The document compares the learner's preliminary magazine project to their full coursework magazine project. They felt the coursework project was more professional due to increased planning, research into appropriate fonts and conventions, and improved technical skills from using the software over time. Key lessons learned were that planning and considering the target audience are essential for a high quality end product.

1. Question 7Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

2. Front CoversPreliminaryCoursework

3. ComparingSans serif fontMain sellMain sellSerif fontLooks less professionalStrapline& ScreamerReversedOut Barcode & DateBarcode Date & Price

4. I have just compared my two front covers that I have done. They look very different. I think that ‘Tres Chic’ looks like a lot less work was put in. Also it looks less professional. It looks like it would be aimed at a completely different audience. Also I used different camera shots, on ‘The Works’ I used a medium long shot, whereas on ‘Tres Chic’ I used a medium close shot, this completely changes the style of the magazine. Also on ‘The Works’ I put a reversed out strapline across my picture, to say what it was about, but on ‘Tres Chic’ I hadn't said anything about what the main sell was or what it was representing. I also think that my preliminary magazine doesn’t look very well organised or planned, as it is a strange layout. I used Sans Serif font on my coursework magazine as when I researched I found that this was the most popular type of font for my magazine type. I also have more images on ‘The Works’ , images that I took, but on ‘Tres Chic’ I used secondary imagery, which isnt very professional.

5. Contents Pages

6. ComparingPrimary source imagesSans serif fontSans serif font Serif font Page numbersMessage from editorMessage from editor

7. I have more or less used the same sorts of conventions in my coursework contents page, as I have in my preliminary contents page. I have included both messages from editors, sans serif font, and images. However, I believe that my coursework contents page looks a lot more professional than my preliminary. Little details like my page numbers at the bottom of the page make the contents page look that much better. Also my images on my preliminary are stretched out as a result of me not being confident with the programme I was using, and on my coursework I had figured out how to make my pictures fit, which makes me see that my technological skills have improved during this project. Also, as I didn’t know how to use this programme my contents page still has the guidelines around it, which makes the page look horrible, but yet again after using the programme for a while I was able to figure out how to make these disappear.

8. Planning & PreparationI have come to realise that planning before doing a project makes the end product a higher better quality. I hardly did any research or planning for my preliminary task, and I believe that this comes across in my end product. However, in my coursework magazine I did lots of research on the types of forms and conventions I need to use in my magazine, and I believe that this comes across in my end product. Organisation of Time During my project I tried to give myself a certain amount of time to finish something. For example I gave myself a week to finish and complete my double page spread. By doing this I think it made me work harder in the lessons to make sure that I had a great product at the end of it. Also I think it made my technical skills increase as I only had a certain amount of time to do something I made sure I knew what I needed to do.

9. Technical & Post-Production SkillsAs I am quite confident when it comes to photography I think that my pictures were taken quite well. I found it quite hard to get the right angle to start with, but after a bit of practise I think I was able to get the right pictures that I wanted for my magazine pages. After I had taken my photos I was wondering what type of programme I should edit my pictures on, I had two options, Adobe Photoshop, or Picnik. I chose Picnik in the end as I think it was able to give me more variety with my images. When it came to putting my images into QuarkXPress, it took me quite a while to get used to the programme and get my pictures the right way I wanted them, ( it was hard to find out how not to make the pictures stretch ). But after a couple of tries I figured it out and managed to boost my skills in this programme.

10. The biggest thing I have learnt in this project is that you need to plan and research before you get stuck in. If you just create a magazine without researching it, it doesn’t follow the same forms and conventions as other magazines, and will look less professional. Planning is essential to making something that really looks good. Also, by getting my target audience’s view I was able to make my magazine better, by putting my pictures on Facebook my audience could see them and say whether they liked it or not, if they didn’t I could change it to the way they liked it. All in all I believe that planning and consideration of the target audience are the most important things in this project.