Preliminary Task

Asad Ahmed

Photoshop – Front cover

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of Media products?

Masthead

Cover lines

Main cover lines

Main image

Footer – banner – cover lines

Barcode – price

Text anchors image

Rule of thirds

Header – banner – cover lines

Price and issue

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of Media products?

The reason I’ve chose to compare my magazine with Kerrang is mainly because of the layout and the features used on there. I’ve used a medium close-up image on my magazine which Kerrang have appeared to use as well. This image is also the main image, just like Kerrang. My colour scheme is consistent and limited – makes the magazine look tidy and sophisticated (professional). The amount of cover lines I have used on my magazine front cover, almost perfectly matches the amount on Kerrang. Also the fact that I have used bold and a clear font makes the text clear and easy to read as well as the colour complimenting nicely. In comparison, Kerrang also use a bold and clear font which compliments well with the colour of the text as well. My main cover lines anchor the main image which makes my magazine professional and they also help the reader decide whether they want to read on; also Kerrang have done this with their main cover lines and main image. I have also included some cove lines at the bottom of the page – footer, just like Kerrang have. The colour of my text complements against each other which makes it stand out and look professional and consistent – limited colour palette. This is similar to Kerrang. I’ve added a barcode and price tag to make the magazine look as professional as possible the magazine Kerrang. Both magazines have tips on them with a star shape be hide it to make it stand out.

Masthead – (Text tool)

I started off by clicking on the text tool, then added the text I wanted – the name of my magazine.

I then positioned the text and edited it by changing the font and by resizing it to the right proportion.

Here I’ve added colour to my masthead by using the colour palette and choosing the colour that’s bold and noticeable.

(Text tool)

Here I have added effect to the masthead by added things such as inner shadow and glow but in my case;

Before

After

Use of effects.

This is my finish result

Move toolThis is the move tool

As you can see the transform controls are visible and I am currently using the move tool; I can use the move tool to place my masthead anywhere on the page.

Before

After

My masthead is now at the top of the page because of using the move tool.

In order for me to move a certain object with the move tool, I had to select the layer, the object I wanted was on then the transform controls were visible and I was able to move the object where I wanted.

Move tool

Here is the result of my front cover because of using the move tool. I was able to move all of my text, images and objects into the right place on the front cover by successfully using the move tool. However, I did this by first selecting the layer the object was on, then I was able to move that particular object where I wanted it to go on the front cover,

Resize tool

Here is my front cover image that I have just inserted onto the page. For my magazine to look professional, I will have to resize this image to fit the size of the cover; I will use the resize tool to do this.

First, I selected the image by going onto its layer and using the move tool; to show the transform controls. This allowed me to move the image around anywhere.

Resize tool

After

Here I have resized theimage to a medium close – upAnd the proportion is all up to scratch.

InDesign – Contents page

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of Media products?

Contents title

Dateline and issue number

Consistent colours

Selection of photos

Page references

Text that stand out

Introduction

Rule of thirds

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of Media products?

On my contents page I stuck to the colour scheme as on the front cover, which makes the magazine consistent, limited and professional. I included the issue number of the magazine and the date of the magazine. The text has stayed the same font asthe front cover to again make it consistent and professional – easy to read and stands out – bold. My selectionof images anchor the text clearly as well as the subheadings – this indicates professionalism. The fact that I have included clear, boldpage references will make the reader want to look on into theMagazine. Also I have included a simple introduction in my contents just like the magazine below .My magazine contents page is similar to the one below because of the structure, layout and they way they used colour.

Text toolThis is the tool I am goingTo use for my text on thecontents page; this is the text tool.

I started off by selectingThe text tool so that I can Add text to the contents page.

As you can see I have used the Text tool to draw a text boxWhich I will add text to.

Here I have started to add text To the text box about the magazine.

Here I am editing the text by changing the style of fontAnd the size.

Before

After

Text toolHere I am editing the text by changing the colour of it; I will do this by ‘filling’ it. Notice I have highlighted the text because then ‘InDesign will know what to change colour.

After selecting the ‘fill tool’ this colour picker came up and it allows me to change the colour of the selected item – text and as you can see I am currently on the colour black. When I am happy with the colour I’ve chosen, I just click ‘OK’.

Before

After

This is the result of my text after using the text tool.

Colour toolHere is the fill tool (colour tool) and I will use this tool to change the colour of my heading titles for the text I use on my contents.

Here I’ve selected the object I want to change colour – shape tool – rectangle.

Here I have selected the colour tool after selected the shape I want to fill. As you can see there’s a choice of colours I can use and here I have chosen to use purple for specific reasons.

Before

Here you can see the result of using the colour tool and all I’ve done is inserted text to the shape and hanged the colour of it as I’ve evidenced in the previous slide.

After

Selection toolBefore – original image

After – image after use of tools

Here is the result of using the twodifferent selection tools

As you can see I have made the imageFocus on a particular part and in this caseIt’s the fact that the students are easy to see and its much clear– referableTo enjoyment. This was done by using the selection tool toMove and resize the image and by the direct selection toolTo make the image focus on a particular part.

2. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

• Taking my photographs for the magazine with a portable camera and transfer them on to the hard disk of a computer (by using a USB lead), where then I can edit, place or manipulate them.

• Using Photoshop to make my front cover of my magazine. This software enabled me to learn how to edit my images by cropping, resizing, aligning, moving and many other ways. By using Photoshop, I learnt how to edit my images in a way that they were not damaged or destroyed and the quality was kept from the original photo. I learnt how to add my mast head and edit it in a way that it looks professional and suitable for the magazine genre. As well as that I picked up how to add my main, backgrounds image – resize it like said above and I added my cover lines and again edited them in away that they looked professional and consistent; the same method as my mast head.

• InDesign was a much more easy to pick up and understand as I was able to learn the main skills quickly such as adding text and editing it, inserting an image and manipulating it and other simple tools like colour etc.

• From these two programmes I learnt that they are both effective to use and the tools have a great impact; such as drop shadows and glows.