Essay Improvements

Essay Improvements & Feedback

I received my essay draft back after it had been marked and I have had the time to read over the comments and make some amendments.

One error that I made throughout the essay was my method of Harvard Referencing. I had included all of my sources of information in my bibliography in the Harvard referencing style however what I didn't do was state the name and year of quotes within the actual essay. This was an easy mistake to fix as I had the sources listed at the end, I just went over each quote and wrote in brackets the name of who said it along with the date.

I also made a few mistakes where I referred to myself and my own opinions by speaking in first person. We are asked not to do this in order for the points we make to be objective, and to avoid bringing our own opinions into it. To amend this, I went through the essay and changed any statements I had that were my own opinion or that included the word 'I' into more objective phrases and tone of voice.

A third amendment I made includes a graph to show statistics to back up the statement that printed publications such as magazines and newspapers have less and less regular readers each year. I have used a graph I found from what I deem as a reliable source. The graph clearly demonstrates the point I have put across.

Magazine Covers

Magazine Covers // 

Magazine covers from all over the world have had a strong roll in society until today. Music magazines like GQ and Rolling Stone have produced iconic imagery on the front covers for decades. It is seen as a true mile stone within a singers career to make it onto the front of one of these. 

These magazines have the power to boost any celebrities career as they are so highly admired and widely viewed by the whole world.

A magazine cover is one of the strongest ways of getting recognised due to its vast audiences and successful advertising campaigns including billboards and posters along side the magazine itself.

What I aim to produce through my practical investigation is one or more magazine covers similar to the ones shown above but that are interactive with the use of technology.

Kontor Records.

This idea stems from a project I came across earlier in my research. The project included a newly released vinyl record. The company or producer that wanted to advertise the track thought that if they sent a bunch of vinyls round to everyone they wanted to hear it, chances are the recipients would not have access to a record player. This gave them the idea to produce a paper turntable that would then play the record when activated by a smart phone, the track would then play from the phone.

Possible ideas for my own interactive magazine cover include using a freeze frame of a music video on the front cover and having it come alive on a smart phone.

I really like the simple monotone design for the paper turntable above and would like to replicate this in my own work.

Another idea is to use this project as more of an influence and actually replicate something very similar but on a magazine cover. The magazine would include a cd or record? or the design on the front would include a DJ deck that could be played around with by the reader on their phone.

I will also try and implement some of the design principles i have learnt so far this year into my design. These will include Grids, Colour theory and modernist design.

Evaluative Questions (unfinished)

Questions to ask myself //

What are my initial aims?

To communicate the relationship between digital and print media and to convey that in order for print media to survive in the digital age, it must work in cohesion with the ever growing technologies.

What processes / strategies will I used and why?

I will be exploring letterpress and combining it with computer based design. This should give a good feel of how both new and traditional methods can work together and support one another.

I may also explore other print techniques such as embossing/debossing.

What literature have I read that informs this work?

Is the work effective ( in terms of my aims)? How do I know?

Does it communicate what it should do?

What are the successful elements and why?

What areas need improving or developed further and why?