Evaluation Question 7

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

Over the course of the past academic year, my skills have improved greatly with both Photoshop and InDesign, and I feel this has been proven when you compare my finished music magazine to its preliminary task. Before beginning in September I had very little experience in either program, yet now I am comfortable with using the two and am able to operate them in ways I previously never expected possible. The preliminary allowed me to grasp the entire concept of creating a real media product through practice, and then I could learn from any mistakes made and later apply this to my main task for the better.

When reflecting back at both finished magazines, there is a noticeable difference and an evident leap in quality in the second. Although at the time I was pleased with what my preliminary evolved into to, I had struggled and am now able to spot many ways in which I could enhance the overall creation. The layout looks far too bare due to a lack of headlines, and these are vital in order to convey a relaistic magazine and attract the buyers wanted. A house style may appear present, but I believe that too wide a range of colours are used which may suggest inconsistency so would change this if I were to ever re-do the project. I also had a better understanding of each programs tools the second time around, so with these abilities I was able to manipulate images and help them look more attractive and captivating to the reader. Perhaps it may be unfair to compare Dare's contents page to its predecessor, because the preliminary's was only meant as a draft, however I do believe it is missing many typical conventions of any magazine, by an extortionate measure. I also learnt how to manage my time a little more carefully, as in the first task I had jumped head first into creating the magazine, without making any plans of design or much research. In the following main task I made certain to analyse existing media products further within the same magazine market beforehand, and these helped for inspiration, conjuring many potential ideas for my own structure and layout. I realised that research was essential in order to convey a genuine, real music magazine, otherwise I would have little knowledge of the usual conventions included.