During today's lesson, I made the finishing touches to my 'Customise Your Clothes' DPS. I finished off this DPS by adding in the images that I had previously taken. Once I had finished doing this, I created a small breakout box for my 'Tips and Tricks'.
I think that this DPS has worked well overall as it has all the required componants, is eye catching, and is interesting. If I could recreate this DPS, I would possibly use different imagery and would also allow myself more time for making the clothes.

'Customise Your Clothes' DPS imagery

During today's lesson, I spent some time editing the images that I had taken for my 'Customise Your Clothes' DPS. I began this process by cropping my images. I then went onto altering the brightness and contrast where necessary. With this DPS being about creating DIY garments, I wanted the DPS itself to look quite home made and therefore didn't want to make all the pictures have white backgrounds. This is why some of the images still have their original backgrounds.

Contents Page Production #2

Today, I completed my contents page design. I selected 3 images from my various photoshoots to put on the contents page. I have chosen these images as they represent their articles well and also look interesting and will hopefully make the reader want to read the articles that go with them. I have also chosen these images because they fit in nicely with the colour scheme that is featured on this page.
Overall, I think that my contents page has worked well as it is clear and easy to read but at the same time is decorative and exciting.

'Say It With Nails' DPS Production #2

Today I completed my Say It with Nails DPS. I began this session by creating a breakout box for my 'Tips and Tricks' section. I chose to use a writing paper background for this breakout box as I thought that this would look effective and seeing as the pattern is also used on some of my other pages, it would help to unite the pages. I then created a breakout box for my 'We Recommend' section.
Overall, I am happy with how my DPS has turned out and I luckily didn't have any problems during production.

Project Monitoring; Week 5

During this week, I focused mainly on the development of my ‘Say It with Nails’ DPS. I began this week by doing the photo shoot for the DPS. I felt that this went well and the images that I produced were usable and were easy to edit.

I then went onto beginning the creation of my pages. I started this process by working out the dimensions of my pages. I then began to map out where everything needed to go on my pages for example, the text, images, header, ect. After doing this, I chose a background and then began to insert the various components of my DPS.

The creation of my Say It with Nails DPS has taken quite a while. I think that this is because the imagery took quite a while to edit and also because the layout of this DPS is quite complex. However, I have spent a lot of my spare time working on this DPS this week and therefore, do not feel that I am behind.

I feel that my InDesign skills are developing and improving each week as I get more and more used to working with the programme. I am happy with the progress that I am making and I think that my DPS is coming together nicely.

'Say It with Nails' DPS Production

I began the creation of my DPS by measuring the diamentions of the pages. I then worked out where all the various componants of my DPS would go. After doing this, I inserted my previously made header along with a polka dot background. I chose this pattern for my background because I thought that it would compliment the other colours and patterns in the DPS nicely. I then began to add my pieces of text. The fonts that I have used for these pages are Windsor Hand, Prestiege Elite STD, Calibri, and Times New Roman. I have chosen to use Windsor Hand because it is a very stylish font and as it is used on every page of my magazine, it works well at uniting my pages. I chose to use the other three fonts as they are easy to read and work well.

The next step was adding my previously edited imagery. This stage took the longest as sizing the images and positioning them took longer than I had expected. Never the less, I think that they worked well in the DPS.

'Say It with Nails' Edit imagery

I spent this lesson editing the images that I took for my 'Say It with Nails' DPS in Photoshop. I began by taking the dodge tool and choosing the 'midtones' setting then rubbing out the backgrounds of my images. I then selected the 'highlights' mode and went over them again to lighten them even more. I then altered the brightness/contrast where necessary. On some of the pictures, excess nail varnish had been left on the fingers. So, I took the clone stamp tool and removed these imperfections. I finished this process by cropping some of the images

Project Monitoring; Week 4

According to my schedule, I was supposed to spend this week designing my front cover, contents page and two of my double page spreads.

I began the week by taking my images for my front cover and ‘I Just Want to Be Perfect’ DPS. I then spent some of my homework time editing these images and making sure they were right for my pages. Thankfully, I did not have to use any of my contingency time for these photo shoots as they worked well first time.

I spent the following day reviewing my previously made mock up for my ‘I Just Want to Be Perfect’ DPS. I decided that this mock up would be suitable for my final draft and so I added the images that I had taken to it. I like how this DPS looks so far however I do think that it may need some more colourful imagery to be added to it if I get time.

I then spent the next day beginning the design of my front cover. I also spent this lesson reviewing my ‘Customise Your Clothes’ article making sure that everything was where it should be.

The following day, I was fortunate enough to have a large amount of free time and therefore, I spent the majority of the day completing my front cover design and also beginning the creation of my contents page. I think my front cover worked really well and I believe that it looks authentic.

I believe that so far, my project is going well and I am progressing at a steady pace. The only thing that I am worried about is the amount of time remaining and I still have two photo shoots. However I should more than likely get both of these done over the next week.

'I Just Want to Be Perfect' DPS Production #2

Today I made the last little adjustments to my DPS. At the start of this week I was advised to make my pages A4 sized instead of A5 (The size that I had originally made this DPS) Therefore, I spent some time this lesson transferring the various components for this DPS onto A4 pages. Thankfully this process didn't take too long and therefore my progress was not majorly disrupted.

Contents Page Production

During this lesson, I began the production of my contents page. I began this process by working out the size of my page. I then had to choose the background. My first idea for this page was to use a background which was the same colour as the front cover background but during production, I changed my mind. I decided to use an image that I had taken of some flowers as I thought this would work well seeing as the product that I am creating is a spring issue. I then went onto add the title of the magazine to the top of the page. After this, I created two breakout boxes for my main body of text. I then wrote out my contents. I added pink shapes behind some of the text. These boxes are supposed to act as highlighters for these pieces of text. I then added another breakout box which was for my competition. I used a lined paper pattern for this because I had seen it previously used in Company Magazine and I also thought that it looked really affective. I then creted some boxes to show where my images are going to go.

'Customise Your Clothes' DPS Production

 

During this lesson, I began the production of my 'Customise Your Clothes' DPS. I began this process by measuring my pages and creating columns. I then went onto create a background for my DPS. The background that I chose for this DPS is a grid paper pattern. I chose this pattern for my background because I have often seen it used in Company Magazine and I also think that it compliments the content nicely. I then inserted my header that I created previously. After doing this, I began to position square frames onto my DPS pages. I did this so that I would know where to put my images. The bigger frames are for my main images and the smaller are for the step-by-step images. 

I then began to add my instructions and 'You will need' breakout boxes. The main font that I used for my instructions is a font called Calibri. I chose this font for my instructions because Its clear and easy on the eye.

'I Just Want to Be Perfect' DPS Production

During today's lesson, I began the production of my 'I Just Want to Be Perfect' DPS. As this is the DPS that I created as a mock up previously, little work was needed to be done. After editing my photos, I added them to my pages where the old photos were and then altered the pages slightly.

Front Cover Production #2

Today, I finished the production of my front cover. I began this lesson by adding some more of my sell lines in and arranging them nicely on my cover. I used a selection of different shapes and textures as backgrounds for pieces of text. I did this so that important pieces of text would stand out and also to make my page look busier. I am happy with how my front cover has turned out as I think that it will appeal to the TA and it can be related back to Company magazine. After showing my magazine to friends who fit into the TA, one said "I love it, I look at it and automatically want it! I think the colour scheme and flowers make it look especially good."

Front Cover Production

Today, I began the creation of my front cover. I began this process by selecting the size of my page. I decided to make it an A4 document. I also increased the resolution so that the images were clear. I then dragged my image in and sized it accordingly. Next, I created my masthead. I chose Arial Black for my font in a dark purple colour because it is a clear, bold font which stands out against the other fonts. I then began to add my sell lines. For the majority of my sell lines, I have chosen a font called Windsor Hand because it is a very stylish, elegant looking font and worked well with my magazine style. Another of the fonts that I have chosen to feature on my front cover is a font called Prestiege Elite Std. I have chosen this font because it looks like it has been written by a typewriter which I think looks effective. I have also underlined this font when it is used to make it stand out.
I then went on to add some smaller details to my cover. I noticed that often on the magazine that I have based Trend on (Company Magazine), patterns and textures are featured in the corners of the front cover. For my front cover, I chose to use some images of flowers that I cut out as my smaller details. I chose to use flowers as my magazine is supposed to be a spring isse and therefore needs to be very pretty and fresh looking. I put a slight fade on the flowers so that the text in front of them stood out still. I also added a slight outer glow to my masthead so that it still stood out.

Front Cover Image Edits

After taking a selection of photos for my front cover, I chose this image and began to edit it so that it was ready. I began by taking the dodge tool and selecting highlights on the range. I then went around and made the background of the image lighter. Once I had done this, I adjusted the brightness/contrast accordingly. I then reviewed my flat plans and looked at the colour scheme that I had chosen. Realising that my colour scheme was pastelle blues, purples and pinks, I decided to change some of the colours within my image so that they fitted in with this theme. I began by changing the colour of my model's top from orange to purple. I did this by selecting the paintbrush tool, choosing my colour and then changing the mode to 'color'. I then did the same with my background changing the colour to blue. To finish, I added a shadow to my model using the color mode and a grey colour.

'I Just Want to Be Perfect' Photoshop Edits

After taking my photos for my DPS, I opened them in photoshop and began to edit them. I began this proces by selecting the dodge tool and changing the range to highlights. I then took this tool and went around the background of all of my images so that they were all closer to white. I then went onto the brightness and contrast menu and altered the brightness accordingly. Once I had finished these steps, I cropped the images that needed to be cropped.

Project Monitoring; Week 3

According to my schedule. I was supposed to spend this week beginning my design process. On the first day, I reviewed my ‘I Just Want to Be Perfect’ mock up and also reviewed my focus group recording. I then wrote some notes for exactly what I would need to shoot in my photo shoot and also any necessary alterations that would need to be made to the DPS.

I then went on to the creation of my ‘Customise Your Clothes’ DPS. I began this process by measuring the dimensions of my pages. Although the magazine in which I have based my magazine on (Company Magazine) had pages which were just A5 sized, I decided to make mine A4 as they would look better when printed. I then began to choose a background pattern. In the end, I chose a pale blue squared pattern as it is quite a simple pattern but will still be effective.  I then inserted my previously created header then started to add sub headers and a kicker.

Unfortunately, everything did not go as smoothly this week. This was due to the fact that I had to miss a couple of lessons for interviews. However, I have spent homework time making up some of the time that I have missed and therefore I am thankfully not too behind.

I would say that the overall production of my magazine is going well so far however, I do want to get my photo shoots out of the way as I believe that it is a lot easier to design with images ready to use.

Project Monitoring; Week 2

According to my schedule, I was supposed to spend this week writing up and perfecting my three articles. In the time that I had spare, I was also supposed to create my DPS header designs. I successfully managed to complete all of these tasks this week. All actions went to plan and everything ran smoothly.

On Monday, I began creating a plan for my ‘Customise Your Clothes’ article. In this, I reviewed my language and narrative voice choices and also experimented with different introductions and kickers. I then went on to write my article which meant creating my step-by-step guides. For this, I had to go back and review my Treatment and also my Content Research.

On Wednesday, I reviewed my ‘I Just Want to Be Perfect’ article that I had already written. I was happy with how I’d written this article and when I did my focus group, they said that they enjoyed reading the article; therefore I decided that no alterations needed to be made to this article. I spent the remainder of Wednesday’s lesson planning and beginning my ‘Say It with Nails’ article.

During Thursday’s lesson, I finished writing my ‘Say It with Nails’ article. I began this process by again, reviewing my Treatment and Content Research. This did not take me long and so I finished Thursday’s lesson creating my DPS header designs.

DPS Header Designs

These are the headers that I plan to use for my DPS's. I have the chosen these three colours for my headers as they are pastille colours which will link them to my magazine and each is also a colour featured in its DPS colour pallette. The font that I have chosen to use is a font called Windsor Hand. I chose to use this font because I think that the fact that it is very thin and stylish will appeal to the target audience

'Say It with Nails' Article Draft

Narrative Voice: 2^nd and 3^rd Person Narrative

Language Style: Colloquial

Introduction

Ever felt that just what you’re wearing alone isn’t expressing your personality enough? Sounds like its time for you to let your nails take centre stage!

 Nail art is a trend which is has become increasingly popular over the past 5 years. The trend was first made a hit by nail salon WAH! In London who made it their mission to show the world their unique, trendy designs. These days you can find video tutorials all over the internet demonstrating new designs! Here’s how to do some of our favourites

Leopard Print

You will need:

·         White nail varnish

·         Clear nail varnish

·         2 different colours of nail varnish

·         Double ended nail art pen in either black or dark blue

1.       Begin by painting a layer of clear onto the nails followed by a layer of white

2.       Paint on your base colour (lighter colours usually work better)

3.       Take your second colour and simply dab spots onto each nail using the nail varnish brush (It doesn’t matter if this looks messy, the lines will hide this!)

4.       Take your nail art pen and, using the pen end, carefully draw either two or three curving lines around each blob. Also put extra lines and dots in the gaps

5.       Finish by protecting your design with a layer of clear

Tiger Print

You will need:

·         White nail varnish

·         Clear nail varnish

·         2 different colours of nail varnish

·         Double ended nail art pen in either black or blue

·         A make up sponge

1.       Begin by painting a layer of clear onto the nails followed by two layers of white

2.       Take your make up sponge and cut it in half so that you have a completely flat edge

3.       Take the lighter of your two colours and paint a thin layer of the colour onto one end of the makeup sponge. Allow this to soak in a bit and then sponge onto ¾ of each nail

4.       Take your second colour and repeat step 3 apart from this time only sponge the colour onto half of the nail

5.       Take the brush end of your nail art pen and carefully draw stripes going across each nail.

6.       Finish by protecting your design with a layer of clear

Stained Glass Window

You will need:

·         White nail varnish

·         Clear nail varnish

·         Up to 7 different colours of nail varnish

·         Double ended nail art pen in either black or blue

1.       Begin by painting a layer of clear onto the nails followed by a layer of white

2.       Take your first colour and paint 3 random spots onto each nail. Repeat this with all of the colours until the nail is covered

3.       Take the pen end of your nail art pen and carefully draw around each colour, this will make your nails look like stained glass!

4.       Finish by protecting your design with a layer of clear

Glitter

You will need:

·         Clear nail varnish

·         A coloured nail varnish

·         Glitter/metallic nail varnish

·         Glitter

·         An old makeup brush

*All of these must be the same colour

1.       Begin by painting a layer of clear onto the nails

2.       Paint two layers of the coloured nail varnish onto your nails

3.       Paint a layer of glitter/metallic nail varnish on top of the colour

4.       Paint a layer of clear nail varnish and before this dries, dip your nail into the glitter

5.       Once the clear has dried, take the makeup brush and brush away any loose glitter

6.       Finish by protecting your design with a layer of clear

Tips and Tricks

·         Painting a layer of clear onto your nails before and after painting is a great way of stopping your nail from getting stained by the colour and also helps to make the design last longer!

·         Applying a layer of white before applying colour to the nail helps to bring out the colour. This is especially useful when using light colours

·         Make sure you leave each layer of nail varnish to dry fully before you apply another layer to prevent smudging!

·         Mix and match your effects! The sponged effect looks great by itself or teamed up with some leopard print!

We Recommend

·         Barry M’s colour collection; these nail varnishes come in all different colours and are strong and long lasting!

·         Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Treatment; this polish is perfect for little nails needing a boost and also works well at strengthening nails!

·         Models Own WAH! Nail art pen; created by the Queens of Nail Art, this pen creates clear and precise patterns with its double ended lid which has both a pen and a brush!

·         Nail Rock Nail Wraps; if you simply can’t get your head around doing your own designs, never fear! Nail wraps are what you need. They look good and are easy to apply, the perfect quick fix!

'I Just Want To Be Perfect' Article

Whether its boobs, bum, or belly, Most of us would admit that there is at least one part of our bodies that we would happily change given the chance.  These days we are constantly bombarded with images and information about how we apparently should look and what the ‘perfect body’ is. So it’s not really a surprise that eating disorders are becoming increasingly common in young people. But what is it that leads people to test their bodies to the extremes?

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with understanding and appreciating my own body shape. Like many, I have tried and tested a number of different weird and wonderful diets, from the low carb diet, to consuming nothing but Cuppa Soups and herbal teas. These diet plans are not necessarily the healthiest methods of weight-loss but, like many young women, I strive to have a figure like the girls plastered all over the media, and I want it quickly and effortlessly. For some young women, simply cutting out a few high fat foods from their diets just isn’t enough and therefore feel that not eating at all is a much quicker and more effective way of losing weight. Of course, not eating or being ‘Anorexic’ is highly dangerous and can become extremely addictive. Anorexia can cause a number of different problems in the future such as stunted growth and infertility.

Many Anorexia sufferers over- exercise so that large amounts of weight can be lost more quickly. Strongly effected suffers are often over-ruled by the illness. One 14 year old girl from London refused to drink water as she forced herself to believe that it contained calories. Anorexia is frighteningly addictive. 90% of suffers are female and surveys have shown that the age of anorexia is gradually getting lower and lower, now being diagnosed in children as young as 12 years old. These statistics are terrifying. So what is it that fuels the addiction?

Many say it is the Media who are to blame for this attack on self- esteem. Models shown in the media are very often extremely thin, many not much bigger than a size 4. Many of us see these images of these pencil thin girls with their gaps in their legs and super flat stomachs and automatically think that this is how we should look also. In a way, the media is ‘glamorizing’ eating disorders as often, the models featured in magazines and on TV are of an unhealthy weight themselves. Although many companies have responded to the recent complaints about the lack of healthy, average sized models in the media, adding ‘plus sized’ models (which are often only size 14 models, hardly plus sized!) to their products. Even still, many images with the slightest imperfections are airbrushed until they are what the industry classifies as being ‘perfect’. This usually means getting rid of any unnecessary lumps and bumps and occasionally even adding in the odd bit of muscle definition! By doing these things, the media are distorting many people’s idea of what a healthy, attractive body shape looks like.

Another body shape bully, believe it or not, is Facebook.  We’ve all had that awful photo from the night before that we didn’t want anyone to see put onto Facebook haven’t we?  Sure, some of the photos are hilarious but have you ever logged off and found yourself wondering if those couple of pounds you’ve put on have started to show? Out of 600 Facebook users surveyed, 75% reported being unhappy with their bodies and 51% said Facebook makes them more conscious about their body and weight.  It’s completely understandable. Knowing that hundreds of people are able to view and potentially comment on photos showcasing your ‘wobbly bits’ is hardly reassuring. Could Facebook also be to blame for the growth in eating disorders? Yes. Many people will see those images of themselves and become increasingly more and more unhappy about their appearance. Some will then think that the only way to solve these body issues is by making radical alterations to their bodies until they believe that they are ‘perfect’.  

For those people with a bit of money in the bank, there is always that option of plastic surgery.  Whether it’s a little of the thighs or bigger boobs, plastic surgery can completely change someone’s body and their self esteem. Every year, millions of people spend massive amounts of money on cosmetic procedures. Most of the time, cosmetic surgery is successful but, if not done by certified professionals, there can be complications. Many patients in the past have reported burst implants, stitches breaking, and even scars coming apart. There are also some procedures that have to be cared for after surgery such as lipo-suction. This form of surgery is only permanent if the weight is kept off. Personally, I wouldn’t want to spend thousands of pounds on a treatment that’s only semi-permanent. Yes we all want quick fixes but are this really worth it?

Of course, the healthiest, and often the most achievable way of losing weight is the ‘eat less, exercise more’ method.  Yes, we all want to be able to lose weight quickly and effortlessly but, let’s face it, no results are going to appear unless the work is put in. And it doesn’t have to be full throttle dieting either. The smallest changes will make the biggest differences. Before you sit down with your favourite chocolate bar, stop and change it to an apple. We all also need to accept our bodies for what they are. Everyone feels body conscious and one point and we all feel that we have to diet for different reasons. But it is really right that we all feel that we should be like those pencil thin models? I mean, wouldn’t the world be a pretty boring if everyone looked the same?

'Customise Your Clothes' Article plan and 1st Draft

Narrative voice: 2^nd and 3^rd Person narrative

Language style: Colloquial (Chatty, laid-back, easy to relate to)

Introduction

·         Talk about how buying brand new clothes is an ‘expensive luxury’

·         Talk about how easy and how much more cheaper it is to customise clothes

·         “Spring is here and we all know what that means; new season, new wardrobe!”

·         “You walk into your favourite shop, and there in front of you is this gorgeous tie dye top. Of course its love at first sight! Just a shame that when you flip over the label you see that it is way out of your price range. We all have these days. Let’s face it, having to alter your wardrobe every season is not a cheap task. But could it be?  We came up with a couple of different ways that you could get this season’s trends without the high street price tag!”

·         “Get the look for less!”

Tie Dye Instructions (I may need to shorten these instructions so that they fit on my DPS and so that I don’t lose the reader’s attention)

You will need:

·         A plain white T-Shirt

·         2+ different colours of dye (Colours used in example are Fuchsia, Turquoise, and Yellow)

·         500g of dye salt

·         Rubber Gloves

·         Rubber bands

·         String

·         Squeezable bottles (condiment bottles, energy drink bottles, ect.)

·         A bin bag

·         300ml of water

1.       Cut down the middle of your bin bag and lay it flat on your surface. This will act as a waterproof cover for your surface and will stop it from getting covered in dye!

2.       Lie your t-shirt down. Using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, pinch the centre of your t-shirt and then twist the t-shirt round (still pinching) so that the t-shirt coils round into a spiral

3.       Take your string and carefully tie a knot around the outside of your t-shirt. (you may need an extra pair of hands for this!) Once this is secure, take two rubber bands and cross them over the top of your t-shirt

4.       Mix your dye, add 150g of one of the dyes to 120g of salt. Then add to this 300ml of 40˚ water. Stir until the salt and dye have dissolved then pour into a squeezable bottle. Repeat this with all of your colours

5.       Take your first colour and squirt a small circle of dye into the middle of your spiral. Then with the next colour, outline this circle. Repeat this number of times then flip the spiral over and do the same on the opposite side.

6.       Leave the dye to soak into the t-shirt spiral for approximately 20 minutes. Then unravel and hang up to set for at least 12 hours

7.       Rinse t-shirt in cold water and then wash thoroughly (for best results, put colour catcher into wash)

Dip Dye

You will need:

·         A plain piece of clothing

·         Bleach

·         Water

·         A bucket

·         Gloves

1.       Lie garment out

2.       Create a mixture which is 1 part bleach to 2 parts water

3.       Dip your garment into the mixture (dip it as far in as you want the bleach to go) hold this for a minute

4.       If you want to create a 3 tone dip dye/ lighten the colour of your garment even more, add more bleach to your mixture and dip the garment in for longer

Potato Printing

You will need:

·         A plain t-shirt

·         A good sized baking potato

·         A  knife

·         Paper

·         Pencil

·         Scissors

·         Acryllic paint or fabric paint

1.       Take the potato and slice it in half

2.       Using a pencil or a pen, draw an outline of your design onto the inside of the potato

3.       Take a knife and cut around the shape. Cut about ¼ depth so that the shape is raised

4.       Dip your shape into your paint and then print it onto your t-shirt. Repeat this as many times as you like!

Attention to Detail

You will need:

·         An old shirt

·         A sewing needle and thread

·         A chain

·         Some buttons

1.       Measure the space in between your collar and work out how long you want your chain to be

2.       Using your needle and thread, attach the ends of the chain to the tips of the collar

3.       Take your buttons and sew these over the top of the chain stitches

Go Galactic

You will need:

·         A black t-shirt or bandeau

·         White, purple, and blue paint acrylic or fabric paint (other  colours optional)

·         A sponge

·         A thin paintbrush

1.       Begin by lightly sponging blue onto the garment

2.       Sponge a layer of purple paint on top of this. Combine this with some lighter shades of purple to make it stand out

3.       Sponge some small of white on top of these colours

4.       Take your paintbrush and using your white paint, paint some crosses and dots onto your garment, these will look like stars!