1. Masthead
Main Image
Cover line
Price
Bar code
Footer
Background
colour
In what ways does your magazine use forms, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real magazines:
3. How does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of the media:
One of the ways that my media product (magazine) uses conventions of the media is
that it has a clear masthead like other magazines. I had to use this as it clearly outline
the name of the magazine and it also shows who it is aimed at. In addition another
way that my magazine uses media conventions is that on my front cover I have used
text. The text allowed me to share information with my target audience into what is
inside the magazine.
Furthermore another key convention which was critical to use in my magazine was a
main image. I used mise-en-scene in my image in the clothing in the person as it
portrays what a stereotypical student looks like and it also has elements of college life
which was what my magazine was aimed at. Furthermore the placement of my model
was important as it is one the left hand side of the page which makes more room for
the cover lines which makes them more visible and will there be noticed more by the
target audience. Although the image not in the centre of the page which challenges
traditionally conventions, but because of the model’s clothes and colour she is still
very noticeable on the page.
Another way which my magazine challenges the forms and conventions of the media
is the colour of the background, because usually they are very dark to make the lighter
text stand out more. But because my magazine alright has cover lines which are light
in colour there was no need to add a dark background as it would then affect the
visibility of the main image.
4. What have you learnt from the technologies
from the process of constructing your
magazine?
Firstly I learnt how to use the paint
bucket tool to add a background
colour to my magazine.
I then added an image to my
magazine and used a the filter
extract tool to add an effect to the
image to make it stand out more.
I then added cover lines
by using the text tool to
allow me to write on my
magazine and the paint
bucket tool to add colour
to the text.
5. I then added a footer. I
did this by still using the
text tool and the paint
bucket tool to add colour.
I then added a price for my
magazine again I achieved this by
using the text tool and the paint
bucket tool for colour. I then added
a barcode and for this I used the
internet as there was no possible
way of creating my own barcode
I then added another cover
line another cover line and
a masthead again by using
the text tool
7. In-Design
I used In-Design to construct my contents page. In my opinion although it had
similar tools to Photoshop, because I had never used it before I found it difficult to
use. But because the tools were fairly similar I was able to use them which made
my contents page have a professional appearance.
As mentioned I found In-Design a lot harder and more complex to use than
Photoshop, but because there were less tools to use I finished my contents page
quicker than I did with Photoshop. Furthermore, I found In-Design to by more user
friendly as it was less complex in terms of tools and features to use whether as
with Photoshop there were too many tools and most of which I did know or
understand how to use them.
Seeing as I had never previously used In-Design I believe I have learnt the basic
knowledge of how to use the program and it’s features. In addition I believe if I had
the chance to use In-Design again I could produce other pieces of work to the
same or even a higher standard,
8. Digital camera:
By using the digital camera I learnt how to use the camera in certain ways
in order to get a specific camera shot, for example on my front cover I
have an image of a mid shot which I got from zooming in the camera and
focusing only it only from the waist upwards. When taking my mid shot I
had to ensure it had the rule of thirds, the reason for this is because the
rule of thirds attracts the audiences eye to a specific part of an image
which is important when trying to attract the audience to a specific image
as that image could they lure that person to buy the magazine.
Moodle:
Using moodle was extremely useful as it allowed me to look at other
magazine covers and contents page made by past students which
allowed me to gains ideas for my own magazine and what codes and
conventions I should use.
Furthermore, by suing moodle it also provided me with documents giving
me information on how to use Photoshop and In-Design which would aid
my front cover and contents page into having a professional and visually
appealing look.
9. Using Photoshop I have learnt how to use many different tools and how to use them correctly in order to make
magazine look more presentable, professional and visually appealing.
I used Photoshop for a lengthily period of time and as a result I became accustom to many of it’s tool one
being the magnetic lasso. This tool allowed me to remove a specific part of the image I wanted regardless if it
was on a background or another image. For example I took the picture below using the digital camera, but I
later decided in did not want that background or the another person in the image so I decided to use the
magnetic lasso to remove that section of the image I wanted from the background. To do this I simply selected
the magnetic lasso tool and carefully highlight the outline of the person I wanted and was then able to move
her onto another page. Throughout the production of front cover on Photoshop I used this tool on numerous
occasions which was extremely useful as it allowed me to take any area of an image, text or background I
wanted and appeal it to my magazine. However, the one problem with this tool was that it was very time-
consuming and if you made one mistake you would have to go back and delete the mistake, so although it was
extremely helpful it was a very long and lingering process.
Photoshop:
Magnetic Lasso:
10. Another tool I learnt how to use on Photoshop was the text tool. This allowed
me to write on any section of the page are any direction with a variety of
different fonts and sizes. Above is a few examples of the different fonts and
texts I used.
This was useful because by using the different fonts it made the magazine
stand out more and become more attractive as you were not just looking at
the same font but a mixture of them.
Text tool:
11. Paint Bucket Tool:
The paint bucket tool was one of the tools I used most when
constructing my college magazine. The paint bucket tool allows you
to do any colours you want to a text, image, and background. This
tool was extremely useful as it allowed me to put some colour onto
my magazine which would make it stand out and become more
visually attracting which would therefore lure my target audience to
purchase my magazine. An example of where I used this tool can be
see below where I added my background colour.