1. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Software's: How to use CAD software's in more depth and use the tools for the correct purpose. At first, when I started
the preliminary task I didn't’t know how to layout a magazine that conforms with a real music magazine. I researched
magazine front covers and saw the way the images, texts, barcodes and price is laid out. I have learnt how a typical
magazine front cover, contents and double page spread is usually laid out which helped me with my final designs. Before
constructing the magazine I had never used InDesign before, now I can use nearly all the features.
Designing: Creating a more realistic magazine by enhancing the details that go with making magazines, I learnt how to
create a more realistic looking magazine and compared it to typical magazine such as NME,KERRANG and VIBE. When I
looked at the preliminary task, it looked more like a poster than a magazine cover, however when I look at my final design
I can see how it looks like a real magazine cover.
Internet use: Using various websites more efficiently such as Blogger, Youtube, Facebook and Slideshare. I learnt how
many websites can be used to share information, before constructing the magazine I didn't’t use Youtube much, I only
thought it was used for funny videos and music. Youtube allowed me to share my PowerPoint and embed it to my blog.
Creating a more authentic looking magazine: I learnt how to enhance the images and make the page look appealing to
the audience by using all the tools at my disposable. I used all the software's I know such as Photoshop, InDesign and
Blogger.
Overall, when I look at my preliminary task to my mock ups, then to my final design I feel it has been a big change, I
didn't’t even realise how much I had learned and implemented in the final design to create and authentic look. The detail
in my preliminary task was minimal which made it look like an ordinary poster as opposed to a magazine front cover.
When I compare the final design to a real magazine cover they are nearly identical, in using the conventions. I also learnt
how to use spellcheck accurately which helped me find spelling flaws in my work, I had never used spell check before
which caused my preliminary task to have some errors.

2. When I compare my final product to my preliminary task I can see the real difference, the details
are in place on the final product such as the barcode, skyline, price and QR code all tie in together
to show that I have used all the generic magazine conventions. The preliminary task was the first
time I used Photoshop and InDesign for a magazine. I didn't’t know how to accurately layout the
page or what sizes the font should be. However since the initial preliminary task I have progressed
in many ways from design, planning, production and even research.
I have learn how to use software's such as
Photoshop and InDesign, I know many
functions that helped create the fine details
that are presented in my final product. I
have also progressed in the layout of music
magazines, before I use to layout pages like
work documents; very unoriginal and
boring, but now I have learn to maximise
space and make the information look as
appealing to the reader as possible.

3. I have progressed from the initial preliminary
task to the final by adding more details that
make up an authentic looking magazine. In the
preliminary task I didn’t have a Barcode, Price,
Surrounding images, Convergence, Variation of
colours and no date. The final contents page
also looks for aesthetically appealing as there
are more images and a variation of colours and
fonts. The initial contents page looked empty
and has minimal information, this wouldn't’t
usually appeal to my target market (16 -20 year
olds) as they would be interested in bold and
eye catching pages.
The conventions of a typical music magazines
also increase from nothing in the preliminary,
to a few conventions such as competitions,
adverts and promotions in the mock up and
finally I utilise all of the typical conventions in
my final design. The authenticity of a music
magazine also progresses from start to finish.
As when I visualised the preliminary task at a
newsstand or shop counter it was hard to
believe as the contents did not look like a real
magazine but just a plain layout of
information. As I moved to the mock up it was
easier to see it as a magazine as detail and
layout was improved.
For the final design I showed many people
and asked them if they would see it as a
magazine in stored and they agreed. I feel I
have learnt about how to layout a music
magazine, and any other magazine genre, I
also learnt how to use limited space on a
page and gain maximum attention from
the reader using bold and bright
images/fonts.

4. I started with no idea of how to layout a music magazine and progressed to producing
one with most of the conventions. I started with a basic layout with no columns which
made the mock up look more like a word document than a magazine page. The page
wouldn't’t appeal to the readers so I researched more about double page conventions
and found where I wasn’t using them.
I compared the final design to
the mock up and realised how
much I progressed, the final
actually did look like a magazine
double page spread. I utilised all
the current music magazine
conventions and it showed when
I put the magazine together.
I also used colour well and progressed from just using a few colours that didn't’t match
to having a set colour scheme throughout the magazine. I also used my images in an
effective way by extending the background from the second page to the first to make it
apparent that it is a double page spread. I also reduced the ‘clutter’ of information from
the page and created a new layout to make it aesthetically appealing for the readers.
I also progressed with the utilisation of the details with the page number/websites at
the bottom of the page and the enlarged first letter for the first column. Overall I
believe I have progressed a lot since my initial mock up page. The final design would be
far more appealing and looks like a real music magazine.

5. This was my first official attempt at my double page spread, it is clearly a double page
spread however the conventions aren't all in place and the page lacks depth and aesthetics.
The colour scheme is also not even and may confuse the readers. I didn't’t stick to the
three main house colours (red, black and white). The columns were a bit too wide and still
looked like a word document, I needed to progress to a more appealing page layout.
I have progressed a lot from the initial
mock up to the final design as I
reduced the clutter on the page and
focused on the most appealing way to
show the images and information. I
also allowed the space on the page to
not look to empty as the background
is busy enough, this allows the readers
to look more at the celebrities and
read the promotion at the bottom
I also maximised the pull quote, by using two colours to make them stand out from the
page so in addition to looking at the celebrities, the readers would also read the quote
and want to read the full article.
I also progressed by keeping the promotion side of the magazine but toning it down;
for example, on my mock up double page spread I took up nearly 1/5th of the page
talking about a live concert, this would immediately draw the attention away from the
article and may loose the focus of the readers. Now, I only used a small space in the
corner and used convergence to make the reader go on the magazines website to
follow the band instead of me giving away a lot of information straight away. This
promotes the celebrities but at the same time keeps the reader interested in the
entire magazine.

6. Start
Finish
I first started by
adjusting the levels
of the image, this
increases or
decreases the black
and the white tones
in the image. This
made the entire
image look more
dramatic and gave
a ‘cool’ feel to it.
I then
experimented with
making the image
black and white, it
worked well so I
decided to keep
the feature.
After that, I
wanted to
remove the
yellow paint
line on the
floor so I used
the clone
stamp tool to
brush over it
and it
disappeared.
I then realised the
image is too wide
and the readers
would not be able
to focus on the
celebrities as the
background was
so big. I used the
cropping feature
to remove
unneeded
background.
Once the
background had
been removed I
straightened the
image to make it
look centered and
exported it as a
JPEG for the
maximum quality.
Prior to starting AS media studies my
knowledge on Photoshop was limited, I only
knew basic functions such as cropping and
importing an image. But after
experimenting with my images I learned
new tricks and short cuts to making an
image gave the correct impression for the
page its on as well as the genre its in. I also
progressed in the use of layers, I didn't’t
understand the importance of layers as
masks.