Analysis Of Double Page Spread Articles

The Main Image & ColumnsThe main image is located either in-between the columns or at either side of the pages. It will generally take up one page size of the article. It is used so that the people reading/ flicking through the magazine will stop because the picture is attracting them. This links back to how audiences prefer and have a extremely strong preference to pictures rather than words because we remember pictures easier.

There are generally 2-3 columns in a double page spread so it doesn’t overload the page with text. Normally the text is taking up on page worth of text and on the other side is a main image. It does this so that people can look at the picture and become interested enough to read the article.

Headline & Stand FirstThe headline is the biggest font on the page and generally on the top left as it is meant to catch your attention and interest you in the article. The reason they make it large and the top left is because our eyes naturally start at the top left because of our culture and we would look there first and if the headline looks interesting we will read the rest f the magazine article.

Evidentially, this is the reason the stand first (the small sentence or paragraph underneath the title) is placed where it is. It is the second thing we see on the page and It is meant to catch our attention and make us want to read the rest of the article.

Main BodyDrop caps are used as an indication for where readers should begin. Kerrang use this a lot as there layout can be quite confusing. Drop caps are the large letters at the start of a block of text. This mostly to make it easier for readers as the easier an article is to read the more likely someone is going to read it.

The line breaks are used in a similar way, to show the readers where to read, however differently to drop caps they don’t tell you where to start just when there is a new paragraph or new subject matter.

The largest font on the page other than the title and the stand first should be around 11pt but if the artists name is on the page that can be the same size sometimes bigger than the stand first depending on how well the band is known. Generally there are no more than four colours used.

By-LineThe by line is where the credit is given to the authors of the main body and to the photographer of the main image. It is used so that it is out of the way, generally, at the bottom of the right page either in the centre of right depending where the photo and text is placed. It is placed within the article not only to accredit the authors and photographers but to help them get more jobs if the company think they did a good job.