The author reflects on what they learned from their preliminary magazine front cover task compared to the full music magazine product. Some key lessons included implementing a coherent color scheme, better integrating text and imagery, and improving Photoshop skills like blending layers and using advanced techniques. Developing the preliminary task helped the author gain a better understanding of magazine conventions and allowed them to improve photography skills needed for the main product.

1. By Keiran
Mortimer
7) LOOKING BACK AT
YOUR PRELIMINARY
TASK, WHAT DO YOU
FEEL YOU HAVE LEARNT
IN THE PROGRESSION
FROM IT TO THE FULL
PRODUCT?

2. THE PRODUCTS

3. CONVENTIONS CHECKLIST

4.  While it may seem as if my college magazine front cover was
largely conventional in comparison to my music magazine
front cover, the biggest difference between the two products
is how I use and integrate these conventions for my own
advantage.

5.  Through developing my music magazine front cover, I learnt
how to better integrate text and imagery into one coherent
product. The biggest fault of my preliminary task I how I
integrated the text. For example, in my opinion the main
feature story is too small to stand out to the reader. Another,
arguably more egregious design flaw in my preliminary task is
the colour scheme, or lack thereof. I failed to successfully
utilise a conventional three point colour scheme, and my
product suffers as a result.

6.  If I were to do the preliminary task again, I would definitely
implement a more coherent three point colour scheme, and
try to ensure I stick to it.
Blue
Red
Orange
Yellow
White
Black
 As you can see, I used six
different colours in my
preliminary task. If I were to
do this again, I would use a
white, black and blue colour
scheme. This is because blue
symbolises wisdom and
intelligence, and is considered
beneficial to the mind.
Furthermore, it is a
aesthetically pleasing colour,
and is easy on the eyes.

7.  I would argue the biggest skill I have developed while
developing my products is my proficiency with Photoshop.
When it came to developing my music magazine, I would often
use Google and YouTube to look up how to do something, and
as such improve my skills with the software. As a result, I
believe I have better integrated text and illustration on my
music magazine, than my college magazine.

8.  Here are a list of skills I used when designing my preliminary
product:
 Cropping
 Resizing
 Text Manipulation
 Photography
 In comparison, here are some skills I used while developing
my main products:
 Cropping
 Resizing
 Text Manipulation
 Photography
 Lighting
 Blending Layers
 Filters
 Gradient Tool
 Layer Manipulation
 Advanced Photoshop Techniques
 Magic Wand Tool
 Proper Layer Organisation

9.  I believe the music magazine was useful to carry out as it
helped me gain a greater understanding of the conventions of
a magazine - what makes a magazine a magazine. Without
developing the preliminary task, my product would have
suffered as a result as my understanding of conventions
would be flawed.

10.  Furthermore, the preliminary task allowed me to get feel for
photography - a skill I have had only limited experience with in
the past. Taking the main feature image allowed me to
understand the conventions of that particular trope, for
example use of direct mode of address convention.