Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Over the course of creating this music magazine I have used many different desk top publishing software. These include SLR Cameras, Photoshop, Quark Express, Blogger, Windows Movie Maker and Slideshare. In this question I will evaluate how this new technology has helped me to

The first technology that I used was the SLR Cameras.

By using these cameras I was able to get a sharper image (15.1 mega pixels resolution), better focus and overall better quality of picture that I used throughout my magazine. The cameras were important in getting the right image as the sharper resolution allowed all the different colours and shades to show up clearer on the magazine. The technology also allowed me to upload and view the pictures quickly and effectively and, with the use of e-mail and memory cards, I was able to view these pictures at home without taking the actual camera home. The speed and effectiveness of uploading the camera photos allowed me to quickly view them and make any adjustments using the image manipulation software.

Here are some examples of the quality of pictures that I was able to take with this camera;

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe System. It is the current market leader for image manipulation software, and is the flagship product of Adobe System.

Adobe Photoshop was a key part of my media coursework. As I have used Photoshop for around three years-for photography and art coursework purposes- I was already familiar with the program and decided to use it when I designed my front cover. By using Photoshop I was able to upload my photos, which I had previously took with the digital SLR camera, and edit and refine them using the image manipulation software to create my main sell photo. Another thing that I was able to do on photoshop is erase the background of photos so that just the focus of the picture was on what I wanted it to be.

For example:

Similarly I was able to make my colour photos black and white.

E.g.

I chose to use Photoshop over Quark Express as I was able to edit and refine the photos that I had taken more effectively. Also by using the many layers I could document the progress of my magazine from beginning to end. Although I don't find either program more easier than the other I preferred the way you are able to manipulate images and text, turning them black and white or sepia colours, with the fonts and colours there is a greater choice, how I was able to document the progress of my work and lastly because the programme is easy to apply to and work with.

Through completing my magazine coursework, I learnt more about Photoshop, about its layers, font styles etc, the different shapes and line tools that could be used when creating straplines and screamers and how this can be an advantage when making images and backgrounds look more appealing and professional.

Quark Express

QuarkXPress ("Quark") is a computer application for creating and editing complex page layouts in a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) environment. It was first released in 1987, the most recent version is QuarkXPress 8 and it allows publishing in English and 36 other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

QuarkXPress is used by individual designers and large publishing houses, primarily to produce any kind of layout, from flyers to complex page layouts required by magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and similar printed materials.

I used Quark express to create my contents page and double page spread. I chose to use this program because Quark has easy accessible tools, simple and effective to use and a range of page formats to start your projects on including A4 and A3. Choosing the correct page for my project (A4) I could immediately start work on the page layout and adding images and text. I learnt very quickly how to add text and images using the correct tools, tilt the mastheads so that they would follow one of the main design features that are shown throughout the magazine and also how to spilt the text up into columns on my double page spread so that the page looks more professional and gives the effect of not having as much to read for the audience. This was especially helpful to me as my target audience of young people don't want to spend their whole time reading a long article. It also allowed the text to follow neatly and more professionally over both of the pages.

I was shown how to move the text around quotations and photos I had around my text (in my double page spread), how to make an overlapping text box for the subscription box (in my contents page) and also how to make the editing look smooth, and professional. At first I found Quark a bit of a learning process and difficult to use yet after completing this coursework I are capable and proficient enough to complete similar tasks and clearly this program was the best to use for my contents and double page spread.

Blogger

I have used blogger as my main record system of what I have done at any date and at any one time when showing all of my coursework. Over the course of my coursework Blogger has been incredibly useful as I have used it to keep a record of what I have done over the course of my coursework. This is helpful if I lose work or forgot where I am as I can look on my blog to see exactly what I was on and what I was doing.

Blogger is a fairly simple program to use and I was able to complete my research and planning quickly and easily. Blogger has especially helped me with my evaluation as I was able to add images, slideshows and embed videos onto my blog, making my evaluation more interactive.

Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software, included in Microsoft Windows primarily in 2000. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track and timeline narration.

I chose to use windows movie maker for my evaluation as I have used the program many times before for previous coursework and feel confident using the program. I thought that it would be different, not just keep doing sideshows all the time and would make my blog more interactive.

By using this program I was able to make a presentation with the pictures and create titles and quotes to break up the pictures. I was also able to narrate my video and create different title effects and transitions between one picture to the other. The most common one that I used was fade in/fade out.

Slide Share

I used slideshare in my evaluation as it provides a go between of powerpoint and blogger. I had never used this site and program before but found it simple and easy to use. After completing my slideshow I was able to upload the slideshow to slideshare and then publish this slideshare onto blogger. This allowed my blog to be more interactive and different.