InDesign Class Activity

Today in class we utilized Adobe InDesign to lay out our 2 page spread. The features on the software were very useful and it had many different options for editing. We learned how to use the select tool, type tool, and picture box tool. These are the main tools we would need to create the basis of our article. It was a bit overwhelming for me though. I did not feel fully comfortable working with this software on my own because there was a lot of features I did not understand. Also, the tools we used in class were kind of confusing to me. There were a lot of steps to fix the text we put in and adding in the pictures confused me and I didn't get to it. I don't think I will be using InDesign to make my revisions or the third quarter submission. I will probably keep using Microsoft Publisher because I am familiar with it and know how to use it. My layout that I made using InDesign is not complete or the final look I want. I was just practicing putting in pictures and formatting text, so the pictures I chose are not the correct ones.

My Target Audience

My magazine has a target audience with many different qualities and characteristics. My magazine is aimed at people who are aged between 25 and 60. It is not really meant for younger people. It can be for all genders, although much more women may want to read it than men. It is meant to be read by homeowners so they can spark up their house. It is also aimed at people who are part of the middle class because the magazine has simple ideas that can be used by those who might be on a budget and don't want to spend money on elaborate decorations. Personal interests of the audience could include cooing, baking, arts and crafts, fashion, and personal care. The product will be appealing to the audience because it has a variety of decorations to make for the current holiday, it is easy to read, and it is relatable to help people better themselves.

Feedback and Revisions

After getting some feedback on my magazine from my midterm submission, there are revisions I need to make before my final submission. For my cover page, I need to expand my picture so that it fills the whole page instead of having a white border. Then I need to move my article titles so that most of it is not covering the main picture. I want the picture to be seen so I just have to move my title up and some of the articles to the sides. I don't want to much revision with my table of contents because I felt that it was formatted well. The only thing I need to add to it is a page number in the bottom corner. For my two page article, I need to get a picture of the person I am interviewing to show who she is and to add to the variety of pictures. I think I should also add a main photo to the top of the page above the title. These changes will improve my product because it will make it look more organized and professional. To make these changes happen, I am going to start working on the cover page first and then keep going from there. I am using Microsoft Publisher to create my magazine and make any changes.

Use of Conventions

My magazine that I made uses many different conventions of my genre that I am able to recognize because of the magazine research I did. On my cover page, the font of the title of my magazine was very similar to other magazines that I saw. They both have a clean, simple look that is bold and stands out. I have some other features on my cover page that were similar to other magazines, such as having a colored circle around one of the featured articles. I put the main article on the cover in a bigger font, since the other magazines in my genre also had that. My table of contents is very organized and symmetrical. The other table of contents' in other magazines I looked at had multiple sections that had different articles listed underneath them. This is what I did with my magazine because I have four different topics related to my magazine genre. My article is similar to the other magazines because there are pictures scattered throughout the article. I do not have a main picture at the top on the first page of the article, even though some of the magazines I saw did have this.

My magazine is meant for homeowners who are most likely in the middle class because my magazine has articles that are for people who want to buy or make things on a budget for their home.