Front Cover Evaluation (Preliminary Task)

 

The first stage of producing the front cover was researching existing Excel front covers. I looked at the simplistic layout and the way a dominant image was used on every cover with the mast head carrying the same house style on each magazine. With ‘Excel’ being a school magazine it is clear the target audience is young people in the age range of 11-18. I then researched a few more magazines which there was a lot more going on, magazines such as ‘Empire’. From looking at the different range of magazines I realised most magazine have a dominant image a mast head also a strapline, from noticing this it influenced me to include these features in my design.  I then sketched out 3 templates on paper and chose the design I thought was best to carry on and produce on Photoshop. I then opened Photoshop and began to use the tools to sketch out the template which I would develop into my final piece. As I became more familiar with the tools on Photoshop it became easier to use. I began adding layers for the dominant image, mast head, strapline puffs and the barcode. Once I had added these layers I began taking photos. I chose the photo on the magazine as I could work round the figure and insert the mast head above. I started with just the dominant image as the very back layer, I then added text (the mast head) I began exploring the features of Photoshop a little more and added a few effects on to the text.  Once I had designed my front cover had to make further developments and re-arrange where my strap line and main puff was far to close and the house style of them both clashed. Also I decided to move the white background form the Armthorpe Academy logo as it made it stand out too much. The black outline around the circle was far too big so I reduced the thickness of that in order to make it look although it should be there.