Evaluation

For the Prelim task I created a magazine front cover and a contents page. I used loads of ideas from my target audience; from my survey and skills I already knew to create these products. Firstly I researched the common conventions that magazine front covers and contents pages have. I had to analyse two magazine front covers using the correct terminology to do this. I had to analyse the Bodmin college current magazine front cover and then another of my choice. By doing this, it helped build my skills and gain knowledge of what I should include in my products. After I analysed them two I then had two analyse two contents pages of my choice. Like the front covers doing this built up my knowledge of what to include on my contents page.

I then created a Survey Monkey. This is a survey that I created to give the target audience questions that would help my in my production; but before I had done this I researched what target audience read magazines and if they read the college magazine. The target audience for the college magazine was 13-19 year olds purely because that was the age group throughout the school. In my Survey I asked the people what age they were and most of them was averaged about 16, which is my age. This was ideal because like them I knew roughly what to expect on a magazine and on a contents page.

I created my two products using the survey and my own knowledge. I made the college front cover bright and with a catchy title because this should then help attract the audience and hopefully get them to read it. I used the title ‘WHOA!’ because I gave three titles in the survey and 100% of them chose this one so I decided to use it because of the target audience. I used popular examples that are read daily so I could get a good idea on how they are good and how they attract the audience; I then used them in my product so I could get the audience attracted to it.

To create my two products I used Photoshop. Luckily I am experienced in Photoshop so I could use my skills on there to create them. Firstly I created my front cover; for the title ‘WHOA!’ I went on a free font website ‘DaFont’ to create this amazing masthead. Secondly for my image I chose and used on it I had to edit it in Photoshop to ensure I got the best image I could of possibly of got, however this took some time but I am happy with the final image. I then used the rest of my skills to make a good quality front cover that my target audience would like. After that I created my contents page. With the knowledge from my analysis I know what to expect and know what to put on it. Also I went onto the Internet to get a good contents page example and used the layout of this as a guideline for my contents. Overall I am very pleased with what I created for both the contents page and front cover. 

My magazine and front cover are too a high standard I think. In my research I researched the main conventions and I have adapted these to my work. Colours, I have chose a small colour pallet so that I can keep the contents and magazine front cover nice and simple so that I do not overload my products. Images, I have chose the best images from the taken ones and included these on my contents and front cover. I have one big image that I have photoshopped and 4 others on my contents page. Layout, I have looked at other magazines to get ideas on the layout on contents pages and magazine front covers and I have included this in my work and I feel that I have a good layout on the two overall outcomes. Also on my magazine front cover and contents page I have included a date and year so that the readers know what issue they are reading. I got this idea of other magazines.

I think overall my front cover and contents pages are very well made and contain the main common conventions that you would expect on a good front cover and good contents page. My college magazine would appeal to my target audience because I have based my cover on what the have said on the survey so I would of thought they would like it. By creating my two products I think this would help me a lot for when I create my main product for my main task; the skills in Photoshop and my knowledge on what to expect on magazine front covers and contest pages. But finally I have very much enjoyed doing the prelim task and I am looking forward to doing the main task.