Below is my first version for my double page spread article. I began by placing a black border around my double page to match my planned colour scheme for my magazine which is mainly white and black to create a dark mysterious environment within the pages. That would link to the type of artist that are going to be in my magazine because most of theme are not very well known and are from the 'indie' scene.
I kept my background white and used black text. I then used www.dafont.com to create the 'Fischbach Brothers Hit The UK' title. Using Photoshop I re-sized the image and the placed it onto my double page spread on InDesign.
I used an image I took during the first photo-shoot which can be found on my blog under the title 'Double page spread article photo shoot 1' I decided to use this image for my double page spread because I thought it created a very different style as it does not follow the traditional conventions of the subject looking down into the camera to create the effect that they are looking at you, and I did this because I plan for my magazine to be different wherever it can.
Using the grids and guides I was able to place my article text in columns in order for it to look very professional and easy to read. The borders around the text are placed to create a more easier to read effect. Another feature of this version of the double page spread is the pull quote I placed above the image of the subjects. I placed it to the top left of the page on purpose because as I know the reader reads from the left across to the right it would be one of the first things they see and would make them possibly want to read on and find out where and why they said this quote. I also placed yellow highlighted borders over where the reporter asked the musicians a question, again the was to enable the reader to read it more clear and distinguish who is saying what a lot more easily.
Overall what I like most about this version is the use of multiple images the editing of photos and finally the well organised and structured columns for the article text. Although despite this I am going to continue to try different things to improve the double page spread as much as I can. To do this I am thinking of changing the text borders and perhaps try and make the page look a bit more full as it is looking a bit bare.
After looking back at my previous version below is my second attempt at producing my final piece for the double page spread.
On this version I re-arranged a few things. The first thing I changed what the text box border looked like. I changed it from the red thin line that covered all of the text columns and as shown above only bordered 3 pieces and used a thicker black line around the text for it to stand out a lot more and the reason I only placed it around 3 pieces of text was to try and emulate the style I want for my magazine which is to match the genre of music which is the indie style. I also changed the pull quote positioning, colour and size. The reason I did this was to try and make it stand out more because that is what a pull quote should do and I felt that on my previous version it didn't stand out very well because of the yellow colour used, the red used on this version does stand out more and because it is a bit bigger that also do enhance it a lot better and makes it more readable.
An addition I added to the version just to see what it looked like on the page was a kind of secondary inside puff that I tried to link with the image of the guitar, I did this to try and show a competition to my readers because that matches my readership profile (my readers live and breathe music) whilst also linking to the band on the double page spread. After trying this honestly I did not like it which will lead me onto another version to try and pull a few things together.
Overall for this version what I like most was the change of positioning in terms of the image, I moved it to the right hand side to try and make it look as if they were looking toward the article about them because previously it didn't really fit well.
Once again I still thought my double page spread could be improved which led me onto a third version which is shown below.
This version really did begin to pull things together and did create a much more professional look that I was intending to go for. The first change I would like to mention that I did was re-edit the main heading on Photoshop again to make it come down the page but I purposely made them not line up as they came down because in my opinion wasn't as effective and with it being un aligned really does stand out to the reader a lot more.
I also removed all text borders because after trying my article without them it looks a lot more neat and clean, the borders were not beneficial is what conclusion I came to in the end when creating another version. I also removed the yellow highlights over the reporter sections because again although when I first added them I thought they would help the reader in this case I felt as though without them it continues to create a more neat and clean looking page.
I also felt that on previous versions the image I used was not good enough as it didn't show a lot of detail and character of the subjects, so I decided to change the image in order to show more what the band are like in a way, there wasn't enough charisma in previous images but in this one I feel the facial expressions and body language really fit a lot better onto the page. I also never really made the image big enough and so for this I adjusted the size so it covered a lot more of the page. After researching into what other double page spreads looked like I realised that creating a bigger image is what was really missing from my version.
A little house style feature I really like and want to try and place elsewhere in my magazine was the faded 'Respective' over the article. In my opinion it creates a sense of a top secret military stamp. This could possible create the effect of that the story and other stories in the magazine if I use it elsewhere are very important I may be wrong but its a little feature I like in this design.
I also changed the pull quote again because I just felt in the previous version it was a bit lost and didn't really fit well on the double page spread so I have placed it above the subjects to make it look as if they are saying it now. The colour has also changed as well as adding a stroke which was to try and make it stand out more than what it did in previous version.
After various version and numerous of experimental adjustments below is my absolute final piece of work for the double page spread article.
Very little editing was done to this version of the double page spread. The first thing I did was cut down the article text because I felt that the column of text on its own near the image didn't fit well and was lost on the page. From reader feedback that was one thing they felt looked "bit silly" on the page and didn't look as if it was part of the main article.
Secondly I changed the pull quote again after I felt it didn't really fit well on the page again. This after cutting the article down I have placed it right underneath the article and have changed the text as well as increasing the stroke which I now think stands out the most that what it has ever done.
And finally I once again re organised where the main headline was going to go. I placed it so that it covers the white areas on the top of the page and that allows the article to be moved up in order to fit the pull quote in at the bottom of the page.
All in all I am very happy with my final piece and I think it has a good professional look about it with a good use of image, text, structure and conventions.
After Receiving Feedback
After receiving some feedback on my final piece for my double page spread article, I decided more needed to be added to my article page to improve the product. More conventions needed to be added in and I also need to introduce my house style 'curve' Into this page of my magazine.
As you can see to complete the improvements I added my house style 'curve' that is at the bottom and top of every page in my magazine just to bring it all together that little bit more to maintain consistent.
What I also did was placed more house style colours onto my page by creating a coloured background border on my first paragraph of text and also on my pull quote. I also moved the pull quote closer to the main image to make it more obvious to the reader that the pull quote is from the subjects.
I also added red colour blocks under my headline to stand out more from the background to the reader and by using red it fits in well with my house style.
Although this was only a small amount of change on my double page spread I think it makes it a lot more powerful as it stands out more and fits in with the rest of my magazine even more.
After various version and numerous of experimental adjustments below is my absolute final piece of work for the double page spread article.
Very little editing was done to this version of the double page spread. The first thing I did was cut down the article text because I felt that the column of text on its own near the image didn't fit well and was lost on the page. From reader feedback that was one thing they felt looked "bit silly" on the page and didn't look as if it was part of the main article.
Secondly I changed the pull quote again after I felt it didn't really fit well on the page again. This after cutting the article down I have placed it right underneath the article and have changed the text as well as increasing the stroke which I now think stands out the most that what it has ever done.
And finally I once again re organised where the main headline was going to go. I placed it so that it covers the white areas on the top of the page and that allows the article to be moved up in order to fit the pull quote in at the bottom of the page.
All in all I am very happy with my final piece and I think it has a good professional look about it with a good use of image, text, structure and conventions.
After Receiving Feedback
After receiving some feedback on my final piece for my double page spread article, I decided more needed to be added to my article page to improve the product. More conventions needed to be added in and I also need to introduce my house style 'curve' Into this page of my magazine.
As you can see to complete the improvements I added my house style 'curve' that is at the bottom and top of every page in my magazine just to bring it all together that little bit more to maintain consistent.
What I also did was placed more house style colours onto my page by creating a coloured background border on my first paragraph of text and also on my pull quote. I also moved the pull quote closer to the main image to make it more obvious to the reader that the pull quote is from the subjects.
I also added red colour blocks under my headline to stand out more from the background to the reader and by using red it fits in well with my house style.
Although this was only a small amount of change on my double page spread I think it makes it a lot more powerful as it stands out more and fits in with the rest of my magazine even more.
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