Evaluation of Main Task

Final Magazine

Final front cover

Final contents page

Final double page spread

Analysis of technology used

In order to create my magazine, I used various different types of technology. In order to capture my images, I used my own 12 megapixel Nikon camera. Using this technology helped me when taking my pictures as I was already well educated with the process of using the camera, helping me to get the desired effect I wanted. All of my work was created on the apple mac's using the program Adobe Fireworks. This is a program that I also knew how to use already, allowing me to create my magazine quickly and efficiently due to no time being issued to learning the ins and the outs of the program. Knowing the program well also allowed me achieve 'higher than basic' effects on my magazine, helping my magazine to look more professional.

Edited Images

For my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, I had to take my own original images to use. I took a picture of myself with my hand across my face. The picture has been edited heavily using effects such as gaussian blurs and hue changes. I added the blur to make it look like the character was undergoing some sort of 'trip'. I also changed the hue and saturation to give the picture more of a psychedelic feel, and fortunately this hue change made my character mint and plum, the two colours I am using within my magazines colour scheme.

The next picture I used was also a picture of myself similar to the one on the front cover, as the double page spread focused on that exact character. In this picture, I am facing the camera which allows the reader to view my eyes, which have also been affected by the hue, turning them a pinkey-purpley, which links in with the trippy 'hippy image I am trying to portray to my audience.




The other picture I use on the double page spread is another picture of myself (my main character Ruby Tuesday). In this picture, I am looking away from the camera. The hue change is this picture is different from the other two images, showing you that I am in a different stage of the 'trip' I am on, linking in with the looking away from the camera. The positioning of my character shows a better view of the bowie-esque lightning bolt that I drew on the side of my face, showing that there is something peculiar and quirky about the celebrity I am interviewing.

For my double page spread, I created the cover of the CD that my character was trying to promote through her interview. In the picture, my character is positioned looking out onto a field. I have changed the hue of the picture to make the sky a bright pink colour, giving the effect that I am in another world along with a psychedelic feel.

For my contents page, I needed a large image to take up the half right side of the page. I used this picture of my friend katie and added a 'trippy looking swirly' background to it. I created the background by drawing spirals on fireworks and then using the kaleidoscope effect on pixlr. I then lowered the transparency and added it as the background to the original picture of katie. I then shifted the kaleidoscope layer slightly to give a thick border on the right side of her face. On the contents page, I flipped the picture horizontally.

The picture below is the original spiral I made on fireworks.

The picture below is the picture once the kaleidoscope effect had been added.

The picture below was used as the background for my front cover. The picture is of a painting found inside the Beatles story museum in Liverpool. The picture fits in completely with the whole theme of the magazine.

For the picture to fit in with the rest of the front cover, I had to make a few changes. I changed the hue to create an even more intense trippy and hallucinogenic feel to the picture. I also flipped the picture horizontally I was able to see the woman on the left hand side.

The last image I used on my magazine was a picture I took of some of my vinyls that fitted in with the psychedelic rock/60's vibe that my magazine focuses on. The pictures are arranged in a messy fashion to give the effect that someone has chucked them down and placed them randomly, bringing back childhood memories of the teenage years of the older generation who read our magazine.

Pixlr Editing

I had a play around on pixlr to get used to their editing software:

Here is a picture of the Small Faces. The picture on the top is the original image and the picture on the bottom is the picture after I had edited it. The only change I have made is that I have taken the saturation from the picture apart from the boys.

Here is a picture of psychedelic rock legend Syd Barrett. I decided to change the hue of the picture to make it look more 'trippy'. I then opened the picture in fireworks and added a radial blur to make it look like his mind is being altered by the music he is creating/drugs he is taking.

Here is a picture of David Bowie. Like my last edit, I decided to change the hue. I then used an effect found on pixlr called 'kaleidoscope' to create this psychedelic effect.

Here is a picture of George Harrison. To create this effect I used to layers, one the picture of george and one a picture of a psychedelic swirl. I placed the swirl layer behind the picture of george and used a low opacity rubber to rub out the water he is in to reveal the psychedelic design.

Here are two pictures of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. I decided to take the background out of both pictures in order to place both the Beatles together in the same photo.

Practice/Mock Magazine Front Cover, Contents Page and Double Page Spread

This is the mock design for my magazine using un-original images that fit in with the genre of my magazine. For my final magazine, I would like to create a similar magazine using original images iI have taken myself. This is the magazine draft for my front cover.

This is my mock contents page

This is my mock double page spread

Image planning

I want the images that I use in my magazine to be throughly linked to the psychedelic music scene. For my main image on my front page I would like a picture of a character dressed in 60's-like clothing covering a part of their face in someway, in order to portray a sense of mystery and to suggest that the artist is hiding something interesting.

On my contents page, I want a picture of a supposed up and coming artist in the psychedelic music industry. I want this person to stare and smile straight into the camera lens to portray a sense of confidence and positivity. I also want a competition to be advertised on this page for a selection of psychedelic/60's vinyls, so I want a birds eye view picture of an array of roughly scattered vinyls.

On my double page spread, I want a selection of images focusing on the artist featured on the front cover. I want a selection of images taken from different angles to give the reader a 'full view' on the artist in question.

Flat plan for Magazine

Front page of magazine

Contents page of magazine

Double page spread of magazine

Ross Halfin Photography and Sniffin' Glue

This is a picture by Ross Halfin of the iconic and rebellious guitarist of The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards. The picture shows Keith smoking a cigarette, something which is closely associated with him due to his long drug abuse problems. The smoke coming from his mouth causes a cloudy blur to cover half of his face, revealing only a squinted eye, various wrinkles and an open mouth. His scruffy curly hair symbolises his rough and crazy lifestyle, and suggests that Richards does not care about how he looks or comes across to the public. Just the addition of the cigarette portrays Richards as a ‘bad boy’, a stereotype which has stuck with him since the late 1960’s. A sepia effect has been added to the photo, which creates a vintage effect. Ross has also taken the picture with high contrast, bringing shadows to the deep wrinkles hidden on Keith’s body and face, helping to even more exemplify the terribly aging body of the ancient rocker.



This is a front cover of the late 1970’s punk fanzine “Sniffin’ Glue”. The magazine was created by hand and wasn’t sold in shops and was sold on the street around the punk scene, hence why there is no barcode. You can tell the magazine was handmade due to the type-writings found above the main central image. The layout of the front cover is very scattered and messy, which links in with the lifestyles of the punk band members and fans and the strong hints of angry included in their lyrics, music playing skills and stage presence. The Title, headline and cover lines are hand written and look very childlike and rushed. The picture in the centre is of the guitarist of the band ‘The Damned’. The picture is black and white and is very heavily contrasted, so it is difficult to see the features of the character displayed and portrays the character as a mysterious figure. The crossing out of the work 'Punk' and replacing it with the word 'Girls!' shows the creators sense of humour seeping through. 

Circulation Re-search

Jewish news is a very niche publication, which is aimed at people who come from a Jewish background or comminuty, which isn't a large percentage of the people in Britain. Accoring to the figure, the sales have gone up by 30%, yet the magazine itself is free. I think that the Jewish magazine has become more popular due to the recent news stories focusing on racial abuse which has lead to Jews becoming more proud and protective of their religion, so they purchase this magazine to support the other Jewish people in our country.




 







Top of the Pops is an iconic mainstream programme/magazine which has been around for decades. Top of the pops is aimed at pre-pubescent girls who are obsessed with the lastest boy bands and pop music. During 2013, Top of the Pops sales went down by -19%. This shows you that there is a decrease in popularity, which could be because of the recent 'retro' theme which has been sweeping the world, which could suggest to me that music tastes of the younger generation are changing.