The student learned several lessons from their preliminary magazine task that helped improve their main task. For the preliminary task, they struggled with using new software and layout elements. They found that a vertical title, many photos, and certain fonts did not work well. For the main task, they tested softer lines and images, ensured relevance of photos to articles, and set specific goals to better manage time limitations. Overall, the preliminary task helped the student identify what design elements were effective versus ineffective for a magazine.

1. 7) LOOKING BACK AT YOUR PRELIMINARY
TASK, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE
LEARNT IN THE PROGRESSION FROM IT TO
THE FULL PRODUCT?

3. PRELIMINARY TASK
 With my preliminary task, I hadn’t ever used any of
the software before and had never tried to create a
magazine. I had to do a lot of research into the
layout, text and images of a magazine before even
attempting to create my own. I experimented with
many things on this magazine like: rotating the title
vertically, changing around the gradient of the
background, photoshopping images etc..
 Although it wasn’t a good attempt at a magazine, I
feel like it helped me in my actual main task, I knew
what would work and what wouldn’t.

4. THINGS THAT DIDN’T WORK IN MY
PRELIMINARY TASK
 I felt the background on the contents page didn’t work at
all for me. I preferred the plain white background on the
front cover. I know most magazines do have a
background colour, but every time I tried to add in one, it
just didn’t look quite right and felt too fussy.
 Although I liked the title placed vertically when I was
creating the preliminary task, I think it is just too difficult
to read. I did however, keep the idea of the title being on
an angle.
 I put many pictures into my preliminary task, this worked
for that because it is a sixth form magazine and so every
big event is photographed, it didn’t necessarily work on
the music magazine. I felt if I put too many pictures on
the cover, it would be stepping into gossip magazine
territory.

5. CONTINUED…
 I felt that the font on my preliminary task was really hard
to read and many people found it difficult.
 The sharp line between the title and picture looked very
amateur and so I softened it down in my main task.
 The use of the same pictures just look as if they were
they to fill up space on the contents page. For my main
task, I made sure that I used all different images for
each page and that they were relevant to the article.
 Instead of having a realistic background, I changed it to
white as this is more in keeping with a real magazine.
 I changed the central image from a long shot to and
mid-shot.

6. THINGS THAT I INCLUDED IN MY MAIN TASK
 The statement font of the title, was carried over into
my main task. Although I didn’t like the font of my
preliminary task title, I liked the boldness and the
fact it stood out.
 I put the title on an angle because it looks different
and unique.
 I included the black font colour with red outline as I
think this looks good and stayed in keeping with my
colour scheme.
 The barcode and price were included in both.
 The gradient tool, I used in both as I liked in in my
preliminary task but not on the pictures that much
and so added it in under the title.

7. HOW I HAVE IMPROVED
 Firstly, the pictures that I used were not set up at all
in my preliminary task. For my main task, I set up
each and every shot and told both Zoe Louise and
Holly Lewis exactly what I wanted to do. It may
have felt harsh at first, telling them they weren’t
doing what I wanted but in the long run, it helped
me get the pictures that I used on my front cover,
contents page and double-page spread. I had to
learn that it’s okay to say if someone is doing
something wrong if my coursework is at stake. I
think the pictures are a lot better in my main task
than my preliminary task.

8. TIME ISSUES
 For my preliminary task, I found it incredibly difficult
to keep up with the time limits. I found myself
behind constantly. For my main task I decided that
to get the best mark I could, I should organise my
time better. Therefore, I set myself goals every
lesson to get as much done as possible as well as
doing extra work in my free time and lunch breaks.