Mock Magazine- What I have learnt.

By making a mock magazine it has helped be discover new types of software like Photoshop, different layouts a magazine can have, what makes a good main image photograph and that a simple font for the masthead is just as effective as using an uncommon internet font. By doing this process I learn different tools and effects I can use on Photoshop to give a more professional outcome of the front cover.

Photoshop is a photo editing software which allows you to use different effects and tools to edit an image. It helped me discover new tools that I will be able to use in the future when it comes to making my music magazine. I discovered that on Photoshop everything on the page is  a different ‘layer’ and that each layer can be edited and changed by clicking on the layer without it effecting any of other layers. If you want to move a layer, you have to click on the layer down the side bar of the page, each layer has a small image of what each layer is so you know exactly which layer you need to move. Furthermore, each of the layers are also labelled ‘layer 1,2,3..’ if the layer is an image and if the layer is text then the name of that layer is just the written text on the page I found out that the ‘lasso’ cut tool allows to cut out a specific shape on an image, I used this tool when adding the background of the front cover, I was able to cut bits of the background off so I could mould it around the main image, again giving a more professional outcome. The ‘sponge’ too allowed me to lighten dark areas on the main image eg, the eyes, so that they stood out more and looked more piercing. The ‘blending options’ that were available to text came in very useful when creating the masthead and headline on the main cover. The blending options allowed me to emboss, highlight, indent, etc the text so that it would stand out from the page and give it more of a 3D effect, I used this on both the masthead and headline. Photoshop also offers a wide range of fonts to choose from, so it was hard choosing one which was suitable, I ended up choosing the font ‘veranda’ as I found out that most magazines use simple texts like this and it is just as effective as using an uncommon internet font. I decided to choose this font because it is simple and easy to read for everyone, whereas if I had used a text with joint-up hand writing style some of the target audience may not have been able to understand what it says, so it was important to choose a simple text.

I learnt from this process that the main image is very important. I chose to do a main image where the person was looking directly at the camera so that when it was put onto the front cover it was looking directly at the audience, so it engages with the reader and makes them want to pick the magazine up to have a look at it. I chose to take the photograph outside using the natural light as sometimes using a flash can sometimes give an image too much exposure. The location was important, so I chose to take the image be outside in the main yard of the college as it is a recognised part of the college. The model in the image is smiling to give the college a positive attitude for the college and showing how settled in and happy she is to be at the college.

Overall I am pleased with the result of this mock magazine as it was the first time I have properly used Photoshop to create something like this and it helped me learn new tools that I can use in the future for when I make my music magazine. I now feel a lot more confident in making my music magazine as I know what is expected in the front cover, main image and contents page.