Comparing preliminary task to music magazine.

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

2. Preliminary task
Front cover of first magazine Contents page of first magazine

3. Completed magazine
Here are images of my complete magazine including front cover,
contents and double page spread

4. Front coverHere there is no catchy tag
line and nothing that
makes the title stand out.
However in my new
magazine there is a
masthead above the title
which is catchy and
memorable. Also, there is a
strap line within the title to
make it stand out. The fact
it is in big black bold
writing also shows its
importance as it is clear
and easy to spot on the
page where as student
isn’t as prominent.
There is only 2 pieces of
information around the page.
On my new magazine there is
9. They are in different
shapes, for example hearts,
which makes the text stand
out more and is more eye
catching to readers. It also
makes the magazine look
more professional as there is
more information inside so
more people will be drawn in
by this. The first one looks
bare and a lack on
knowledge where as the
Simply Pop! Looks like it is
filled with pop music related
information, gossip and give
away!
The text on “Student” magazine is all the same colour. This can become boring for a reader
and seems as though nothing in the magazine front cover is standing out due to the fact it is
all the same. The writing is also hard to read as the font is not clear enough when the size is
reduced. However, on Simply Pop! The important information has been given bold to make it
stand out. There is a range of colours used to draw our attention to different things when
reading the magazine. There is also different fonts in title and cover line. However all the rest
of the font is the same as it is clear to read.

5. Contents page
The first contents page
has a strip going down
the side. I believe this
makes it appear more
like a book, rather than
a magazine as does not
address the correct
media. However, the
strips across “simply
pop!” and “contents”
are similar as they draw
our attention to that,
more the contents as it
is darker and therefore
bolder. Also the strips
between the images
break them our and
allow them to become
bolder. I wanted to add
a strip in my contents
page as I believe it
appears professional
but had not thought
correctly about where
in my planning contents
page.
I believe both
content pages I
have made follow
a simple structure.
They both state
the number of
page, what will be
on that page
including three
images and one
other source on
information. I did
this as I think all
contents pages are
not an important
factor of a
magazine as they
are only giving the
information, not
presenting it.
However I believe
I could of added
more detail to not
make it seem as
bland.
The colour scheme of both content pages are similar. They both have purple. I believe I became more
advanced as I learnt how to add coloured shapes and a coloured text box which makes the page look
more developed. I also have a different colour range of fonts which make didn’t aspects stand out more
effetely.

6. Double page spread
When making the double page spread I had no experience as
we had not made one in the first task. This involved writing
up the article and looking at existing articles to see what
would be suitable and expected. I learnt that slang can be
used if it fits in with the genre, which mine did, and also what
people would want to read about. I decided to have one page
of text, with a little image, and a page of an image with little
text. This is to show the range and also draw peoples
attention to both so they can clearly read and see what the
article is about. It took more time with this page, due to the
fact there is two and also we had no experience so had to
think more clearly as we had nothing to go off for inspiration
and help.

7. How have you developed your skills and knowledge since you
constructed your preliminary task?
(IT skills, design knowledge of magazine conventions, music knowledge)
From looking back at the magazine I first made I can clearly see that I have developed skills and
knowledge over using the different software. I believe I have become more aware of how to use
Photoshop as it is a software that with time you gain more understanding of how different features
work and using them to their full potential. This is shown through my production diary where I show
how I have used different things, such as the blur affect, adding backgrounds and text. In my first
magazine it shows that no affect was added to any of my images whereas in my double page spread
large image I made a separate file on Photoshop to add affects as I was confident enough to do so.
Also, looking at my first magazine all the font is the same whereas in my final product there is a
different range of fonts used on all pages. I had hardly any planning, whereas for Simply Pop! We
designed how we want our pages to look and had more insight into this so had more time to
understand what will work and what would not. I also understood that the simplicity of “Student” did
not work and it simply looked too bland and boring. I knew that when making my own, I need to have
more eye-catching features and understand how to add them such as the consisting “Simply Pop!”
masthead to keep repetition. Also, I did no research into the music knowledge and the theme of pop
music and what it promotes. I believe my reformed magazine is much more developed even though
using the same software, Photoshop, from the knowledge that I had from making “Student” and more
time with this software my IT skills developed. I think my magazine that I have now made is much more
developed and advanced as I have used a range of different skills in compression to my other magazine
which I am much more content with as it appears much more detailed, planned out and like a
magazine.