I created an Emaze on my images, a SlideShare presentation on my written content and a YouTube video on my layout. This concluded my first question. I have made fast progress and am ready to move onto the second question. This has consolidated my learning and helped me prove my understanding of conventions.
I described in depth how my billboard links to my main products by describing it in a YouTube video. I also wrote up a transcript once I was done. Tomorrow, I will attempt to the same for describing my website using a different form of multimedia.
I will analyse how or how I have not stuck to conventions and how similar this makes my product to other products on the market. Before I started this evaluation, I created a quick moodboard to showcase some of the above topics.
TITLE OF MY MAGAZINE:
Firstly, I looked at the title and assessed whether or not I thought it followed naming conventions. I decided that ultimately it did. I had observed conventions and then obeyed them when choosing my name to ensure that my name was memorable and recognisable. Of the conventional categories I observed, I ensured that I chose the least common one so that my magazine was still somewhat original as well as being conventional.
MODELS:
After that, I looked at costume and props. I firstly looked at how I had styled them. With Toni, I mainly stuck to conventions with regards to how she looked. However, I did make some changes regarding the makeup. Whilst most magazines used natural makeup, I decided that I would use more makeup and go for a less natural look. This was to have a more attractive look and to draw attention in to the eyes. Conversely, with Andy, I did not consider conventions. Whilst he wore wedding attire and therefore somewhat conformed to expectations, the style I chose was nontraditional and therefore stood out. I also looked at who I had chosen to model. Whilst Toni and Andy obeyed conventions, the rest of my models were unconventional and challenged conventions.
IMAGES:
Next, I looked at images. For the most part, the way I had styled my model and the prop she had used - she followed conventions perfectly. However, the background gave the page something non-conventional as it was outside. This could create interest. Two of three of the images on the contents page are conventional whilst one defies some conventions and provides a more unique image. The images on my article page were all relatively conventional whilst the images on my online article were a little different to what might be expected. For the billboard, there were no product conventions to follow but I obeyed genre conventions as best as I could. Finally, there were some images that did and some images that didn't meet conventions on my website homepage. I feel that I had a good mix.
FONTS AND WRITTEN CONTENT:
I believe my use of fonts obeyed conventions and I analysed similar products and based my font choices off of that information. Two of my chosen fonts exemplified this. However, two of the fonts were different and defied these expectations. I also looked at my sell lines and how I had changed them but kept them similar to real products. Finally, I looked at my articles and referenced how they were typical for regional magazines and obeyed conventions.
With my layouts, I attempted to develop conventions and create unique products that, whilst based loosely off other products, had original factors. I also remembered my generic conventions and paid attention to those.
Transcript:
With regards to layout, I paid attention to my generic conventions and included those. Made sure of it. This was because I felt that they were a necessary checklist for a complete product. From there, I had more freedom for creativity. I did use existing products as inspiration however I always added something or changed something so I developed conventions. With my front cover, I took a specific layout and added in a publisher name and replaced the lure with a tag line. With my contents page, I obeyed conventions regarding image placement but I added a title to my contents list and added in an editors note. This was more regionally conventional. With my article layout, I added in features to fill the page. These features included pull quotes and credits. I added additional information to the billboard and I added more article links and an editors note to my website - once again regionally conventional. I also took inspiration from but, in the end, completely revamped the Belle Bridal purchase page. And I did not take any inspiration for my online article. This was completely original and free from conventions except for generic conventions and genre conventions.
This shows that I changed layouts and developed conventions and so that they kept genre signifiers and kept the parts of the pages that worked but I also added in some originality by defying convention here and there.
Conclusion:
I created the following graphics to summarise what was said in this post:
This also illustrates a key point. I have mostly obeyed conventions here. I have kept the features that worked, the genre signifiers, and the inspiration from more successful products. However, I have challenged certain things. I have changed them when it has worked better for me. I have kept an even mix or thereabout. This ensures that I match people's expectations of what a bridal magazine should be whilst simultaneously providing new and original content and standing out from competitors.
Today, I created a moodboard to get my ideas together before I started writing. I then created a PowToon on the title of my magazine and a Prezi on the models that I used. I took time to carefully describe my reasoning and why I had done what I did. I may return to these and add more detail at a later point.
This is my final billboard. This product is strong as it showcases the genre clearly. They are styled appropriately and their expression and pose connote romance.The rosy filter also conveys romance and links to the female target audience. The product is kept regional by the mention of the North East in the sell line and is linked to the product by use of the same masthead with the same font. I also created this to showcase how my product would look if it were placed on a real billboard in the real world:
Whilst these two images are different, the idea from the initial idea was strong. I used slightly less dramatic lighting and opted for my image looking a little more natural. I also added in rosy colouring. I used a sell line and I used serif fonts as I felt they were more formal and conveyed the tone of my magazine better. The image is also more zoomed in as this is more personal and intimate and have the romantic connotations that I wanted to convey. It also fills up more space and serves to make the board look more visually interesting.
This website is functional and attractive. It works together and the pages fit as they have a cohesive theme. I made us of apps on WIX well and inserted payment options, subscription options, and social media. I also used strong images throughout. Once again, my articles were regionally themed and linked clearly to the North East. I think my page is full, visually interesting, and suited to my target audience well with a range of content.
These showcase the large changes I went through when making my website. My initial template had four columns which I replaced with a slideshow. I completely changed the colour scheme. I also revamped the images to be more interesting and more original. I added in social medias and more app to make the page more interesting. With the purchase page, you'll notice I changed very little other than the colour scheme as this page was more suited. The article also went through a drastic change as I changed the content of the images and added in pull quotes to stop the article from being a large clump of text.
This is my contents page and I am happy with how it looks. The layout is neat and functional and has a clear focus. The colours in this are aesthetically pleasing. The images are well-chosen and reflect the genre well. The content that I have chosen to include is varied content about a range of different topics. I made sure that they were regionally appropriate and made my magazines content regional.
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My contents page initial ideas show clearly that I knew what I wanted ahead of time and that the construction process was simply me fine-tuning these ideas so that they looked better. Placing together,these images illustrate what I have learnt throughout construction and how much my initial ideas have changed. You can see that my images have been captioned and numbered, this makes the page more functional and makes the images look fuller. The editors note also has an image and signature which adds to the personalised touch. The contents list was also sorted to make the page neater and the make the layout more appealing and functional.
This product is a highly colourful one with a range of images that showcase a wide variety of content yet still focus on the bride. The article is also written from the point of view of the bride, positing her as the focus once again. This was a direct appeal to my target audience. The layout of this page is neat and well structured and presents information in an easy to follow style. This page matches with generic and genre conventions though it defies some conventions to make it unique and interesting. It also uses images taken within the region and directly references the North East many times to ensure that it is regional. Furthermore, the focus of the article is to inspire local pride which is also the focus of regional articles which I studied.
This shows how my ideas surrounding my article have progressed. You can see my initial idea placed alongside my final product. This illustrates what I have learnt throughout construction and how much my initial ideas have changed. With the article, I changed the photos somewhat to have a more interesting subject or to have a better composition with less dead space. The title was enlarged to fill space and the final product has a larger focus on colour, making it a more interesting product.
This is the final product I have produced. I believe that it strongly represents my target audience, my region, and my chosen genre. It is a strongly coloured image with a striking dominant image and a neatly structured layout. It makes use of the generic conventions one would expect to see on the cover and maintains some regional and genre conventions which I learnt from my similar products research. It also remains original in the ways it disobeys conventions and would stand out visually amongst other products. I am happy with this final product and believe that it does everything I set out to do.
This shows the progression of my ideas. You can see my initial idea placed alongside my final product. This illustrates what I have learnt throughout construction and how much my initial ideas have changed. With the front cover in specific, the main changes have been additions to the layout and colour changes. I added in a barcode, a top strip with a sell line, issue number, issue date, and publisher. I also added in coloured sell lines. These changes have made my product slightly more suited to my target audience than my initial idea would have been.
Reflection:
The feedback that I have received was overwhelmingly positive and I am happy with what I learnt. This tells me I do not have to further change these and that the product I have created would work for my target audience.
Here are the results from the board I posted yesterday.
As I'd hoped, the feedback I'd received was very positive and told me that these drafts had resonated well with people and that I'd be safe to use them in my final product. Some things that were commented on was the layout, the amount of text, and the quality of the images. I am happy with the outcome and the feedback that I had received.
I have produced the drafts and I am happy with how they look. I have changed a lot with regards to these and these may be the final drafts that I produce. Furthermore, I have created one more AWW board with the images on and it has been sent to my group chat for feedback. I'm hoping for a mostly positive response as I do not want to make any more changes.
Here, I made some large changes. My purchase page is now complete with all the features that I wanted. My article content changed but it is fully written and the pull quotes I added in look fantastic. I am pleased with the images and how well they blend him. These could potentially be the final drafts if they receive highly positive feedback when I show them to my audience.
I create this fake draft today from the layout of the front cover.
This is my final fake draft. I can now upload them onto my website. This magazine is to represent the small but present male audience that reads these magazines. Some surveys have shown me that this percentage of the audience may be larger than my survey suggested and thus, while I will not cater specifically throughout the majority of my magazine, I will address them and acknowledge that they exist.
I create this fake draft today from the layout of the front cover.
I took this photo from my best friends mothers wedding. It is a beautiful image and matches the house style of the magazine. This magazine draft is lovely and I feel that it will make my purchase page look professional.
I create this fake draft today from the layout of the front cover.
This layout works. It is less colourful that the main product but it has the same house style as it has the same layout. I will continue working on this throughout the week so that I have a final product at the end of it. I need to create two similar pieces.
Reflection:
I have produced two drafts for the other two pages of my website. For my article, I changed the images and wrote up the remainder of the article. I also then added more articles at the bottom to make the page look more professional. I then worked don the purchase page and added in the alternative front covers. I will try and get feedback on these shortly.
This is the fourth and potentially final draft on my contents page.
I followed advice and decided to put a space between the image of my sister and the image of the suit. I also decided to redarken the background and I felt that it made the rest of the white on the page stand out. I raised the editors note title and played around the the layout till I felt it looked best. I also changed the spacing on the contents list slightly till I felt that it reflected a more professional looking contents page. I removed the background from the image of my boyfriend in the suit so that it looked as if it were taken in a more professional studio or at least against a blank wall. This looks more professional than the truth that it was taken in a living room. To do this, I had to use the spot healing tool and also the brush and the blend tool to even and smooth it out.
I think that this is a strong product that it both functional and aesthetically pleasing. I am proud of the outcome.
Reflection:
I created a fourth draft for my website. I removed the background from the previous draft and added in more articles. The page looks fuller now. I do not think I will need to make many more changes. I also made some small changes to my online article. I wrote up the introduction to the article.
I changed the background back and added in a great deal more article links. This offers a wider range of content and I feel that it makes my product look a lot more full and a lot stronger. I like the images and I feel that this layout is strong enough to be a final layout. I may make more tweak but I feel that this would be a strong final product.
Reflection:
Once more, I responded to audience feedback and made some changes to my article. This included making the title bigger, changing the page numbers and changing the alignment on the captions text.
Here is the fourth and potentially final draft of my article.
I amended the page numbers to reflect my brief which stated that I should create the first four pages. I also amended parts of the article where the formatting was less than satisfactory. I made the title of the article bigger and this made it more readable and also ensured that it filled up dead space on the page and made it look more interesting. The images here work well together. I changed the alignment to ensure that the captions text came from the side that it was written on. This simply neatened up the image captions.
These were small and subtle changes but they have made my product look slightly better. There are no more immediate changes that I want to make and I am currently happy with the outcome of this product.
Reflection:
I produced a fifth draft for my front cover. The main changes I made were in terms of colour scheme. I added in coloured sell lines as I felt that this would make my magazine stand out more. I experimented with several possible colour schemes but this was the strongest and is made up of colours from within the bouquet.
Here is the fifth, and possibly last, draft of my front cover.
With this, I added a bar-code with the website URL and the price on it. I also changed the colours of some of the sell lines. This immediately changed the way that the page looked. I made it stand out more in my opinion and separated the sell lines so that they appeared more individual. The colours I chose were the colours of the flowers in the bouquet. This, in my opinion, helped to tie the page together and gave it a brilliant finishing look. I used Smart Tone to help blend the page together and to make the image bright and stand out. I also fixed the previous issues with the page where my audience feedback let me know that I had missed the number off the end of the issue number line on the top strip. This was one of several more subtle changes I made. I lightened up the space behind the purple main sell line so that the purple would look better and be more readable. I adjusted the placement of the sell lines slightly and changed the leading so that they all looked equal.
I am very happy with this product. I feel that it would work well as a real product if I were to ever sell it.
Reflection:
I worked on the fifth draft of my front cover. I added in a bar-code though I kept a version without the bar-code for the website so that the digital cover was different.I also added in the issue number on the top strip. These were responses to feedback. I still have some changes I would like to make.
I got in contact with my aunt this morning and scheduled this for the afternoon. This was useful as it confirmed that neither of my experimental drafts were worth using. I have received a lot of negative feedback and I will work from this in the next few days to improve for the next set of drafts I produce.
Once more, I went back to my aunt. She is a recently married 27 year old upper middle class woman. This shows that she would be a part of my target audience and she therefore represents the type of person that I'd need to appeal to. This means that her opinions are particularly valid. She gave some very negative feedback here but this was requested as I wanted to know what I needed to change for the construction of my final product.
Transcript:
- Okay, front cover? - I like the filter on the front cover. That's a change that I think you should stick with. It suits. I just noticed that you forgot to add the number on the end of the issue on the top strip. So be careful of that. Have you considered adding in a barcode? - I could consider that. Here is the contents page? - Not much has changed except changing the saturation of the images and changing the editors note. I'm not sure that this was a good change. Move the title of the editors note up a little and see how that looks. I still think you should put a gap between the image of your sister and the image of the suit. - I will consider that. And the article, please? - The article text is all there. First person is good, makes it more personal. So does the informal tone. I also love the filter that you've put on the images. That makes them work even better together so well done there. - And the billboard? I've made some changes here. - I do not like this billboard layout change at all. It looks awful. I think you need to change it back to how it was and go with that as a final product instead. - Okay, sorry. And the website? - This background looks horrific as well. It doesn't match at all. It's overpowering. Take that away and consider adding more articles. That's all I have to say for now really. - Right, thank you for the advice Once more, I decided to create a graphic to represent this though this is mostly negative feedback.
I worked on my fourth draft of my website and produced an experimental draft. I will receive my feedback and then consider whether or not to keep these changes.
I changed two things here. Firstly, I made the layout tighter and brought things closer together. Second, I experimented more with backgrounds. I used an image of my sister as she is the current model for the front cover as a background for the page. I do not like the way that this looked but I thought the previous layout was dull. Whilst this is more interesting, it is not an aesthetically pleasing design. As I said previously, I think that experimentation must be done to make sure that the final product is definitely the best it can be.
I will continue working hard.
My goal for this month is to finish my drafts and produce final products. I then hope to begin my evaluation at the end of this month and carry it over into March. This will conclude my project and I should hopefully finish with a high quality product that reflect what I have learnt.
Reflection:
I made some changes to the three pages of my website. These changes revolved around adding in a background. It currently doesn't display right so I will change it by adjusting the length of the page.
