Evaluation of Preliminary task

Evaluation of Preliminary task

   In order to complete the preliminary task a school magazine front cover and contents page had to be created. It had to be aimed at an audience attending sixth form, so the age of 16-19, and had to be related to education and school. So the front cover and contents page had to be created to fulfil these specifications. This preliminary task was given to complete so that when it came to creating a music magazine ideas from the school magazine could be used and also see what would work and what could be improved on. It was also to familiarise ourselves with Adobe Photoshop and researching target audiences and planning.

   My magazine followed magazine conventions in the fact that the image dominates the front cover; the font is the same throughout the front cover and the contents page, creating brand identity, etc. There is a mast head and a banner. The date is placed just underneath the masthead. Also the sell lines are on the left hand side as this is the first place to be read. The symbiotic link between the front cover and the contents page is created by using the same font for titles and images from the front cover are also placed on the contents page.

   
   The magazine presents itself as a school magazine by the headline stories on the front cover such as ‘How to balance your school and social life?’  Also the image of someone studying and the name of the magazine, ‘Above Average’, also indicate that it is a school magazine. The audience will know that the magazine provides entertainment because there are articles about music, fashion, etc. This is something that will appeal to the target audience.

   The front cover of my school magazine was created to appeal to both male and female students of sixth form. In order to achieve this I made sure the colour scheme and the sell lines were relevant to both sexes. I also made the image relate to a sixth form student as it was of a student carrying a folder like most sixth form students would do.

   
   The main strengths of my production pieces are that it appeals to the target audience. It is simple and straight to the point. It fulfils all aspects of a school magazine.

In order to improve my practical work I could improve my Photoshop skills to improve the images on the front cover.  I could also make the symbiotic link between the front cover and contents page more apparent.

   This assignment has taught me the importance of researching a target audience in order to create a product that will appeal to them. I have also learnt how to use mode of address, colour schemes, etc. in order to draw in a certain type of audience. When it comes to completing the main task I will take several pictures for the front cover so that I will have more choice when it comes to decided the look of the magazine. I will also consider researching my target audience a lot more than in my preliminary task so that I will have more information when it comes to designing the magazine to appeal to a certain type of audience.