2. Research
• The strengths of my research were being able to analyse differently
themed magazines so that I had an idea of what style would be needed to
suit a certain demographic. This supported me in m final product as it
made me think about how I would lay my pages out to interest the readers
who would want it most while also sticking to a theme based on the topic
itself. I used the NRS Social Grades to further exemplify what I believe the
target audience for each of the magazines would be.
• I think a weakness for my research was not properly looking at the time in
which the magazine was released, so depending on the time the audience
could have different tastes in what design would interest them most.
Perhaps focussing a little more on the theming I had in mind as my final
product would have helped more too, as it would give me a far clearer
image on how this particular magazine should be represented.
3. Planning
• One of the strengths of my planning was that I had the idea of what topic I
would be most interesting in making very early on in the project, therefore
allowing me to progress quickly into production without having to deliberate
on my chosen subject. This helped as I didn’t have to worry about wasting
time on brain-storming many different ideas and not being able to choose
one. I could finish my Initial Ideas PowerPoint hastily due to this, with a mood
board and a more focussed mind map. On adding to this, by experimenting, I
felt I had a little more experience in making my product because I allowed my
imagination to come up with something on the spot to test my ability to make
something that would be interesting to the reader.
• However, perhaps due to my eagerness on the topic, I didn’t give myself very
much time to think about the layout of the pages, only really coming up with
the first half of the double-page spread concretely beforehand, with the other
segments being in early development in design at the time. This made the
later parts of the project much slower as I had to think about the design
almost as soon as I made it, leading a quite a rush.
4. Time Management
• In the earlier phases of the project, I managed my time successfully by
producing my PowerPoints efficiently and progressing in production at a
fairly fast rate. However when I began making my second page, it became
hard to visualise each parts positioning so the production slowed a fair
amount. Coincidently, the Photoshop programme itself started acting up
so the efficiency slowed alarmingly. It took a little too long to finish the
double-page spread, especially considering how ambitious I wanted my
cover to be but I kept pushing on. My rotoscope became a very tedious
task indeed, forcing me to spend extra time at the college, and needing to
finish it in my own time while making my evaluation, which also took a hit
as analysing something not finished isn’t easy.
• However, even with these complications in production, I can now say say I
have managed to get back on track, completing my cover within a day with
my rotoscope, giving me plenty of time to catch up in terms of evaluation
and finishing any other bits I hadn't completed before.
5. Technical Qualities
Both of the magazines
express their respective
titles very distinctively,
making sure they
appear prominently
against their backdrops.
This makes covers look
far more vivid to the
viewer.
The Nintendo Power
issue uses far more
colour in it’s foreground
and background to relate
to super Mario’s fun
theming. This is
contrasted with my
cover which allows the
characters colours to be
the most colourful part
of the imagery, with the
background keeping a
simpler appearence.
The magazines portray their main topic
of the issue as a central piece of art to
draw in readers, making them the vocal
point as they appear the furthest into
the foreground. This would be an easy
indicator to those who prefer not
reading as to what they would be
reading about within the pages.
The cover of Nintendo Power doesn’t
place the price tag and especially
barcode in an elegant area of the page
where it’s viewable but doesn’t disrupt
the art like my own. Instead the cover
has the barcode in an obvious spot
where it interrupts the clay work, even
by just a little, making the work feel a
little less attractive.
As my cover didn’t have a decent amount of
space to advertise the contents, there wasn’t
too many pieces of text. On the other hand,
Nintendo Power gave the page a lot of empty
space to list off what is in the magazine so
readers can understand what they’ll get
better. The list doesn’t take away from the art
like the barcode and is even incorporated as
the “Poster Inside” explosion suggests.
6. Technical Qualities
My own pages have more dynamic ways
of relaying information than the bottom
one as it uses images and borders to
make the writing seem more
manageable. The large writing is easy on
the eyes so readers find it more inviting.
On the other hand, the SNES pages have
large blocks of fairly small writing, of
which the only real dynamic is the red
font to white. The only image to look at
for the reader is a huge image of the
product so while they will remember it's
look, the design of the pages doesn't pull
you in.
The Double-Page Spread on
the bottom advertises the
release of the new console by
boldly placing it's logo top
and centre, between both the
pages. This contrasts with my
design which goes for a more
subtle approach generally
with it's advertising. The
bottom's advertising is so
bold that it asks you a
question about your
dedication to the console,
therefore making the reader
more engaged with what's
being shown as they are
being talked to directly.
The colour of the different
pages contrast a lot, but with
them both correlating to their
given subject. Mine gives off a
brighter, more energized
feeling with the vibrant
orange, while the lower
magazine is darker to perhaps
suggest a more serious tone
for the console. This could be
suggested the same
throughout with my larger,
bolder font that might used in
a school comparing to the
smaller font that would be
used in an office
environment.
7. Aesthetic Qualities
A particular aspect of my
double-page spread I enjoy is
the top left banner which uses
work from the game in a more
creative fashion, with the
render being cropped to make
it appear more prominent on
the page and the stock icons
being used as a collage.
I am pleased with my cover
rotoscope as it makes the Official
poster into something far more
unique as well as keeping the
theming of the subject it is based
upon. The art makes the cover
truly stand out to the general
viewer since it is the prime part
of the overall image.
An aspect of my double-page spread I would have
liked to improve is the dynamics of the pages. I do
appreciate the simplicity of the segments that allow
for easy reading, but I would have liked to add more
interesting visuals as I had done with the banner at
the top. However, while I believe the page would
have looked prettier, it’s easy to admit that would
have cause a lot of complications in adjusting the
facts therefore making the process VERY slow.
While I believe my cover is well organised, I
would still have liked to have more space to
make a few extra text segments to further
advertise the issue content. However the
size of the rotoscope means that there is
little empty space on the page to add much
else and I cannot shrink the art as it
wouldn’t fit the page.
I appreciate how my background is
vibrant while not taking away from the
rest of the work, perhaps even amplifying
it. My text especially was allowed to
correlate to the part of the background it
was on to be made bolder which is shown
obviously with the logos used.
8. Audience AppealIn my double-page spread, I
attempted to appeal to my target
audience by incorporating a lot
imagery for younger audiences to
enjoy if they didn’t want to read,
with each picture flowing into the
next.
For my older audiences, I tried to keep
the descriptions largely factual for young
adults but kept a more exciting form of
relaying the information for kids to enjoy
reading as well. From my questionnaire,
it was decided that the text did find a
decent middle-ground for a wider
audience to like.
On my cover page, the rotoscope
would appeal greatly to both a
younger audience and an older one
due to it’s vibrant colours and
exciting imagery leaving children in
awe, while teens and young adults
would appreciate the art’s stylised
finish.
The cover’s style would attract
an older audience who like
having an overall more
sophisticated appearance with
it’s minimalist background and
interesting visuals in the
foreground.
Hinweis der Redaktion
What were the strengths of your research? How did your research help your product?
What were the weaknesses of your research? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
What were the strengths of your planning? How did your planning help your product?
What were the weaknesses of your planning? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
Did you manage your time well? Did you complete your project on time or would your products have improved with additional time?
What would you have done if you had more time to produce your work?
Compare your work to similar existing products and discuss the similarities and differences
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page alongside an existing product
Use text boxes and arrows
Does your work look good? Was it creative? What aspects of your magazine’s visuals do you like? What would you improve? How would you improve it?
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them
Use text boxes and arrows
How have you appealed to your target audience? What specific bits of content would appeal to your target audience.
Refer to your findings from your questionnaire.
Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them
Use text boxes and arrows