Evaluation question 1

1. MAIN TASK
EVALUATION!
REBECCA POLLEN FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO

2. FRONT COVER
Masthead
Sell line
Anchor text
Barcode
Main image
Flash

3. MASTHEAD
I used a large, bold and colourful font for my
masthead. I used the added effect of a pattern
overlay in order to add a sense of sophistication
to my magazine which in keeps with the theme
and style of my front cover and matches the
sophistication of my model and the clothes he is
wearing. The name is eye catching as it is unusual
and means ‘highest in the rank or authority.’
Typical existing media has used the same sort of
ideas, for example:

4. MAIN IMAGE
Mid-shot using direct mode of address, immediately
creating a relationship and connection between the
model and the audience. Full face lighting which is
brighter and follows a more conventional style of
lighting. The model I used is of similar age of my target
audience (16-25yrs) so therefore people reading the
magazine can relate. The facial expression used is not
clear from the artist, however it adds a sense of mystery.
Existing media has used images such as:

5. ANCHOR TEXT
THE ARTISTS NAME IS WRITTEN IN A BOLD FONT, AND BRIGHT
COLOUR IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STAND OUT COMPARED TO
THE REST OF THE TEXT. IT USES A UNIQUE FONT TYPE IN
ORDER TO ATTRACT THE READERS ATTENTION; THE FACT
THAT MOST TEXT IS AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE IMAGE,
PUTS THE IMAGE OF THE ARTIST IN MAIN ATTENTION, AND
THE CENTRE OF VIEWERS FOCUS. THE COLOUR OF THE
ARTISTS NAME CONTRASTS WITH THE WHITE BACKGROUND
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STAND OUT EVEN MORE. EXAMPLES OF
EXISTING MEDIA WHERE THE ARTISTS NAME IS TO THE SIDE
OF THEIR MAIN IMAGE ARE:

6. SELL LINE
I used an unconventional sell line – in order to
show that it was associated with my type of
magazine (informing the audience.) it stands out
against the background as it is coloured in
contrast with the background and the masthead.
It also doesn’t cover the masthead which doesn’t
detract any attention from the magazines name. It
is in a different font type compared to other
magazines which keep the magazine name and its
sell line in the same font type. This acts as a
rebellious feature due to the fact that it rebels
against the norms of magazine conventions.
Similar uses of unconventional magazine sell lines:

7. HOUSE STYLE
My house colour is a plain white background, this is
so that my main image, and the text around it. It uses
colours such as black, grey, a bright beige, dark
brown and bright white. It follows the codes and
conventions to some extent as it black is usually used
in magazine, and the brighter colours (white and
beige) do also fit into the codes and conventions of
my magazine, however are different from most
magazines because they use bright and energetic
colours such as pinks, reds and blues. Examples of
magazines that have used plain white backgrounds
are:

8. CONTENTS PAGE
Masthead
Rows and columns Extra features
Images

9. MASTHEAD
Large bold text, draws the attention of the audience, stands out
against the background due to the pattern overlay. Lies at the
top of the page which is following conventions. Upper case
lettering is also conventional; some examples of contents page
mastheads that follow conventions include the examples:

10. FONTS&FEATURES
Short and snappy insight into what the magazine has
to offer, it also shows the range of topics which the
magazine articles cover; for example festival
information to the latest gossip on up and coming
artists. …… Was used in order to fit into my genre of
magazine, as well as the fact that my target audience
sample that I used in order to determine the kind of
fonts my audience preferred, the use of caps makes it
eye-catching. The other sections of information, the
fonts used are unconventional due to their length and
width of each individual letter; most font types used in
magazine feature sections use wide based fonts, either
that or fancy lettering is used in order to obey the
conventions of their genre of magazine; this makes it
stand out. Some examples of fonts used by popular
magazines are:

11. NUMBERING
This keeps the text organised, makes the magazine easier to
navigate and also allows easy access and reading for the
audience. The numbers are laid conventionally on the side and
are structured on the side of the magazine in columns. This is
conventional due to the fact that a lot of other popular music
magazines use these traits on their contents pages. Examples
include:

12. IMAGES
I have used close-ups and mid shots in order to draw the audience in. I
have used typical lighting-using edit on some of them, however in
some of the snapshots on the contents I have used a lower lighting and
lower ISO on the camera as it makes the main article photograph stand
out against the rest of them. I have placed them in organised columns
to follow the conventional spacing for photos on a contents page. The
examples above also use this convention. However being slightly
unconventional with my contents page I have placed one individual
photo in a column opposite, this should draw the readers attention and
make them want to read into the article which the picture is
representing.

13. ROWS&COLUMNS
USING A SIMPLISTIC AND CONVENTIONAL LAYOUT FOR
MY ROWS AND COLUMNS OF TEXT, BEING USED IN
ORDER TO AID THE READERS TO THE CORRECT SECTIONS
OF MAGAZINE. THE TABS SEPARATING THE TWO
SECTIONS OF THE CONTENTS PAGE ARE
UNCONVENTIONALLY LAYED OUT AS THEY ARE ON
OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PAGE, RATHER THAN RIGHT
BELOW THE OTHERS. EXISTING MEDIA THAT FOLLOWS
THE SAME CONVENTIONS AS MINE:

14. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
Pull quote
Opening
paragraph
Page number
Columns of
text
Main image
Anchor text

15. IMAGE
I decided to use a conventional edit on my image in order to keep the
attention of my artist/model, my image only overs one side of my
double page spread. This is following the conventions of a double
page spread. The direct mode of address establishes a relationship
between the artist and the audience it also gives the image a powerful
effect. Below are examples of existing media that have used the same
conventional double page spread image as I have:

16. LAYOUT
My layout is also conventional and does follow the usual
trends – this adds to the consistency of conventional
stereotypes that my double page spread has followed.
This is because my image is separated from my text,
they use the normal/bland colours including, nude, black
and white which makes the image stand out and attract
the audience. The title slightly overlaps the main image
however I have used the editing tools of Photoshop in
order to put the image in front of the text, so the text
appears behind my main image. Types of existing media
which have the same conventions as my double page
spread include:

17. PULL QUOTE
LARGE, BOLD AND HIGHLIGHTED FONT
MAKES THE QUOTE STAND OUT, DRAWING
ATTENTION OVER THE REST OF THE TEST,
AND INFORMS THE READER ON THE
CONTENTS OF THE ARTICLE. THE QUOTE
ITSELF LIES WITHIN THE IMAGE – WHICH IS
UNCONVENTIONAL. SOME EXAMPLES OF
EXISTING MEDIA ARE AS SEEN BELOW:

18. TEXT BULK&ANCHOR
I used ……………, in order to appeal to the audience, it is
bold and has a large width making it stand out from the
rest of the text on the page, as well as the background. I
have obeyed conventions here by displaying the anchor
underneath my main title; some examples of conventional
existing media double page spreads are:

19. LANGUAGE
A final way in which I conformed to using the
conventions of a double page spread, I did this using
sensationalism. I did this through using exaggerated
words or phrases particularly aimed at a younger
audience in order to create a buss around the text
further on in the page. The emphasis on the important
words used in the ‘pull quote’ stand out and are
written in bold and in caps. An example of this …….
Emphasising the main words that are important in pull
quotes etc.
Many other magazines have used a similar sort of trait
to the one that I have used. To the right are some
examples of existing media that have used these traits.