Evaluation

Evaluation

I have designed and produced a front cover and contents page for an original school magazine. I researched the common codes and conventions of magazines to help me to create my own magazine. My magazine follows codes and conventions successfully to produce a professional looking cover and contents page.


The main image i used for the cover of my magazine was a medium close up of a pupil from within the school. I used this photograph because it is the common shot used for when a single person is featured on a magazine cover. This helps my magazine to follow the regular conventions of magazines. The arrangement of the coverlines and title of the magazine also follow magazine conventions. The title is placed in the top left corner of the front cover and is brightly coloured. This would help the magazine to stand out in a store. The coverlines are placed around the main image on the front cover, framing the image. This is a regular feature of magazine covers. The colour scheme is consistent using mainly red and white. The colour scheme is also consistent throughout the contents page. In my contents page i used images that i had taken that relate to the content of the magazine. The title of the magazine is also featured in my contents page as well as the magazines website address. Also i added an editorial in my contents page which is a common feature of magazines

To create my magazines front cover i used Adobe Photoshop. I used this programme to edit my main cover image and fit it to the size of the page. I also used Photoshop to insert my title and coverlines. I used a normal font from Photoshop and edited it using the Bevel and Emboss tool.
To create my contents page i used QuarkXPress Passport. I used this programme to help organise my text into columns and to place my images in the correct places.

Production

I used this image as my main cover picture



















I used these images for my contents page:

This is my completed magazine cover

This is my completed contents page.

Planning

This is a sketch of my magazines front cover.


This is a sketch of my magazines contents page

Research

These are the codes and conventions of a magazine cover.
Cover
Title always in top left – usually only one word
Always one main image – Usually medium close up
Barcode always bottom right
Main coverline always over picture
They all have writing above the title
Unique Font
Quotes
Consistent colour scheme
No smiling- conveys attitude
Direct address – always looking at reader
Main coverline anchors the meaning of the main image, it is the largest on the page
Coverlines
· Main coverline is two lines
· Feature as few words as possible
· Information about the contents
· Intrigue the audience
· Frame main image
Typography
· Consistent / only a few fonts are used
Puff-something extra
Buzzwords- EXCLUSIVE
Strip at bottom or top of cover – list of names / topics
Contents
1 image larger than others
Editorial – image of editor
Subscription advert
Consistent colour scheme
Page numbers on pictures anchor image to written contents
Laid out in columns (2 or 3)
White background
Title of magazine
Issue date / number
Word contents
Features and regular contents