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

Question 6Tabby Monkhouse

3 Main Aspects: What have I learnt?

• Photoshop• Tools• Swatches• Layers

• In Design • Use of Text Boxes • Picture Boxes

• Blogging• Posts

Photoshop• Tools – Since the start of this year I had never used Photoshop

before. With this in mind I had to get to grips with all the different features quickly. Features such as using different tools to create my cover of my magazine.

Move Tool – This was one tool that I used which enabled me to move certain objects on their layers. I found this useful as I was able to move shapes and text quickly. I found it difficult as getting the hang of using layers took some getting used to.

Spot Healing Brush – This tool was useful in that I was able to quickly remove any sign of blemishes, leaving my model spotless!

Horizontal Type Tool - This tool enabled me to use the space on my cover for parts of text. I found this useful as I was able to use it for advertising for ways to promote the magazine. This tool was also good in that I was able to place text at different angles, for example, vertically down the page.

Rectangle Tool – was a tool that I used in order to create different shapes for my magazine. I used this to create a footer for my magazine as well as splashes for the cover to promote free merchandise to catch the buyers attention.

• Swatches – This was a new term for me and getting to grips with swatches I found quite difficult and challenging.

There were many ways when using the swatches that were useful in that I was able to have a wide range of colours to choose from by using the adjustment tool. This tool abled me to get a range of colours and shades so that I could then find the right colour that would then match the colour scheme of the magazine. Another positive towards the swatches was that I could save my colour to the panel and use it again. This is good in that I can then find the colour that I used previously to match the colour scheme of the magazine. This would also save time in that I would not be trying to find the same colour each time I needed it. This could then make the shades of the colour uneven on the magazine page. One of my disadvantages of using the swatches is that sometimes I forgot to save the colour I was using to the panel. Meaning that when it came to using the same colour I had to fiddle around to then save it as a swatch to the panel. This wasted valuable time that I needed to create my magazine.

The diagram shows how I added a colour to the swatches so that I could then use it repeatedly.

• Layers – Using layers I found most difficult in that everything that I put on the cover, had its own separate layer. I found this difficult in that when I wanted to move something quickly it moved the item that was on the particular layer I was working on.

The use of layers were useful in that I was able to then put different shapes and text on top or underneath each other. This was good in that I could then organise what I was doing and also, if I had a new idea, I could then quickly change the whole layout of the magazine. The layers tool were also useful in that I could change the colour of shapes and text quickly as well.

In Design • Text Boxes – When working in In Design it made me realise the

importance of text boxes in that it made it so much easier to organise my work. The use of text boxes allowed me to organise my writing so that it could fit within the selected columns. The columns allowed me to make the magazine look realistic as well as to fill the pages.

I was also able to use separate text boxes so that I could then have certain effects that would also make my magazine more realistic.

The first letter of the beginning of the article was put in its own, separate text box, meaning that I was then able to make it look like the first letter would drop down into the rest of the text. The first letter was also a lot bigger to make it look realistic as most magazines have this feature.

I did this by text wrapping that text box so that the rest of the wording would fit around it so that it would fit within the paragraph

By using text wrap I could determined how much I wanted my image to be wrapped by the body of the text, this could then have an effect on the magazine.

Boxes – The layout of my double page spread and contents page helped me to organise my work so that when it came to filling it in with text and pictures it was easier to see what it would look like.

I was also able to make quick changes to my work with this ability so I would not waste time. Using the boxes also allowed me to see what my work would like before it was finished. This then allowed me to change anything if needed in order finish the project at its best.

This picture to the right shows what my magazine looked like when it was under construction. This meant that I was able to make quick changes to the contents page and double page spread.

Blogging• Posts - I had never used a blog before, however I was familiar with

concept of it and how you use it. I found blogging the easiest technique in the process of the coursework.

What I had learnt from blogger was how to create a post.

I found it easy to create posts as the layout of ‘Blogger’ was simple.

I was able to make each post different with the ability to change font, font size and font colour.

I also learnt to insert images into my posts as well as videos and imbedded links from different websites!

One of the main things I learnt when being in blogger was creating a post that enables me to put something on my blog using an embedded code. An example of this would be when using time toast.