MERGE DOCUMENT LO3: Creating Production Materials, LO4: Version controls, LO4: Evidence Of Editing

CONTENTS PAGE- EDITING AND VERSION CONTROLS

Contents page- Version 1:

Since this was the first page i had began making, i wanted to try and experiment with the layout and tools that photoshop offers. I began by following the visualisation diagram i had previously created to start getting a feel for how the contents page would be laid out, dividing the page in half using the primary colour i had decided upon for the house style. I created a section for where i wanted the contents list to go (the left side in the white area) and created a box for where i wanted my images/the photos i had taken to go, starting to develop my first feature with the page number over where images for each article would go. This first version/draft benefits from the page number/name design in the top corner. It's informative whilst also having a slick design/style which connotes the formality of the genre of my magazine, inspired by similarly structured examples i had seen in other magazines of the same genre. However, this version could use a wider variety in colour scheme to present as more appealing and engaging. I also hope to expand upon the style of the page, as the current style is very limiting and leaves a lot of wasted space on the page that makes it look empty/uninspired. I also hope to bring in more of my blue colour scheme to give the brand more identity.

I created the most important feature for the page, the image placeholder box on the right, by using the shape tool. This tool was very helpful in beginning to get a feel for the overall page layout. It was simple to use and made it easy to divide the page into where i wanted each element to be. Learning to use this tool was very helpful in testing out my layout ideas and will be a vital tool in the further development of my magazine.

 I then tried adding another black rectangle on top of the box to increase the complexity of the design but decided against it because, although it did help to add formality to the feature, it didn't fit into the design idea i have and want to carry out.

  

The first tool i learned how to use was the text tool for the very first feature of the page, the descriptive text/page names. This was an important feature to begin with first as knowing how to use the text tool and experimenting with what it can do will be an important skill in the creation of every one of the pages and versions going forward. 

I started by using the tool to type out my page title 'contents', and then going to look at the fonts photoshop offers. Although i had already decided upon a font i was going to use during my pre-production, I tested out multiple different fonts that connote strength, power and formality as to adhere to the genre of a business magazine. This was so that i could get an idea of the different styles i could use going forward. I then re-sized the text and tried placing it at multiple different areas around the page to give me a better understanding of my layout before deciding to place it in the top right as part of a different feature i wanted to try creating for the page number and title. Whilst testing out the text tool, i also learned how to add custom fonts from 'Dafont' to photoshop which will become useful in later versions of the page when i try to integrate the masthead into the contents page design.

Contents page- Version 2: 

The second version introduces a more complex layout which allows for more variety in colour and design. The blues work well in connoting the business genre and gives the magazine its own identity, however the darker blues seem too strong and contrasts with the large amount of light blue, so I will experiment with the amount of the blue colours in future versions. 

It still uses similar design features from the previous version that worked well, such as the large page number over the image that draws readers to the special feature article and makes it easier to find, as it is one of the main draws of the article and is featured on the front cover. Another feature I kept and updated was the page number design in the top corner, the design itself works well but the red colour didn't match the page or style at all, so I switched it out with yellow so it still stands out but matches the overall colour scheme. Although the page still needs a banner design and looks incomplete. I have also left an open space at the bottom for my editors note section, this space may be too small though so I will try find a way to create more space to fit everything in. One aspect of this page i really like is the colour scheme. 

One feature for this version that works well is the large 'special feature' box in the bottom right of the page.

 This works well in conforming to the conventions of a magazine/business magazine as magazines often highlight to the reader where they can find the featured article that was shown on the front page. This is because the special feature article is most likely the reason why the reader picked up the magazine in the first place and is the primary selling point for the magazine. I created this using the shape tool to add a blue square over the area i wanted the text to be. 

I then layered the square behind the other shapes that divided the page but in front of the image i imported. I then selected the shape and reduced its 'opacity' to allow the image behind to be seen through the blue. This makes the feature itself not seem like a huge block in the corner of the page and more seamlessly fits into the overall design. Finally i used the text tool to add the page number and description to the square shape. I really like how the text looks on top of the opaque shape and how it makes the text pop out of the image and draws attention to the text. In my original plan, the text was just layered onto of the image, but this shape greatly helps in adding style and design to the page and making the text much more readable, overall improving the design of the feature. This might be something i want to incorporate into my future pages and versions in later edits.

Contents Page- Version 3:

This version (3) of my contents page is vastly different to version 2. 

One feature that's missing in this version that worked well in previous versions is the large page number over the image that draws attention to the featured article. It didn't work well in this version as I needed more room for the editors note that takes up the space of where the large number would be. I still wanted to draw attention to the article though, so I did this by changing the colour scheme of the text. Although i removed that feature, it was still valuable as i liked how the 'opaque dark blue with text over the colour and image' looked and used it to divide my page into where the contents list would be and where the primary focus of the image would be, similar to how my page was divided in half in the previous version. This was a good decision as it removed the large coloured shapes that took up too much room and resulted in a more slick design. Since the background of the location of the text changed from a lighter to darker blue I changed the text to the blue colour that the background used to be. This is so that the colour scheme of the page still complements the colour scheme of the image whilst also balancing out the colours (which was an issue I wanted to correct in version 2), and to draw attention to the featured article I made the colour of the text for 'Special Feature:' white to make it stand out of the rest of the contents. This helped to tighten my colour scheme to create a more concise brand identity. I broke up the contents list on this version as i liked how the larger box for more room looks and makes the page more exciting to look at. In my next version i want to add maybe an image in the box of the special feature to help highlight it more, however adding another image may not fit in with the current design and i still need to integrate the masthead onto the page, with this area being a good place to try put it.

The newer page design gave me the much needed space to add the feature of the editors note and an image of the editor next to it (a common convention of most magazines). 

 (Before Using gradient tool on shape^^^)

I did this by adding a square shape placeholder for the image where i wanted the photo to be (in the future i will import the image) using the shape tool. I then used the text tool to add placeholder text to visualise what the final editors note feature will look like. However, one issue with this design was that the white editors note text blended too well into the image. Not only did this make it difficult to read as the transition from text on the blue background to the image was very abrupt but was also visually displeasing to look at. To fix this issue i added a large black rectangle over the editors note feature using the shape tool. My original plan was to make the black rectangle opaque and layer it behind the text to make it stand out from the image like i have done on the previous version of the page for the 'special feature' feature. However, this did not work as it made the slick design of the page more rigid and less easy on the eye.

 So that the rectangle fit into the design, i used the gradient tool to make the black rectangle more opaque and make the rectangle fade into the rest of the page seamlessly. To make sure the gradient looked perfect, i made the placeholder image and text layers invisible so i could make the gradient precisely how opaque i wanted it. This resulted in making the text much more readable without breaking up the 'half blue rectangle- half image' design. 

This conforms to the conventions of business magazines as the editors note is at the bottom of the page and visually distinctive from the contents list which is a common feature of editors notes as to not draw attention away from the contents.

    (After using Gradient tool>>>>)

Contents Page- Version 4

This version of the page is an updated version of the previous as i had finally found the design i wanted to carry forward that fits the genre and style of my magazine that i want to create, whilst still using the elects i liked from the previous versions. The latest addition to the page is integrating the masthead into the overall page design. When testing out how the masthead looked in this space i really liked the end result, deciding to keep i as i think it works well in conforming to the brand identity whilst also making the overall page much more interesting to look at and appealing for potential customers flicking onto the contents page in stores or waiting areas, also increasing awareness of the magazine brand as the reader would have seen it multiple times clearly. This version also re-introduces the page number production material I left out in my previous version of the draft, this added element helps to create a strong formal layout for the overall page design, helping to fulfil the genre expectations of a business magazine.  It also helps to fill in the blank space in the top right corner without making the page look overcrowded as this was one criticism made when I sent out my survey, making use of the rule of thirds. Finally i changed the text of the contents list from bold to italics. This was to further create that 'business' feel as it looks more professional and less like the text was made bigger so that it's easier for children to read, as the magazine does have an older average target age of 35. This helps to appeal to my target demographic and to the conventions of a business magazine, helping to grow my readership. In my next version i want to complete the page by adding in the editors note and photo.

Contents Page- Version 5:

This finalised version of the contents page sees the last feature added to complete the edit, the editors note. First I added a small headshot image of me (the editor) to the note as this is common for typical magazines editors notes. I made sure to carefully control the visuals of the image to conform to business genre conventions. I used a white screen for the background to connote the strong, uniform genre of business and to make the photo seem more professionally taken. I connoted the genre furthermore by carefully controlling the appearance of the outfit I'm wearing. I wore a white shirt with a red tie and navy blue suit jacket. This is because it's what is most commonly associated with the genre, and is what people would stereotypically think of when asked to describe business uniform. I also made sure to use the colour scheme of the page in the image, the navy blue matching the overall darker blue page design.

This also helped to create authenticity for the editors note as, if I wanted to appear as a professional magazine editor, I would use an image that shows I'm uniform and take my job seriously. Finally, I finished the feature by typing out the editors note, making sure to talk in the first person and directly address the reader with a short description of what's to some in the magazine so that I could follow the conventions of editors notes.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD- EDITING AND VERSION CONTROLS

Double Page Spread- Version 1

After beginning development of the contents page for my magazine, i decided i wanted to change the style of the double page spread from the previous plan i had made in my visualisation diagram, this was so that I could more accurately fall in line with what my new vision for the magazine was going to be. I began doing this by messing around with the layout once again in order to get a feel for what i wanted the page to look like in the future. I imported the photo i took for the double page spread and added a placeholder stock image of a woman dressed in smart clothes to mess around with. This is where i got the idea that, instead of my main image for the double page spread being a photo of the Sheffield Chamber Of Commerce's office (like in my planning and visualisation diagrams), it would instead be a background and i could add photos of the chamber team over the office to give the page not only a more interesting photo to look at, but display my knowledge of Photoshop and make it look more professional and authentic. However, this would mean that i would have to go out and take more photos for my future versions, which i would have to schedule and may not be reliable due to time constraints/ clashing schedules with the chamber team. 

I asked what I could do to improve the the page on an online questionnaire. They mentioned that, if I were to add text in the white, the text would go over the crease of the page, making it much more difficult to read. As well as this, an answer mentioned that, when printed, the size of the image of the business woman is too large and will look unnatural in future versions. I will try improve these aspects of my magazine in future versions. 

Double Page Spread- Version 2

This version shows a much more clear vision of what the final page could look like. I carried forward the previous page design as i was able to schedule a time for when i could take more photos with the Chamber team, so in my next version, i hope to have the photos taken and added to the page. On the previous version, the background image (the office photo) diagonally split and takes up a 3rd of the page. I changed this in Version 2 to span half the page as the Version 1 design would make the info difficult to read as the text would go over the crease in-between the pages and leave less room for images, resulting in a more boring and illegible design. I also reduced the size of my model and added a second person, this is because i abandoned the idea i had in version 1 where the person would separate the image from the title. This is because the design just didn't work out in practice like the feedback mentioned, the image of person would have to be very large to span from the top to bottom of the image, making the page look off-putting. As well as this, the title, 'The Sheffield Chamber Of Commerce', was too long, meaning i couldn't fit it in one row so the text had to be much smaller, making the proportions of the page look less aligned. This new design where the text was placed above the image on multiple lines meant i could highlight the title much better as the title could be larger and stand out from the darker background with the signature blue colour scheme of my magazine and of the Chamber.

Moving the text also made the title easier to read, as the vertical text would cause readers to have to turn their heads and look to the far left of the page, making it much less attention grabbing. This is important for my magazine as this page is supposed to draw in the readers and make the featured company look appealing, not doing so could cause them to want to pull from the deal in a real life scenario. 

Another feature i want to add in my next version is the masthead. The text page has a lot of white space for the article, making it easy to integrate the masthead into the page design in the top corner. However, my masthead uses white text meaning i may have to place it onto of the image somewhere, running the risk of making the page look overly cluttered. Alternatively i could change the masthead colour for this page.

One important feature i recreated for this page is the page number/title graphic using the shape and text tools, previously used in the design of my contents page. It is important that this production material is featured on both of the contents and double page spread to give the impression that this stays consistent on every page of the magazine. 

Previously, i was unsure of whether or not i was going to keep this feature as the design needed to be able to work on different pages as the difference in design of the page could clash too strongly with the features overall design/look.  Now that I'm satisfied with what both pages finished products are going to look like, i can include it as a feature. This helps to create a consistent, structured design that connotes my genre.

 I like this production material as it conforms to magazine conventions as readers often like to flick through magazine pages to find the article they want. This slick formal design makes it easy for readers to quickly find the page they are looking for, as it tells them the page number, content of the page and it's placed in the top corner so readers flicking through have an easy time reading it. It also has strong brand recognition as it features the brand name on the top bar in yellow, drawing attention to the brand and feature overall. As well as this, the yellow brand name and rectangle makes the feature stand out from the colour schemes of each page so that the readers know that it isn't a part of the specific pages content. The introduction of a different colour also helps to make it more visually appealing to look at, whilst keeping it easy to read as the important information is in black, all whilst looking strong and formal, appealing to the genre conventions of business. 

I began creating this feature by typing out my page title with the 'text tool', positioning it in the top corner of the page, where i wanted the feature to go. I made sure to select the 'Georgia' font as it looked strong and formal whilst also (most importantly) easy to read. I then added the black rectangle (the black colour for the double page spread particularly) using the shape tool just above the black text of 'Special Feature- 14'. I then duplicated the black rectangle, changed its colour to yellow, layered it behind the black rectangle and slid it along so that a smaller portion of the yellow was more visible compared to the black. I duplicated it so that the height of the rectangle would be the perfect size and match with the previous one. However i still wasn't satisfied with how the feature looked when originally creating it, since the space above the rectangle looked too empty, so i added the brand name above the bar in the same yellow (originally red) as the rectangle. This helped to not only balance out the colours of the feature well but also make it look more complete and professional.

On the original version of the feature i used the colour red instead of yellow. After gathering feedback from peers i realised that the red colour clashed too strongly with the blue magazine house style and original blue background of the contents page. So, in later versions i switched the colour to yellow as it was more complementary to my blue colour scheme whilst still standing out enough to separate it from the rest of the pages. Yellow is also more relaxing to look at than the more aggressive colour red.  

One change i had to make/consider when recreating the feature on the double page spread specifically was the text colour changing from white on the contents page to black. This is because the darker colour of the contents page suited a white text in order to make it easy to read whilst the white background of the double-

         (Before the colour change^^)

-page spread meant the colour had to change to black. This has a negative effect on the feature as it may make flicking through pages jarring for the reader, however this effect isn't too damaging and is unavoidable in production.

             (After the colour change^^)

Double Page Spread- Version 3

This version shows a more finalised design from carried forward from Version 2, introducing the masthead design, new non placeholder photos and shadows to add depth to the page. 

I especially curated the photos so that they could match the page design. Firstly i asked the models ahead of time to wear their usual smart-casual outfits but with a plain colour scheme of white and/or blue so that any brighter colours wouldn't contrast with the pages colour scheme. I also asked them to wear their lanyards so the images give a strong formal impression and make it look like they're in the workplace. These costume choices all help to align with the business genre and fall in line with its conventions. I then found a plain blue wall with strong lighting for my models to pose in front of, knowing it'll make editing out the background easier in Photoshop. Making sure i took the photos in a well lit area was also important so that there wouldn't be any unwanted shadows ruining the photos. This is because it would make the page look unprofessional and distract the reader, potentially causing them to put the magazine down and question its professionality. All of these considered factors made integrating the images into the page much easier and seamless.

One way I made the page more visually appealing is by using the shape tool to create a darker background. I did this by creating a large black rectangle that covered half of the double page spread where the images were. I then layered it behind the text and images of the models but in front of the background photo. I then reduced the opacity of the shape to 16. This made the background much darker and allowed for the text (and images) to better 'pop' out of the page and grab the readers attention.

                           (Before)                                                                 (After)

I removed the background of the images by using the Magnetic Lasso tool, carefully tracing around the outside of the subject and removing the blue wall. This is so it can more seamlessly fit into the overall feature of the title/image half of the double page spread. This was a very important tool in making the page design work and allowed laying the text, behind the image but front of the background possible.  

Another edit i made from version 2 to 3 was adding a gradient at the bottom of the image half of the page using the gradient tool. This is a skill i have learned and used multiple times for making text stand out on the different pages. 

It is important to use here as its placed behind the main article title, helping to make it stand out to readers that would be flicking through the pages. The gradient also helps to separate the layered photos from the title text, making it much clearer and gives it a more slick overall design.

Another way i added depth to the page is through the use of  'drop shadows'. I did this for most of the text on the image side of the page. This worked very well in making the text (such as the 'Special Feature' text) stand out as it created the same effect as having a black outline around each letter without looking too clunky/out of place. It also made the text not look like its flat on top of the background image like previous versions. 

I found this option in the 'layers' section, which differs to every other tool i have used which is in the vertical tool bar. This is because it is something you apply to the layers that you have previously created with the tools. 

I also used the drop shadow option on my masthead when i imported it onto the page. This was to fix the issue of the masthead being the same colour as the background it was being added to is. This caused it to be un-see-able. This way the masthead could still be in the space i had planned it to be in and still visible. This was a better alternative to placing it on the other side of the double page spread as it would cause the left side to look too cluttered, and a better alternative to changing the masthead colour as i wanted my branding to stay consistent, and the colour schemes wouldn't work as introducing another darker colour to stand out from from the white would contrast too heavily with the blue text of 'magazine'. 

Double Page Spread Version 4:

This now completed version of the double page spread is exactly like the previous, except now it includes the sub-edited body copy for my double page spread. It uses a strong pull quote to immediately entice the reader for the article, the text standing out as it's bigger than the rest of the body copy on the page. I had my article peer reviewed by both classmates and my teacher to ensure my spelling punctuation and grammar are all appropriate, as well as the language used for the genre. I used bold and italics to highlight to the reader where the interview questions and answers are, as this is how it's commonly used in typical business magazines. I am happy with how my finalised version of the double page spread looks, as its effective at following codes and conventions with its colour scheme, visual design and imagery.

FRONT COVER- EDITING AND VERSION CONTROLS

Version 1:

In version 1 of my front cover, I worked on creating a skeleton draft of my original visualisation diagram design. Similarly to how I made my previous pages, this was done to get a feel for how I would lay the page out and how a simplified version of the final draft will look. I started by adding the image and text as planned in my pre-production and resized them to fit on the image in a similar way to the sizes on my visualisation diagram. From this I learnt that the planned colour scheme for the main cover lines doesn't work, the darker blues blend too well with the image and doesn't stand out nearly as enough as they should in order to draw attention to them. In my future versions I will test out different colour schemes and designs such as adding a drop shadow behind the text to make the text look much further in front of the image so that it stands out more. Another issue I have found with the page design through making the draft page is that despite my image being well lit, the sky in the photo I took has a large dark cloud over the top of the office building. This makes the page seem gloomy and darker overall. In my next version I want to add a newly taken photo of a clearer blue sky, this is to make the page look brighter overall and visually pleasing. As well as this, a clear blue sky background would be effective at using my colour scheme within the image and making the masthead stand out more. 

Using my knowledge of Photoshop gained from my previous pages, I used the magnetic lasso tool to carefully cut out the large area of the sky with the dreary clouds. One issue I ran into when cutting out the background is the leafless tree next to the building is overlapped from the background building into the sky. When cutting out the sky, I had to cut out half the tree, meaning that when looking at the background building, half a tree is visible. I decided that this is not too major of a negative detail as it is in the background of the image and isn't very recognisable. If in my future versions it's still too recognisable and distracts audiences, I will put a feature in front of the area. I then cut out the more intricate parts of the image, such as the railings on top of the building, so that I was thorough with my Photoshop work to create a more professional final product. 

  before  / after

Version 2:

In this version I made edits of the previous image, text and started working on the first feature of the page. These were all steps I made to start creating a much more clearer vision of what I wanted the front cover to look like than in my previous versions.

I started by correcting an issue I had with the previous version, in that the sky of the background was too dark due to a large cloud. As I had already cut out the image, all I needed to do was to add my newly taken photo of a clear sky to the page and layer it behind the main cover image. This resulted in a much more pleasing design of the page and will make it easier to design the page in future versions, as I don't need to account for a dark background.

One negative I don't like about this version (and previous versions) of the front cover page is that the main cover line doesn't stand out as much as it should, as the white text gets blended into the more chaotic background. In future versions I will try to change this by either adding a drop shadow to the text or using a gradient on the bottom of the page so that the white stands out against a dark shadow. 

Feedback from my online questionnaire also mentioned that I need to highlight the part of my main cover line that introduces the feature, maybe by changing the colours or increasing the size of the text.

Whilst creating my magazine front cover, I made sure to keep looking at other examples of magazines/ business magazines so that I can follow typical conventions. One thing i noticed is that magazines often use shapes and separate boxes to make different text on the magazine stand out, this is called a puff. This led to me designing and creating the sticker feature. I used the shape tool to create a circle which would form the primary base of the sticker. I then added text over it using the text tool, making the 'PLUS' text bigger and changing the colour to my house style blue in order to draw attention to the feature. In order to make it appear as if the feature is actually a sticker, i added a drop shadow to the shape. This makes it pop out of the page to not only add more depth, but give the illusion that it has been pressed on top. This feature is effective as it helps to add more intrigue to the page, this is especially important on this version as the main cover lines aren't very effective at standing out

Whilst creating the puff/sticker I considered using a circular gradient to add more shading to the design and depth for the overall page, however the black text was made almost impossible to read, and the gradient darkened the overall page too much. The more simplified look suited the overall page and design much better. 

Version 3:

In this version i introduced a new main cover image to better capture the attention of passers by and to better frame my main cover lines. One issue i had with my previous page versions is that the main cover image was too wide for the page, leaving little room around the image for main cover lines large enough to grab the readers attention. This resulted in a very uneven design, as well as this the building itself wasn't interesting enough to draw people to the magazine. This is why i introduced one of the images i used on the contents page for the front cover, as EJ (the person in the photo) is who i am interviewing for the Sheffield Chamber Of Commerce featured page, so its not only relevant to the page and main draw of the feature but also suitable for my magazine and falls in line with the conventions of magazine designs. This makes the building the perfect background image for the page as its bright, interesting and connotes power and dominance as the low angle and large imagery implies, overall helping me conform to the business genre whilst improving the visual design of the page.

I am much more satisfied with this version of the page than the previous versions, as it shows a much more clear vision of what i want my final design of the page to look like, using elements of my original design while updating it to keep it make it more effective in fulfilling its purpose. Going forward i will keep improving this version of the page by adding features and changing anything that doesn't work. 

Another improvement/added feature for the page is introducing the masthead design. This masthead is effective and falls in line with conventions of a magazine as traditionally mastheads are very large to catch attention in stores and draw in readers. It is also used to create a strong identity and improve brand recognition. One positive feature about the masthead that helps it conform to genre conventions is the main cover image of the model is edited to be layered above the masthead. This is typically used in traditional magazine designs as it helps to add more depth to the page, making it visually more appealing to look at whilst also making the feature/model stand out. 

One improvement to the page i want to make in future versions is the banner. As of right now, this version of the banner isn't effective in fulfilling its purpose as, although the darker blue colour used looks complementary with the light blue, it doesn't stand out and draw the viewers attention to it well enough, this in result makes the magazine a lot less noticeable in real world environments, meaning it could potentially reduce readership of the magazine. In my next version i will try changing the colour of the text or banner itself so that its more effective in standing out.

           (previous main cover line)

In my previous magazine version I wasn't satisfied with the way that I had layed out the title, the design was too simplistic and uninteresting, making the main cover line look more like a chunk of text than a title for the feature. This presented the feature much more negatively as it made it seem uninteresting and boring. I changed this by making the font different sizes, allowing me to highlight the larger words to catch the readers attention, and make some of the words smaller so that they would better fit around the larger words to create a much more appealing design. Another negative about the main cover line in the previous version that I fixed was that it blended too well into the background as the text is white. To fix this I added a circular gradient behind the main cover line, this created a concentrated dark shadow where the text blended into the background the most, allowing it to pop out more and make it much easier to read. This conforms to magazine conventions of main cover lines, as they are stereotypically large, bold and stand out from the background so that the most interesting part of the magazine (the feature) immediately hooks the reader and gets them invested.

(updated main cover line)

Another negative of the magazine page that i am going to change is the cover lines. In my previous versions i found that the cover lines do not stand out. To fix this issue i tried adding a drop shadow to one of the cover lines to see if it helps it stand out. The drop shadow in fact made the cover line more difficult to read and blended the dark shadow with the dark blue house style colour. If i want to make my magazine front cover effective, i will need to find a way to make these cover lines stand out more so that they are easy to read/see from far away so that they are more likely to effectively advertise the magazines content to the viewer, making the viewer more interested in the magazines contents.

Version 4:

In Version 4 (the final version) I introduced yellow into the colour scheme for the banner and the cover lines, I did this for a number of reasons. As previously stated in version 1, the dark blue colour scheme on the light blue background was not effective for the cover lines as it blended into the background too well and didn't stand out, as adding a drop shadow in version 3 didn't work and only made it more difficult to read, I decided adding a new colour to the front cover page was the only effective way to fix the issue. As well as this, looking at my version 3 of my banner, I decided the double blue colour scheme wasn't an effective way at making my banner/magazine in general stand out in the real world, as both colours didn't contrast each other to make the page stand out amongst other magazines. Both of these issues led me to the conclusion that I needed to add yellow to the light blue colour scheme, this is because yellow contrasts against blue very well whilst still being a bright colour, making the page connote a sense of pride and happiness. 

Another improvement I made to the page was adding a bar code, this was to keep my magazine in line with expectations of what a stereotypical magazine would look like, improving the overall visual look of the page and making it look more appealing to viewers and passers by. When adding the bar code I considered adding a QR code too, but decided against it as it would take up too much space on the page (leaving little room to spread out main cover lines) and wasn't effective at targeting my audience demographic. This is because a large majority of my target audience are over 25, this would mean that they are digital immigrants and may not know how to use one, they are also less likely to pull their phone out whilst browsing magazines to scan the code. Instead, them seeing the QR code may cause them to think the magazine is targeted at a younger demographic and turn away to look for something else of the same genre.

One negative of this final page design however, is that it doesn't use the Sheffield Chamber Of Commerce's logo in the layout. In my original visualisation diagram plan the title involved an image of the iconic logo. This missing feature would have been effective to include in my final design as it would increase brand recognition of the chamber, drawing in more eyes to the magazine as a very recognisable brand can easily be seen on the front, increasing the readership and sales. However, I couldn't include it on my final design as there wasn't enough room and I didn't want to make the page look too busy/messy as a strong formal structure connotes the magazines content and genre much more effectively than a busy page, which would be better suited for a gossip magazine. 

One feature I created for the final version of the magazine was the banner, which includes the text, silhouette of a briefcase and the banner itself. I did this mainly by using the shape tool, as well as the text tool. The shape tool allowed me to create the yellow rectangle for the banner itself, so that I could layer the text on top, making it (the text) stand out. This is an effective banner as it conforms to stereotypical magazine conventions, it does this by using a bright and contrasting colour to the background, diverting the readers eyes straight to the information in the banner, this change was made from the previous blue version as i discovered it wasn't effective enough at making the banner stand out. This updated version of the colour scheme is much more effective at achieving its purpose. The text itself also conforms to magazine conventions as the sentence used is short, formal and promotes the magazine as desirable for anyone interested in business, making it an effective use of the space. The banner itself is aligned to be parallel with the top of the page instead of slanted. This strong formal structure connotes the genres sense of power and stability, helping the banner conform to the genre conventions of business as well as traditional magazine conventions that are effective at grabbing readers attention so that they read more. 

I created the briefcase silhouette by also using the shape tool. I did this by creating 3 different rectangles all with curved edges but different sizes. I made the smallest one (rectangle 3) the same colour as the banner itself and layered it on top of 'rectangle 2' but behind 'rectangle 1'. This is so that it'll look as if 'rectangle 2' has a shape cut out of it and look like the handle of the briefcase. This resulted in a simplistic but effective looking briefcase silhouette, which makes the overall banner not look so bland, whilst also making it look more uniform and interesting/ visually appealing.