AS DRAFT FEED BACK SHEET, EVALUATION OF AN OCR/PEER MAGAZINE

Draft Feedback Sheet

Evaluation of an OCR magazine

Evaluation of a Peer's magazine

Improvements

Feedback following the first drafts of my magazine's front cover, contents and double page spread.
An improvement point that I was given regarding my front cover was the main image. From a distance the main image looks fine, but when zoomed in, it is slightly obvious that the pixels are a bit too soft. The picture was taken with an SLR camera, so instead of taking the photo again with another camera I attempted to adjust the sharpness of the image. Below I have compared the adjusted image (on the right) to the original image (on the left), and I will ask for feedback on whether it's proven to be an advancement OR whether it could do with some more work to it. A particular area that needed adjusting was the eye area and I have slightly defined them more. You can also notice the more sharpness on the face area and also the hair. However I feel that the jacket area could still do with some more sharpening. 

SECOND ATTEMPT
I feel that this is too sharp and looks too unrealistic and false.





SKIN TONES
Part of my feedback was changing the tone of the image. From looking at the print out of my front cover, it seems that the skin tone is slightly yellowy. Therefore I've used the dodge tool on photoshop and lightened the tone of the face. I did this following the sharpness change that I also did (as seen above). Below is the third part of the editing progress.

Above you can notice that I made the image slightly darker to even out skin tones after increasing the sharpness of the image.

Progress on Front Cover

This is my Front Cover first draft in progress. I completed this and then asked for feedback. One thing that was complimented was the colour scheme matching the clothes, and also the font. However there was also some areas of improvements suggested. 
Firstly I was advised to put the masthead and the banner behind the image, however I disagreed with this. I felt that because it's the first issue of a BRAND NEW magazine, it's vital that the masthead is bold and stands out to readers. It is a good suggestion having it behind the image, however the reader needs to see the name of the magazine and if it's placed behind, all they will be reading is 'Sa'. Further down the line of selling the magazine would be a more appropriate time to put the masthead behind the image as the magazine would've become more known and recognisable to readers. Another piece of advice I was given related to the masthead is that it needs to be bolder. The font is too soft and doesn't go so well with the cover as a whole. Therefore in my final first draft I used the same font, however I spelt 'Sample' in capital letters. I prefer it this way because it fits in so much better with the other fonts, and it also relates to it being a first magazine. With it being more bold, the masthead will be unmissable!
Another area of improvement that was advised was the cover line fonts on the left side of the page which I was unsure about already. I thought that because it's a different colour and on a different colour background, it caused them to look less bold than the ones in black. However when I came to fix this, what I realised was that I had used the same font, but with a lower boldness than the ones in black. I also pulled them out more horizontally to match the black cover lines on the right side. This has improved the look of my magazine and made me more symmetrical.
I had split my magazine in three sections. The first being the masthead, face of image, and the black cover lines. The second being the 'This months hottest' and the third being the 'EVE T' circle and the orange cover lines. I was advised to bring the & sign on top of the 'EVE T' circle. However I felt that by doing this, it reduces the 'bold' and 'most important part of the magazine' effect that I wanted. If I keep it behind the circle it pushes the 'EVE T' to the front, making it clear that this is who the image is of and this is what you must read inside! By putting the circle behind the & it reduces the effect I wanted.
I was also advised to move the bar code off the jacket, which I have, and also to move the issue number to below the banner, which I also have done. This makes it clearer that this is a first issue and it also makes it more easy for the reader to know the date of the magazine.
Finally, my image. I'm really pleased with my image and it's exactly the pose and look that I wanted! I think it's perfect as a front cover image. It's not to 'catalogue' or 'seductive' in terms of the Trevor Millum poses. It portrays her as dominant, glamorous (choice of clothing and subtle make up and hair), and also has attitude which is EXACTLY how I have wanted my artist to come across from the start. Also the colour scheme goes well with her clothes and also adds to the effect that I wanted to come across with the front cover. I'm really happy with the effect because I wanted the main characteristics to come across in the front cover as it's what the reader looks at first. It's like a first impression so I wanted to create these effects so that the reader gets a generalisation of what she's like prior to reading the article. The image also helps with this as she's leaning forward as though she wants to speak to the reader, which makes them more involved and also helps them to like the artist before reading about her. If the image was too false or 'catalogue' like for example, it would damage the readers impression and make it harder for them to come up with an assumption.

Front Cover First Draft

Contents Page First Draft

Double Page Spread First Draft

Progress on DPS

SINGLE CD COVER

I have made this SINGLE CD COVER because I wanted it to appear on my DPS, promoting her single. It will appear on the right page, at the end of the article. My inspiration for the look of the CD cover was the artist 'Kesha'. From the beginning I have used Kesha as inspiration for my artist because of her style of music and her photo shoots. I looked at some of her CD covers and I really liked the 'glittery' effect seen in some of them. However with my CD cover I felt that the glitter doesn't reflect my artist correctly so I went for a 'glossy' look which I feel links with her glamorous personality. The deep and darker colours also reflect my artists attitude. I think my CD cover fits my artist and the genre perfectly and I'm pleased with what I've produced.

Final photo idea's for my DPS

Photo shoot for the final photos with Eve!

These are my final photo's for my magazine (not yet edited). I took them in my local village hall so that I could use a white background. I took a total of 246 images and narrowed them down A LOT! I wanted my artist to look really up to date with fashion and to look glamorous, so I took photos in a variety of outfits. I wanted the make up to be subtle because personally I feel that if too much make up is worn, it makes it more suitable for a fashion magazine rather than music. Also because I want my artist to come across glamorous, too much make up would overpower this. I also wanted to keep the element of her background (her past/upbringing) in her look and I feel that this is the effect I've created.
I knew exactly what poses I wanted before hand, as I had researched artists with similar genres and looks to what I wanted. Then I looked at how they pose etc. Followed by then looking at a variety of music magazines and the images used inside of them. I came to the photo shoot with a list of poses I needed to get and I feel I got the exact poses I wanted.
I only used one prop (a microphone), and I'm really pleased with the turn out of those images and I'm using one for my DPS. I wanted a variety of long shots, mid shots and close ups. Other than wanting a mid shot for my front cover, I didn't have a certain decision of images I definitely wanted on the Contents and DPS and it was hard to narrow the images down. I had a variety of different poses that reflected the personality of EVE T and also her music genre. I quite like the laid back poses such as the ones with the microphone and her smiling. I like these because she isn't making eye contact with the camera and it creates a relaxed and laid back effect. It portrays that she isn't too bothered about doing modelling and perfect poses etc, and this reflects back to her upbringing, personality and style of music. I feel that the microphone image I've used in my DPS links with the article as she talks about how she wants to have fun with music. In the image she is about to sing, or already has and is smiling which helps portray her personality. Also because of the non direct eye contact, it looks as though she's engaging with other people, which makes the reader feel less intimidated by her. I think in most magazines, artists seem intimidating because of their wealth and because their famous and I think that some images used in magazines are intimidating to the reader and has an 'in your face' effect. Also I tried to create the effect that she doesn't think she's better than other people and that she is on the same level. I felt I have achieved this through the photo of her on the floor in my DPS (and where it's placed on the page). Connotations of this image are 'below, lower, look down on' etc. THEN the long shot of her looking dominant meets with the floor shot and equals it out, bringing upon the effect are equality. Then the close up image of her I feel gives the effect that the reader is getting to know her and feels close to her because of this.
I think the effect from the photos is that she's down to earth, has attitude, is on the same level as readers and is glamorous.

Representation of a Social Group

My character, Eve T is a white, heterosexual, female artist of the age of 19 from Leicester. She fits in with the 'late teens' social group. Her character is slightly fierce, and strong due to her background. She's middle to lower class, yet has a glamorous side which is shown through how she presents herself.

I want her to appeal to both men and women, yet I want her character to be dominant. Considering the male gaze, I want her to represent females as dominant and strong. I want girls and women to look at Eve as a role model. What you tend to see in pictures of women is that they come across vulnerable or appealing to men. This is the effect i do not want. I want to link her background (how she grew up), with her character so you kind of stereotype what she's like. For example, you assume someone who comes from a lower class background to speak at a low register and dress in things such as jumpers with hoods etc..
However to add to this, I want people to then be shocked when they see that she's also a very charming, classy and well presented character. My aim is to cause an element of surprise, and I'm doing this through the image (how she dresses, her look, etc), the artist profile and the article.

So my artist is: new, strong, has attitude, is glamorous, dedicated, a perfectionist, dominant and role model.

Her image that I will use portrays a more higher class because she will be dressed well, however her genre of music reflects her actual background. You wouldn't stereotype someone who was brought up in a non wealthy kind of background to look the way she does and you wouldn't stereotype a higher class person to produce the kind of music Eve does (hip hop/dance). So I'm mixing it up a bit.

The ideas I have for final shots should hopefully portray Eve as 'something new'. I don't want any shots with her looking down as this could link with status division, or it could falsely represent her.

With my test shots I wanted to create a sense of equality and to do this I specifically chose the photo angles. One thing I think you have to be care full of with photos is to prevent people from interpreting the image a different way than what you want. I want people to look up to Eve, however I don't want to do this through shots of her looking down because it's intimidating and people could look at it and feel 'below' the character. I also don't want Eve to look up (causing the reader to look down at her) as this reinforces her original status before becoming an artist.
The first test shot I feel gives a good effect. It fits the Trevor Millan 'seductive pose' but she still looks cool and steady levelled. People would look at it and feel 'brought in' by the image, however it is still dominant which relates with Eve's background and personality. This pose draws people in and it's what you need to do as it's a first impression.
The third test shot I feel represents the background of Eve more. You stereotype someone as 'middle to lower class' as people who hang on the streets, and lean on walls etc, and I feel this is what the picture portrays. Overall it gives a sense of mystery, which is what I want because referring back to the article...Eve is 'all about surprises'.
The leaning forward pose that I have also done in the test shots, to me, is effective. However I think I would do the leaning forward from a different camera angle and position. I feel this pose involves the reader, and it seems as though Eve is reaching out to the reader.

Creative Front Covers