My second design task for my own music magazine was to create a Double Page Spread which describes an article that takes up two pages and includes copy and photographs. It is usually the ‘center two pages of a magazine and will usually feature the main cover star from the front cover. (In other words it is the ‘big story’). Taking this into account I began by deciding that I would use my main cover star, Will Rowe for my double page spread. I then looked into other conventions of double page spreads; how they appear and what they generally include. I found the following:

• The image either go across two pages or be on one with the writing on the other side (the photo is usually on left but not in all of them)
• The writing in a column will NEVER be split across the staple line
• A standfirst is included – an introduction to the article
• Drop capitals– first letter of article is bigger
• Quotes– can be controversial , used to break up text or act as a headline
• Headlines– sometimes a quote from the artist or a attention grabbing title
• By line– who the article is by
• Columns– usually 2 or 4 with equal guttering
• Page numbers

Shown below is my first draft of my Double Page Spread.

I think this first draft went well and I got down the aesthetics of it all completed, however I now need to take into account the conventions of Double Page Spreads and include them when it comes to my second draft.

When moving forward onto my second draft the things I will need to include/alter are:

• Add a page number
• Byline and photography by
• Sort out line spacing
• Add in some quotes
• Standfirst needs higlighting and separating from headline or add in drop capital for first paragraph
• highlight the questions more – upper case?  different font?
• text size differences