Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Since my preliminary cover and contents, I have purchased Adobe Photoshop elements 7 and have been able to practice with it. I have also become much more aware of professional magazines, their layouts, their styles, and their colour schemes, which is why I have been able to create a much more sofisticated and professional magazine cover and contents than before.

  My new magazine is more professional looking than my previous attempt because for a start, it is more eye-catching. The background has some colour applied to it, and is therefore more interesting to look at. In the previous magazine attempt, some of the cover lines are tilted and at angles. My new attempt does not feature cover lines like this, as all these are straight and horizontal. Conventional magazines do not feature tilted cover lines, so therefore my new attempt follows conventions, whereas the previous attempt broke them. Also, on the contents page, the list of contents on my latest attempt are all grouped together down one side, whereas on my other attempt they are randomly spread out across the page. Conventional magazines have their list of contents down one side or another, or are atleast grouped together, like in my new magazine, whereas this convention is again broken in the first attempt at a magazine. I think the main reason why my new magazine looks more professional, is because it follows most conventions, whereas my old magazine attempt broke most of these conventions.

 My newer skills that I have learnt on Photoshop also helped to create a more sophisticated and professional looking magazine. Since practicing with my Photoshop, I have learnt how to use a range of new techniques that I didn't know of before. I learnt how to use the magic wand tool to select certain parts of the image quickly and effectively. I have learnt how to change the colours of the background, and the whole image whilst keeping other aspects colourful. I learnt how to group objects and layers, and how to apply red eye reduction. As well as all these aspects, I also just became more confident in using the program and have become more skilled when using it.

  I have developed my skills a lot since starting this project and have learnt a lot about what magazines should look like, and how the layout should be set out on the page. Due to these things I have been able to create a new piece of work which I am proud of and have created a professional looking magazine.