Evaluation Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

My music magazine and my preliminary task:

 Areas for improvement:

Conventions followed:

 Developments:

 Photoshop:

To conclude...

Overall, I feel my preliminary task was extremely beneficial for me when creating my music magazine as it helped me understand the codes and conventions of existing magazines that help make them successful products. It also helped me develop my photography and editing skills. I feel that I have improved since my preliminary task and that my progression is evident throughout my work, when comparing my preliminary task to my music magazine.

Used and Unused Images

Here are some unused images that I decided not to use for the final piece of my music magazine. I felt these images were effective however they did not achieve the connotations in which I initially wanted to create in order to reinforce the conventions of my genre.

Double Page Spread Edits

Double Page Spread 1

This is the first edit of my double page spread. As you can see, I have followed the conventions and format of MOJO's double page spread featuring Echo & The Bunnymen. This is a successful product that conveys the ideologies of MOJO and Echo & The Bunnymen to the audience. I have changed the headline of double page spread in order to make differ from the original MOJO double page spread. I made my model pose as if she was posing naked so I could place 'censored' across her chest, however my model was wearing a boob tube bralet underneath 'censored'. I feel this is a successful representation of a Classic Rock magazine as I am supporting the conventions and ideologies I set out to maintain.

I have found a few flaws on the first edit of my double page spread, such as there is no page number in which the audience of my magazine can refer too easily in order to find this specific article.

Double Page Spread 2

This is my second double page spread edit. I have changed the main image to an image where my model is looking directly into the camera, making the audience believe that she is looking straight at them. This creates a strong double page spread however, I believe the first edit I made supported my ideologies more through her pose. 

Double Page Spread 3

This is my third double page spread edit. As you can see I have changed the 'censored' stamp to a font I felt was more appropriate for the theme of my magazine. This font is called 'stencil' on Photoshop and Publisher. After researching the official censored stamp on Google [see post Censored Stamp Research], I realised that my original font did not connote themes and ideas of rebelliousness to the audience therefore I decided to change my font.

I have also increased the size of the drop cap in order to make it clearer to the audience that this is the beginning of my article. A drop cap is a convention (at the beginning of an article) and features on my chosen inspirational double page spread, therefore I felt it would be ideal and I would be conforming to the typical conventions of a magazine article by featuring a drop cap.

Censored Research

In order to make my magazine as successful and realistic as possible, I decided to research the font and the typical 'censored stamp'. Here are the results:

As you can see, the majority of the results I found are red and capitalised. This differs from my censored stamp as mine is black and white, therefore I will adapt censored stamp on my double page spread image in order to create a more realistic effect.

Firstly, I will search dafont.com in order to find the same font as featured on the typical censored stamps.

Final Contents Page

This is my final contents page edit. I have maintained all the convention I said I would in order to achieve a successful product. I have followed the conventions and codes from three MOJO magazine contents pages:

My contents page is clear and neat in order to allow my intended audience to navigate around the page easily. This will benefit the audience as they will enjoy a stress-free read of ROCK magazine.

Contents Page Edits

Contents Page Edit 1

This is the first contents page edit I completed. As you can see, the title of my contents page is grey, not green like I planned, therefore in order to correct this mistake, I created a new edit of my contents page and removed layers such as 'curve' and 'levels'. This allowed me to colour the title in the appropriate colour I desired.

This is the outcome after removing 'levels' and 'curve'. This is much more of the desired look in which I was hoping for.

I have decided to adjust the lighting on the second edit of my contents page. I am happy with my main image and the format and structure of my contents page as it is similar to the MOJO contents pages that I have taken inspiration from, for example, the main image being on the right hand side of the page.

Contents Page Edit 2

This is the second edit of my contents page, in which I have changed the main image of my contents page. This image is ideal as it conveys the rock and roll lifstyle through the use of mise-en-scene such as the Jim Beam t-shirt. 

Contents Page Edit 3

This is the third edit of my contents page. As you can see, I have maintained systematic themes throughout all of my edits of my contents pages, however on this edit, I have lightened the masthead to a lighter shade of the green that I chose. By doing so, this creates a more systematic style throughout my front cover, contents page and double page spread.  

Contents Page 2 Edit 1

This is the second half of my contents page. I have chosen to create a second page of contents in order to give the audience more information as to what is inside my magazine. I have taken inspiration from MOJO's second contents page featuring Kings of Leon. As you can see,  I have followed the structure and layout of this contents page in order make my contents page as successful as possible. I have included all the necessary sections, such as 'the contributors of this weeks magazine' and information about the artists and what page it's on. This is a convention of contents pages therefore I feel this second contents page is professional and successful for the genre of my magazine.

Furthermore, reinforcing the classic rock genre of my magazine, I chose to include specific albums that I felt conformed to the conventions of the classic rock genre. These albums are Arctic Monkey's - AM and My Chemical Romance - My Chemical Romance. I believe by featuring these albums on the contents page of my magazine, the audience will understand the genre of my magazine without looking further.

Final Front Cover Adaptations

I have decided to adjust my main image. As you could see on my old front cover, my main image was a little blurry, therefore I decided to start a new edit of my chosen image in order to gain the highest quality possible. I also decided to adjust the masthead of my magazine, from a lighter shade of the dark green colour I chose to a darker shade. This conforms more to the conventions of the Classic Rock genre and conveys connotations of the typical rock and roll lifestyle.