Learning the Basics of Adobe Illustrator

These are some of the experimental designs I made using Adobe Illustrator.

Evaluation

This task consisted of me creating a front cover and contents page for a college magazine. I created the front cover using Photoshop and the contents page with InDesign.  Overall, I found Photoshop to be my preferred programme to use as I found that I was able to move things such as the masthead, cover lines and pull quote with more freedom and was able to place them exactly where I wanted them. It was also easier to resize and change the colour of the text.

By creating this magazine cover and contents page, I intended to inform the reader about what will be featured in this magazine. By using the main image to show a practical student in a school setting reflects the topic the magazine's articles revolve around. I believe that my cover star/image could have had a clearer facial expression, as pointed out by audience's feedback, as her facial expression is not clear enough for the reader to immediately understand how she is feeling. From my feedback, I could have also taken the photo on a more basic background so that the cover line colours did not clash with the objects and people in the background. One of my reviews has also stated to try and take pictures with the cover star looking towards the camera as to create direct address. The cover lines also further inform the reader specifically on what articles are featured inside. From my feedback, I have spaced them out well but one review has stated that there may be too many on the page, giving an overcrowded look to the cover. 

My contents page consists of more images linked to the idea of "school" and features the articles featured in the magazine such as interviews, study tips and term dates. I constructed the contents list by looking at my flat plan so that I could refer back to my plan if necessary. I believe I included a good number of pictures in my contents page, as to not make the page feel empty or too cramped. I also made sure that my text was a colour that stood out from the background, to create a contrast and make it easier to read. My feedback shows that I could have changed the layout of the text as it could have been more spread out to give it a more professional look. 

Overall, I believe that the weakest aspect of my front cover is the image and the weakest aspect of my contents page is the layout. To improve these, I have to take pictures with direct address and rearrange and resize text and images in order of priority and spacing.

College Magazine Contents

College Magazine Cover

This is the college magazine front cover that I have designed myself.

College Magazine Cover

College Magazine Cover (Draft)

This is the draft college magazine cover I made using Photoshop. I made it following my plan that I sketched out on paper.

College Magazine Cover (Draft)

This is the draft college magazine cover I made using Photoshop. I made it following my plan that I sketched out on paper.

Front Cover Draft

From this activity I learned about the appropriate use of colours to reflect the artist and the magazine theme. I also learned to keep the colours consistent throughout text and link the colours to the masthead.

Magazine Analysis (Kerrang and MixMag)

 MIXMAG

Image:

• 90's retro style - leather jackets, button up shirts, messy long hair, bushy beards and moustaches
• Black and white filter
• Mid-shot
• Lighting on one side - similar to spotlights used on stage, showing fame
• Serious expressions on artists

Layout:

• Masthead
• Skyline
• Barcode
• Cover star
• Strapline
• Website

Image:

• Larger stories have larger pictures to show their influence and power in the music industry
• All feature the main artist
• Variety of long and mid shots

Layout:

• Split onto two pages by advert
• One column per page
• Multiple pictures of featured artists
• Page headings in bold to stand out from the descriptions

 Image:

• Long-shot
• Black background
• Serious facial expression
• Relaxed pose
• Contrast of artist's gold dress to black background

Layout:

• Multiple columns to fit in a large amount of information
• Heading
• Pull quote
• Colour scheme - black and white; following from the front cover

Language:

• Different aspects are in bold to separate questions from answers
• Text features an interview

KERRANG

 Image:

• White shirt
• Tie
• Formal wear - showing irony of the formal wear by taking it off
• Tattoos - connoting punk/rock genre of magazine
• White background 
• Frank Iero, guitarist of My Chemical Romance, well known rock band

Layout:

• Mid-Shot
• Masthead 
• Skyline  
• Puff 
• Cover line
• Barcode
• Cover star
• Artist is in front of masthead to show that artist has dominance but that the magazine is established and that people know it regardless of whether the full title is visible or not.

 Image:

• Main image - Gerard Way, former singer of well-known band, My Chemical Romance
• Skeleton face-paint - connotes punk-rock genre
• Close up shot
• Shot taken from below to show artist's dominance and power
• Marching band uniform

Layout:

• One column
• Colour scheme - white, black and yellow; consistent with front cover
• Editor's note/letter
• Image preview of front cover to explain what is featured on it

 Image:

• Main image - band known as The Hunna
• Long-shot
• Shot taken up from above implying that they are new to the music industry and may not be that famous yet or are rising stars
• Background consists of wall covered in posters

Layout:

• Pull quote
• Heading
• Colour scheme - black, white and yellow; following from the cover

Language:

• Different aspects are in bold to separate questions from answers
• Text features an interview