feel you have learnt in the progression to the full product?
I feel that my work has progressed throughout the unit, and that my Photoshop skills have
improved hugely.
I have learnt about magazine conventions which is reflected through my 2 front covers, contents
pages and double page spreads, especially the ones for my music magazine. I haven't only
learnt about conventions for any ordinary magazine but I have also learnt about conventions for
different genres/subgenres.

My first FC design is less detailed. The colour scheme links to the genre (COLLEGE),
However the front cover for the music magazine includes more conventions such as
plus features (what’s inside/what artists are included) side stories with captions, a
bottom banner as well as a top banner (giving more information), a larger image of the
cover star and much more. This makes the magazine more appealing to its audience.

Colour schemes and formulas are important when presenting different ideologies in
a magazine. Each of my products has a particular colour scheme which relates to it’s
genre and style. E.g. Beyonce is a Pop/R&B artist so I have used feminine colours to
reflect this image. My final music magazine product is about a female Pop singer
with passion and confidence so the pink portrays her passion and the purple
connotes her royalty.

I feel that my FC and CP are a huge improvement to the previous. It fits the genre and audience
of young females and relates to the consumer. The colour scheme links to Pop Artists & Fashion
which are the main topics of my magazine.
I feel my Photoshop skills have developed massively and are used effectively to give outer glows
and to remove backgrounds.

-With my first contents page I tried to use the contrast of light and dark on the pages, by making
the page number bold so that they stand out from the rest of the text.
-I used black and red text on a white background to make it clear and easy to read.
-I used the red (the brightest colour) to create focal points and make features stand out so the
reader could scan the page.

Q7) what do you feel you have learnt in the progression to the full product?
Technologies Used:
•Publisher
•Adobe Photoshop
•Digital Cameras
•Altering & manipulating photos

Strap line at the top of the page to encourage reader to
read inside...
Highlighted Features ensure that the text stands out and is made
obvious at a first glance.
A change in font colour draws in the
attention of the reader and gives a bright
colour to the colour scheme.
For the bold main feature i have used same font as masthead
and big quotation marks for the pull quote.

Anchoring- Masthead links with image by
overlapping slightly onto star’s hair.
Blending Options  Outer Glow- used to
make lettering stand out
Banner to show extra features inside
the magazine. Basic square shape
with white text used to make it
visible and stand out.
Pug is relatable to the female audience and promotes a free item
which will encourage them to read on.

The cover star’s eyes are central vertically, and
are looking into the camera. I used this to show
that Alesha is a confident and photogenic
character, which draws the reader in and makes
them interested because they aspire to be like
her.
The photo has a white background which creates
negative space and emphasises the star and the
text on the cover.
I dressed my cover star in dark blue clothing to
match the colour scheme, which links the text
and image.

This close up shot makes the star seem rude and
ignorant as their is no engagement with the reader.
I felt that the photo where the star is
looking directly into the camera works
better because it would portray her
personality better and make the
audience feel engaged through the
direct mode of address.

I anchored the text by shaping it around the image.
Also, the page numbers are in a different colour
to make the information clear.
I incorporated the Individual house style
in my contents page and linked it with
the colour scheme by adding the
masthead at the top left corner of the
page.
I also added links at the bottom of the
page to show where more information
can be found on twitter, facebook .
Instagram and the magazines own
website.

MASTHEAD- Strong bold dark title with a white
background, which fits the colour scheme.
Features that will appeal to my audience. The word
“win” is emphasised in size and colour to make it
stand out.
Pug that will stand out and shows a feature that will
appeal to the audience.
The page reference creates easy navigation to
the desired feature.

Large bold title makes it clear what page the
reader is on...
Appropriate and suitable
images are used with page
numbers to show what features
are inside and where to find
them.
The contents of the magazine
are put under different
categories to make it easier
for the reader to find what
they are looking for.
Editors letter is used to
give a little more
information about the
magazine and explains
why the magazine was
written.

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