Evaluation

My school magazine front cover is like a real magazine because I have used a central image, and I have also used headlines. Also included on my front cover, is a price, barcode and date. These are always on a regular magazine. In real magazines, I think the front covers are more filled with headlines, so if I could do this piece again, I would include more headlines. My magazine contents page is also like a real magazine. I have used a selection of images to connote different headlines and content. If I could re-do my contents page, I would include more content and make it look more like a contents page.

For my magazine front cover, I used adobe photoshop to create it. I uploaded pictures I had took previously, and revolved my headlines and other images around my central image. Also for my front cover, I looked at a magazine for guidence. If I could do my front cover again, I would use several magazines to help me along with creating my front cover. For my contents page, I used a program called Quark Express. This was a new program that I had never used before, and my contents page was a challenge to create, however, I found my way. I also used Quark to make my fonts and images more creative, also I enjoyed using a new program, and the fact it was layed out as a contents page. If I re-done my contents page, I would make sure I included more content to make it look more appealing.

The strengths and weaknesses of my magazine are very obvious. I believe my strengths of my magazine front cover and contents, is the fact they do look like a magazine, and I have followed the codes and conventions for it. The weaknesses of my magazine is that my front cover and contents page could include more, for example: more headlines, and more content.

Draft contents

This is my draft of my contents page for my magazine.

Draft front cover

This is my draft of my magazine front cover.

Other images I have used

I have used this image as one of my headlines is about the school's film fesitval.

I have also used this image on my contents page as I decided to have a book review in my magazine.

This image was used to connote health and fitness in our school, and this is shown as the people in this image are doing physical education.

I chose to use this image on the front cover because one of my headlines is about exam stress. This connotes that if you attend revision sessions, you will not be as stressed about exams around the exam period.

Main image

I used this image as my central image because my main headline is about results, and this picture is connoting results

Codes and conventions

These are the codes and conventions of a magazine front cover and contents page:



Front cover

Central image, slogan, barcode, anchoring image, price, date, coverlines, tagline, masthead, issue number, colour scheme, website, headline, supporting images, positioning statement



Contents

Columns, editor's letter, small images, page numbers, contact details, usually double page, subscription, typeface 11, credits

Included on contents

In my contents page, I have included the subheadings:


Regular content

Feature articles

Healthy school





Under regular content, I have included:

Head's letter, dates for your diary, school horoscope, school news, upcoming events, school issues, have your say



The feature articles I have used are:

Visitors, Paris trip, exam stress, results, drawing competition, halloween disco, book review, film festival, international smile day, open evening and quiz night



Being a healthy school, I have included:

Article about water, health and fitness, eating in the dining hall, vending machines, going to the gym, new astroturf and chip friday

My ideas

I have chose to use a central image of someone holding a results paper, as my main headline on my front cover is about results. I also used the colour scheme pink, purple and blue because people associate those colours with Weatherhead. I tried to be imaginative with my front cover ideas, and used coverlines to connote the school.

For my contents, I decided to have one column of content, and used pictures on the other 2 columns.

Preliminary Exercise

For my preliminary exercise, i have designed a front cover and contents page for a school magazine. I have taken original images that i am going to use on my pages. I have took images that connote what my magazine is going to be about. For example, i have took a picture of books, to connote that one of my headings is a book review.

I planned my images on paper before i took them, so i could follow my plan. I also came up with headlines and coverlines for my front cover and contents page for my school magazine.