Rebecca Edwards created a magazine front cover in Photoshop using various tools. She placed and enlarged the main cover image, adjusted its brightness and darkness to establish a color scheme. Larger fonts were used for the title near the top to catch the reader's eye, while simpler fonts were used for other text at the bottom. Effects like inner shadows were added to text for visual interest. For a double page spread, Rebecca placed a background image in Photoshop and InDesign. Text was written across both pages and effects like gradients and images were added. Care was taken to ensure text visibility against backgrounds. Images were placed alongside rather than covering the article text so it could still be read fully. Lessons were

1. Experiments
Rebecca Edwards

2. Front Cover Process
To make this front cover, I used many of the different tools
within Photoshop. First, I chose to find my main cover
image, which I placed and enlarged, possibly making the
image slightly distorted as its original format was
landscape. I then used Adobe Color CC and imported the
image, after changing the brightness and darkness with
the Layers tool so to get a color scheme themed around
this particular image and chose the text colors that the
reader would be able to see against the main image. I
chose one of the larger fonts in the Text tool for the title
and placed it right near the top of the image so it would be
visible to the reader and also catch their eye due to the
contrasting black/white colors. I chose a more simple font
for the other pieces of text at the bottom of the image so
to draw the readers more to the masthead rather than the
sub headings, which I colored keeping in mind the visibility
of the text and where it had been placed. After placing my
"bullet points" aside the sub headings, coloring them
accordingly, I added a barcode so to make it look more
authentic and added an Inner Shadow effect to the text, in
order to give the effect of the screen shining on the letters
from behind.

3. Reflection
• I think I will try to use some of the text effects on offer so, depending on
my front cover image, I can try and incorporate the text more into the
scenery, giving a more professional effect. I will also remember to add
realistic aspects of a magazine into my front cover, such as a barcode and
a visible and eye-catching masthead. I will also try to find mainly portrait
images or screenshots taken for my magazine, so my final product images
don't seem pixelated or distorted. I could also have used bigger or more
themed bullet points or icons in order to be more appealing to the type of
reader, which I will try to incorporate into my final cover if it is applicable
to the chosen audience. I will also link my chosen font colours to the front
cover image in some way, such as being a contrast to the image and
therefore more visible or create a colour scheme that utilises that colour
in some way and can be placed somewhere on the cover where it will be
seen.

4. Double Page Process
To make the double page spread, I decided to
first go on Photoshop and place my chosen
background image and enlarge it, hence its poor
quality which I tried to correct using the various
Adjustment tools. I then wrote the headline text
and changed the font using the Fonts option,
then enlarged it so it would go across both
pages of the spread and used the colour wheel
tool to change the text to my desired colour so
that after I used the Gradient tool to create the
gradient on the left hand side of the spread, the
text on that side would still be visible through
the gradient. In order to create the mouse effect
at the top left of the page, I saved the picture
from Google Images and removed the
background, placed a cuboid and used the line
tool to half it and then placed both elements
accordingly. I then saved both pages as a JPEG
and placed both images in InDesign and used
the Text tool to draw two text boxes on both
sides of the page. I then went to Lorem Ipsum,
copied some of the text and pasted it to create
the appearance of an article in my document. I
then changed the colour of the text in order to
make it more visible against the background,
moved any text that didn't all fit in one box to
the other and enlarged the starting letter using
the Character tools

5. Reflection
• I will try to use the Gradient feature in my project, but to a lesser extent and
extending from all areas of the magazine, creating a fade in effect and drawing
more focus to the article, however, I should check more closely what colour
scheme I choose, as too bright or too dark could end up confusing the reader
or obscure the article I have written depending on the font colour. I will also
make sure that my selected images and the photos that I take are the correct
size so if enlargeed, they won't come out pixelated and lower the magazines
overall quality. I have also thought about using a type of design similar to my
clicking mouse in the top left hand corner of the spread, instead using some
image significant to my magazine that could be connected to my chosen
double page spread topic. However, I have chosen to not let my chosen images
take up the entirity of the pages in favour of the text being seen and read fully,
instead, I will place the images either alongside or above and below my article
text so the text will be read but the pictures will also give context as to what
the article is talking about and also keep younger readers intrigued.