I was very conscious of the copyright issues that surrounded the images I used. I will list the images and who the credit goes to for each one.
The large picture on the double-page spread featuring the squirrel, the devil and the man are some pictures I came across while searching for other royalty-free pictures. I used PhotoShop to adapt these into a new picture and I added a copyright-free image of fire to the man's finger. The background is also from a copyright-free image.
The logos for each site I researched belong to those respective sites.
The pictures of the double-page spreads in my research were found on Google and linked back to scans of magazines on blogs by other students.
The photos in the "Images to use" post i made were taken by me. I have the right to these photos, The Merchant character in one of these pictures was drawn by me.
Thursday, 12 May 2011
Some changes
I've been reviewing my work and I've decided to make some last minute changes. For example, I decided I wasn't happy with the change of colour scheme with the newspaper ad, so I decided to make it more relevant. I also added the same logo as the website and double page-spread, and I added a picture of the devil from my double-page spread. This is the final version below.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Evaluation
Introduction
For my A2 Advanced Portfolio, I was set the task of creating a website for a new teen channel. I decided to focus on music, as that is a very important aspect of life for teenagers. My site is aptly-named BenFM and it focuses on music for both TV and radio. My target audience was older teenagers, of both genders. There is something for everyone on the site. I have a very dark colour scheme, with greens and reds mixed in to stand out. I didn't think these colours would stereotypically represent genders, such as the way blue does with boys, or pink does with girls. ALong with creating a website, I was also set two ancillary tasks, which were to create a newspaper advertisement, and a double-page spread from a magazine. Both had to be related to my site to help promote it.
Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In preparation for completing the tasks, I researched into each one of them to find codes and conventions of websites, newspaper ads and magazines. I tried to make my work similar to those. In terms of the newspaper ad research, my work is similar to these examples in several ways. For example, I have a tagline to go with the title, and I have a few important details summarised in a list. I included the dates and places to see the channel, and I ended it with a link to my site. This is all the vital information, plus it doesn't clog up the advert too much, maintaining a sort of clearance to attract the eye of a reader. My double-page spread somewhat challenges conventions. I wanted to make something different; not too plain, not too complex. Instead of including one giant photo of the band or one of the band members, I included a picture I made using photoshop to combine several images I came across whilst looking for royalty-free photos. It is meant to be related to the band's new album, but this is not revealed in the article, nor the interview. Some of the conventions I used in my work was the small piece of article on the bottom half of the page, which was common to a lot of the examples I researched. I also have a large title on the left, much like the other examples do. On the right, I have unconventionally spaced out the interview so that it is easier to read and doesn't appear as a single block of text. When making the website, I tried to keep to the conventions I had seen in the sites from my research. For example, I put the navigation bar at the very top of the page, and included much of the content common to the sites I studied. The home page included segments of all the other pages to act as a taster of the site. If viewers wished to read more, they could navigate to the appropriate page and read everything.
Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?
The main product, the website, was combined very effectively with the ancillary tasks: the advert and the double-page spread. For instance, I kept the same colour scheme with the two ancillary tasks, as that was the original colour scheme my site was set up with. However, I changed my site from a purple theme to a black theme, with white, red and green text. I also kept the featured bands the same for the website and the double-page spread, to add a slight sense of realism. I decided that the ancillary pieces would be linked through colour, and that each would have a link to the site on them at the end. Then, that connects everything. When the readers see the magazine or the ad and they visit the site, they will see that the colour scheme makes it look so much better than the plain purple one does. Hopefully. Therefore, I believe I have effectively combined them to make them all work together.
Question 3: What have you learnt from audience feedback?
Although most of my feedback was through vocal responses, I did create questionnaires which I handed out to my classmates and some of my other friends. I allowed them access to my site and asked them to answer questions about it and if it works. Among the information I received back were details about the navigation of the site, the appeal of it, and the usability. I concluded from the results that 100% of the users found it easy to navigate. I also gathered that the colour scheme did not appeal to some people. Generally, the adults who saw the site said they did not find it interesting, and would not visit it again, if it were to actually exist. I took this as positive feedback, as the website is not aimed at adults, and the teenagers who saw it reported back with favourable comments.
Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?
The main software program I used was Adobe PhotoShop Elements. This was an extremely useful tool when it came to arranging the elements of the pieces and editing images. Another key program was Kompozer, which was the program I used to build the site. Through the use of these programs, I have developed my creative and I.T. skills to the point where I am able to independently create a decent website. I learned so many things from using PhotoShop in Media lessons, and I have naturally picked up how to operate the programs and how to get exactly the result you want from using it. Another skill I have developed, which goes without saying, is through the use of my blog. I have been using a blog for Media Studies for two years, and I find it is a very useful and simple way of planning and making notes. It is also good for teaching, as occasionally, other students may stumble across my blog and they may learn something just by reading about the kind of work we've been doing. My blog came into the processes of making the pieces at every stage, with the research being posted here, notes being made for me to relate back to at a different time, and it has allowed me to accurately bring my work full circle and realise my intentions throughout the project.
Conclusion
Overall, the process of getting from planning, to evaluating has been a unique experience. I haven't had the chance to do anything like this before, and I feel it has taught me a lot about websites and various programs that we used, and that are used by professionals every day. It was interesting to see my work develop from almost nothing to what it is now. I am confident that I have worked to the best of my ability and I've documented everything along the way. I stayed true to my intentions from the beginning, and the only big change I made was the colour scheme of the website. Everything has come together and when I look back at it all, it seems to work and connect. If given the chance, I wouldn't change anything about my finished pieces because they are exactly how I wanted them to look and they work well with each other.
For my A2 Advanced Portfolio, I was set the task of creating a website for a new teen channel. I decided to focus on music, as that is a very important aspect of life for teenagers. My site is aptly-named BenFM and it focuses on music for both TV and radio. My target audience was older teenagers, of both genders. There is something for everyone on the site. I have a very dark colour scheme, with greens and reds mixed in to stand out. I didn't think these colours would stereotypically represent genders, such as the way blue does with boys, or pink does with girls. ALong with creating a website, I was also set two ancillary tasks, which were to create a newspaper advertisement, and a double-page spread from a magazine. Both had to be related to my site to help promote it.
Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In preparation for completing the tasks, I researched into each one of them to find codes and conventions of websites, newspaper ads and magazines. I tried to make my work similar to those. In terms of the newspaper ad research, my work is similar to these examples in several ways. For example, I have a tagline to go with the title, and I have a few important details summarised in a list. I included the dates and places to see the channel, and I ended it with a link to my site. This is all the vital information, plus it doesn't clog up the advert too much, maintaining a sort of clearance to attract the eye of a reader. My double-page spread somewhat challenges conventions. I wanted to make something different; not too plain, not too complex. Instead of including one giant photo of the band or one of the band members, I included a picture I made using photoshop to combine several images I came across whilst looking for royalty-free photos. It is meant to be related to the band's new album, but this is not revealed in the article, nor the interview. Some of the conventions I used in my work was the small piece of article on the bottom half of the page, which was common to a lot of the examples I researched. I also have a large title on the left, much like the other examples do. On the right, I have unconventionally spaced out the interview so that it is easier to read and doesn't appear as a single block of text. When making the website, I tried to keep to the conventions I had seen in the sites from my research. For example, I put the navigation bar at the very top of the page, and included much of the content common to the sites I studied. The home page included segments of all the other pages to act as a taster of the site. If viewers wished to read more, they could navigate to the appropriate page and read everything.
Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?
The main product, the website, was combined very effectively with the ancillary tasks: the advert and the double-page spread. For instance, I kept the same colour scheme with the two ancillary tasks, as that was the original colour scheme my site was set up with. However, I changed my site from a purple theme to a black theme, with white, red and green text. I also kept the featured bands the same for the website and the double-page spread, to add a slight sense of realism. I decided that the ancillary pieces would be linked through colour, and that each would have a link to the site on them at the end. Then, that connects everything. When the readers see the magazine or the ad and they visit the site, they will see that the colour scheme makes it look so much better than the plain purple one does. Hopefully. Therefore, I believe I have effectively combined them to make them all work together.
Question 3: What have you learnt from audience feedback?
Although most of my feedback was through vocal responses, I did create questionnaires which I handed out to my classmates and some of my other friends. I allowed them access to my site and asked them to answer questions about it and if it works. Among the information I received back were details about the navigation of the site, the appeal of it, and the usability. I concluded from the results that 100% of the users found it easy to navigate. I also gathered that the colour scheme did not appeal to some people. Generally, the adults who saw the site said they did not find it interesting, and would not visit it again, if it were to actually exist. I took this as positive feedback, as the website is not aimed at adults, and the teenagers who saw it reported back with favourable comments.
Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?
The main software program I used was Adobe PhotoShop Elements. This was an extremely useful tool when it came to arranging the elements of the pieces and editing images. Another key program was Kompozer, which was the program I used to build the site. Through the use of these programs, I have developed my creative and I.T. skills to the point where I am able to independently create a decent website. I learned so many things from using PhotoShop in Media lessons, and I have naturally picked up how to operate the programs and how to get exactly the result you want from using it. Another skill I have developed, which goes without saying, is through the use of my blog. I have been using a blog for Media Studies for two years, and I find it is a very useful and simple way of planning and making notes. It is also good for teaching, as occasionally, other students may stumble across my blog and they may learn something just by reading about the kind of work we've been doing. My blog came into the processes of making the pieces at every stage, with the research being posted here, notes being made for me to relate back to at a different time, and it has allowed me to accurately bring my work full circle and realise my intentions throughout the project.
Conclusion
Overall, the process of getting from planning, to evaluating has been a unique experience. I haven't had the chance to do anything like this before, and I feel it has taught me a lot about websites and various programs that we used, and that are used by professionals every day. It was interesting to see my work develop from almost nothing to what it is now. I am confident that I have worked to the best of my ability and I've documented everything along the way. I stayed true to my intentions from the beginning, and the only big change I made was the colour scheme of the website. Everything has come together and when I look back at it all, it seems to work and connect. If given the chance, I wouldn't change anything about my finished pieces because they are exactly how I wanted them to look and they work well with each other.
Double-Page Spread
Above is my double-page spread. As you can see, I've gone for a mix of conventional and unconventional, yet effective methods. I have used one picture, and I've contrasted the two different shades of purple on the background. I have included a small section of article on the bottom left, and my title is in an eye-catching font. On the right is an interview with the fictional band members, showing their views and opinions on things, and promoting their new upcoming album. This, again was something I found out through the research. I have my site logo on the top left of the page, and a link to the site on the bottom right. I also have dates and other things inside small shapes that litter the background.
Newspaper Advert
Here is my final newspaper ad. I have used a lot of the conventions mentioned earlier in my ad research, for example, I have a tagline to go with the title, and I have a few important details summarised. I included the dates and places to see the channel, and I ended it with a link to my site.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Diary of a Web Designer
Here is a day-by-day outline of the processes I went through when making:
- The website
- The newspaper ad
- The double page spread
DAY ONE - 3rd November 2010
I downloaded Kompozer through a Google search and run a few tutorials on it to get to grips with the software.
DAY TWO - 4th November 2010
In Media Studies, we were given basic tutorials and were able to begin setting up the websites on our own. I also completed my Newspaper advert research and updated my blog. I created a post for Magazine research and saved it as a draft for future use.
DAY THREE - 12th November 2010
I continued design work on my website.
DAY FOUR - 15th November 2010
I linked all my pages for my website successfully and sent it to my teacher for review and feedback.
DAY FIVE - 21st November 2010
I began working on my newspaper ad, and used my previous research as a reference point.
DAY SIX - 29th November 2010
I continued my magazine research and my site work. I set the colour and chose my pictures to use on the site. I still may change the pictures at this point.
DAY SEVEN - 30th November 2010
Some minor adjustments to my site were made, such as fonts, colours, some tables...
DAY EIGHT - 2nd December 2010
I began work on my double-page spread and looked back over my research for assistance with this.
DAY NINE - 9th December 2010
I sent off my double-page spread for review and feedback.
DAY TEN - 16th December 2010
I made the appropriate changes to my site and double-page spread where indicated by my teacher.
DAY ELEVEN - 23rd December 2010
I made necessary links between my newspaper ad, my double-page spread and my site and looked over everything.
DAY TWELVE - 27th December 2010
I updated my blog with all the relevant info and finalised my site, before sending it for review again.
The following posts will outline the details of the final pieces...
- The website
- The newspaper ad
- The double page spread
DAY ONE - 3rd November 2010
I downloaded Kompozer through a Google search and run a few tutorials on it to get to grips with the software.
DAY TWO - 4th November 2010
In Media Studies, we were given basic tutorials and were able to begin setting up the websites on our own. I also completed my Newspaper advert research and updated my blog. I created a post for Magazine research and saved it as a draft for future use.
DAY THREE - 12th November 2010
I continued design work on my website.
DAY FOUR - 15th November 2010
I linked all my pages for my website successfully and sent it to my teacher for review and feedback.
DAY FIVE - 21st November 2010
I began working on my newspaper ad, and used my previous research as a reference point.
DAY SIX - 29th November 2010
I continued my magazine research and my site work. I set the colour and chose my pictures to use on the site. I still may change the pictures at this point.
DAY SEVEN - 30th November 2010
Some minor adjustments to my site were made, such as fonts, colours, some tables...
DAY EIGHT - 2nd December 2010
I began work on my double-page spread and looked back over my research for assistance with this.
DAY NINE - 9th December 2010
I sent off my double-page spread for review and feedback.
DAY TEN - 16th December 2010
I made the appropriate changes to my site and double-page spread where indicated by my teacher.
DAY ELEVEN - 23rd December 2010
I made necessary links between my newspaper ad, my double-page spread and my site and looked over everything.
DAY TWELVE - 27th December 2010
I updated my blog with all the relevant info and finalised my site, before sending it for review again.
The following posts will outline the details of the final pieces...
Monday, 29 November 2010
Codes of Conventions of Magazines
I will continue my research with a final example, before finalising my decisions and continuing to design my double-page spread.
This is from an issue of the Rock Sound Magazine and is a feature on Scars On Broadway. The backlground is a picture of the vocalist and drummer, with a horizontal strip holding the article, coming across the page. The left side holds the name of the band and the title of the article, and the right holds most of the article. A lot of text has been contained in one small section of the page. This is an interesting method of attracting a reader. I suppose the picture of the band itself will attract the reader more than anything. As far as band articles go, it is an averagely-designed one. At the top left is a sort of introduction to the article, and stands out to the reader, acting as a sort of way of engaging the reader into continuing to read the article. The layout is very conventional, including large pictures of the band memebers, a title on the left, and the article beginning on the right. Splitting the article through the middle is a quote from the article itself made by Daron Malakian, the man on the left. This another very conventional thing seen in many articles, and I will aim to use this.
I want to go for a conventional look when creating my double-page spread and I will look back at my research into this in order to accurately sculpt the perfect double-page spread.
This is from an issue of the Rock Sound Magazine and is a feature on Scars On Broadway. The backlground is a picture of the vocalist and drummer, with a horizontal strip holding the article, coming across the page. The left side holds the name of the band and the title of the article, and the right holds most of the article. A lot of text has been contained in one small section of the page. This is an interesting method of attracting a reader. I suppose the picture of the band itself will attract the reader more than anything. As far as band articles go, it is an averagely-designed one. At the top left is a sort of introduction to the article, and stands out to the reader, acting as a sort of way of engaging the reader into continuing to read the article. The layout is very conventional, including large pictures of the band memebers, a title on the left, and the article beginning on the right. Splitting the article through the middle is a quote from the article itself made by Daron Malakian, the man on the left. This another very conventional thing seen in many articles, and I will aim to use this.I want to go for a conventional look when creating my double-page spread and I will look back at my research into this in order to accurately sculpt the perfect double-page spread.
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