AS Level Critical Reflection

AS Level Final project

This is my final project
Front cover
Table of Contents
Double-page Layout

Table of contents changes

A while ago I mentioned that I'd been able to finish the table of contents. This was actually one of the first parts of the project I finished, and it used this (picture on the right) as the background with red and white letters. Something I realized while I was making it, however, was that a dark background and a dark color scheme didn't really ft with the type of magazine nor the type of genre I was trying to go for, so I changed it to the golden retriever I'd drawn a few years ago (I unfortunately don't have the picture downloaded on this computer). I had to use Photoshop to edit the background because the picture didn't come out well on InDesign, but luckily I've become pretty adept at it so it wasn't that bad.
Needless to say, my new table of contents looks absolutely fantastic and I'm really proud of it. It was something that took a lot of work and hours of complaints, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Not only that, but the color scheme fits exactly with the type of magazine I wanted to create.

Double-page layout problems

I realized a while ago that the best way to complete this project is to start with the double-page layout, then the table of contents, and finally the front cover. This is because of the fact that by working backwards, it's just easier to see how everything is going to turn out.
I also noticed a few things when looking through on e of the online editions of "Bark" magazine. IN the past few weeks I haven't been able to do much research on them because I didn't have enough money to buy their subscription, but I was finally able to this weekend. One of the things I noticed about their layout is that they have a lot of text, but barely any pictures.

Layout from "Bark" magazine (second page)

 The problem for me is that I'm not writing an actual story, but doing a listical (a story that has a list in it). Because of this, this type of more "traditional" layout wouldn't really fit in with the story I wrote for the project. However, I was able to find a listical in the same issue that was very different from what I was planning on doing, but at least gave me an example.
Even though this is the example they use, I don't think I will be following it exactly because I don't have the type of pictures necessary, and I'm not a big fan of a layout like this.

Listical from "Bark" magazine (second page)

Something I did notice while looking through the magazine, however, was that if they can avoid using pictures, they do (but still manage to pull out a visual). This is completely different than what I was planning on doing, so instead of using a lot of pictures, I'm going to make one huge picture on the second page of the layout and then put the story under it.
Something else about my layout that I noticed (and that I noticed that other magazines don't do) is that they avoid leaving pictures cross through the break of the pages. This is completely different than the type of layout I am used to (newspaper layout) because with a double truck (another name for a double-page layout), we don't have to worry about the page break. My new plan, however will fix this problem and allow me to be able to have a layout that fits the genre and a typical magazine.

Great news!

I finally finished the background for my front cover! *Throws confetti into the air and dances in excitement*
After about four weeks or so of working on the painting, it's finally finished. Or, at least, the part I'll be using for my front cover is finished. I'm still a little behind on my own schedule, especially since I wanted to at leas tbe finished with my table of contents and my double-page layout by the time I was able to finish the background (both are technically finished, but I still need to add some extra last touches to the layout). In other words, the little access I have to InDesign and Photoshop are going to become crucial. Last weekend I was able to download the free trial onto my dad's computer (mine won't download it for complicated reasons) but I no longer have access to that computer until the weekend. Because of this, I'll only be able to work on the project once or twice a day for an hour while I have access to the programs I need.
Nevertheless, I finished the background! It's everything I wanted it to be and more. Not only is it captivating, but also shows the extent to which art is able to take its subject, especially when the artist is so passionate about what he or she is doing (I really do love dogs). I really hope it turns out well on my overall project, but if it doesn't, then I still have some of my old drawings to use as a back up. In the mean time, this is a preview to what the unedited and photographic version of the background looks like (it's a secret!). This is the original picture, which I took when I went on my first visit to the Broward Humane Society.

Visit to Broward Humane Society #2

Last weekend I visited the Broward Humane Society for the second time, but this time I actually had something in mind. My main objective for the visit (other than looking at cute dogs) was to take pictures of labrador retrievers, since that will be the story I'm covering for my two-page layout. The overall visit went really well, even though most of the dogs wouldn't stay still long enough for me to be able to take pictures of them. nevertheless, they were all really cute and I got great pictures for the project. Unfortunately, I don't have any specific stories to tell this time, but it was still a fun experience.
That same day (which happened to be Friday), I started and finished the two-page layout. I'm really really really proud of it and the fact that I was able to finish it all in one day (save for a few mistakes I still have to fix) and it looks great. This week I'm going to be working on finishing my table of contents (which I'm going to be moving things around so that it looks better and fits in with my two-page layout) and starting and finishing the front page (which I haven't been able to start due to the fact that my oil painting still isn't finished).
Also, I'll be working on the critical reflection which, believe it or not, will have a lot of information about these past crazy, stress-filled last two weeks.

Waiting period...

Unfortunately, the past week or so hasn't been as productive as the first few weeks of this project were. I'm still planning on using my drawings and painting for the actual product, I'm not entire sure if they'll be ready on time. In the mean time, I've been working on the double page spread, which also isn't turning out that well (I guess it's harder than I thought to go from newspaper to magazine layout) so I'm probably going to end up using a style of layout Entertainment Weekly uses a lot for their stories. It's pretty, creative, and simple! As for my table of contents and front page, I haven't been able to make much progress on it due to the fact that the pictures still aren't done. I hope to be able to finish my drawing for the table of contents later today, so that way I'll be able to work on it whenever I finally finish working on the double page spread.
Another problem I've come across on is that the first time I went to take pictures of the dogs at the Humane Society, I didn't really know what I was looking for. Because of this, I didn't take pictures of the specific breed I need (now I know it's Labrador retriever) so I might have to go back sometime at the end of this week to take more pictures.
All in all, everything is very slowly coming together in one huge, clumped mess. I know I'll have it ready on time, but it stresses me out a little that I can't work on the project one page at a time, but have to work on everything at the same time.