Preliminary Production - Written Evaluation

The preliminary task was to create a school magazine front cover and a contents page to go with it. The front cover had to have a medium close up image. I looked at and analysed ‘Kerrang!’ magazine to get to grips with the layout and designs of a magazine. I then drew 2 sketches of designs I wanted for my magazine. My first sketch was of a sixth form pupil holding up flags in front of a world-based background, celebrating that the school is now a language college. My second sketch was of a school pupil holding some flags again, in front of a globe. This was also showing the language college.

I decided to use my first sketch, as I preferred to use a sixth form student for the image. I used a friend’s camera and chose my model. I made the flags very quickly, and then we went looking around the geography and languages area of school to find a suitable background. When we had found the background of a world map, I realised the lighting was not particularly great in the corridor, but wanted to use this background so I continued taking my photos of Tom. Once I had completed the photos I could tell the photos were too dark, even when the settings on the camera were changed and the lights were on. I took some more on another day in the same place, and tried to get as much light in as possible as it was a sunnier day. The new photos were slightly lighter, but were still a bit too dark.

I then used Photoshop to edit the image. I used the auto contrast feature, and I put the brightness up slightly to make it lighter than it was originally. I then added on my purple strips along the top and the left side, to make it look like it belongs to Sheldon as it uses the same colours. I then added on the text (title, sell-lines) in ‘Times New Roman’ font as I thought this looks good and similar to Sheldon’s font. After this I found a Sheldon School logo and put this in the corner of the page in the top right. I then made this the same colour as the text, a goldy-yellow colour.

I think that my front cover could have been a lot better, as I don’t think I planned it as well as I could have done. There needed to be more text filling up gaps on the cover, and the image could have been better placed. I think that I succeeded in making the front cover looking exclusive to Sheldon, because of the colours and information. If I were to do it again I would spend more time getting a better image where it doesn’t need too much changed on Photoshop, and also make the top purple strip slightly thinner as it does take up quite a large amount of the front cover.