Main Task: Evaluation Question 7

When I first started doing my preliminary task, I found it very hard as I hadn’t used Photoshop before and so adjusting to this new software was very difficult and took quite a while to get used to it. From using Photoshop, I have learnt many new skills that have helped me progress to the making of the final product. One of the main things I have learnt that has drastically improved the quality of my magazine is learning the conventions of a magazine and how to present them on the page. Looking back at my preliminary task it did not look like I was fully clear of the conventions and my execution of these conventions was relatively poor as my magazine wasn’t really structured and some of the colours were very clashing, also the magazine is not consistent as the front cover is very different from the contents page.

One of the main tools which has helped me in the progression from my preliminary task to the final main product is the use of Photoshop, this has helped enhance my music magazine as I have gotten used to it and I have learnt new skills and different tools to use to help make my music magazine a good one, this was something I was not talented in when constructing my preliminary task. This helped improve the quality of my magazine as it made it look more professional. I was able to manipulate images to my advantage. Unlike in my preliminary task I was not able to manipulate my pictures or use Photoshop to my own advantage.

My preliminary task only consisted of a front cover and a content page whereas my main task included a double page spread along side a front cover and content page, I was able to learn how to work on an A3 canvas and use the space accordingly however I struggled as there was a lot to write about on the double page spread.

I have progressed very much from my preliminary task to the main product I learnt how to fully attract my target and, fully include them in my product, something I felt I did not do to the best of my ability in my preliminary task. I also learnt how focus my magazine on a particular social group which was hip-hop, my music magazine had a specific audience so I was able to make my magazine more focused and more suited to that target group.

From my preliminary task I have learnt how to use a Canon E05 400D camera effectively to take good quality pictures.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 6

I learnt many things about technology that helped construct my magazine. Firstly through the process of constructing the magazine I learnt how to use a Canon E0S 400D camera to take all my images. Although I used this camera for my preliminary task I found that with the main task I learnt more about the camera and how to use it to create my required effect. Most of my pictures were taken in a studio to help give it a more professional look and give it the consistency to emulate how real magazines look like. In order to create my desired effect and good quality pictures I had to be aware of time, and how bright my location would be. As I was using a Canon E0S 400D camera to take all my images, it was easier for me to take good quality images as I could use the flash to enhance the quality.

The main problem I had whilst using the camera was keeping it in focus and steady whilst using it, as I did not have a tripod it was very difficult to achieve this so the pictures would often turn out to be out of focus but after I got used to it, my pictures became better and looked more professional.

Another technology I found I had learnt a lot from is the use of Photoshop as my skills on Photoshop was very limited before the process of constructing my magazine. I used Photoshop CS3, to construct my music magazine, this is because I could manipulate my images to create the intend effect. I learnt how to use the stroke tool which helped most of my cover lines stand out as my background and image was quite dark.
I also learnt that Photoshop was very useful in creating JPEG files which was needed to upload images to my blog, as Blogger does not accept images unless a JPEG file and uploaded. I used Photoshop to convert my graphs to JPEG. Whilst constructing my magazine I also learnt how to extract and install a font into Photoshop so I could use it; something I have never done before. I discovered that this was a very straight forward process and easy to use as all I to do in extract the file once downloaded and open up Photoshop. This helped massively as without it my magazine would probably not have the look I intended for it.

I also learnt how to use shapes to help some text stand out in the magazine, and also I learnt how to use the free transform tool to help enlarge or rotate a text or image, in order to do this I had to hold onto Ctrl+t.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 5

Using my audience research, I believe I was able to attract my target audience in various different ways. One way in which I attracted my target audience is through the front cover of my music magazine, this was very vital because it determines whether my chose audience would pick up my magazine and actually read it. I feel that I attracted my target audience through my front cover by choosing a model that is appealing to the genre of my magazine, and also someone who is roughly around the same age as the audience as they can relate to the model. Also as the model looks quiet friendly but stern this helps attracts the audience also. My model is wearing a black bomber jacket, a hooded sweat shirt and casual Levi jeans, this helps attract my intended audienceAnother way I attracted my target audience was to keep the focus on the Hip-hop music scene as this is what my target audience wanted (as shown in my questionnaire) I ensured I done this through the use of cover lines and issues discussed throughout the magazine. Additionally, I used well known names in my magazines to attract my audience and issues that I felt would appeal to my target audience, for example one of my cover lines read “Up close and personal with: Misha B and Chipmunk” I knew that this would appeal to my target audience as these artists are creating a lot of impact in the music industry, thus keeping my magazine relevant and contemporary.

Throughout my magazine I used different san serif fonts to give the magazine a cool but also sophisticated look, I believe this works very well with the genre of music I decided to base my magazine on so this would attract my target audience. In particular, I used a san serif font I downloaded from dafont.com for my main cover line to create a strong and catchy line to attract the reader, this will help with the uniqueness of my magazine and also help attract the audience as I intended for the magazine and also individuality.

Another way I attracted my target audience was through the colour scheme. The colour scheme of my magazine was mainly based on which, red and orange as these are colours my target audience indicated in my research that those were the colours that they would associate most with the genre of the magazine. The colours are also strong bold and eye catching that grabs people attention. I also used the colours to appeal to both genders equally.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 4

As stated in my audience research “INDUSTRY” I targeted a young audience ranging from the ages of 16-24 as they are the ones most likely to be reading my music magazine, I done this to help me get an idea of what my audience would find as an ideal Hip-Hop magazine. I have chosen to target this particular audience as they are more urban and up to date with the music but also fashion of the music industry.

I have also chosen to target a younger audience as the artist on the front cover of my magazine looks quite young which will appeal to the audience I have chosen to target, also the features/articles talked about in my magazine appeal to these audiences as they want to get involved and know what is happening in the Hip-hop industry, also get an insight on the latest fashion and also know what new music videos are out. However my music magazine could also appeal to an older audience as they might want to experience a new change is music.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 3

In indication to the research I have carried out from the publishing house case study in the planning and research stage of the coursework I am doing, I think that Condé Nast publications would be more likely to publish and distribute my magazine. There are many reasons why they would publish and distribute my music magazine, this is because as Condé Nast publications do not publish music magazines, by publishing my magazine they would be able to get into a new market and target a wider audience, whilst increasing there popularity and also increasing sales.

Secondly, publishing and distributing my magazine would have a great financial benefit for Condé Nast publications. As they are going into a new and mass audience that none of their magazines target at the moment, they would see their profits increase extremely, as there is no competition within other magazines. Also, as mentioned before by publishing a new music magazine like my own, the company would gain popularity.

I would probably distribute my magazine in music stores such as HMV and retail. This is because HMV is one of the biggest music stores in the UK and is for music lovers so it would make sense to distribute a music magazine in a music store. Also by selling at well known retailers it would make my magazine more accessible to my audiences as it is well placed geographically.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 2

My music magazine is made to target an audience of both male and female who have an interest in Hip-Hop and listen to that type of music. I represented this particular social group through the use of images and the articles that would be featured in my magazine. The artist/ model used in my front cover represents this social group as the props used and the way he looks/ is dressed correlates particular social groups in many different ways.

As mentioned earlier one of the ways in which my music magazine is linked to social groups is through the use of clothing. In my magazine the costume that my model is wearing is very modern and more integrated with the style and fashion of Hip-Hop artists; he is wearing a black bomber jacket, a black and orange hooded top and casual Levi denim jeans. This looks is very modern and is associated with various artist such as 50 cent, P-diddy etc. this costume is a typical style of the genre that I have chosen and it shows that the artist is very neat and is up to date with the fashion and style of the era and the Hip-Hop industry. Furthermore, the clothes are quite fashionable particularly the black bomber jacket, the hoody and the casual jeans, which I feel correlates with the genre and represents that particular social group as artists of that genre and listeners of the genre are fashionable and have a particular style.

The Props/ accessories on the model gives an overview of the hard working studio type artist as he is wearing headphones, this suggests that he is into music and enjoys listening to it. This connects with the target audience I have chosen to target as both the artist and the audience enjoy listening to music. The posture of the model represents the social groups I have targeted as he looks quite “Gangster and Out There” which is a look that most artists go for in the Hip-Hop industry, the posture is also quite laid back but there is a sense of masculinity and dominance.

Main Task: Evaluation Question 1

I started a project in media to analyse an existing magazine in order to see how magazines present their magazines in order to attract their target audience. My music magazine presents the different forms and uses of conventions from present magazines in order to make my magazine more urban and look more realistic. The conventions I have used in my music magazine gives my magazine a more professional effect, one convention I have used to create my music magazine is a large eye catching masthead at the top of the magazine in order to gage the attention of my reader, as the masthead is bigger and more eye catching than the rest of the font, it stands out from the rest of my magazine. This convention shows a correlation between my magazine and a real magazine. I have created my own Masthead using the Text tool and also the stylize and wind tool, the stylize tool helped me to create the wind effect behind the “INDUSTRY” font. Using the wind tool makes my magazine different and also will attract more customers as it is original and different to other magazines. The font used was a sans serif font to make my music look more modern and also the use of wind in red will give it that unique look and also it correlates with the genre I have chosen to do (Hip-hop).
A selling line is another convention which I have used to make my magazine look more professional. This convention is used by well known magazines such as “Vibe, XXL” etc. as it is used to help sell the magazine and also attract audiences, also it explains points on what the magazine is about and acts as a way of promoting the magazine. As my magazine is a Hip-hop magazine, my selling line is used as a way to communicate with my audience and also attract them but it also ensure that it keeps the focus and the genre of my magazine. My selling line is “UK’s best selling Hip-Hop Magazine” this helps focus on the genre of my magazine and will attract my target audience.

Another convention I have used to help make my magazine more realistic is the use of a barcode, selling price and a dateline. As professional magazines normally have their
In order for me to be able to fully attract the attention of my proposed audience, I have to use engaging cover lines which are another form of convention that is usually used in a magazine. the use of cover lines gives an insight to the audience about what might be featured in my magazine, this convention also helps to attract audiences as they are short and snappy, colourful and very eye catching especially if there are primary colours used to create these cover lines. I have used the same fonts for most of my cover lines but have made them vary in size to give it more of an eye catching effect, however my main cover line is used in a different font which I downloaded from dafont.com, this is a different font as it is made to stand out from the cover lines because it is the feature of the magazine. As shown in most magazines, the cover lines are usually vertical and are normally placed on both sides of the magazine. In my magazine the cover lines were also spaced out so that one side of the magazine doesn’t look too busy and so that every cover line is clear and in an orderly form in order not to fall too much away from the image.



Another popular convention used in a music magazine is the use of a medium close up as the dominant image, in my magazine I have decided to also use a medium close up as it makes the image stand out more and gives it a more professional look. Also, the way in which the model is standing posing and the props used all help create a good effect as it appeals to the genre of my magazine and also I feel it is suited for my target audience.


My contents page has also followed the way conventions of real life magazines are actually used. To create my contents page, I have included a couple of images as images are a widely used convention in real magazines; this is a form of illustrating what other issues will be discussed in the magazine. In order to attract my target audience I included pictures that are eye catching but also revolve around my chosen genre. I have also added articles and issues that correlate to the front cover to give a sense of continuity; this will help keep the reader entertained and make them want to read more of my magazine.

I also included categories arranged vertically around the page to give a more structured feel to my magazine; I have also chosen to do this as it is a popular convention used in most music magazine as it makes it look neat and more organized. I have a main image of my artist in my contents page to give continuity in my magazine and I also have different images in different parts of the page but keeping my magazine structured makes it look more organised, I have done this to make my magazine more original and different from others.
To carry on the continuity in my music magazine, my double page spread uses and develops conventions as in real life. I used a simple colour scheme in correlation to my front cover but different from my contents page. I have used the orange from the clothing of the artist to create the overall look of my magazine and I have also used this for the font. I believe this continuity creates a modern and professional look. Also, I have arranged my article into two columns of questions and answers from the interview based on my artist “Solo” including a headline and stand first. I have made the masthead big and bold so that it stand out and it is eye catching, I have also added a drop capital to make the magazine more real and look more urban. The range in colours used makes the article stand out and I think that this appeals to my target audience and is attractive.

Main Task: Post Production Feedback

Stages