Print - Evaluation Done Finally!!!!!!! Joe Duffy
- 2. Research • The strengths of my research were being able to analyse differently themed magazines so that I had an idea of what style would be needed to suit a certain demographic. This supported me in m final product as it made me think about how I would lay my pages out to interest the readers who would want it most while also sticking to a theme based on the topic itself. I used the NRS Social Grades to further exemplify what I believe the target audience for each of the magazines would be. • I think a weakness for my research was not properly looking at the time in which the magazine was released, so depending on the time the audience could have different tastes in what design would interest them most. Perhaps focussing a little more on the theming I had in mind as my final product would have helped more too, as it would give me a far clearer image on how this particular magazine should be represented.
- 3. Planning • One of the strengths of my planning was that I had the idea of what topic I would be most interesting in making very early on in the project, therefore allowing me to progress quickly into production without having to deliberate on my chosen subject. This helped as I didn’t have to worry about wasting time on brain-storming many different ideas and not being able to choose one. I could finish my Initial Ideas PowerPoint hastily due to this, with a mood board and a more focussed mind map. On adding to this, by experimenting, I felt I had a little more experience in making my product because I allowed my imagination to come up with something on the spot to test my ability to make something that would be interesting to the reader. • However, perhaps due to my eagerness on the topic, I didn’t give myself very much time to think about the layout of the pages, only really coming up with the first half of the double-page spread concretely beforehand, with the other segments being in early development in design at the time. This made the later parts of the project much slower as I had to think about the design almost as soon as I made it, leading a quite a rush.
- 4. Time Management • In the earlier phases of the project, I managed my time successfully by producing my PowerPoints efficiently and progressing in production at a fairly fast rate. However when I began making my second page, it became hard to visualise each parts positioning so the production slowed a fair amount. Coincidently, the Photoshop programme itself started acting up so the efficiency slowed alarmingly. It took a little too long to finish the double-page spread, especially considering how ambitious I wanted my cover to be but I kept pushing on. My rotoscope became a very tedious task indeed, forcing me to spend extra time at the college, and needing to finish it in my own time while making my evaluation, which also took a hit as analysing something not finished isn’t easy. • However, even with these complications in production, I can now say say I have managed to get back on track, completing my cover within a day with my rotoscope, giving me plenty of time to catch up in terms of evaluation and finishing any other bits I hadn't completed before.
- 5. Technical Qualities Both of the magazines express their respective titles very distinctively, making sure they appear prominently against their backdrops. This makes covers look far more vivid to the viewer. The Nintendo Power issue uses far more colour in it’s foreground and background to relate to super Mario’s fun theming. This is contrasted with my cover which allows the characters colours to be the most colourful part of the imagery, with the background keeping a simpler appearence. The magazines portray their main topic of the issue as a central piece of art to draw in readers, making them the vocal point as they appear the furthest into the foreground. This would be an easy indicator to those who prefer not reading as to what they would be reading about within the pages. The cover of Nintendo Power doesn’t place the price tag and especially barcode in an elegant area of the page where it’s viewable but doesn’t disrupt the art like my own. Instead the cover has the barcode in an obvious spot where it interrupts the clay work, even by just a little, making the work feel a little less attractive. As my cover didn’t have a decent amount of space to advertise the contents, there wasn’t too many pieces of text. On the other hand, Nintendo Power gave the page a lot of empty space to list off what is in the magazine so readers can understand what they’ll get better. The list doesn’t take away from the art like the barcode and is even incorporated as the “Poster Inside” explosion suggests.
- 6. Technical Qualities My own pages have more dynamic ways of relaying information than the bottom one as it uses images and borders to make the writing seem more manageable. The large writing is easy on the eyes so readers find it more inviting. On the other hand, the SNES pages have large blocks of fairly small writing, of which the only real dynamic is the red font to white. The only image to look at for the reader is a huge image of the product so while they will remember it's look, the design of the pages doesn't pull you in. The Double-Page Spread on the bottom advertises the release of the new console by boldly placing it's logo top and centre, between both the pages. This contrasts with my design which goes for a more subtle approach generally with it's advertising. The bottom's advertising is so bold that it asks you a question about your dedication to the console, therefore making the reader more engaged with what's being shown as they are being talked to directly. The colour of the different pages contrast a lot, but with them both correlating to their given subject. Mine gives off a brighter, more energized feeling with the vibrant orange, while the lower magazine is darker to perhaps suggest a more serious tone for the console. This could be suggested the same throughout with my larger, bolder font that might used in a school comparing to the smaller font that would be used in an office environment.
- 7. Aesthetic Qualities A particular aspect of my double-page spread I enjoy is the top left banner which uses work from the game in a more creative fashion, with the render being cropped to make it appear more prominent on the page and the stock icons being used as a collage. I am pleased with my cover rotoscope as it makes the Official poster into something far more unique as well as keeping the theming of the subject it is based upon. The art makes the cover truly stand out to the general viewer since it is the prime part of the overall image. An aspect of my double-page spread I would have liked to improve is the dynamics of the pages. I do appreciate the simplicity of the segments that allow for easy reading, but I would have liked to add more interesting visuals as I had done with the banner at the top. However, while I believe the page would have looked prettier, it’s easy to admit that would have cause a lot of complications in adjusting the facts therefore making the process VERY slow. While I believe my cover is well organised, I would still have liked to have more space to make a few extra text segments to further advertise the issue content. However the size of the rotoscope means that there is little empty space on the page to add much else and I cannot shrink the art as it wouldn’t fit the page. I appreciate how my background is vibrant while not taking away from the rest of the work, perhaps even amplifying it. My text especially was allowed to correlate to the part of the background it was on to be made bolder which is shown obviously with the logos used.
- 8. Audience AppealIn my double-page spread, I attempted to appeal to my target audience by incorporating a lot imagery for younger audiences to enjoy if they didn’t want to read, with each picture flowing into the next. For my older audiences, I tried to keep the descriptions largely factual for young adults but kept a more exciting form of relaying the information for kids to enjoy reading as well. From my questionnaire, it was decided that the text did find a decent middle-ground for a wider audience to like. On my cover page, the rotoscope would appeal greatly to both a younger audience and an older one due to it’s vibrant colours and exciting imagery leaving children in awe, while teens and young adults would appreciate the art’s stylised finish. The cover’s style would attract an older audience who like having an overall more sophisticated appearance with it’s minimalist background and interesting visuals in the foreground.
Editor's Notes
- #3: What were the strengths of your research? How did your research help your product? What were the weaknesses of your research? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
- #4: What were the strengths of your planning? How did your planning help your product? What were the weaknesses of your planning? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your product?
- #5: Did you manage your time well? Did you complete your project on time or would your products have improved with additional time? What would you have done if you had more time to produce your work?
- #6: Compare your work to similar existing products and discuss the similarities and differences Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page alongside an existing product Use text boxes and arrows
- #8: Does your work look good? Was it creative? What aspects of your magazine’s visuals do you like? What would you improve? How would you improve it? Discuss the strengths and weaknesses Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them Use text boxes and arrows
- #9: How have you appealed to your target audience? What specific bits of content would appeal to your target audience. Refer to your findings from your questionnaire. Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them Use text boxes and arrows