DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD ANALYSIS

A double-page spread is two pages side-by-side both on the same article, typically magazines use one page for a photograph and the other for the article. This example is from NME magazine, the use the heading to connect the two pages “The Teenagers”. The photograph dominates the first page and there are some small pieces of text scattered about. On the facing page there is the main article with a small images, and there is also a column of information in relation to another topic, this is used to bulk the page out. Overall the double-page spread looks structured. 

Since the 1960's NME magazine has championed new British group, from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones. During the 70s and 80s, it moved through rock and punk music. This changed in the 90s as it started reporting about new indie bands. But the audience wanted to know about music from 'over the pond' so it introduced American artists that were new on the scene, such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, also known as grunge acts. During the mid-90s it transitioned to Brtit-pop and the infamous war between Blur and Oasis. Nowadays, it focuses on new UK artists. In reality, it tries to follow the trend of music depending on the era. I want my magazine to incorporate the idea of supporting British artists.  So I have used the two main features to talk about relatively unknown artists. 

 This ideology is reflected throughout the magazine's interviews and features. This double-page spread is of Late Of The Pier, who are a relatively unknown British band who are in the dance-punk genre. This fits in with the ideology because NME focuses on new genres such as dance music. Also, the props and lighting used in the shot shows that the band might have an electro feel to them.

From looking at this example I have decided to make my double-page spread look more bulky and busy like the NME. Instead of using this same style of photo on one page and article on the other I want to incorporate both things on both pages.  I am not going to use any full-length shots, as I want to make it look as if the pictures are just popping out, almost peering round the corner. This will give the article a spontaneous and almost playful feel.

This double page spread from Q magazine is of Dizzee Rascal. DIzzee Rascal is a popular Hip-Hop artist who started out as a grime artist. The design of the layout and the photograph background represents and is reflective of this.  The pose of him spraying graffiti links to the text in the title, the word tag in particular. Tag is a slang word and it is used to describe somebody’s name that they go under. It is a play on words as well saying how he has gone from the word tags has been used instead of rags. The empty beer bottles also represent the street image of empty bottles on the street and graphitized walls.