Main task evaluation! 4
- 1. MAIN TASK EVALUATION! REBECCA POLLEN FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO
- 2. FRONT COVER Masthead Sell line Anchor text Barcode Main image Flash
- 3. MASTHEAD I used a large, bold and colourful font for my masthead. I used the added effect of a pattern overlay in order to add a sense of sophistication to my magazine which in keeps with the theme and style of my front cover and matches the sophistication of my model and the clothes he is wearing. The name is eye catching as it is unusual and means ‘highest in the rank or authority.’ Typical existing media has used the same sort of ideas, for example:
- 4. MAIN IMAGE Mid-shot using direct mode of address, immediately creating a relationship and connection between the model and the audience. Full face lighting which is brighter and follows a more conventional style of lighting. The model I used is of similar age of my target audience (16-25yrs) so therefore people reading the magazine can relate. The facial expression used is not clear from the artist, however it adds a sense of mystery. Existing media has used images such as:
- 5. ANCHOR TEXT THE ARTISTS NAME IS WRITTEN IN A BOLD FONT, AND BRIGHT COLOUR IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STAND OUT COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE TEXT. IT USES A UNIQUE FONT TYPE IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THE READERS ATTENTION; THE FACT THAT MOST TEXT IS AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE IMAGE, PUTS THE IMAGE OF THE ARTIST IN MAIN ATTENTION, AND THE CENTRE OF VIEWERS FOCUS. THE COLOUR OF THE ARTISTS NAME CONTRASTS WITH THE WHITE BACKGROUND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STAND OUT EVEN MORE. EXAMPLES OF EXISTING MEDIA WHERE THE ARTISTS NAME IS TO THE SIDE OF THEIR MAIN IMAGE ARE:
- 6. SELL LINE I used an unconventional sell line – in order to show that it was associated with my type of magazine (informing the audience.) it stands out against the background as it is coloured in contrast with the background and the masthead. It also doesn’t cover the masthead which doesn’t detract any attention from the magazines name. It is in a different font type compared to other magazines which keep the magazine name and its sell line in the same font type. This acts as a rebellious feature due to the fact that it rebels against the norms of magazine conventions. Similar uses of unconventional magazine sell lines:
- 7. HOUSE STYLE My house colour is a plain white background, this is so that my main image, and the text around it. It uses colours such as black, grey, a bright beige, dark brown and bright white. It follows the codes and conventions to some extent as it black is usually used in magazine, and the brighter colours (white and beige) do also fit into the codes and conventions of my magazine, however are different from most magazines because they use bright and energetic colours such as pinks, reds and blues. Examples of magazines that have used plain white backgrounds are:
- 8. CONTENTS PAGE Masthead Rows and columns Extra features Images
- 9. MASTHEAD Large bold text, draws the attention of the audience, stands out against the background due to the pattern overlay. Lies at the top of the page which is following conventions. Upper case lettering is also conventional; some examples of contents page mastheads that follow conventions include the examples:
- 10. FONTS&FEATURES Short and snappy insight into what the magazine has to offer, it also shows the range of topics which the magazine articles cover; for example festival information to the latest gossip on up and coming artists. …… Was used in order to fit into my genre of magazine, as well as the fact that my target audience sample that I used in order to determine the kind of fonts my audience preferred, the use of caps makes it eye-catching. The other sections of information, the fonts used are unconventional due to their length and width of each individual letter; most font types used in magazine feature sections use wide based fonts, either that or fancy lettering is used in order to obey the conventions of their genre of magazine; this makes it stand out. Some examples of fonts used by popular magazines are:
- 11. NUMBERING This keeps the text organised, makes the magazine easier to navigate and also allows easy access and reading for the audience. The numbers are laid conventionally on the side and are structured on the side of the magazine in columns. This is conventional due to the fact that a lot of other popular music magazines use these traits on their contents pages. Examples include:
- 12. IMAGES I have used close-ups and mid shots in order to draw the audience in. I have used typical lighting-using edit on some of them, however in some of the snapshots on the contents I have used a lower lighting and lower ISO on the camera as it makes the main article photograph stand out against the rest of them. I have placed them in organised columns to follow the conventional spacing for photos on a contents page. The examples above also use this convention. However being slightly unconventional with my contents page I have placed one individual photo in a column opposite, this should draw the readers attention and make them want to read into the article which the picture is representing.
- 13. ROWS&COLUMNS USING A SIMPLISTIC AND CONVENTIONAL LAYOUT FOR MY ROWS AND COLUMNS OF TEXT, BEING USED IN ORDER TO AID THE READERS TO THE CORRECT SECTIONS OF MAGAZINE. THE TABS SEPARATING THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE CONTENTS PAGE ARE UNCONVENTIONALLY LAYED OUT AS THEY ARE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PAGE, RATHER THAN RIGHT BELOW THE OTHERS. EXISTING MEDIA THAT FOLLOWS THE SAME CONVENTIONS AS MINE:
- 14. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD Pull quote Opening paragraph Page number Columns of text Main image Anchor text
- 15. IMAGE I decided to use a conventional edit on my image in order to keep the attention of my artist/model, my image only overs one side of my double page spread. This is following the conventions of a double page spread. The direct mode of address establishes a relationship between the artist and the audience it also gives the image a powerful effect. Below are examples of existing media that have used the same conventional double page spread image as I have:
- 16. LAYOUT My layout is also conventional and does follow the usual trends – this adds to the consistency of conventional stereotypes that my double page spread has followed. This is because my image is separated from my text, they use the normal/bland colours including, nude, black and white which makes the image stand out and attract the audience. The title slightly overlaps the main image however I have used the editing tools of Photoshop in order to put the image in front of the text, so the text appears behind my main image. Types of existing media which have the same conventions as my double page spread include:
- 17. PULL QUOTE LARGE, BOLD AND HIGHLIGHTED FONT MAKES THE QUOTE STAND OUT, DRAWING ATTENTION OVER THE REST OF THE TEST, AND INFORMS THE READER ON THE CONTENTS OF THE ARTICLE. THE QUOTE ITSELF LIES WITHIN THE IMAGE – WHICH IS UNCONVENTIONAL. SOME EXAMPLES OF EXISTING MEDIA ARE AS SEEN BELOW:
- 18. TEXT BULK&ANCHOR I used ……………, in order to appeal to the audience, it is bold and has a large width making it stand out from the rest of the text on the page, as well as the background. I have obeyed conventions here by displaying the anchor underneath my main title; some examples of conventional existing media double page spreads are:
- 19. LANGUAGE A final way in which I conformed to using the conventions of a double page spread, I did this using sensationalism. I did this through using exaggerated words or phrases particularly aimed at a younger audience in order to create a buss around the text further on in the page. The emphasis on the important words used in the ‘pull quote’ stand out and are written in bold and in caps. An example of this ……. Emphasising the main words that are important in pull quotes etc. Many other magazines have used a similar sort of trait to the one that I have used. To the right are some examples of existing media that have used these traits.