Photoshop Prelim Task.

For our second prelim task, we had to design and create a Magazine cover and contents page for a school magazine. We were asked to choose a name for our magazine, choose stories to feature i our magazine and were given complete creative fredom.

Before photoshopping could begin, we had to design and draw out a mock-up for our cover. From this, I learnt that if planned beforehand, an idea can be manipulated and changed if needed and also that the editing part of the process would b quicker also.

Mock-up and camera in hand, in pairs we had to do our cover shoots. I chose to venture outside and swing from a rugby post in hope that I would get my shot. Afterwards, I uploaded my images to the computer and began the editing process.

From my images, the name "Rebel" came to mind so it became my 'masthead', I took the pepet tool and swatched the purple from my jumper for the colour. I also reduced the visability of it to 85%.

Using photoshop, I first used the 'Clone Stamp Tool' on the face to give the skin a cleaner appearance, then used the 'Dodge Tool' to highlight areas such as the teeth.

With the 'Polygonal Lassoo Tool', I cut around my head to give an illusion of my head being infront of the title.

Continuiny with this tool, I created a duplicate layer, cut around my legs and the grass, then reduced the saturation to contrast the top of the image. >

Then I added the surrounding 'cover lines' and 'lures', using personal pronouns such as "Your" to adress the reader directly. I also tried to use a variety of fonts and colours. I used a rhetorical question to also adress the reader and then added a barcode and price in the bottom left corner.

On the contents page, I created a blank file and cut around another image and saturated it, ajusted the curves etc. After adding another title, I moved the image to appear as if hanging from it. Using the 'Burn Tool' I darkened round the edge of the image to appear as if a shadow had formed. I then added a lighter coloured box and text with page numbers.

Overall, I am very pleased with my result, cover especially as I like how the image is almost living and full of energy; almost coming out of the page which is the sort of technique used in the media industry to boost sales and intice readers. Use of colour is another way of doing this, I believe that by enhancing the purple of my jumper by reducing saturation around it, the cover appears more eyecatching and exciting.

When next using photoshop, I will think more about my contents page as I believe that against the cover, it looks simpler and duller in appearance. I am happy with my overall result.