- The document provides an evaluation of the author's front magazine cover project. - Strengths included thorough research of existing magazines and audience research through questionnaires and interviews. This helped shape content decisions. - Weaknesses included unclear questionnaire wording and some unhelpful anonymous responses. - Planning was strengthened by exploring fonts, images, and mock designs before starting. More time on the double-page spread was wished for. - Peer feedback praised the professional look but noted the blank left space could be filled. The author agrees this space could be improved upon.

1. FMP Evaluation
Aaron Acaster

2. Production Process Evaluation

3. Research
I think that research is a big strength of mine. I have done a lot of it. I researched existing
magazine front covers and went into as much detail as possible and analysed everything on the
page. I looked into magazines with different types of people on the front cover. I also analysed
and looked at “Thrasher” magazine which is a skateboard magazine. I looked at this magazine
because it targets more or less the same demographic as mine and I think it’s a good way to
understand my audience.
Another big strength of my research is my questionnaire and my interviews. Without this aspect
of the research my finished product would be completely different. For example I was planning to
also cover more alternative sports such as skateboarding and free running. When I asked if
people would like to see this type of thing in a music magazine and all but one person said they
would. So I decided against this idea and kept the content covered in the magazine just music.
A weakness of my research would be the fact that I wasn’t sure how to word questions properly
on the questionnaire. This made it a little bit confusing when people tried to answer it.
An other weakness is the fact that the questionnaire was taken anonymously. Overall this wasn’t
a problem but one or two people took advantage of this and answers with irrelevant and
unhelpful information.
I think if theses things were improved my finished product wouldn’t have changed very much, it
would have just made my job easier when analysing my results.

4. Planning
The strengths of my planning stages would be the fact that I went in depth when
looking for existing products. I also looked for suitable fonts and images as well as
colour schemes. Doing this helped my product because I had an idea of what the
finished product would look like before I had even started. I already had all the images
and fonts I needed to start.
When planning I also found it helpful to make a mock design first. I liked doing this
because I helped me get a feel for how I would use all of the images I had picked out. I
liked experimenting with different colour schemes and font styles as well. The
experiments helped my finished product by helping my figure out colour schemes that
fit the genre I was going for. It also helped me get a chance to experiment with the
looks of fonts and images I could potentially use for my final product.
A weakness of my planning would be the fact that I don’t feel like I spent enough time
on my double page spread. I looked at existing ones but I feel like with a little more
time I could have experimented a bit more when it came to the double page spread.

5. Time Management
Overall I think I managed my time well. That being said however there was
some points during the production that I wished I had more time.

6. Technical Qualities
I chose this existing product to slightly base my
magazine off because this magazine font cover is
simple, it has a simple colour scheme and it has
Corey Taylor on the front. When creating the colour
scheme for my magazine I also went with the black
and white look. The difference with mine is that I
added red into it. I did this because it livens the
page up and makes the whole thing look more
interesting. The colour also helps highlight key
words I want to stand out such as the word “free”.
I used the white “Slipknot” logo. The one I chose is
bigger and bolder. The one I chose I chose because it
looks good with the rest of the text surrounding it.
I chose a more gritty looking logo for my front cover compared to the existing
product. I did this because it suits the style I was going for. The one they chose is
more clean looking which suits that magazine.

7. I decided to have my barcode at the bottom of
the page instead of in the middle. I think that
the way I have laid it out makes it look more
professional and less cluttered.
I have also advertised a free poster. I made mine
bigger and more noticeable. I did this because I
want to draw peoples eye to my magazine. I also
have the word “Free” in red bold letters above it
that helps draw attention.
I made my titles font more gritty
looking. Where as the existing
product has gone for a more sleek
clean look. I decided that wasn’t the
look my magazine was going for so
when looking for fonts I kept this in
mind
Along the side this magazine has list of band names that is
featured in the magazine. I have done something similar on my
front cover. On mine I have a smaller list of bands that are at this
years “Riot Fest” and instead of just writing their names I have
used their logos. I decided to do this because fans of the band
will instantly recognise the logos and be interested. I did this also
because logos are much more interesting to look at than just
boring text.

8. Aesthetic Qualities
I think that my work is very creative and overall it does look good. The biggest things I like about it is the colour
scheme. I like the simplicity of the black and white and the red really stands out. I like the fact that I have placed all of
the red text separate. I did this so I wouldn’t draw attention to just one place.
After reviewing my peer
feedback I have realised that this
blank space could have been
filled with extra information.
I think I have chosen the perfect picture for
my magazine front cover. I like this picture
because his pose suits him and the band very
well. It also goes with the theme I was going
for with this magazine.
The font I chose matches the style I was going
for. I like it because it suits the magazines
style and look. The font is perfect because it
really stand out and is bold.

9. Audience Appeal
I have appealed to my target audience by featuring bands and festivals that my
target audience would like.
From my questionnaire I have found that I was
to target females aged 13-15. so I have
advertised a poster for the band “Parrimore”
this band also appeals to this audience so
featuring them on the cover as a free gift will
attract this audience.
These bands advertised for “riot fest” is
targeting the audience I chose to target
because on my questionnaire people
said I should feature bands that aren’t
mainstream, even though these bands
are very popular they aren’t
mainstream.

10. Peer
Feedback

11. Feedback 1
• What did you like about the product?
– You’re magazine cover looks really professional and you can tell you used
lots of tools in Photoshop in order to create the magazine cover
– This type of magazine appeals to me because of the different genres on
the cover, it gives your cover lots of diversity and gives you a bigger
audience appeal.
• What improvements could have been made to
the product?
– You have left space on the left hand side of the cover which
makes it look incomplete. You could have avoided this by
putting all the masks by slipknot in the blank space, this would
have attracted more people

12. Feedback 2
• What did you like about the product?
– Looks very professional
– All the little details (price, issues number)
– The use of fonts
• What improvements could have been made to
the product?
– The side are empty

13. Feedback 3
• What did you like about the product?
– The magazine looks very realistic
– The font style suits the magazine well
– The magazine meets the conventions set by the genre
• What improvements could have been made to
the product?
• Different colour scheme as the current one is quite stereotypical of the
genre

14. Peer Feedback Summary
• What do you agree with from your peer
feedback?
– I agree with the fact I used a lot of tools in Photoshop
– I agree with the feedback saying that I have a bigger audience appeal because of the different
genres used on the front cover
– I agree that I have left a slight black space on the left hand side of the magazine
– I agree that it look professional
– I agree that the font style suits the magazine well
– I agree that the magazine meets the conventions set by the genre
– I agree that the different colour scheme as the current one is quite stereotypical of the genre
• What do you disagree with from your peer
feedback?
– I disagree that I could the masks by slipknot in the blank space, this would have attracted more people. I
disagree with that because I was planning to do this on the inside of my magazine witch is the reason I
didn’t do it on the front cover.

15. Peer Feedback Summary
Based on the feedback given by me peers I would
change very little. The biggest thing I would change
however would be getting rid of the blank space on
the left hand side. The blank space isn’t very
noticeable until its been pointed out. That being
said however if I had the opportunity to do this
again I would find something to put into that space.