Preliminary Evalutation

What did you find difficult about producing your school magazine? 


I think that the hardest thing about producing my School magazine, was organizing the general layout of the front cover as the software that I was using (Microsoft Publisher) had limitations when it came to layering images. Although I eventually managed to overcome these issues, it did take a long time. When I produce my Music Magazine, I will perhaps use the updated version of Publisher, and use a variety of different programs as well.

What did you find easy?


I found the photography to be a fairly easy aspect of production, as it is something that I have an interest in, and have had experience  in within Art at A level.  I found that planning my photos helped as I had a clear direction of what I wanted the cover to look like, and this made the process easier.


Did you research any other magazines to help you?


Yes, I looked into other school magazines as background research. I have also written articles for my own School magazine 'The Idsall Voice' so I found that this was beneficial in my understanding of the codes and conventions that I needed to conform to.


What tactics did you use to attract your audience?


I used a variety of attention catching techniques, such as a bold strong colour scheme, a use of flashes, and use of key words such as 'Exclusive' and 'Plus' and 'New!"to promote a sense of exclusivity, and the idea that the magazine had new features, which could draw in readers.


What have you learnt about Photoshop/other softwares used in the production of your preliminary task?


At first I found Photoshop difficult to use, but after watching some tutorial videos online, I found that it became easier after I had gotten to grips with the basic tools. However I found that it was slightly time consuming, and there are other software's available in which I have a better understanding, so next time I may use some of those instead, so that my timing is more efficient.

What lessons have you learned here that will enable you to excel in the production of your main task?


I think the main thing that I have learnt would be how to use the programs, efficiently to get the most out of my magazine design. Now that I have a better understanding of programs such as Photoshop, I will be able to use them better in my main task, and this will be more time-efficient. I also hope that I have heightened my understanding of the codes and conventions of magazines, and I will be able to use this to my advantage in the final task.