The student learned several important lessons from completing their preliminary magazine cover task that helped improve their final magazine covers. Some key things the student learned was to [1] add more variation in fonts, images, and cover lines to catch attention, [2] improve layout and design conventions, and [3] gain new skills in using Photoshop tools and editing images. Completing the preliminary task helped the student understand the requirements better and apply feedback to create more polished and professional final magazine covers that followed industry conventions.

1. Evaluation 7:
Looking back at your preliminary task (Aquinas College
magazine/pop promo DPS), what do you feel you have learnt
in the progression from it to the full product?

2. This is my first ever use of Photoshop
and part of my preliminary task, I had
to edit a front cover for a school
magazine. I based mine on Finchley
catholic and mixed schools. There is a
lack of variation of fonts, used on the
front cover. The magazine layout
doesn’t follow the normal conventions
of a magazine. The cover lines are to
cluttered, and don’t stand out against
the background.
The bottom right image was
another option for my
education cover for my
preliminary task. The image
above is part of my practice
cover, a second use of
Photoshop.

3. Final covers
options:
When I designed my 3 covers for my final magazine
I knew I had to add conventions. In addition there is
more than one font, different images, and cover
lines to catch peoples attention. My magazine
covers the conventions of music magazines e.g: A
puff, and imagery, cover lines.

4. In my Preliminary task:
• In my preliminary task was very simplistic in terms of the images, I too them on my phone
on a wall near my school common room. The masthead is very big and bold, the white
colour makes it stand out against the trees in the background. In my main task, I didn’t
experience this problem my images were exactly how I wanted them, and I took time to get
the right images. As well as my masthead has improved its bigger and bolder, grabbing more
attention on the page not how my preliminary task was. On my preliminary task I used the
same font and colour on my cover lines. There was no variation in the size so it all looked
mixed up. The main task I used different sized font and different bold colours to make it
stand out (red and black). I tired to stick to the same colour theme. Furthermore in my
preliminary task there is a lack of connotations as seen in music magazines. By using my
Preliminary task I adapted it and used the things that went wrong to improve my main task
eg: using a barcode, and a puff. I felt my preliminary task the design was very basic, so I
changed everything for my main task. There were various drafts of both my preliminary task
and my main task, and posted all on my blog, all different feedbacks and changes made.

5. • The subject used for both magazines are quite similar, I went for group shots and layered
positions. My preliminary task is my 2 friends sitting on the wall in my school courtyard.
And the final cover for my main task has My friend Chey a dancer she features as my
subject for my dance magazine. The house styles for these magazines are similar. However I
improved my cover because in my preliminary task my subjects weren’t looking into the
camera. The main task has her staring directly into the camera., and there is only one
person on the cover. The final cover represents similar dance magazines house styles,
follow magazines like: Mixmag.
• A feature which has progressed since starting my preliminary task is my Photoshop skills,
and the ability to edit an image out of the background It was originally in. As well as I know
how to make a design and my pictures look professional of my music magazine. I didn’t edit
my preliminary task but I did for my main task. I was able to edit out the background and
add a yellow back to it.

6. • I didn’t create a contents or double page spread for my preliminary task however
as I was ability to get used to all Photoshop tools and different ways of editing
things. I did research on different music genres and by doing the preliminary task I
was able to develop new skills, and try different fonts and layouts. I also didn’t
create a double page spread in my preliminary task it was difficult to make it as I
didn’t really know what I was doing. During the main task I had to follow
conventions of double page spreads and separate pages in half. As well as putting a
cover line and images in. I didn’t edit out the image in the background I kept it as it
suited my double page spread. Whereas I dint do this on my preliminary task.
Furthermore I was able to make the texts line up in columns. I titled the title at the
top pf the left hand side, placed at the top pf the page. With over lines and pull
quote below it, all in red and bold. I was able to add to my magazine instead of
keeping everything in line or overlapping. There is another image placed in-
between 2 columns of an article. And there is a pull quote above the image.

7. • By doing my task preliminary I got new skills of how to use new things like:
Photoshop and I started to understand Mis-en-scene and various things. The
prelim product of school magazines, mainly includes pictures of my friends
sitting on the wall. I didn’t know anything about facial expressions, costume,
and placing of people in a picture.
• I did some research on different shot types for my preliminary task. The shot
I used was a medium shot, it was abit close to their faces.