magazine image front cover

This is a front cover I created of a magazine. The task was to copy and recreate the styles and conventions from the magazine itself. I tried to do this by analysing the layout and colour schemes for exmaple white text for the heading and copy the positioning of the heading from the original magazine. I looked at the types of audiences that would read Dazed & Confused Magazine and compared it to other magazines to see similarities and differences which helped me create my copy by analysing the orignial copy. I looked at factors like where the heading covered and the postioning of the image, i compared this with previous editions of the magazine via web to see the trends of the front cover and font style/colour schemes which are repated so the audiences can instantly identify and recognise the particular magazine from all the others available. For example Dazed & Confused differs from other magazines because it is not predominantly celebrity gossip or news it is more creative arty and fashion, music related. The colours are not aimed specifically at a targeret gender, female or male specific. The magazine advertises beauty, hair and healthcare products for both men and women but has selected specific brands to tie in with the feel of the magazine and the types of products the readers would take interest in and have a desire to want.
Ive found it much easier to use the tools on photoshop than I had previously. I have become much more used to using the layers and text tools, for example using the right fonts which represent the magazine and placing them etc. I think I still have to develop my skills on using the wand to cut out and edit the shapes of images and backrounds but i think it wont be too hard to master now ive got a basic grip of the tools. I have learnt how to change the opacity of texts and how to rotate texts which will be very useful when I create the front cover for my A-level coursework, I think that by then I will be much more able and confident with alot of the tools on photoshop its just a case of getting used to them and using them to help me understand how they all work. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnjGSGC3Ka0UxQy0qQ6OKUxfIhd18J9HzhisQJJh2V5qf0bWA7D4t6xHE2I1TS0qyY4inzAKjCyEQoW4F51Km4Lb6dyUfI-P73ZmKy3OEkh1LxwggQ2JLXExsbICEYFy4Y-gLqLp0XqwQ/s400/50947.jpg
This link is an example of the layout of Dazed and Confused Magazines. The layout and front cover often portray arty/indie types of people or musicians portraying a certain image to the reader. I feel the target audience for the magazine is aimed at both men and women of a yougner audience who are into indiviual types of bands and musicians who have an interest in catwalk fashion and contemporary art and films rather than mainstream Hollywood Blockbuster types of films. Audiences who read Dazed & Confused Magazine are likely to read an array of other magazines maybe specialising on hair, fashion, celebrity culture, LadsMags etc but choose Dazed & Confused aswell because it has a bit of everything within it. It has news on music, bands, fashions, interviews, film reviews art etc and it is different from other magazines in the fact it is neutral and doesnot portray stong sexualised vibes or cry out to a certain genger, it is a more specialised and querky magazine targeted at a limited audience.
http://i.models.com/feed/uploads/1165336477_orig_Picture2copy.jpg This is an example of how the magazine targets both Men and Women in a sexual way but a equal way rather than a specific gender and sterotypical features, large breasts and sixpack muscles, perma tans etc which alot of magazines play on in order to attract audiences. This image is strange and eye catching artisitc and individual and anti mainstream which is what Dazed and Confused is all about.

Photoshop/Creativity blog

Today the task in media was to learn basic skills by using photoshop. This activity was to help us practise and grasp the basic skills of usig layers to copy and paste images, use the tools to make the same image appear a number of times and move them into the correct position on the screen and link the texts to the next page , so in affect create the front page and following slides of the website. I found it really hard to follow the steps and got stuck on the different layers. I was trying to complicate from the actuall task and create what I wanted which was the ideas in my head about the website page for the film. It was important that I grasped the basics of photoshop but it was also good that I have learnt how to work it because of the problems and frustration i was having with the programme. It will help me remember the mistakes and not to make them again. With some more practise with the same images I think i will become much more able and used to using photoshop by the time I have to start creating my website. I have lots of ideas about colour schemes and images that I want to use which I have got from learning about sign systems that audiences are used to being exposed to,and what they represent about genres of films. For exampe "chick flick" style of films are often associated with the colour pink and girl band styles of music. My creativity has developed alot since starting the Media course about a year ago, I have become more aware of the ways in which media texts like magazines target specific audiences through colours, images, words, headlines, music genres, specific celebrities interviewed and diet regimes all play a big part in identities and representation created through the Media.

Continued

My creativity has also developed in the semiotic/signsystem feel for example i have been thinking about what types of music would create the right sign to the audience about the genre of the film and convey the style and meaning behined the film for example because our film is indie/deep i am looking at a local indie band "The Friday Finish" to create a unique and individual feel for the music on the trailer, this will hopefully pull in the audience and convey mystery and turmoil which are emotions running throughout the film. Here is a link to the Band site of the music i am looking into for the trailer..
I have been analysing aspects of the trailer and magazine like colour schemes and what they instantly convey to the audience. I wanted colour schemes that would instatntly give an accurate feel of the film and genre. The colour scheme i think would really showcase the trailer and magazine would be dark colours like blue and black so that audiences can relate it with confusion and dark humour/thoughts.

How Has My creativity Developed Through New Media Technologies

My creativity has developed through using new media technologies like web .2.0 for example evaluating my work via internet sites likes YouTube, researching online for film information and watching videos online to make comparisons. I have learnt more about editing software online and how certain programmes are used. By using technologies it has been easier to film and stay in contact and updated. I have become a media producer as well as a consumer because of the digital technologies which has helped me had a greater insight to how media texts are produced and the ways in which they are consumed.

Blog

This is my first ever Blog.