AnalysisExample magazine analysis,

experimentation on Photoshop and My School Magazine

September-October, Term 1 2010

This was the first time I had used Photoshop and I had used the spot healer tool and the Gaussian blur to clear the models face, I had also tested changing eye colour and hair colour by creating a new layer, colouring certain areas like the eye and the hair then using effects to blend the colours in with the natural colour. I had also changed the lighting of the photo by colouring the whole photo in a cream colour and it makes the photo look more tanned and her skin look better.

I found it difficult using Photoshop as I had never used it before, but as well as finding it hard I also enjoyed playing around with the tools and learning about things I never knew before.

I had experimented with colours in blur with this photo and also, I played around with different tools to create shapes and different effects.

I like this magazine as it has a simple colour scheme of red, pink , white and black. The eye flow is from left to right and all the texts is left and right aligned

The masthead of this magazine is a heavy sans serif font and the colour is simple and bold, this is effective as it catches the readers eye.

The cover lines starts at the left hand side and is left aligned in a dark black colour that stands out against the white background of the photo. The font used is easy and clear to read. The main cover lines are all in capital letters and the explanatory text is in lower case.

The woman’s

The magazine has used a different font, which is also a logo. The different font and the similar colour compliments the eye flow from left to right.

This magazine also has a date line that matches the colour scheme.

I like this magazine as it has a simple colour scheme of red, pink , white and black. The eye flow is from left to right and all the texts is left and right aligned

The masthead of this magazine is a heavy sans serif font and the colour is simple and bold, this is effective as it catches the readers eye.

The cover lines starts at the left hand side and is left aligned in a dark black colour that stands out against the white background of the photo. The font used is easy and clear to read. The main cover lines are all in capital letters and the explanatory text is in lower case.

The woman’s t-shirt is a similar colour to the title and t-shirt is a similar colour to the title and the small coloured objects in the background of the picturee small coloured objects in the background of the picture

The magazine has used a different font, which is also a logo. The different font and the similar colour compliments the eye flow from left to right.

This magazine also has a date line that matches the colour scheme.

I think that this magazine is not a good, eye catching magazine that makes the audience want to read it, as it is too simple, the colours are too plain, and miserable and the text is too simple, and not an effective font.

The masthead of this magazine is a simple, font but is not eye-catching like other simple fonts. However the font is heavy and that makes it obvious that it is a masthead.

The text is aligned to the right which goes againstt the normal eye flow of left to right. The text that they have used is not eye catching, or interesting to look at. The fonts are all too similar to the masthead which makes the audience of this magazine automatically think that this is uninteresting.

They have however used a date line and information on how many issues there have been but again, they have used a boring colour as all the text on this cover is in red and white.

I don't like that they have used a decorative Christmas tree bauble as it is the “winter” as it makes the cover look tacky. I think however that decorative images can be used if they are used effectively.

It is quite obvious that they tried to make the main focus of this front cover the eagle in the background and the children . This however is not what the audience thinks as the colours are all boring, you cant see the children's faces (they are not looking into the camera) and the eagle looks squashed into the photo. I think that this is not an appropriate front cover photo, but more of an inside cover.

Firstly I had duplicated the layer so that if I made any mistakes I can go back to the original photo and start again.

I regularly save my work so that if Photoshop crashes and I lose my work, it will be backed up and saved.

I had changed the settings at the beginning to make the page A4 so the picture was the right size for the page.

From my mock up I had planned that my pictures main focus should be on the right had side so that all my kickers and explanatory's should be on the left hand side so that the eye flow is from left to right.

My model is holding a Folder and is a student at St Marylebone, I thought that this is a good photo as it is relatable that any student will have work.

I had tested different fonts and mastheads as I didn’t specify in my mock up what it would be called.I decided to use the pink as it matches with the folder in the shot. I had also experimented with two different fonts layered on top of each. I had made sure that the darker pink was on top of the lighter pink as it is more clear to read the masthead.

The two fonts I used are Allstar and Reboard. Allstar is the darker fronted text and Reboard is the lighter hidden text.

I had also played around with size so that the masthead was visible and clear that it was the masthead. I also made it large enough that it wouldn’t cover my model.

I decided to blur the background of the photo. By achieving this I had coloured in the surrounding area with white and then with the blur tool I had used the __blur. I also erased the white blur from the main focus of the photo which is my model Hattie. This is so that it adds to the effect that Hattie is my main focus. I also slightly erased the surroundings of my model so its not so obvious, it blends in and looks more professional.

I then saved again so that my work isn’t lost.

I decided to change my title to SMS6 as I thought it sounded and looked more professional. Also I think it sounds more sophisticated and would appeal to more audiences (even though the colour is pink)

I also changed the hidden font to a brighter pink as it was closer to the folder colour.

I was just testing this masthead so instead of deleting the old font I kept it and SMS6 was added as another layer

The masthead was now difficult to work with as it was such a small word and I didn’t know where to place it at the top of my magazine.

I had added a Date Line and an issue number as I felt that the space next to the masthaed needed to be filled as it looked empty.The font I used was Allstar.

I had finally found a place for the masthead and placed it to the left side to follow the eye flow idea.

I had added a smaller line that explains the meaning of SMS6. I had also duplicated the original font and changed the colour to black so that the shadow is more obvious. By using the arrows on the keyboard I moved it to a more precise area

I had chosen to do the kickers in a black colour and the font as Sketch Rockwell as its different and not plain enough to take away the focus from the masthead.I had also made sure that the text was all aligned to the left and didnt overpower the main image, or was larger than the masthead.

For the explanatory I went for a simple font which is called Tw Cen MT. I changed the colour to grey so that the Kickers can still be the main focus.

This was what my evaluator had seen when she told me what to improve on and

what went well.

I had added some more kickers and kept them all aligned to the

left.

FEEDBACK

I decided to remove the black shadowed layer as it wasn’t needed and from afar it was more difficult to read

I used a grunge brush tool to add a worn in, abstract effect .

I added a bar code to add an authentic magazine effect.

FINAL