Critical Reflection

 This is my self-critical reflection

Final Magazine

Here is my final submission in the form of a flip book magazine.

REFLECTION:
Reflecting on this, it was a breeze. I used FlippingBook, download the canva design into a PDF using, and then uploaded it onto FlippingBook. Piece of cake! However I had a little problem combining the PDFs into one flip book. Other than that, everythings fine. Oh, and I made two designs because I can. 

A few weeks has passed since I wrote the reflection above and many things I've gotten wrong and a probem came accross my path. Turns out I've got choose only one design for my finale magazine, and the flippingbook website betrayed me. I lost access to my flip book, so I just used another flip book website creator for my magazine (Heyzine).

Critical Self Reflection

This is my finale critical self reflection.

REFLECTION:
A reflection for a reflection, nice. This critical reflection was very reflective for me as I reflect on everything I did and analyse what was the purpose of the things I did. 

Critical Self Reflection

Finale Design Decision

DILEMA! I had to choose only one finale magazine design and I had two designs that I liked to use, but I can't do both. 

REFLECTION:
I decided to choose design one after some time thinking, as it is more alligned to what I inteded my magazine to look and feel like based on my target audience, which are young individuals, so I choose the design that has more color as it is extra friendly and interesting for the young mind, meaning it is extra appealing.

Design One

Design Two

After reviewing it with the help of my classmate whom I called out for assistance, we decided that design one would be the better option for my magazine. When reviewing it my classmate said that both of my magazine looked like restaurant menu, especially the second design, so I did minor adjusment on my first design to make it less menu-like. However, my teacher joined in our discussion and said that it's fine because it fits the context anyway. I still kept the adjustment (I made the masthead larger 2x), and made design one as the official finale design. 

Typeface + Color Research

 I did research on the typefaces and colors that suits best for my magazine.

Reflection:
To be brutally honest researching about this is unecesarry for me personally. I like to believe that I'm a creative thinker since birth, so I just knew what to use given the target. However, I also like to think otherwise that I may be wrong and there are better alternatives I could use that'll make my work 10x better, which is why I did my research extensively. 

Colors

I decided of combining all three types colors, warm, cool, and neutral for the pallet of both magazine designs. Having the neutral as the background color, as it serves as the backdrop in design. Cool and warm colors mixed as the decor of the magazine nicely correlates well with the idea of my magazine which is professionalism but energetic and fun as it targets young individuals through their parents. 

Typefaces

I choose a professional but not boring font --> check on this post

Magazine (Front, Content, Doublepage): Research and Development 

post

Photoshoot (Behind the scenes)

In this post, I will be experimenting with my magazine layout and implementing basic designing skills that I learned in class.

Reflection:
I started on paper by sketching rough idea designs, lots of them, and then I tried to choose the best one that fits my preferences nicely. I tried to take a few pictures fitting with the designs I made, although the accessibility is limited because I was at a school that has no kitchen I was able to get some kinda fitting pictures from the cafeteria.

 I like it, but not clear of what is it.

 In second thought, I dislike it, very bad quality thus it has no   clear context.

Good close-up.

I don't think this one will work, especially due to it being horizontal and there's no focused context in this picture- just a bunch of snacks.

I like this one because there's a 'model', but it's a landscape picture, so I might just flip it. I believe it still works well because the 'model' is leaning, so she'll look upright and not look wierd. But, then the food will look wierd because it'll be floating and defying the law of the fallen apple. 

Too many things in the picture, not good for the magazine to be too busy. It'll look messy and might confuse the readers.

CONCLUSION

I won't be choosing any of these pictures because it differs from my original ideas,

due to the limited facility I had when taking these pictures.

I retook all the pictures in the intended photoshoot area: Soteria Resto.
Here are the INITIAL results:

I like it, it fits the way I envision it in my head. However, it doesn't look professional but I will take this as the final photo, due to it perfectly fitting what I wanted: A young person cooking.

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CONCLUSION

A lot of these pictures would not be used, Instead I would say that these are for trial purposes. I will be having a very much professional setup soon, with adequate plating of food and lighting, alongside with appropriate enviroment and quality for the finale shots for the magazine.  

Magazine Article : First Draft

This is my first draft for my magazine article.

Reflection:

I'm pretty much confused about what to write because this is a culinary magazine where I give recipes. Well, I don't know how to actually cook and how to create these certain meals. So without research, I just don't know what to write except for a poisonous, unedible recipe for some alien-looking food. Without further ado, here's my take on writing a cook magazine without research. Don't worry second part of my article is based and is researched. Quick note, I'm being very, actually too playful with the words and phrases I chose which I shouldn't do for the official one- I had to make writing this fun in some way because it was late at night and I'm getting tired and lazy. By the way, all the meals here are self-made and original, i just checked if whatever I was making was possible, edible and safe.

Young and Hungry: Exploring Diverse Cuisine in Your Own Kitchen

The world are full of taste from different parts of the world,

 and we’re going on a culinary tour across the west to the east

 and east to the west. Introducing this invitation to all young learners

 and to life-long learners, let's reach out to all and show the best and

 most optimal way to cook and prepare the various meals you might be

 very familiar with oo never seen before cuisines. We will provide useful

 day-to-day tips up to crazy tricks in the kitchen, the cook’s magic.

 Prepare your cooking utensils, we can get started right now- this very second.

 Go explore!

Western Hamburger Hassle

This meal originated from the west side of the world, going down 6 feet under the meal has its way with taste and invigorating the tongue. Be ready to explode in

flavours, splash of ingredients and stories behind a single meal. Let's go in 

a deep dive into this world: 

• Go crazy, buy the ingredients in the nearest store (It will be available - trust me!)

• List of Ingredients: Tomatoes, spinach, american cheese, beef loaf, slice of tuna, that’s all for now

• Find a table and clean it well

• Place all the ingredients in the kitchen table that was cleaned

• Chop up the slice of tuna into 20 slices

• Put ALL into a big bowl

• Pour 240 ml of water into the big bowl

• Ground it until mush 

• 
  

• How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

Enjoy the smell of death at your first ever last meal!

Indulge your taste buds in an exquisite journey through the diverse cuisines of Indonesia, the east side, and the Western world. From the aromatic spices of Indonesian dishes to the delicate artistry of Japanese cuisine and the rich flavours in Chinese fare, let's explore a harmonious blend of East Asian and Western delights

Nasi Goreng Sushi Rolls (Indonesian-Japanese Fusion)

Fuse the heartiness of Indonesian fried rice with the elegance of Japanese sushi.

Ingredients: 

• Cooked Indonesian Nasi Goreng (fried rice) 

• Nori sheets

• Sliced chicken or shrimp Sliced omelette

• Pickled vegetables

• Sweet soy sauce

Instructions:

• 

  Spread Nasi Goreng over nori sheets.

• 

  Layer with chicken or shrimp, sliced omelette, and pickled vegetables.

• 

  Roll tightly and slice into sushi rolls.

• 

  Drizzle with sweet soy sauce for a perfect blend of flavours.

Miso Butter Steak with Garlic Mash (Japanese-Western Fusion)

Combine the taste of Western steak with the umami richness of Japanese miso and the comfort of garlic mashed potatoes.

Ingredients: 

• Ribeye or sirloin steak

• Miso paste

• Unsalted butterGarlic cloves

• Potatoes peeled and boiled

• Milk and butter for mashed potatoes

• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

• 

  Rub the steak with miso paste and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.

• 

  Sear the steak in a hot pan with a pat of butter until cooked to your liking.

• 

  In a separate pan, sauté minced garlic in butter until fragrant.

• 

  Mash boiled potatoes, add milk, butter, and the sautéed garlic for creamy mashed potatoes.

• 

  Plate the miso butter steak over a bed of garlic mashed potatoes.

• 

  Garnish with fresh parsley for a burst of colour and freshness.

Enjoy the marriage of flavours as East meets West on your dinner table!

Spicy Barbecue Chicken Pizza with Indonesian Sambal Drizzle (Western-Indonesian Fusion)

Marry the smoky flavors of barbecue chicken pizza with the bold kick of Indonesian sambal.

Ingredients: 

• Pizza dough

• Barbecue chicken chunks

• Red and green bell peppers 

• thinly sliced Red onions

• thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese

• Indonesian sambal sauce

Instructions:

• 

  Roll out pizza dough and spread barbecue sauce as the base.

• 

  Top with barbecue chicken, bell peppers, red onions, and mozzarella cheese.

• 

  Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

• 

  Drizzle with a swirl of Indonesian sambal sauce for a spicy twist.

Enjoy this mix of diverse culinary traditions on your plate ladies and gents!

 

Location Scout & Risk Assessment

In this post I will perform a risk assessment of the locations for my photoshoot, shooting. 

Reflection:
I only had one location that's already pretty much the most ideal and best area, and that place is my own restaurant that is right around my house. So, that's my go to. I wanted to look for any other locations as alternative but none is as ideal as my own restaurant because in other places it would be too complicated to gain access to a restaurant's kicthen for a highschool student's photoshoot project. 

The Location 

Soteria Resto: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MDXbgEMzA5oMyHah8

Location Assessment:

Purpose of the shoot:

Young individuals exploring the world of culinary and trying to cook excellent meals.

Media Language:

For my shoot, I aim to capture clean and presentable images of the restaurant's interior and equipments. This involves highlighting the ambiance of the restaurant. Additionally, I plan to utilize natural lighting to enhance the visuals.

Pros of Location:

- Convenient access: Soteria Resto is located near my house, making it easily accessible for the photoshoot.

- Authentic setting: The restaurant provides a realistic backdrop for my project, offering genuine ambiance and atmosphere.

- Control over the shoot: As the owner of the restaurant, I have control over various aspects of the shoot, allowing for flexibility and customization.

Cons of Location:

- Limited space: The restaurant may have limited space for setting up equipment and moving around during the shoot.

- Noise: Depending on the time of day, there may be noise from customers or kitchen activities, which could disrupt the shoot.

- Potential distractions: The presence of staff and customers could pose distractions during the shoot, requiring careful management to maintain focus.

Alternative Location:

While Soteria Resto is my primary location for the photoshoot, I may consider an alternative location for specific shots or scenes that may not be feasible at the restaurant. This could include outdoor shots in a nearby park or urban setting, providing additional variety to my project's visuals.

Risk assessment: 

sharp objects such as knives should be removed from any open counters for safety measures, or placed intentionally as a prop in the set. Unprotected and exposed knives may end in injury to people around including the crew members of the shoot which will delay production. 

The stove or any gas should be considered highly due to the extreme danger it may cause to everyone and everything, for instance an explosion or fire will put the shooting producion at a full and possibly permanent stop. The usage of fire should only be done as part of an act for the shoot and not be leave on at anytime the shooting is not happening. 

Potential Hazards:

- Sharp objects, like knives, pose a risk if left exposed. 

- Gas appliances, such as stoves, present a danger of fire or explosion if mishandled.

Evaluate Risks:

- Unprotected knives could lead to injuries or delays in production.

- Improper use of gas appliances could result in accidents, halting the shoot and endangering everyone involved.

Control Measures and Timeframe Implementation:

- Ensure all sharp objects are either safely stored or intentionally placed as props.

- Monitor gas appliances closely and only use them when necessary for the shoot.

Continued Measures:

- Regularly check and maintain safety equipment.

- Provide safety training for my models.

- Have a clear emergency plan in place in case of accidents.

Terminologies

This are the terminologies that I learned along the way when learning about magazine

Reflection:

These terms are very helpful for me in making my magazine as it gives a more clear layout for me to visualize, in terms of what features are included in a magazine and where things should or could be placed to be more appealing or conventional. 

Masthead: The name of the magazine, in its typical font, on the cover.

Selling line: The short description of the 'identity' of the magazine under the masthead,

Main image: The image which fills the cover - a model, celebrity, animal, artefact.

Coverlines: 'Teasers' for the contents of the magazine on the cover

Typography/font: The shape, style, size and colour of the letters used

Drop cap: The enlarged initial letter of the first word of an article - an aesthetic feature which is designed to engage the reader

Pull quotes: Enlarged quotes from an article - these may be included in coverlines, but are also used in the body of the article to break up the page and to attract the attention of the reader.

Byline: The name of the writer of the article, usually found at the beginning. Simply, it is the 'line' which tells you who the article is by.

Masthead  is THE most influential feature that determines a successful magazine, I place my masthead at the top section of the newspaper/magazine which gives the paper's title, price and date. I like to use a Strapline to hook the reader and make them remember my magazine as that phrase, like an icon or iconic phrase. When I use cover lines I usually set one of them as my main coverline, to show what my magazine is mainly about or primary target of my magazine.

Strapline: Memorable phrase that is associated with the magazine.

Main cover line: The most important article featured, grabs the audience's attention (featured article)

Barcode: Used for retailers

Skyline: A list of keywords featured at the top of the cover

Thirds: The upper and left third are the most important, as when placed in a shelf that's the best spot to be seen by people passing by

Prop: An image of an item

Puff/ Boxout: A smaller image/text to stand out from the rest of the information (puff=circle. boxout=square)

Buzzwords: Exclusive, free, new, special edition

Banner: A block of colour with info inside, usually stretches the width of the cover

Headline: The title of the article

Subheading: Additional info found beneath the headline (Crosshead)

Byline (simplified): The author of the article

Pull quote (simplified): A quote taken from the article, with the font/size colour changed.

Drop Cap (simplified): The first letter of the article enlarged.

White space: Empty space in the spread, used to break up the content (negative space)

Border: Empty space around the edges

Column: Standard layout of magazines

Spread: Pages of a magazine that should be viewed together (usually two)

Caption: Information about an image.

Mode of address: The way the magazine/article addresses the audience. Formal, casual, direct (for images too)

Technical Skills (online)

This are the technical skills I learn from facing technical problems during the process of comp 1

Problem: Unable to Embed PDF into Blogger

Reflection:

This problem was really devastating at first because I really thought that I wouldn't be able to insert PDF documents and had to go for PNG or JPEG instead. Big credits to my teacher for helping us out, I was able to find a YouTube tutorial because of the guidance my teacher gave, and now I have learned yet another technical skill that I can apply in a lot of my posts; you can see that I applied this skill a lot in other posts. 

The picture below is a technical skill my teacher tought me, it how to embed and/or insert a document, like a presentation or whatnot. 

However, I came into a problem, a technical problem, which can be seen on the image below. The PDF document I embedded into the blog post was not fully seen, it can't show the document as a whole.

I researched online and found a useful YouTube video that explained how to do it.

These were the steps:

1. Upload the PDF to Google Drive
2. Click "Share" and copy the link of the PDF document. Make sure that "Anyone with the link" has access. 
3. In the blogger page, open up "HTML View"
4. Paste the link.
5. Remove "usp=sharing" and change "view" to "preview"
6. Add the code <iframe src=" " width="640" height="480"></iframe> and instert the PDF link into the src=" "
7. Publish

This is the code I wrote into the HTML view of the blog post:

The PDF was finally in a fitting size and it also have a scrolling feature, so you can scroll up and down through the PDF alongside a zooming feature. As you can see on below:

This is the YouTube Video I watched to help me figure the technical problem out: 

Search keys : How to upload pdf into blogger -  how to upload documents in blogger

Link to the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/PtlTH-GePw8?feature=shared 

Problem: Unable to embed Slides presentation into Blogger

Reflection:

Turns out that many technical problems I faced have solutions that are very easy to do. It may seem confusing at first for me and sometimes even feel hopeless, maybe I'm a bit too dramatic but that's how It felt internally, but by time you'll eventually learn and find the solution to every problem. And you'll realize how stupidly stressed you were turns out the problem was that easy to fix- that's what I experienced that time. Note to myself, if you come into a problem that may seem like a dead-end or a journey with no path, keep exploring and don't give up so easily, never let the problem win you over, there are many creative ways you can do to solve problems with that creative brain of yours. 

I had no idea how to add a slide document to my blog post. I thought it was not possible and had to insert screenshots of each individual slide. Turns out you can and I was just inexperienced because blogger is somewhat a new thing for me. 

I asked my teacher if it was possible to even embed a whole presentation into my blog post. He told me that it is possible and that he atcually already explained it to the class, I was just not paying attention apparently. 

Steps by steps (Credits: My Teacher):

1. Open your slides document and click on Share
2. Click on Manage and change the General Access to "Anyone with the link"
3. Find the button "Publish to Web" then click on it
4. Click on Embed 
5. Copy the code provided into your blog's HTML

I added that code into my blog's HTML and I was able to add the slides into my blog post, you can go through the whole presentation back and forth. Here is the slides I embeded:

You can check my "Component 1 - Brief" blog to see the slides document I embedded.

Problem: Flippingbook subscription free trial expired

Reflection:

At a moment of no hope there will always be a glimpse of light as long as there's faith. That sentence sums up this experience of mine. I'm so glad I found an alternative that's free because I don't have to share any bread of mine. 

The links to my magazine was no longer online as my free trial has expired, and luckily I realized this before it was too late (submission date). I tried renewing my trial but that won't do as it's a one time trial, the only way it to pay, so before doing so I tried to find alternatives that's free or more affordable.

I simply searched on Google for a free online flip book creator

This is what I found and it works amazingly.

Couldn't be more satisfied with the results, I like it.