https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByNJOHRJ2QfAR1lFY0JtenNUZVk/view?usp=sharing
I also have the script for the audio within the video, which I will post here.
Hi everyone! I’m going to be evaluating the process of my AS media studies project. I decided to make a magazine because I am both better with words and digital, non-moving pictures. What was challenging for me was the fact that this project had limitations on including four original photographs, and since I wanted to create a literary magazine, I had to be as artistic as possible. Now, what’s the problem here? Well, I’m no artist. With common literary magazine layout prototypes, as shown here, what is usually included are artistic, drawn pieces, and not photographs. Thus, it was a challenge for me to find the right subject for my images that would fit my magazine and still meet the criteria of being artistic and creative.
The main social issue I address is the under representation of the millennial artistic culture; older generations scrutinize and criticize the young people of modern today to be brain-washed and under the influence of poorly-produced media. However, with this magazine, I wanted to show and give spirit to the underground artistic talent present with young people nowadays; to emphasize that the art is still present and that it lives among us. I did this, in addition to photographs I took of young, female models, through the writing I incorporated, which had a recurring theme of art being under-estimated and taken for granted. The representation of young female models was a conscious decision to align perfectly well with theme; young females are underestimated for their talents in society nowadays as much as art is being underestimated. Now, my product engages with audiences, which I aim to be young adults, through vibrant colors like the ones in my cover photo. Also, including models of the same age range as the target audience helps them identify with the theme and subject more.
As a real media text, this would be distributed through an independent literary magazine foundation, with collections of photographs and writing submitted by young, mostly unknown emerging artists. My production skills thoroughly developed throughout the project since at the beginning, I had no idea of how to make us of Adobe Indesign, or of how to properly edit pictures on Photoshop. However, through various tutorials online, I was able to figure out how to create grids, how to place photos perfectly,and how to learn all the basics to get started with Indesign. By incorporating online technologies, which were presented to me by the various tutorials and aid articles, I was able to then incorporate the software technologies to my work. With Photoshop, for example, I had to discover the art of editing images and shifting the colors, which changes the complete outlook of a picture and the vibe you’e aiming for. Here, I was aiming more for a pastel, soothing artistic aesthetic with my pictures, unlike with the edits that I was starting with, which were more saturated, condensed, and “out there”.
I want to talk about the artwork process, and would like to thank my friend Elizabeth Tiralongo for designing my cover page. Initially, we had an idea of this picture to be the cover; however, we realized the background was too full and distracting. She then re-designed a background with just one, repetitive design (the semicircles) and had me cut out the main subject of the photo; the young floating girl, and paste it onto the new background. I had to scan this to be able to fully get the picture, and once I did, I realized I had leftover art from the previous, discarded “full” background, so I decided to scan that one too, and guess what? I had new, small designs for my table of contents!
In the whole project, the writing aspect of it was the easiest. I spent enough time to get something that fits; however, I was already inspired by the pictures I took and found it easy to relate writing pieces to the artwork and the magazine.
Last but not least, the blog posts helped regulate my time management. Keeping the blog was a great tool for organizing research and progress, and without it, I think I would have undergone a whole lot of mess!
Also, comments and feedback provided by my peers helped to spark new ideas in my head and commenting on other people’s blogs also really aided me in my process.
Thank you all for listening, and I hope you enjoyed my journey through this project!
