Evaluation.

My text uses the traditional conventions of a front cover, such as masthead, and so on, however on the stand, where my model is stood behind, I made the writing look as though they are gold lettering upon the wooden stand, rather than been added on Photo shop. I feel the text uses appropriate colours, and I also feel that it is appropriate for my target audience. However, the main feature was inspired by a current educational magazine, this decreases my texts originality.


I think that my main product, although a little off centre and not of good quality, is of right size and is relevant to my main feature, I think that the colours i chose worked well because they stand out in their own right, and the main feature anchorage, looks as though it is part of the image, creating a "life like" impression. I also feel that it appeals to my target audience, because it is not all one colour and on two separate occasions on my text, effects were used which make my magazine more attractive. However, with this considered, I feel that my product lacks, something about it. I feel that it is a little bland although I have tried to make it slightly more edgy and modern. I also feel that it lacks professionalism, and looks as though it has not been executed very well.

I used photo shop to create my text, this is a photo editing programme. I found using photo shop slightly complicatd  however the more I use it, the easier it is becoming. I used the web and existing magazines to build up my research, on existing texts. I also used the web to type up all my work, on to this blog. I found that using the web and magazines, were a lot easier than using Photo shop. Another programme I used to create my mock-up of a contents page, this too was particularly easier than using the web, and Photo shop.

Contents mock-up

Final Front cover.

Planning

Headline:

• Sport captain intervew.
• School/Form representatives
• Whats wyke like?

Image:

• Happy
• Mid sentence
• Female
• Standing behind lecturers stand
• Centre mid shot
• In smart clothes
• In casual clothes

Name:

• The Wyke stuff
• Asylum
• Echo

Slogan:

•  Be in the know.
• Read the hype.

Inspriration:

• Tutor rep elections
• Secondary teachers magazine

Audience:

• 16-19 year old college students at Wyke.

L.I.I.A.R. of College Magazine 2

Language: Again the colours in this text are bright, and are also bright on the actual model, this draws attention to her, which compliments nicely with the main cover line, because it is about being noticed and letting them have their say. also having the banners up, and difference colours behind her, being her out because she is in a deep red jumper. Using yellow and green together, creates a contrast, making the rosette on her left shoulder stand out further. This also attracts attention as the colours are so shocking, which appeals to the reader. Also the girl is brown haired, as they have not used a  blond haired girl, shows they are stereotyping, suggesting that brunettes are more intellectual than those with blond hair.

Institution: The institution are wanting to show that they support having school councils, and letting children have their say, about schools.

Ideology: The ideology if this text is to show that children do in many way have power, and are able to voice their opinions. Furthermore to try and show teachers that by having a "mock election" you are in fact encouraging that child to become interested in politics. So they are wanting to show positivity, about this subject, and persuade teachers that this is a good thing, and they too should agree with this practice.

Audience: This magazines target audience is young, modern teachers. The reason for this is because they are using modern TV shows as a  play on words, which a younger, more modern teacher may be more likely to be aware of, and enjoy such a programme as opposed to a teacher of an older generation.

Representation: The model on this text is represented in a smart way, due to the way she has been dressed, notice that her tie is all the way to the top of her neck, showing that she is smart and representing her school in a good fashion. Also she has a smile on her face, to signify her enjoyment of what she is doing. finally, the model is standing tall, and seems to fill up most of the text's space, showing power and dominance, although being a child, this is how she is being represented, she is almost looking down on the reader, suggesting that she has control, however this image is made softer by the fact that the model is smiling.

L.I.I.A.R. of College Magazine 1

Language: The magazine uses bright colours, to catch attention, but not only that it represents youth, which relating to a school, works well. Having the model in school uniform is relevant to the magazines purpose and audience. Furthermore using the blue on the green jumper contrasts, which in turn will make the text stand out to the reader more than it would normally. They have given the model joke glasses and an inflatable microphone, which are of a humorous nature, this shows that the magazine is not to serious, making it more fun and appealing to it's readers. However even though they have portrayed her in a humorous way, she is also dressed smartly, for example the tie is to her neck and not how many teenagers would wear them these days, not pulled up properly. Using the white background brings out the main parts of the front cover such as the model, magazine name, etc. The bright blues of the magazine name and the masthead, also can be interpreted as fun, which is linked with youth.

Institution: The institution who produce this magazine, obviously do not want schools to be represented in a negative way, so they so they have decided to, use humorous props, to create more of an entertaining image rather than the boring, stereotypical image many people have of schools. This is clearly shown through the model's facial expression and the props used along side her, as they are symbols for fun and laughter.

Ideology: The idea behind this front cover was the was to create a entertaining image for the magazine and also to create more of a relaxed and welcoming environment about schools, rather than the dull, unwelcoming image many children and possibly other people may have. The way they have represented it reaches out to it's target audience, it does this because by creating this fun-loving front cover, it appeals to those teachers who love to teach, and enjoy their job.

Audience: This magazines target audience is young, modern teachers. The reason for this is because they are giving the impression of fun and lenience, which a younger, more modern teacher may be more likely to be. Instead of an older teacher, mainly because they are traditional and therefore, take a more serious and strict approach to the children, and this magazine is evidently not promoting this style of teaching method.

Representation: The model in this text is smiley, which suggests that school is not the bore many children believe it to be. Also the props she is photographed with, give a light heartiness surrounding them, which in turn represents positivity. In this photo there are no signs of negativity, which shows that they are mediating the text, to suggest to the target audience, that there is not any negativity within schools. Even though the female in this picture, is the main image on the text, she does not dominate the text, because as a school child she has little, or no power within school, so this suggests to the reader, that she is not a dominant figure and that although she is on the front cover, she is still in fact a pupil.

Conventions of a College magazine.

Masthead: The Name/ Title of the magazine. This has to be eye catching, and have a memorable effect, on it's audience.


Cover lines: Usually situated on the top of the front cover, stated other stories that the magazine is covering.


Headline: This is the main story that the magazine is covering. It's also catches the eyes of the audience and entices people to read it.


Picture: This is situated in the middle of the front cover, and is relevant to the headline/main story. This also encourages readers and provokes certain feelings. It also uses iconography, related to the type of magazine it is, such as, being a college magazine it would normally be what you expect to see on that front cover.


Issue Number:  This is a tally of the number of magazines, this is found near the date and price.  

Date: The day, month, year the magazine was published.

Price: How much the magazine costs.

Barcode: Which is read electronically and decoded into usable infomation.



Graphical shapes: To highlight certain infomation.

Brief for Preliminary Exercise.

Using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a college/school magazine, featuring a photograph of a student medium close-up, plus some appropriately laid-out text and masthead. Addtionally you must produce a mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of DTP.