Post-production techniques and processes (U3:P5)

 Learning outcome 4 (U3): Be able to carry out post-production techniques and processes for an original media product to a client brief 

Front cover

I started off by uploading opening the photo I took of the model onto the A4 document.

Using the quick select tool, I selected the entire body and hair of the model and erased the areas I did not want to be selected. Then, to change it so that it selects the background, I clicked select, then inverse. After, I pressed filter at the top, then blur, then selected the gaussian blur to blur the background so it does not take the readers attention away from the artist. 

Using the text tool, I added the sans serif style font to type in the masthead - ICON. It is in black to maintain the brand identity. Then, using the magnetic lasso tool, I surrounded to top half of her face so it would be selected. I pasted it on a layer on top of the text so it would look like the text is behind her. 

I thought this yellow statue inside the 'o' was quite distracting. I surrounded it with the lasso tool and pressed delete on my keyboard so it would be deleted and blended into the sky background.

Using the text tool, I added the slogan 'anyone can be an icon' in the same font as the masthead in a smaller size that fits between the edge of the masthead and hair of the featured artist/model. 

Using the text tool, I added the strapline 'see every featured artist live' in the same font as before. Using the rectangle tool, on a layer underneath the text I added a rectangle going across the page where the letters fit inside. Then, using the opacity scale, I turned the opacity of the box down to 27% so it would be transparent.

Using the text tool, I added in part of the main article coverline in a large contemporary, sans serif style font, in the colour pink. Then, on a new layer I added the other part of that coverline, in a lighter shade of the pink, almost white. These parts were much smaller so the name of the featured artist would be more noticeable. I then merged these layers so if it needed to be moved, it could be moved as a whole. 

I then added the other coverlines with the same colours and sans serif font. The more relevant words that the readers should be allured into are in pink and slightly bigger, for example: 'win, icon'. 

I added a pink arrow in the same colour. I did this by finding an image of the arrow I wanted, selected it with the quick selection tool. I then eyedropper the pink colour from the coverlines and using the brush tool on a large size, coloured it in. I then pasted it next to the words pointing at the model.

I added this coverline inside a box so not all the coverlines look the same. I started out with the rounded rectangle tool to add the larger white box. I turned the opacity down on the side. Then I added the smaller pink box on top using the rectangle box. I added the text with the text tool in colours corresponding with the opposite background.

I added a drop shadow to all the coverlines so they would be clear to read. I did this by pressing FX, then drop shadow. I made the opacity  to 74%. 

I added a barcode with a transparent background in the bottom left corner. I then, with the text tool, added the price '£4.99' in the font Arial so it is clear to read. It is just above the barcode so it isn't imposing but it is easy to find. 

I exported the final photoshop document as a JPEG and uploaded it to my blog.

Double page spread

I started out by adding a guide to the A3 horizontal photoshop document. This meant it would be clear to separate the two pages in the double page spread. I did this by selecting view, then New Guide, then selecting vertical and typing in 50%.

I added in the main image of the artist to the front cover. I ensured her body would be on the left side so it looks like a poster. I then added an off-white box using the rectangle tool to around two thirds of the right page. This meant the main featured article (interview) would be on the section without the box as it flows from the photograph of the artist, to being able to learn more about her. The other sections of the interview such as the twitter Q&A will be inside the white box. I felt the photograph could have more colour, so I went on image, then adjustments, then Hue/Saturation and increased the saturation so that the colours would be brighter. 

Using the text tool, I added in the artist's name to the top of the poster in the cursive font. Using the eyedropper tool, I selected the same pink that was used on the front cover to ensure it was cohesive. I then added an outer glow and a shadow to the letters so it would be easier to read and more noticeable. This was done by pressing the FX button.

I decided to add pink lines using the rectangle tool to separate each section. I used the eyedropper to ensure the pink colour of the lines matches the other shades of pink. 

Using the Sans serif font I also used for my front cover, I added in the pull quote that is used to entice readers. I did it in the same accent colour of pink and added the same drop shadow and outer glow as mentioned before. I also added the strap-line using the text tool in the sans serif  style font Arial. I did it in bold so it is separated from the body copy. It is in black so it's clear to read and contrasts to the pink and blue. 

 

I opened another picture of the artist/model and used the quick selection tool to cut her out of the image. I copied and pasted the image of her onto the double page spread. I positioned the image so it would look like she is sitting on the pink bar separating the different articles. 

I then wrote the body copy article using the text tool in the sans serif font Arial in black. This makes it clear to read. Furthermore, the questions are in bold and the answers are not. This makes it clear to separate the two. I spaced the words out around the image of the artist so it would not be blocking the answers. 

In the same pink colour, I added the magazine's website using the text tool at the bottom of the left page under the large image of the artist. It's in the same sans serif font as the ones for the headlines and and coverlines. 

I opened the twitter logo to photoshop. Using the quick selection tool, I selected the entire logo. Using the brush tool on a large size, I then tapped the selected area to make the logo pink. I then did the same to the instagram logo. 

I then copied these to the bottom of the right hand page in the middle. Using the text tool, in the sans serif font, which is the same as the headlines and website, I typed the magazines social media handles with the corresponding social media logo. The text is in the matching pink colour. It is the same size as the website so it lines up perfectly. 

Using the text tool, I added the page numbers '70' and '71' on the outside corners of each page. It is in the same pink colour as the other pink features. It is in a small font size so it does not distract from the article, yet still is clear for the reader to see. 

Using the text tool, I added the headline 'See Lara Perry Live!'. It is in the same sans serif font I have used for the other headlines. It also follows the same style as the others, because it's in pink and has a drop shadow and outer glow. Then I used the text tool to add in the body copy - information about the live show. It is in the sans serif font Arial in the colour black. The words that should be more noticeable, such as 'now, live' are in capital letters so readers are drawn in and want to read more. 

I uploaded an image of concert tickets to photoshop. I decided the blue would contrast to the pink and so I decided to make them also pink. I selected all the blue areas using the quick selection and selected image and then adjustments. Then I went on the curves tool and changed the type from RGB to red. I adjusted the settings until it was the right shade I wanted. However, the black areas were now a red shade. Therefore, using the polygonal lasso tool, I selected the areas with black on it and pressed image, then adjustments and then black and white.

I copied the new image of the tickets onto the article the fill the blank area. Using the text tool, in the font arial and the colour black, I wrote 'Lara Perry' on top of the tickets so it would look like they were the tickets readers would get if the purchased, inviting them to get their own. 

Using the text tool, I wrote the headline for the twitter Q&A section of the double page spread. It is cohesive with my other headlines as it's in the same sans serif font, in the same pink colour, and has a drop shadow and outer glow. I then added the strap line in the black font arial in bold so it matches the other articles. 

I opened the image of the twitter text box and using the quick selection tool, selected it all and copied it into the double page spread. Then, using the text tool, I added the tweets that readers have sent in. I made the username of the readers tweets in the blue colour of the twitter box so it resembles the same format of the popular social media app that readers can identify. The rest of the tweet is in black. It is in the sans serif font arial. 

I added the replies from the tweet by the artist using the rounded text tool and used the text tool on a layer above to write inside it in the font Arial. I then added a pink boarder around the box by pressing FX, and then selecting stroke. It is in the same pink colour so it matches. 

I added the same pink boarder around the twitter boxes to ensure it is cohesive. However, I still felt like this section was missing something. I used the rectangle tool to create two large rectangles around each question. It is in a lighter shade of the pink. I think this brings this section more together and makes it clear to the reader which answer is for which question. 

I opened another photo of the featured artist. Using the curvature pen tool, I selected around the top half of the artist's body. After it was all selected, I clicked select and then inverse. I then pressed image, and then adjustments, and then lastly black and white. This meant she was in colour, but the background was not. I used the elliptical marquee tool to select the area I wanted to be in my magazine. 

I then pasted it into the double page spread. To make the image match the rest of the magazine, I added a pink boarder around it, which I did by pressing FX, and selected stroke. I then added the same drop shadow as all the other headlines. After, I added the headline with the text tool. I followed the same format which I have done with the other headlines which is the sans serif font in pink with a white outer glow and a drop shadow. The words 'Lara's' and 'top 10' are bigger than favourite songs as they are smaller phrases and entice readers.  

I added 10 pink circles using the ellipse tool. Then, using the text tool, I added numbers 1-10 in each circle. This was in the sans serif font in the colour white. I then merged layers of the corresponding number to circle. This was done but clicking both layers, then pressing layers at the top, and then merge layers. After, I added a drop shadow to each circle by pressing FX, then drop shadow. Lastly, I added the songs and the singers of the songs using the text tool. They are all in black in the sans serif font arial; the song names are in bold and italic and the singers names are underneath. 

Using the ellipse tool, I added an oval to the bottom left section in the left page in my double page spread. It is in the pink colour to match the rest of the double page spread. Then using the gradient tool, I made the oval blend from a lighter shade of pink so it adds dimension. I added the white outer glow and drop shadow using the FX tool. I then turned the opacity down using the opacity bar on the side. After, I pasted the QR code into the oval. Using the text tool, I added text explains what to scan the QR code for; it is in the same sans serif font as the headlines, however it is in black to contrast to the pink background. 

Lastly, I pasted in the music applications that the artist's music is available to listen to on via scanning the QR code. These are small at the bottom however still clear enough for readers to identify them. 

I exported the final photoshop document as a JPEG and uploaded it to my blog.

Review of target audience suitability

Whilst creating my artist based, pop and hip-hop magazine, I focused on ensuring it will appeal to my target audience of both genders aged 15-19 with a social class. One way I have ensured this is by matching the boldness and excitingness of the pop and hip-hop genre with the bright colours featured throughout my magazine. Although I did not want to stray away from the overall concept of the magazine which is that it is an artist based magazine, which is reflected as the colour scheme will change each issue to reflect the featured artist, due to the

fact they will all be artists from the same genre, the colour scheme is likely to always be quite bright, as these are the type of colours the pop and hip-hop genre connotes and tends to use in, for example, music videos or album covers. This also means the target audience is likely to be attracted to this magazine as they can tell that it is a genre they are interested in. Additionally, the brief states I need to reflect the 'vibrant music scene' which is reinforced by the vibrance of the colours. The bright pink text and blue/green background attracts the target audience as blue typically attracts boys and pink typically attracts girls. This reflects how all genders are being targeted. They also compliment each other well and add a contrast, making the coverlines noticeable, alluring potential readers.

Another design aspect that makes my magazine suitable for the target audience is the font choices. The masthead font is simple and contemporary which reflects the youngness and the modern aesthetic I have found many teenagers are attracted to. Furthermore, many pop and hip-hop albums are taking a more modernist approach. The font used for the coverlines on the front cover and headlines in the double page spread is fun and bubbly, reflecting the age of the target audience. It also is not too childish which may put off some of the target audience from buying. The font arial for the body copy attracts the target audience because it is clear to read, meaning it can be read quicker. This is positive as due to the fact technology has progressed so much and everything is much more instant, teenagers attention spans are much shorter. 

However, this brings me on to my potential weaknesses, first being the body copy. Although it is written with a lighthearted tone with a simple, making it easy for the target to understand, there is quite a lot of content, especially in the interview. This may mean readers can get bored of reading for too long and not purchase this magazine again. If I were to go back, I may have added more interactive activities that readers can do so they are not bored of reading too much.

Another strength to my magazine I feel is the layout. This is because the lines dividing each section make it clean which is aesthetically pleasing, and also very clear to see each article. This is suitable for my target audience because it means readers can navigate their way through the magazine and not feel overwhelmed with too much content. The fact that the main article has the same background as the poster, whereas the other sections have a plain background, allows readers to understand that this one is more important and is related specifically to whom the picture is of - which is the featured artist. 

Lastly, an aspect of the magazine that attracts the target audience is the large online presence. The fact that the website and social media handles alternate at the bottom of the page make it extremely clear to readers that the magazine has more content online. In addition, this appeals to both the primary target audience and the secondary (family members of primary) as teenagers are a social group that are heavily involved in social media. This is also demonstrated through the QR code which can be scanned to listen to the singer's music, which attracts the target audience as it is a new way of using technology to gain access to exclusive content.

Another weakness to my magazine is the colour pallet. Although, as I mentioned before how it is bold which reflects target audience as it connotes the pop genre and their is blue and pink on the front cover which appeals to all genders, the double page spread is very heavy in pink. This may mean that only girls feel it is suitable for them as pink is stereotypically a feminine colour. If I were to redo this, I would add more blue to contrast, and possibly a third colour of yellow as it is a neutral colour that can attract those that the other colours do not appeal to. 

Another weakness to my magazine is that, although it is a North London based magazine (which is shown through one of the coverlines on the front cover and some information in the interview)
there may not be enough information on this that it is clear to the readers to the point where they can identify with the featured artist. If I were to go back, I might make the background more recognisable places in North London and do a section on life in North London. This makes it clear to the target audience its North-London based and fits the brief better. 

Despite the potential weaknesses, I believe through many ways, especially the heavy online and social media presence, this magazine is perfectly suitable to attract the target audience.