Looking back at your preliminary task (the college magazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

I think that my knowledge and skills had developed alot since producing my college magazine. For example the photos are alot better, the models is looking directly at the reader, and the editing skills look more professional. I have used more than two colours to make it more interesting but not too fussy. The overall layout has improved at it is easier to read and doesn't look simple and boring.

I learnt that using the background eraser tool i was able to remove the background of the main image as it overpowered the image and i wanted it to speak for itself. I also learnt how to use the clone stamp tool to remove the pattern on the models top as i thought it drew attention away from the models face. I also used the brightness and contrast tool to make the dark bits on the photo really dark and the light bits really bright to make the image stand out even more. Another technique i learnt was how to remove large spaces in between text as large gaps in a magazine look empty. I chose to remove the gaps as putting something else in the gap would make it look overcrowded.

When choosing the font i would use i wanted something that stood out, but also look messy and imperfect. For the name of he magazine i hand drew the font to make it original so that no other magazine had the same. It gave me a chance to practise with my photoshop skills and use new techniques. Any give aways, freebies or competitions were written in Britannic Bold. Small text for example the interviews for my double page spread is too small for a fancy font. I chose to use Callabri as it doesn't have fancy flicks of the end of the letters it is simple and clear to read. For any headings or sub headings i have used Skratch Punk as this an exiting font to attract the target markets attention. On the contents page i used Skribble as it looks like it has been handwritten and creates a rebellious effect that someone has graffiti on it.

Sometimes your own opinion is not enough to see how sucessful your magazine is. As my target audience was the age range of my Friends i was able to ask them what they thought. I received positive feedback for my magazine saying that the colour scheme worked really well and the main images was really clever as it made you feel involved with the magazine.

We didn't have to include a feature page in our preliminary task but i would have found it useful to as i would have been able to develop my ideas more. When deciding what i would put in my double page spread I looked at what my target audience would be most inters ted in. I chose to interview the feature band as they have a tour coming up and they are also interested in using fans for their next album. When interviewing the band I made sure not to edit their answers too much as i wanted to keep the interview as realistic as i could. Obviously i had to take out any bad language but i kept the slang phrases in as this would appeal to my target audience more.