Evaluation: Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product.

Questions 6: What have you learnt about technologies from

the process of constructing the product?

AS MUSIC MAGAZINE EVALUATION

What is the process you went through to create your product?

To create my product I used the software Photoshop. I decided to use Photoshop as I thought that it would make my magazine look professional as I was able to position my images and text accurately. When constructing my front cover I started with my main image as a base of my front cover. I wanted to change the brightness of the photo to make the image stand out more and have a glossy finish. I then started to create buttons by using the shape tool as I wanted the text that would be place on top to stand out to the reader. I also used the shape tool to create the banner at the bottom of my front cover as this was a common feature used on country music magazines such as Country Weekly. I also added a barcode to my front cover as this is one of many magazine conventions that music magazines have.For my contents page I used Photoshop to position the images and text. I used the text tool to create headings for the two columns I had which were ‘Features’ and ‘Departments’. Underneath these headings I inserted a shape to give my contents page a signature look. At the bottom of the page I inserted the magazines website and made sure that it was the same font as the front covers masthead. I used the website Dafont for the title ‘Contents’ as it offered a variety of different fonts that suited the genre of my choice. On my double page spread I started with my main image and positioned it on the left hand side of an A3 page. I then used the text tool to create my headline, stand first and main body text. I used the free transform tool to position my text into two columns. I also inserted a background image of a field of flowers and a sunset to the right hand side of the page and changed the opacity as it emphasizes the genre of my magazine. Therefore it conforms to the stereotype that country music can be associated with nature.

How have you used an SLR or Bridge camera?I used a canon SLR camera to take all my photos that are featured within my front cover, double page spread and contents page. By using an SLR camera it allowed me to focus onto a particular object. For my front cover I focused the camera on my model and made the background come across as little blurry. I did this because I wanted to emphasise that the model is important in the photo at that the person looking at the magazine should notice the model first. When using the SLR camera I was able to experiment with flash. With the majority of my photos I tried to sue natural lighting as this made the photo look more natural. However for my front cover I used flash as I wanted the photo to be bright so that it is attractive to the eyes of the reader. SLR cameras give a high definition finish and this was ideal as I wanted my photos to look as professional as possible.

What websites did you use throughout the production?Throughout the production I have used a wider range of presentation websites to present my planning and analysis. Websites that I have used are Prezi, Emaze and Slide share.. I chose to use these websites to present my work as I thought it brought life to my work and was not consisting of mainstream and ordinary presentations. In addition to this, these specific sites gave access to me in writing in much more detail.

To present my work I created a Blog account and posted my work onto blogger as it was easier to present and upload work over the given period of time. This website also allowed people to feedback on my work so that I know what I may need to improve for next time. I also think that blogger was a great website to use for presenting my coursework as it was easier to present and makes my work appear organised.I also used the website Dafont which gave access in experimenting with different style of fonts when it came to the production of my magazine. This website helped me choose what font was best to use and suited my chosen genre of music for my magazine.My evaluation consists of Emaze, Prezi, Powtoon, Slide share and VoiceThread. I decided to use different technologies and websites to present each question differently. This made my evaluation more interesting and attractive to look at. Moreover, I was not only able to present my work through the use of work but through images and animations too.

What post production programs have you used?To construct my magazine I used the software Photoshop. I used Photoshop to construct and edit the photos I included throughout my magazine production. For example on my double page spread I altered the photo by adding a filter to the photo. I decided to use a filter that had orange and brown undertones to create a western style and looks like it can be associated with country music. I also edited the photo for my front cover by changing the brightness and contrast of the photo to give it a professional finish that is expected from a music magazine. I also used PowerPoint presentation to help me with the layout of my front cover, contents page and double page spread. I used Photoshop to align the text on my double page spread and made sure that all paragraphs were the same width.