Double page spread analysis

DOUBLE PAGE

SPREAD ANALYSIS

This double spread page is similar to the one that I wish to create, in terms of both layout and style, hence the reason for my analysis of it. The title, stretching across the two pages, makes no reference to the name of the band being described, instead referencing an old love song and thus suggesting a potentially humorous article about the relationship of the two male band members. This is enhanced by the comic sans-esque font – a font usually associated with wit or humour in its content – and the repeated emphasis on their ‘certain romance’ (also a reference to one of the band members songs). A pull quote in used at a lower central position within the double page, with the colour of the font being used contrasting vividly with the harsh red of the sofa – thus emphasising the largeness and clarity of the quote in order to entice readers into finding out about it within the article, to see whether it is as enticing as it seems. Subsequently, the two main colours that can be seen are red and white, and this therefore introduces the fact that – despite the individuality of the band being expressed – the general aesthetic remains true to the colour scheme associated with NMEs brand identity, and this is something that can frequently be seen across a wide spectrum of their double page features. Indeed, the fact that certain words are highlighted in these colours show them as the most important words in order to understand the context of the rather ambiguous title, and this is also mirrored in the stand-first which provides a continuation of the humour displayed in the dominant headline. This humour is reflective of NMEs typical mode of address and can consequently be seen across a large variety of their content, as it also mirrors the casually rebellious aspect of the music genre.

Proceeding on from this, the fact that the name of the band is placed in the top left hand corner suggests that the reader is likely to know the band due to their established position within the genre, implying that it is not as important as it would be for a newly famous band. A drop letter is used to indicate the starting point of the article and detract attention from the significant amount of text, and this is also achieved by separating it into four small columns stretching across the two pages. This differs slightly to the usual conventions of a double page spread, where the text is pushed to the right hand side of the second page and descends vertically, as opposed to being read horizontally as is the case here. Ultimately, this puts more emphasis on the main image itself., which dominates the entire page. At the foreground sit the two artists in casual sitting positions, while a huge white, chipped, filthy wall resides in the immediate background, acting as a perfect contrast for the mandatory black font of the text and boldness of the red lettering. Both the casual positioning and clothing of the two artists and the rough looking background are reminiscent of the music they advocate and the genre itself; enforcing NMEs attempt to summarise the music of the Last Shadow Puppets in one image. This idea is repeated consistently when artists/bands feature on double page spreads and is typical of all music magazines – primarily NME in this case however.

DOUBLE PAGE ANALYSIS 2

The double page shown works more in conjunction with typical double page conventions of the magazine and genre. The serif ‘times new roman’ font indicates that this specific double page was extracted from a later issue of NME, as they began to adapt a more professional element to their magazine issues/brand identity due to their new older target audience. Reinforcing this point is the unconventional use of a rap artist, as opposed to a typical indie rock band, illustrating how they are expanding their target audience parameters and drawing in new fans – something I’d like to advocate in my own magazine. Furthermore, the simplicity of the layout (with the image dominating one page and the text dominating the other) is reflective of this new style and follows the conventions of a typical double page spread. The lighting of the main image consists or red and white, from opposing sides of the picture – this simultaneously emulates the colour scheme of the magazine and the conflicting sides to Jay Z’s personality. Also, his stance is simple and serious, a positioning that is most commonly affiliated with the indie rock genre; and this contrasts with the fact that he is a rap artist. Moreover, the large, transparent ‘J’ stretched across the gutter of the second page adds to this with the contrast of the red and white, almost seeming to break up the text and make it more visually appealing to the reader. Drop letters are also used at the beginning of each columned paragraph, to the same effect, and this is typical of all issues of NME magazine, be it old or new.

Moreover, the substantial amount of text is structured in two paragraphed columns, which allows for easier reading but also reinforces the fact that the magazine is meant for an older audience. This can be seen in the fact that the text is not displayed in sections of text boxes and is not presented colourfully, indicating the professional yet vibrant nature of NME’s later editions. In accordance with this point, only one pull quote is used in the double page which the editors have extracted for the reason that it both advocates the personality of the artist and also educates the reader with his viewpoint; encouraging them to read the entire article. The interest is primarily on the music as opposed to the presentation of the music and this in itself abides by the typical aims of the magazine. Likewise, the actual name of the artist himself is included in small, highlighted font at the very second page, and the minimised size of this title indicates that the figure is instantly recognisable and therefore does not need to be introduced. This also indicates that his music itself is the primary focal point of both NME and the artist himself, with no need for extravagance in aesthetic aspects.