Looking back at her preliminary task, the author feels she has greatly improved her knowledge of creating a magazine. For the main task, she researched target audiences more thoroughly and chose higher quality images that would appeal to readers. She also learned to make better use of software like Photoshop and Quark to enhance photos and include more content. Overall, her understanding of magazine conventions improved through researching various publications and applying feedback to create a more polished final product.

1. Q7. Looking back at your preliminary task,
what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
By Georgia Ryall

2. Preliminary Task- Front Cover Main Task- Front Cover

3. Preliminary Task- Contents Page Main Task- Contents Page

4. Looking back at my preliminary task, I feel all together my whole knowledge on creating a
magazine (front cover, contents page and double page spread) has increased an excessive
amount, in everyway possible. This includes: taking images, using the correct online
websites/software and using other magazines to use the conventions to enhance my own
magazine. The images to start off with, were weak compared to the ones in my main task. I
didn’t think about a target audience and took a pictures on a limb; basically anyone who
would agree to take a picture in college. I knew they would have to be a student because
the point of the preliminary task was to create a student/college magazine; however I
didn’t really think about what would be most attractive to the audience. In my main task, I
knew my target audience would find a woman to be inspired/ found attractive because
both genders needed to be thought of. I decided a young, colourful, trendy woman would
do the trick. Also, I needed to think about the location the photo was taken. In the
preliminary task, I didn’t think about the location or lightening and just took the photo
there and then (front cover images on the second slide), whereas in the main task, I went
on a search on where would be attractive to be on the front cover. I pondered on
professional looking shoots (where lighting and background is thoroughly controlled) or a
background which creates character for the cover star which I ultimately decided was a
good idea as I used a brick wall to show the artist was new and current.,

5. For using the correct online facilities/software, I think I improved by quite a lot;
especially with Quark and Photoshop. This is especially shown in my contents page, as it
is practically bare and the huge content isn’t there. This is mainly down to not simply
looking at other professional magazine covers/contents and ultimately not knowing the
features of both software's. Another improvement I made (especially with the front
cover in this case) was using a different font from using online website ‘Dafont’ which
creates a different but more key vibe for the magazine I was wishing to create. Using
Photoshop, I was able to improve the picture quality and look simply by learning a few
of the many possibilities Photoshop has to offer. For example, in the preliminary task the
picture I took literally went on the front cover as it was. In contrast, in the main task (in
both the front cover and the contents page) the saturation levels were both played with
to enhance the colours of the picture to make it stand out further to attract the reader.
In Quark, It wasn’t so much that I didn’t know how to use it, I didn’t really know what to
include that would attract the audience. Again, the major fault here is research. The
contents page in the main task is a lot more packed with images, text, reviews and other
conventions I had previously researched from popular magazines such as Q, Billboard
and NME.

6. My research on forms and conventions improved a lot in general because for the
preliminary task I practically didn’t research at all, apart from the basics the teacher
taught. However, in the main task I researched thoroughly to many different magazines;
widely ranged from ones alike I wanted to create to very indie/alternative magazines or
R&B/soul. They all in a way had similar conventions such as puff posts, incentive
banners, colour schemes, cover stars, multiple contents page images, titles, and many
more which I included in my magazine (main task). The obvious improvement is that in
the main task I included a double page spread where as I didn’t in the preliminary. Of
course I cannot compare however I took my own advise from the two previous pages
and fully researched others from professional magazines and also went to ask those of
my target audience. Asking what your target audience would want is a great
improvement as then it is known what it would take to get what they want and then
they would ultimately buy it.
Overall, my understanding on how to create a music magazine has improved
dramatically, as after having the preliminary task to have a first taste. I used that first
draft to improve the second time, noting where I went wrong and where I needed to
improve.