Friday, 8 January 2010
Technological Devices Used
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Final Poster Production
After deciding on my final idea, I began designing the final product.Using Adobe Photoshop Elements, which I found had the appropriate tools to create my desired image, I pasted my two images into separate layers. I used the "Lasso" tool to cut out my magnifying glass from the background, and also to cut out the center of the glass. This enabled me to copy and paste the image onto the background of the map.
I then merged the layers to create one image, and cut out my final image to place onto the poster.
I chose this particular image because the magnifying glass suggests that the newspaper is 'magnified' and concentrated on the Harrogate area only. The slogan "Take a Closer Look" also holds connotations of the ultra local theme the newspaper has taken on.

I wanted the final poster to signify the unity within a local society, with a particular focus on the people of Harrogate.
Audience Feedback -
Ella Peach: I think the poster is really unusual and eye-catching, as well as putting the point Holly wanted to portray across to the audience.
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Cohesive Devices in Newspaper, Webpage and Poster
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Website Evaluation


Newspaper Website Production

To create the small 'picture links', I used paint as it is simple yet effective in creating a professional looking image. It also allowed more freedom for me to create the images exactly as I would like them. For each image I used pale, corresponding colours so they were eye catching but did not distract. The text tool in paint also allowed me to write inside the oblongs. I then used 'insert image' to place the images where I wanted them.

In the same way as the picture links, I used paint also to create this box-out of links. To give the text the look of a 'link', I changed the colour of the text, also underlining it giving the text an 'interactive' look. I used a pale yellow colour for the background to attract attention but again not too bright as it would distract attention.

The 'offers' buttons were also created in Paint due to the freedom of movement and text tools. Three of the buttons used a plain white background with contrasting colours, although for the first establishing button I used a grey background to signify the offers to the reader.

Monday, 30 November 2009
Poster Ideas
Till Receipt/Value for money - Similar to the idea that The Sun used, showing the value for money with an interesting aesthetic quality.
Poster Draft
I created a draft image of my poster to give an idea of what the final production will look like. I used the conventions from the national newspapers posters and applied them to my own production. For example, this draft is simple, has a tagline (take a closer look), colour (image) and the title and website of the newspaper. I used the image from 'clip art' on Microsoft Word, which I will replace with my own image that is similar to the draft.
Newspaper Poster Conventions
The Guardian

- Colour
- Title/Website of newspaper
- Image (Using relevant associated words)
- Not a lot of text
- (Newspaper) Associated words e.g "fact" and "opinion"
- None gender/age specific
- Image
- Colour
- Persuasive language/sentences
- Simple
- None gender/age specific
These two posters present a very simple approach to advertising. Using eye-catching colours and unusual designs attracts attention easily. The language used within each poster is specific to newspapers and the media, suggesting that the audience can have their own opinion and the newspaper will allow them to do this.
The Sun
- Image of receipt
- Subjects within the newspaper shown on receipt, "TOTAL 30P" connoting it is worth the money.
- Simple
- None gender/age specific
- Simple
- Quotation
- Possibly for generation that understands the recession
- Bold statements e.g "BIG OPINIONS. EVERY DAY."
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Newspaper Language (etc.)
9 GOLDEN RULES
KISS – Keep It Short and Simple. In any newspaper, whether it be national or local, keeping sentences short and simple make for better news and it is easier to read.
Reading For Speed – Everything on a newspaper should be created for speed reading, enabling the audience to read through articles fast
Never Use 3 Words When One Will Do.
Don’t Repeat Yourself
Use Active Verbs – e.g “Youth strikes woman”
Use Puns In Headlines
Personalise The Story – make it relevant to people and places.
Categorise People – e.g Ex lover
Avoid – Overuse of clichés, euphemisms, being too chatty, foreign phrases.
GRAMMAR AND QUOTE USE
When using quotes in articles, I need to be sure to check if the quote is direct or indirect. The use of grammar in articles changes compared with usual written text. A direct quote is something somebody has actually said. These need speech marks.
Indirect quotes usually come after “ X was said to be..”. This quote may have been taken from an outside/close source.
Standard English grammar is often dropped when writing articles. This is because it makes the article easier to read and depending on the article can give a certain ‘feel’ to it.
TEXT LAYOUT
Newspaper text is always written in columns that are aligned to reach both sides of the margins, so giving an efficient look. Usually it ranges between one to three sentences per paragraph, and font size is usually around a size 8 or 10, so that it’s small enough to fit all information in.
The paragraphs are always indented to establish a different point, per paragraph. The establishing paragraph always includes “WHO, WHERE, WHEN and WHY”, this is written in short and ages are always shown after names. (Only in the first paragraph, unless introducing a new subject later on in the bulk of the information)
Text is mostly placed below or to the side of the photograph, if the article has one. It is rarely placed on top, as the headline is placed there.
Box-out – A small part of the page, shaded in a different colour.
By-line – the name of the reporter.
Caption – text under the photographs explaining the image.
Crosshead – a subheading within the body of the text of an article.
Feature – not necessarily a ‘news’ item, but usually with a human-interest angle.
Headline – this is the main title of the article, usually in the largest and boldest font, describing the main story. A banner headline spans the full width of the page.
Kicker – this is a story designed to stand out from the rest of the page by the use of a different font and layout.
Lead Story – the main story on the front page.
Lure – a word or phrase directing the reader to look inside the paper at a particular story or feature.
Masthead – the masthead is the title block or logo identifying the 'brand identity' of the newspaper at the top of the front-page. Sometimes a motto is also placed within the masthead.The masthead is often set into a block of coloured print or boxed with a border; the ‘Red-tops’ (The Sun, The Mirror, The News of the World) are categorised by style and the use of a red background in the masthead. Local newspapers generally use 'calmer' colours such as blue or green.
Pugs – these are at the top left and right-hand corners of the paper and are known as the ‘ears’ of the page. The prices of the paper or the brand identity are positioned there. They are well placed to catch the reader’s eye.
Secondary Lead – this is usually only a picture and headline, it gives a sneak preview of a story that you might find inside the paper.
Sidebar – when a main feature has an additional box or boxed panel along side of it.
Spread – a story that covers more than one page.
Standfirst – this is an introductory paragraph,letter or sentence before the start of the feature.Sometimes it may be in bold.
Strapline – this is an introductory headline below the headline.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Other Image Choices
1. I chose only one image out of this set of photos, due to it being a much straighter angle and appropriately corresponding to the article I have written in the newspaper.

2. I have chosen 3 images here. Firstly, I chose the first 'present' photo due to it being a clearer and brighter image. The second chandelier image was chosen because it was at a better angle compared to the others and was focused more clearly on one small part of the object. I only had one of the final image of the vase, which I felt was enough as the image is in focus and can be resized accordingly to the advert.

Final Newspaper Pages Production



Image Editing Process
Hyperlinked Webpage Generic Conventions
- Homepage Masthead/Title : Same as the Homepage, keeping the house style and brand identity
- Pictures : Several pictures for the articles and advertisements, main picture for the article
- Main Linked Article - This takes up most of the hyperlinked page as it is the purpose
- Advertisements : The same as the Homepage
- Links to other stories : To give the audience other story options
- Comment Option : To give the reader the option to comment on the article
- House Style : The same as the Homepage, keeping all colours and fonts
Cohesive Devices in Newspapers and Webpages
I will look at the Harrogate Advertiser in order to understand this. These conventions will help me to create the web pages.
- Brand Identity and House Style
- Date and Time
- Articles
- Article Images
- Advertisements
- Linked pages (Other sites/articles)
- Small proportion of articles, with links to the full article
- Comment Options
- Register/Sign in Options
- Scrolling Text
- Instant news updates
- Moving Images
These similarities and differences highlight the divergence between the hard print copy of the newspaper and the interactive, modern and 'instantaneous' version of the newspaper in web pages.
New media (i.e Internet) has been involved in the decline in profits of print media.
Newspaper Articles
Main Article -
Article 2 - Front Cover
Main Article - 2nd page
Monday, 9 November 2009
Newspaper Webpage Conventions
In research to create two hyperlinked webpages I have researched the main webpages of local newspapers. This is in order to gain knowledge of how a newspaper website presents itself, so I can apply the generic conventions of the page to my own work. I used several different local newspaper websites from around the country, rather than the all Ackrill Media Group sites, as they all have the same layouts.
- Masthead/Title of newspaper : to demonstrate the newspapers trade name
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Main Article Image Choices
Jake's Restaurant Renovation Success
I chose this image out of only the three I took of the restaurant, because I feel this long shot of the building, at a diagonal angle, captures the new and unusual ambience of the restaurant.
As the article was about the renovation, and the restaurant is suggested to be unique in the town, a slightly upward diagonal angle gives this impression.
I edited the brightness and contrast on Photoshop to help the image stand out and the colours to connote a 'bright and cheerful' family restaurant.
"Bah Humbug!"
Monday, 2 November 2009
Newspaper Production
Here is a sample layout, where I was arranging the articles and advertisments to fit evenly.I decided to use the banner at the top of the page as I found in my research that it is a generic convention for local newspapers. I also found that local newspapers usually use colour in them as they are not as formal as, for example, a business newspaper. I chose a neutral blue coloured theme, which connotes the formality of the newspaper, but also revealing that it is local.
contrast against the darker background and stand out to the audience showing that it is from their local town. Also, to help the word stand out more I used a neutral black and italic typeface for "The" and "Times". This has created my house style, which I felt was appropriate for a local Harrogate newspaper.In and below the banner I included the website, a motto, the date and the price of the newspaper which are all typical conventions of a local newspaper.
The banner across the very top of the page is advertising inside articles and offers, also another convention. I created a side column also to advertise other inside articles and advertisements.
A generic convention of a local newspaper is that it has an advertisement. I discovered that this was usually placed towards the bottom of the front page, as a 'banner'. I decided to create a display advertisement as that was the type of advert that appeared most frequently.

The second page was also created on Publisher, to allow the pages to have a similar layout. Here is the process where I was setting out my articles to build the second page. I inserted the articles first before I inserted pictures in order to create the right layout.
In this image, (left), I realised that the advertising ratio was none existant, so I removed some articles to make room for the display advertisement.
Here is my second page final advert :
For this display advert, I used dark colours such as deep red and black to connote wealth and luxury. This is also percieved through the image of a girl, with red lipstick and a pearl necklace. This close up image also holds connotations of wealth and upper class, I used this stereotype in order to gain the correct audience for that particular advert.







