Evaluation & Analysis

Evaluation & Analysis of Preliminary Task
The basis of the preliminary task was to create a front cover, contents and feature page of a college magazine aimed at the 16-19 demographic. By using desktop publishing, a modern and youthful magazine with an appropriate layout had to be formed to comply with existing codes and conventions of other magazines. By using a similar layout to other print editions, such as ‘NME’ or ‘Total Film’ a sense of continuity can be formed so that the audience can be enticed into the magazine. By compiling both a feature and a contents page, certain factors had to be linked to enable the reader to flow throughout the magazine. Due to the nature of the audience, the age bracket is represented through colour, typography, and imagery to provide a youthful and sophisticated illustration of the audience. This college magazine is aimed at both new and current college students experiencing college life allowing them to have an informative and mature magazine provided by the college.
‘The FC’ is aimed at the 16-19 demographic aspirers, through the content, imagery, and colour of the magazine. This informative magazine provides the readers with the latest information from around the college, for free. The non-gender specific colours, enables the magazine to target both male and females within the ages of 16-19. By using colours such as lime green and purple, a sophisticated and modern representation of the audience is formed allowing a clear formality to be created.
The use of lime green is in tune with the young demographic by adding eccentric twist on modern codes and conventions of college magazines. This in turn with purple creates the idea of sophistication and a sense of maturity of the audience, which portrays the socio-economical demographic this audience is situated in.
When comparing the audience with other social-economic classes, students are portrayed to be the least valued due to the amount of funds they have. Due to the free nature of the magazine, it is suggested that the intended target audience would be more enticed to a free informative magazine with the option to donate money to a chosen charity. With this element fully incorporated into the magazine, the audience feels like they are giving something back into the community, allowing them to seek more respect and adapt the stereotypical traits of this audience.
By using youthful and energetic colours, with a professional finish allows this low social group to feel like they are valued within the community in and outside of college life. With the addition of sophisticated typography, and an appropriate layout, the reader is enticed into a professional yet youthful magazine, allowing them to be linked to the college.
The front cover provides the audience with articles relating to current trends and events happening at this time. By including articles that relate to technology such as Mobile Phones and iPods, the audience is further engaged in the magazine. The main article featured on the front cover, is primarily aimed at the Year 2’s, advancing to university however by adding a technology related competition to the front cover, both years are reached.
The overall composition of the image used on the front cover, contributes to professional and mature finish of the magazine. The female which is used, has had limited image manipulation, allowing for this niche market to be welcomed into the magazine, without any falsifications being created. The young and energetic image of the woman links in with the stereotypical traits of this audience attracting both sexes. All elements of the image have been thought through, providing a natural and clear image, for the audience to relate to. By using an original background, the whole front cover continues throughout. This image has also been duplicated on the feature page, and a similar image has been used on the contents page. By linking all of the images together the audience can recognise which pages relate to each other. The overall layout of the magazine is very basic yet engages the audience into the magazine. Through the use of colour, the audience can fully relate to the magazine, and feel proud that they have a publication which is dedicated to such a niche market.
Throughout the preliminary task, I have learnt various skills which will enable be to use these on other topics and tasks that involve desktop publishing. From using digital cameras, to using the Apple iMacs, the skills which I have learnt have become more honed and rounded which will contribute to further tasks. Skills which I have learnt from previous and present task will help towards the main project, due to the understanding of software to design magazines, and recognising what the audience is looking for.
Concluding the preliminary task, the overall composition of the magazine has worked well, with skills being learnt and a magazine fit for purpose being created. The finish of each page is professional for the audience it’s targeting, however some features can be adapted to fit in even more, such as more articles featuring on the front cover. However I feel that an overall representation of the audience has been created through the use of colour, typography, and layout enabling the 16-18 demographic to be reached.