Evaluation of finished products!

I am particularly pleased with the overall layout of my front cover. It looks almost professional with part of the main masthead covered as if to connote that it is such a popular student magazine that the target audience (students) already know what it is called! I am also chauffed with the way the text from the cover lines is wrapped around the main image (which is in a medium close up). The name I felt had a particularly exciting sound and created an almost youthful feel to the magazine. Passion(fruit)- also connotes the passion students have for learning and for life in general.
I was not very happy with the colourscheme in the end and felt it didnt stand out enough, and the bottom text could not be read clearly against his body and arms. I would have prefered to change the colourscheme to a brighter more attracting set of colours. However, it wasn't completely bad considering the yellow connected with his t-shirt and attracted the eye on the text. I felt researching an existing magazine cover was very helpful to determine essential items I needed to include on my front cover and contents page. To improve, if I had had more time I would have liked to create a more poloshed apperance, maybe a few more pictures with a slight opaque look. (I could have achieved this by changing the opacity of the image) however, I would have liked to experiment with the masthead more and changed the font to an almost informal yet, professional tone to represent my target audience more precisely.
On the whole, I am really pleased with my finished products and feel proud of what I have created in such a short amount of time! Throughout this project I have learnt many useful skills including how to use photoshop properly in a more advanced way, how to edit images to my advantage and how to create a finished product using the technology available.

My student magazine cover and contents page!

The colourscheme I have chosen denotes links with the masthead Passionfruit which has these shade of colours. The colour red could connote: passion- for learning, youth, style, fashion- which students are reknowned for. Red is an impassioned colour, the colour most usually related to danger and fire however, also speaks to us of warmth, vitality, fame and strength.
Yellow- When we think of yellow, we most often think of sunshine and happiness. Yellow can be stimulating to the eye; it can capture our attention and can boost self-esteem, and encourage laughter and conversation, which in turn denotes the atmosphere of the college and the students outlooks on life. The brick wall behind him creates a sense of workplace atmosphere however, also connoting security and enforcement that many percieve the education system to be by the government. The background enviroment gives him a sense of identitiy e.g. A student. The glow around the masthead could connote power, fame, purity and idealistic futures that students set themselves as goals. Crossed arms connotes a sense of confidence and defiance, which in turn connote masculine characteristics. His expression connotes attitude and uniqueness. Party pictures captured in the bottom left hand corner which in turn connotes the party lifestyle students have, which also connotes extra loud music excessive drinking and sexual contact. Subjective look used: Creates a direct look at the audience which then creates a more personal relationship between us and the student on the cover which makes him seem more approachable and genuine. He connotes a friendly, interested and lively, exciting persona, (typical of students or young people.)

I carried on the colourscheme form the front page to connote a sense of continuity and therfore connote clear, neatly presentable magazine. I used black font to connote giving a sense of depth and also to create a contrast with the two brighter colours I was using. Physiologically, black heightens emotional responses which could be why readers are more likely to take in the information on the contents page. The tilted photographs give an extra dimension to the page but also connotes standing out, being unique and unusual. The yellow stands out and connotes importance through which captures our attention as a result. The arrow towards the next pages could connote the paths that lay ahead of any student after college or the guidance and help that is available to anyone whatever qualifications they recieve. Font used is sans-serif and informal which suits the style of any students leisure time. I kept all my text right alligned to keep my work precise and orderly, which connotes good presentation of students essays and personal attire.