Double Page Spread Analysis

This is my final design for my Double Page Spread for my magazine ‘Down’. The first thing you probably notice is that there are a lot of images – this is exactly what I wanted. Initially because personally, I prefer to read something that has quite a few images to go along side it – I think it makes it look more attractive and entices me to read it more. Also, I took a lot of pictures that I really liked and wanted to feature them somewhere in my magazine.

I put the name of the band ‘Above Board’ right at the top in the middle to attract the reader’s attention – fans of the band will be drawn directly to this page, also they will recognise the pictures of their idols.

I chose the name ‘Above Board’ for my band as my interview is about the front man who has just made it through a really tough time and come above his emotional issues – he has come above it – above board.

There are also two quotes featured on the double page spread as another method of trying to attract the attention of the readers. The main, big quote states “People look at me and think ‘Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and that’s exactly what I want them to see.” – This backs up my ‘Generation Y’ approach completely. The front man himself is even admitting that this is the image he wants to portray, and so do I – the magazine – hence why I have emphasised this quote. The fact that this quote is featured beneath one of the larger images also draws attention to it well.

Just above the large image that the main quote is staged, there is a smaller quote in the middle of other smaller images. This quote is commenting on how David – the front man – “hasn’t banged them yet” referring to the female members of his band. This is promoting the sex side of ‘S, D & R’n’R’ implying he is quite the womaniser and very much into sleeping around.

I have chosen all this images, not only because I think they look good and have strong, warm colours – but because they help portray many messages I want to put across in this particular interview.

The image I was originally going to use as a front cover image is now one of the larger images on this double page spread, and it features both girls – Zofia and Victoria – kissing David’s cheeks whilst he is blowing smoke out of his mouth. This is boosting the ‘Sex’ side of things – he is an appealing man and the rebellion only adds to his sex appeal. They don’t care that he is a bit of a bad man, why should anyone else?

Also, in many of these pictures you can see the band members laughing and smiling together, connoting that they have a fun side and don’t take things too seriously, which backs up the jokey sex quote near the images. They also seem loving towards one another in the pictures, which portrays the strong bond they have between them, which is backed up in the interview itself.

There is also an advert featured near the bottom of the page near the smaller images, promoting the band’s new album ‘Generation Reborn’ – this is done in the same font as the band’s name, therefore promoting them further. I called their new album ‘Generation Reborn’ as it includes the word Generation – ‘Generation Y’ – and the word reborn backs up their story of how the front man has come out of the dark hole of his life, and his spirit is being reborn so to speak. This is all backed up in the interview.

The interview itself is talking about the front man’s spiralling depression and how his new found band members have brought him out of his dark hole and shone happiness into his life again. So, there is a serious side and a casual, funny side to my interview.

I put boarders around some of my images, because sometimes the photo itself finished either halfway through their hair, or their clothing etc, and it looked odd with a white background, so I gave them a black boarder to cover this.

I didn’t want my double page spread to look too heavy with text, but I didn’t want it to be too wishy-washy, and something pathetic no one would bother reading. I changed the layout slightly from my original plan, because I couldn’t have anything overlapping the middle as this caused problems in printing. I also prefer this layout.

Again, like the front cover I wanted to stick to minimal colours because I didn’t want it to look too busy.