Heidi compares her preliminary magazine cover task to her final product, noting several ways her skills and use of conventions improved. In her preliminary task, she lacked conventions like proper images, fonts, and layout that matched the magazine's genre. For her final product, she researched conventions to create a more professional and appealing design. This included choosing images, fonts, and a layout that fit the target audience's interests to better convey the magazine's tone and content.

1. Comparison between
my preliminary task and
my final product.
By Heidi Elkin

2. Within the transition between creating my
preliminary task and final product I have
developed more skills in creating a
conventional magazine cover.
The preliminary task cover has very few
conventions, I have used contrasting colours
and a large main image, however there are
many conventions which I am missing. I have
now gained a lot of knowledge since I
created my preliminary task and have now
created a more conventional magazine
cover.
My use of images has improved as I have
used images which fit into the genre of my
magazine compared to my preliminary task
where the images are unconventional and
also I used an unconventional shot types for
my images in my preliminary task.
The fonts which I used in my final product
are much more conventional as for example
the masthead is more eye-catching and
appealing which fits into the genre of my
final magazine. However in my preliminary
task the font is not quite so conventional as I
did not put any effort into making the text
appealing and conventional.

3. My photography skills have improved from my
preliminary task to my final product. Evidence of
this is that the shot type and angle on my
preliminary task are not very good and the
images are also very unconventional. In my final
product I put effort into ensuring that I used a
close up, and put the camera at a slight high
angle as this is conventional for the magazine
genre.
Also my use of mise-en-scene has improved as
on my preliminary task there is no use of props,
location or costumes which relate to the genre
of the magazine. On my final product I have
ensured that for example the make-up and style
of the person used on my main image is
conventional to the magazine genre. This will
make the magazine appeal more to the target
audience whereas my preliminary task may not
have appealed to the target audience of the
magazine.

4. My image editing has improved since
creating my preliminary task as I didn’t
edit my images used on my preliminary
task, but on my final product I edited
the contrast and brightness of the
images used to ensure that they were
conventional for my magazine and
appealing to the target audience. I also
put a lot of effort into ensuring that my
backgrounds of my images are a
conventional brightness which I didn’t
do in my preliminary task.

5. The layout of my preliminary task is very
unconventional, however in my final product
a lot more effort went into the layout. For
example on my final product I followed the
route of the eye which I didn’t do on my
preliminary task.
On my final product I used a cluttered layout
as this is conventional for the genre. On the
preliminary task I used an informal layout
but the magazine should have been formal,
this is evidence that my layout skills have
improved.
This shows how I have improved my skills so
my magazine becomes more appealing to
the target audience.

6. The fonts I used in my preliminary task were
conventional as I used san serif fonts which is
formal, but however I could have still improved this
by making it more appealing to the target audience
by using a bolder font. When I did my final product I
put a lot more effort into the masthead font to
ensure that it was appealing to the target audience, I
did this by researching about what fonts are
appealing to the target audience and then choosing
a font which suited this. I then ensure the font was
bold so it was eye-catching and appealing to my
target audience.

7. The mode of address in my preliminary task should
have been formal as it was a formal magazine and
this did not show. The reason this was not obvious
to the audience is because I had an informal layout,
for example the images were not straight. However
when I made my final product I ensured the mode
of address was conventional as this magazine
should have an informal mode of address due to
the target audience, I managed to do this by using a
cluttered layout and a range of colours which would
appeal to the target audience.
Another way my final product conveys a
conventional mode of address is the use of
connotations, I used words which would appeal to
the target audience such as shortened words like
‘celeb’ this would convey the informal mode of
address as informal words are used. This would
appeal the target audience as it makes the
magazine seem fun and exiting which the target
audience stereotypically like.

8. My preliminary task included
minimal conventions on the
contents page. Since creating
that my knowledge of the
importance of conventions
has increased and therefore
my final product contained
many conventions for the
genre of my magazine in
areas such as layout, images,
colours and fonts.
The layout now follows the
route of the eye and the
images, colours and fonts
signify what the target
audience are interested in. For
example the colours used are
mainly light which signifies
fun.

9. My use of photography and mise-en-
scene has improved. The reason for
this is because I have ensured that all
images I used on my contents, the
correct props, settings and make-up
was used. For example all of the
people on the images look feminine
and fashionable which I managed to
do through the use of make-up and
costumes. Whereas on my preliminary
task I failed to even use images. I also
ensured that conventional shot types
were used on my images, close up
and slight high angles were used on
my images as these are conventional
shot types and will appeal to the
target audience. I also used
conventional images as for this genre
of magazine small images are usually
used on the contents page. I should
have used images on my contents
page for my preliminary task as this
would have made the magazine attract
a wider audience.

10. My contents page has improved
majorly in the form of layout. This is
because I have used a cluttered
layout for my contents page in my
final product but however in my
preliminary task I used a very basic
layout and didn’t use put much
information on which should have
been there to help form a more
conventional layout. I feel my layout
on my final product would attract
the correct audience as I managed to
make a conventional layout by
sectioning the contents information
out and also including images and a
range of fonts. My preliminary task
may not have attracted the correct
audience as it was very basic
whereas it was supposed to be a
formal layout, this is not a
conventional layout as I have not
provided the information on the
contents to make a formal layout.

11. I feel the fonts I used in my
preliminary task are very basic and I
didn’t do enough research on the
target audience to find out which
fonts would be appealing for them
and therefore I only used a basic
font not one that is formal and
appealing to the target audience.
However when I came to making my
final product I done a lot of research
on what the fonts the target
audience like, I then chose the fonts
which I felt the target audience
would find eye-catching. I used serif
fonts as this is what my target
audience liked best. This therefore
shows how I put a lot more effort
into my fonts in my final product
than I did in my preliminary task.

12. The mode of address on my
preliminary content page is very
simple, I just used a red background
and a white font which is again very
basic and doesn’t provide any
information to the audience about
what the magazine will be like.
However my final product I have used
a pink and purple house style and
provide information which will explain
the audience what the magazine is
about. I have used shortened words
and slang words which will therefore
express to the audience that the
magazine is fun as it connotes fun.
Also the colours connote happiness
which is again appealing to the target
audience as the target audience
stereotypically enjoy fun and
happiness.