Experimenting in Photoshop

For my magazine I used Photoshop as i was most familiar with it as I have used it in the past. I had various attempts whilst experimenting from the design of my school magazine as shown below:-

The Process of Experimenting with my school magazines in Photoshop

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[1] I wanted to put a black background in therefore I used the 'Quick Selection Tool' on Photoshop and cut a nice, smooth line around myself and my friend and placed a black background behind that I found off Google. I very much like the simplicity and that the heading, text and images stand out more to the eye behind the simple background however it doesn't give a good perspective of a school magazine as much as it should as I think it needs a background that is school related of some sort or other images on it that shows features of the school.

[2] This one is an improvement of number [1] as it has a background of children walking around the school therefore it portrays a school magazine of higher quality. However, I don't like the position of the price of the magazine, the bar code and the choice of colours of the typefaces and the typefaces themselves.

[3] This design has again improved a lot from the design before. Firstly, there is a use of contrasting colours of the typefaces that are both vibrant and very colourful in different sizes and even sometimes overlapped so its not dull and boring but interesting and creative. Secondly, the bar code is moved to the side so it is out the way and its not focused on as much. Furthermore, there is also a puff added which sparks the audiences interest as it makes the reader feel special as they're being offered extra content that isn't offered anywhere else in this case 'GET FREE STUDENT DISCOUNT INSIDE' & 'WIN A BRAND NEW IPAD'. 

[4] This design is pretty similar to number [3] However I changed the headlines text to a white glow rather than dark. However I think I like the darker glow around as it looks more professional and tidy. This design also has a skyline which I think is effective as it tells them the sorts of topics in the magazine which is useful for the audience so they know what they are going to buy.

[5] At this point I decided to change the typeface of the headline of the magazine to a more professional one and add a slight shadow and I also changed the name as it seemed more appropriate, inspirational and eye catching. Moreover, I got inspired by the well known magazine called 'The Time' and in conclusion all I think is very effective and looks great.

[6] Lastly I decided to put various pictures of my school at the bottom of the magazine of students and students working in the classroom, and I added both genders for the audience to feel like its gender-neutral. By doing this it gives the reader a more in depth feel about the life of the school.

Choosing my magazines masthead

I decided to brainstorm 15 possible masthead ideas that could potentially be the title of my school magazine. I think that choosing a title that seems smart and would interest the target audiences perspective is very important and it plays a major part in the cover overall. The masthead should instantly grab the readers attention from it being bold and being the largest text on the front cover therefore picking the right name is important.

Possible ideas:

• Student Life
• School Weekly
• High school
• Inspired
• College
• Outstanding
• Marvellous 
• Achieve 
• Success 
• Riches
• Aspire
• Student
• Believe
• Student's View
• A grade

I chose to pick the word success as I think it would appeal the most to the target audience who are all wanting the same outcome which is of course success due to the whole reason being in education. Having the title success would also get the readers attention because its such a powerful word and its all something in our life plan. Each day we are moving forward, step closer to the success. Sometimes we are so focused on our objectives that we don’t have time to think why we desire success.

My Chosen Images

Main image


Secondary Photographs

I firstly chose the main image as it fits the brief perfectly by it being a mid shot. It also uses direct address and makes the reader feel involved as they are looking at the camera. Moreover, they are also showing smiles which gives a sense that the school itself is not threatening however a nice, welcoming place. The uniforms of the students look smart however quite casual with the jumpers on top which suggests that the sixth form is laid back in some ways. The background isn't too complicated so it doesn't take your eye off the figures in front which is important. However the background does show the modern architecture that the school brings which is useful to include in the central image. Lastly, another effective thing is the blue in the background which is one of the most liked colours so hopefully this will satisfy most readers. The overall picture is bright and this could suggest the bright future that the school will give.Then I think these secondary images are essential to include because it gives a sense of the schools life. The first two images show that the classrooms are not disruptive and the students work hard implying work gets done. The classrooms are filled with students work as well suggesting the teachers are proud of the students work and love to show it off. When viewing the images it makes you feel warm and inspired with the lighting being white which I think is a very effective technique.

Photographs I took around school - 3

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These are the last range of photos I took and the next post will be deciding which ones I am going to use.

1.This image looks nice and appealing to look at, the background is simple, the uniform is smart, the lighting is warm and bright however there is no direct address. I need a central image that the student is looking at the camera and is making a connection to to the reader. 

2.This image shows too much background  and not enough of the student however I could improve this in photoshop and zoom inwards to the student and cut out most of the background.

3.This would be a nice secondary image as it shows the students together implying the school is a nice , welcoming and friendly place. However I think there is better secondary images that I have taken.

4. The reason I took this image is that I could us it as a nice background for an under layer when I put it in photoshop. The image shows lovely greens, blues and reds and really gives off a satisfying feeling when looking at it therefore I think it has potential to use.

5.This image is another lovely image of two students having fun together but the annoying thing is that the flash went on and makes the whole image look faded which is so irritating as it could of been used, but I'm showing you that we had some problems and difficulties throughout the process. 

Photographs I took around school - 2

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These are the second range of photos I took that could be potentially used for the cover. It is better to get a range pictures that have a selection of angles and shots so I can chose the most effective images at the end.

1. This picture seems to show two friends having a discussion. It could be argued that the fact his shirt is not tucked in represents the informal but smart ethos of the sixth form. 

2. This is a front version of all the three boys in front of one of the buildings of the school. They are a mid shot however you cant see there faces that clear so it might not be that essential to be used as a main image however secondary. However, it shows the three students looking over at the school grounds indicating or hinting at the nice open spaces.

3. This picture shows three students walking into the main block of the school, it gives an indication of the external architecture and also gives the observer the idea all three boys are friends and enjoy school.

4.I love this image as it shows the rural nature of the school. The greens of the trees and bushes are really vibrant and stands out, together with the picnic table which gives a hint of the outdoor living within the school.

Photographs I took around school - 1

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Once I completed all of the planning of my drafts, I then went around my school and took the vital and relevant photos for my front cover for my school magazine. They are all relevant as we are all in smart and intellectual uniform where sixth formers would wear and also keeping the setting in school so it keeps with the theme and brief description.

1.  I love this image that i took as it fits very well with the brief due to it being a mid shot therefore i could potentially use it for my main image on the magazine cover. Following on the background is not too busy so this doesn't distract the reader from what would be above, cover lines and more. They are both wearing smart uniform and give a good and positive attitude to the school.

2. & 3. & 4. I took these three images as they could be used as secondary images on the front cover. They wouldn't be used as main images because they are not mid shots and they don't have direct address so the audience wont feel involved. However, they give a good indication of the school life and working surroundings which could be useful for the reader of the magazine. These images suggest that the working life is calm and the students are hard working, it shows various art work of the students on the walls, the school place is clean and the outdoor image shows a natural shining light which could indicate that the school gives the students a brighter future.

5. This image could is great as well and could be used as the main image for the front cover. The colours in the background are vibrant with colours and light and it shows a clean environment which suggest the school is treated well. However, I don't think I will use this image as it doesn't show any direct address which I think is an effective and essential technique to use.

6. This is a nice image and portrays the welcoming attitude of the school through the smiles of the students. The nature of the background is pleasing and the uniforms look very smart and neat. This could be used as a secondary however not as the main as we could not fit all three students in with the dimensions of the magazine cover.

            

Flat Plan - Contents

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1. The first flat plan contents page contains a design that is rather simple. At the top it would contain a large image of a non related article but something that portrays the school well. Then underneath would consist of 6 features that are arranged in squares with a small gaps separating them. I think as there is limited space due to them being quite large I would have to demonstrate the wide variety in posts between them. To improve the contents page In my next flat plan I could  add more images and features to improve the contents page by making it more packed with articles so it will reflect the magazine more portraying that it is filled with articles.

2. The second flat plan is a lot more improved and ideal to be a contents page. Firstly, there is a lot more images, instead of one, there is 4 where, this would show a lot more of the articles in a visual view which is a lot more appealing visually. Also the images are all different shapes and sizes of squares and rectangles which I think looks effective. Following on, there is also a lot more features and they are all on the left side which is where the features would typically be so it wouldn't be disparate to the reader. However, there is unused space on the far left side so in the final flat plan I need to use all space possible to make it look fully packed. 

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3. Lastly, on this design there is mainly all space being used. On this flat plan there is also a issue number and volume of the magazine which I think would be very useful. This design still consists of a lot of features and images and is well ordered and represents that there is a lot happening in the magazine and it gives a lot back.

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Flat Plans 3 - Front Cover

Now I have drew the third and final flat plan on which I will base it off in Photoshop. This design includes all my favourite features that I have included in my first and second flat plan but I have also changed things to what I think makes the most greatest and ideal magazine cover.

In this final design I have firstly gave the two figures a more central framing, this gives more attention to the main image as its on eye level and following this it will also give them authority. I kept the mast head and the selling line at the top of the page as it should represent its importance. Furthermore, the price is also at the top in this flat plan and I chose this as it after looking at the important features such as what's in the magazine the reader will look for the price in which it is very important resulting it to my decision of it being at the top. The issue number is below the masthead as it is significant for collectors to know what issue it is and this is an important feature to them. I also added the competition text again as I think this will draw a lot of readers in to buy the magazine itself because it gives them hope to win something. Lastly, I have added another cover line to show the vast amount of topics in the magazine itself and placed the secondary images at the bottom because it looks a lot more fitting and having it overlapping each one makes it look a lot more creative and appealing.

Overall, I think I have made the best cover design to my knowledge and I think through this process it has helped tremendously by improving it several times and getting the best outcome. I have made an exciting looking magazine cover that would stand out in a shelf at a store.

Flat Plans 2 - Front Cover

Now finishing the first flat plan I have now identified the weaknesses and problems on which I can improve onto this design.

On this design I have firstly added another student to be on the front cover to fill in the emptiness feel from the first design. I think it now takes up a lot more room and overall looks a lot more appealing therefore I think I will stick with two people in the process. Likewise, with this design I have again placed the masthead in a similar place because I think this is where it belongs - in a heightened position as its one of the most important features. I think this design is a lot more eye catching due to the amount of things going on it it. Its features take up a lot more room and a larger amount of different positions on the cover therefore it could represent that the magazine itself is packed and filled with a lot of information. I have added more secondary images than the first design as I feel that it is extremely important to allow the reader to know the visual content of what they are going to buy and read about so the magazine looks more honest. Moreover, I also changed the splash promoting from a splat to a star shape because in my opinion it looks a lot more glamorous and eye catching because of its star look it feels like its pointing out at you. Lastly, I also made the main cover line larger than the others because I think having different sizes due to importance is very intellectual and it makes it look more innovative to look at.

Flat Plans 1 - Front Cover

After doing various research on magazine covers I undertook the representative characteristics that most of them followed. This is my first plan and is very rough however throughout doing improvement and readjustments in this process of flat plans I hope to conclude with a great design.

I have firstly, positioned the mast head in the centre and made it  very large so it is in eye level with the reader and this will make it easier for them to comprehend. The selling line is beneath the mast head as this is also an important feature and should be pointed out easy to the public. The less important features such as the barcode and the issue number on this design are at the bottom of the magazine, reasons to this as from  researching magazine company's, they all do this as well due to the features are less significant and relevant when going lower down the cover because they don't provide any information that the public are in search for. Moreover,  I chose to add two secondary images as I think it is important that the readers get a glimpse of what is actually inside the magazine in a visualising way rather than text. I also added various cover lines all over the magazine cover rather than in one or two places that usually is the case. I did this as I feel that it adds a unique element that looks very creative and interesting and I hope this grabs the attention of people. Furthermore, I also put a large splash promotion which is in fact a splat of paint which I think fits well and I think will draw the audience in further as well as the text about competition. I do very much like this design as its very orderly but I think there is a lot space and it feels empty when viewing, s o in my next design I hope to improve this.

Audiences in media

In order for a product or text to be effective, institutions need to closely analyse their audience in order to determine the best way of appealing to them. the audience are an individual or collective group of people who read or consume any media text e.g radio listeners, television viewers, newspaper and magazine readers, web traffic on web sites. Media producers want to know the age, gender, race, location and by this method of categorising  it is known as demographic, once they know this they can begin to shape their text to appeal to a group with known reading/viewing/listening habits.

Social Classes 

In the UK we have a social grading scale called the 'ABC1 Demographic' which helps the media as well as institutions. It describes, measures and classifies people of different social grade and income and earnings levels, for market research, social commentary, lifestyle statistics, and statistical research and analysis. The grading scale is split into three classes: the upper class, middle and working class.

The Upper Class are people inherited with wealth and great power. The Middle Class are what the majority of the UK population is currently in, businesspeople, shop owners and professionals. The Working Class are people working with agriculture, mine and factory workers.

This is the first grading scale which started at A and ended with E but it got out dated

This is the newer grading scale that goes with '1-8' and even the old equivalent grade in the right hand column.

This is the population of how much percentage of the demographic are in each sector.

This research is very interesting and helpful and will make me be more aware of what I need to consider when creating and planning for my magazine.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

In 1943, Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs, when one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fullfil the next one and so on till the top of the table. It remains valid today for understanding human motivation, management training, and personal development and It is believed to be said that only 1% or 1 in 100 people ever reach the top level of self-actualization. 

The Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs five-stage model is below:-

1. Biological and Physiological needs- air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep.
2. Saftey needs- protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from fear.
3. Love and Belongingness needs- friendship, intimacy, affection and love, - from work group, family, friends, romantic relationships.
4. Esteem needs- achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, self-respect, respect from others.
5. Self-Actualization needs- realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
This research is very interesting and helpful and will make me be more aware of what I need to consider when creating and planning for my magazine.

Skills Audit

From doing GCSE Media Studies and my loving interest of Media in general from the past few years from watching Television, Films and YouTube I have encountered and gained valuable experience:

Strengths
Creativity In GCSE Media we had coursework where he had to develop a movie introduction and I had to be very open minded with my group ideas, we had to come up with our own creative ideas which we successfully did and got an over all B grade however with all coursework combined I got an A grade. The movie was called 'The Unknown' which was about an unknown object that was killing people mysteriously. 
Camera Work Following on from our coursework last year as well as my passion for photography I am quite good with camera work. Myself and Jake, another group member for our coursework task, both took on the roll of a film maker. I learned how to hold a camera correctly, understanding the appropriate shots and angles, shutter release technique, understanding exposure and many other techniques.
Editing I have edited on many software's such as Windows Live Movie Maker to Sony Vegas where I made YouTube videos for fun a few years back. I did various editing such as linking music in time with footage, gaming videos and in real life videos. Furthermore, i spent a week at PlatForm One for work experience last year and we made our own music and secondly used various software's involving music.
Animation I have done a little bit of animation on the free software 'Blender' I have at home on my computer, I got taught by some friends as well as tutorials on YouTube. I know the basics of what it takes to animate characters with pre-made rigs such as making them walk, run and many other activities - With more work to it and self teaching I will be able to do a lot more.

Acting As well as taking the roll of a film maker in our coursework for Media Studies in GCSE I also acted in it. Whilst having this roll I acted very professionally; I spoke very well,  had a serious mood and tone, my body language was outgoing and I think overall the outcome was great.

Photoshop I have self taught myself Photoshop through various tutorials on YouTube by making banners, thumbnails and logos and I hope to include what I know with Photoshop when creating my magazine cover for my AS coursework.

Weaknesses
I will further develop my skills in AS Media Studies and hopefully get even more experienced and perhaps to gradually strengthen my weaknesses
Teamwork I sometimes struggle with teamwork as i like things how they are in my mind and other people in your team change it or dislike it. Furthermore, other people aren't as speedy as you sometimes are and it can bring your team down so i like to be independent mostly - however I want to improve my teamwork skills.

Focusing I feel like i sometimes have a very short attention span and my focusing isn't as brilliant as others. In result to this it takes me longer to comprehend in something and i may have to ask a few times for what to do in the task.

Magazine Cover Analysis

The masthead is very clear, bold and distinctive. It clearly stands out due to the lighter background, when the typeface is orange its very bright and reminds you of fire and almost emerges out at you. Furthermore, it is also quite a thick font and not thin compared to the rest of the typefaces such as the cover lines on the magazine cover so this makes it attract attention even more.

There is also an image of the latest iPad which would intrigue the target audience, the younger generation, as they are mainly influenced by technology.

The cover lines are mainly in block capitals which suggests the magazine itself could be modern and up to date with the language fitting a younger audience. Also the cover lines being bold could suggest they are simple articles to comprehend. There are various colours of the cover lines which makes it entirely look more creative and interesting to look at. Lastly, the difference in sizes and font could suggest the variety of content in the magazine itself such as the range of articles.

Within the cover there are various words being underlined such as 'TECH CRAZE' and 'SOUTH FLORIDA' which could signify there importance and the information being empathises of a point being made.

Oraine Barrett is the main image which suggests the main target audience is men, as they would be seeing him as a role model for men. He is wearing white so everything in front on the magazine cover stands out even more and making it easier to read because items show up easily on it. He looks very strong and dominant and gives you eye contact which makes you feel involved within the magazine and grabs your attention. He is also very well dressed and smart worn which the audience aspire to look and dress like.

There is also a subheading which tells the name of the model of the central image in case you are unfamiliar with him.

The bar code is completely out the way, in the corner and at the bottom of the page to show its less significance along with the price.

Conventions of Magazine Covers

Central Images Both main images consists of a young woman and man symbolising students and targeting them, one of them has books in his hand which suggests they are college students so we can relate with him. They both are mid shots because they are the main subject in the magazine and catches our attention immediately. Also there facial expressions are easy to see and makes us feel involved in the magazine as its eye level and looks towards you.

Bar Code

The bar codes are both at the bottom of the page due to the reason they are a lot less important and not the main subject they should be focused on.
Titles The titles are very large and bold with bright colours. They are also both on plain and boring coloured backgrounds, in this case black and white so the titles show out more and will draw young people in. By both using these techniques it will attract the audience because it is so eye catching and engaging.

Anchorage text The cell lines are different colours making it more interesting and stand out from the dark and light background, anchorage text are extremely important as it gives a basic outline of the magazines topics. 

Buzz Words and Puffs The flash looks like a splat which will draw the audience in. Furthermore, there are large text standing out saying 'MAKE MONEY ON CAMPUS', this makes the reader feel special as they're being offered extra content that isn't offered anywhere else. Secondly on the other magazine there is a competition that involves money for university fees saying 'WIN £1000' so this will defiantly catch the students eyes and it is a clever technique to use to make people buy the magazine. Secondly there is another one saying 'THE ISSUE ALL ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS' and like again this will make them special that they are hearing exclusive content. 
Overall, this research is very interesting and helpful and will make me be more aware of the key aspects of what I need to consider adding when creating and planning for my magazine.

Representations and Ideologies Within Magazines

Overtime, media has made two genders have quite oppositional gender codes. Magazines with ease can be aimed at the male or feminine audience specifically through the gender representations. Firstly, through the context of the magazine, typically there follows a stereotype of the context in which females and males follow. You would usually see females in the context of domestic situations such as housewives or mothers because the media associates women alongside cleaning products and even a sexual objectification to entertain and titillate the male audience. Women would be shown as young, slim, perfect skin, hair and overwhelmingly white in magazines targeted for males. On the other hand, men are usually represented as masculinity and would be seen as rough and ready, tough and usually in the context of sport or action.

It is also easy to spot if the magazine is aimed at men or women through representation by the color and font choice. In magazines aimed at the female gender you could easily see the bright, intense and luminous pinks, purples and yellows because these are the colours associated with the stereotype of the girliness inside of the audience. However, the men's magazine would look a lot more masculine in appearance which would consist of a more plain, bold and sleek aspect. The colours would be blue, red, black and grey because these are the colours associated with the male gender and the text is usually bolded which again emphasis that is is aimed at men only. The masthead for magazines can also represent gender at times, if the title is ‘BLISS’ you would almost certainly think it's aimed at females because it's the name you would expect as it reminds the reader as something glamorous or girly and the font would be more rounded and not hard edged like in men's. The material within female targeted magazines would consist of sex, fashion, makeup and bodies which would be spreaded all over the front cover so it will be easily known to which gender it's targeted at. You would see articles such as how women should be feeling and information such as ‘shortcuts to a sexier body’ as this is what women are more likely to be interested in which is ways to look great and how to achieve this. Dieting and health is a large part in what females are interested in, if they saw tips on how to get a ‘Bikini diet fast’ this would intrigue there interest from a distance.

Resulting in this research I now have came to a realisation that when designing my own product, a school magazine, the written and visual content can be a very critical in creating representations and ideologies. In my product now I attend to select my ideas once I have a clear outline of how my magazine cover will be presented.

Introduction to AS Media Coursework

Today for my AS Media coursework i started to create my blog requiring me to make an appropriate template, colours for the text and layout.

I chose to have a simple background that relates to media, in this case a camera that is in black and white so it links with the colours I choose for my template. I went for an over all neat look for my blog just containing simple and professional colours of white, black and grey and I think it turned out great, I love this template because of its great simplicity.

Understanding the coursework

For my Preliminary task for my coursework I had to ''produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead'' and I additionally had to ''produce a DTP mock-up of the layout of the contents page''. Therefore, I have came to a conclusion of the posts I need to do to complete this task:

• Representation and Ideologies within magazines.
• Conventions of magazine covers.
• Conventions of contents page.
• Audiences In Media.
• Flat Plans of the cover page.
• Flat Plans of the contents page.
• Photographs for the cover page.
• The process in Photoshop.
• Finished magazine cover.
• Feedback.