Final Double Page Spread + Initial Designs

I designed my double page spread using advanced software, Adobe Indesign. The software in school Serif PagePlus, had many restrictions however the programme I used is enabled me use more fonts and tools. My double page spread was influenced  by looking at various magazines, such as Vibe, NME, Q and Kerrang. I realised that every double page I analysed had similarities, such as having a powerful image that attracted the reader and were aesthetically appealing. I started off by using the same font I used when creating my front cover,  'Defused' in black with a yellow stroke around the lettering. My double page spread was about DJG and I used big bold lettering to make the text stand out. I split the page 50/50, with the first half being images of DJG and the second half being the article. I aligned the text in three columns and sized the text to 9, which made it large enough to read and small enough to fit on the page correctly.

As you can see below, I have changed my double page spread many times, this is because of peer feedback and teacher feedback.

The hardest part of creating this document was choosing what images to have and what they represent. For example, my first design had only one image of three males standing together. DJG is in the middle with two friends. they are all posing and the person to DJG's left has no facial expression, representing fear, which will make the reader want to read the article and find out. However, I realised that this picture had to be changed because it was too pixelated and stretched, which made the aesthetics unappealing.

I then chose one image, which showed DJG at a gig. I made the image large because it was in black and white and related to the article; he was a DJ. I then chose six smaller images, all of variable sizes that also related to the text, for example the Louis Vuitton sunglasses represent wealth, being a very high priced item and are well recognised in music culture as one of the must have items. Artists from Birdman, Lil Wayne and Kanye West have been seen wearing them. The other five images are of things that DJG has obtained throughout his career, such as a BMW M3, nice trainers and a Louis Vuitton briefcase. All these images back up the 'Ragz to Riches' theory. I also inserted a quote from the article, which I thought was really effective because it made readers think about to their school days. The font colour was white which stood out on a dark background.

However, these six images were not in the right place, because there were too many white gaps, which made the document look unprofessional. Six images also made the document look too busy and  the fact that the smaller images were in colour made the document unbalanced. The quote also needs to be moved because normally, the quote is in the middle of the article. Therefore, my final double page spread, which you can see at the bottom of the page has the same quote, however I have moved it in the middle of the article. This has made my document look more professional. I have gave the lettering a slight yellow stroke, which makes it stand out. I have also used three images, instead of the original six. The three images are now in black and white, which makes the document balanced. I have kept the the first original image, being DJG at gig and kept the image showing his Louis Vuitton sunglasses. I chose another image, DJG and a female posing together, representing the benefits of being in the music industry, beautiful girls and wealth.


Here are my initial designs, in order. At the bottom of the page I have my final document:





Final Double Page Spread: