Simran conducted an experiment designing a magazine cover featuring Ed Sheeran. She used tools like the burn tool and adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation to darken the background and make Ed stand out. She included the price, recent music news headlines, and top artists to engage readers. Based on a survey, she priced the magazine at £2.50 which she felt was reasonable. She believes people can relate to Ed Sheeran's songs about relationships and drinking, so he makes a good cover subject. For her own magazine, she will target females using different colors like pinks, blues and purples.

1. Experiments
Simran Jabbal

2. Process
I started by picking out images from Google and chose one. I thought Ed Sheeran is a
perfect artist for this music magazine as he is in the Top 40 at the moment. I wrote the
mast head on, however, I couldn’t choose a colour that would look suit the background
because of the guitar shade. Or maybe I was using colours too light. As the guitar was
too light, I thought of red because it links in with Ed’s red hair. To change the guitar, I
decided to use the burn tool and this made it darker. This made the red look better
and because some of the colours I was choosing for the masthead didn’t match. After, I
changed the brightness, contrast and the saturation of the image background so then
it looks darker, this means Ed would look lighter. I used the polygonal loop tool to go
around his body and guitar so then I could change the brightness contrast and the
saturation of the background. The brightness was at -50% so then there wasn’t too
much reflection on the guitar so you could see the masthead colour. Then the contrast
was at +100% is makes it darker so it made the T –Shirt darker and the shadowed areas
darker to show emphasis. Lastly, the saturation at +25% to make the colour intensify
and make it bolder. I used the text tool to produce different layers on the front cover.
After, I had changed the brightness and contrast of the actual background, I started
adding text. On the front cover, there are some text that is clearly larger than the
others. I have done this so then it shows the importance of the text. The mast head is
clearly larger than the feature headline and also in different colours. I have kept to the
red but different shades. The red in the sub-headings are the same red as ‘Ed Sheeran’
and the grey from the background. I have made some text larger than others because I
think this would catch my audience’s attention. I have chosen to put some text in a
larger font size so other people who can’t see very well can see it properly.

3. Process
The price of the magazine is in the same colour as the guitar. I have done this so it stands out and so I
have used other colours that is on his being so it fits in. The sub-headings is recent in the music world
so it will leave the audience in suspense because they will be wanting to know what it’s all about and
buy it. I have also put down the top artists that are in the Top 40 at the moment because it makes the
magazine more recent than older news. I have used a very simple colour scheme of pinks and blues
for the background and used purples as it stands out. After my interview, I asked the question about
how much people are willing to pay for a magazine and I got two different responses. One was £2.00
and the other was £4.00. To me £2.50 sounded reasonable for my audience. For the price, which I
have put this magazine at £2.50 which is reasonable for my audience and is suitable for my social
status which is A-E. I have used the colour of the guitar after the colour change for the price colour. I
think my audience would like this magazine about Ed Sheeran as he is an upcoming new artist who
has got the majority of his songs in the Top Charts. I believe people can relate to his songs about
drinking, smoking, happiness, love and relationships etc. and that’s why his audience like him. This is
why I have used Ed Sheeran on my front cover because he has become popular. The gender of my
magazine cover is for both genders as I have used a subtle colour scheme and doesn’t look like it is for
one particular gender.

4. Reflection
What elements of your experiments will you include in your final product?
On this experiment, I have used quite a few tools in Photoshop. Some of these I will use for my own product.
For example, the burn tool, the polygonal loop tool and the brightness, contrast and the saturation. These are
some of the elements I will use for my own product as I think it will make my magazine cover much better. I will
use these tools as I think my audience will then definitely pick up this magazine because the magazine cover
will be different from other magazines. My audience will like this magazine because it is simple, a simple colour
scheme, simple text but this is one thing I would change. However, from my survey I asked the question ‘Do
you read the cover page first?’ and most of my 70% of my responses were ‘No’ so I haven’t added so much
information or text onto the front cover.
The colours I have used will be different on my own product, however, I will use colours that are feminine such
as different shades of pinks, blues and purples colours. The background to my product will be different to my
experiment because my product will be for females so this kind of background would probably not appeal to
them.
If I had to do this again, I would do the sub-headings differently. I would put the top artists in a smaller size
because I feel like it is overpowering the whole front cover. I would change the background first because I think,
yeah, its great for both genders however, I think that the colour scheme doesn’t really go well with it all. I
would also, maybe change the font of the text because I feel like it doesn’t really work a long side the rest of
the theme. Maybe something more fun or bold just so it stood out more. I would definitely add some layers on
top of the front cover so then its more exciting and bold.