Double Page Spread Construction

Unlike my previous two magazine elements which were both created using Photoshop CS4, my double page spread was constructed partly using Photoshop, but mostly using Indesign, a software which allows the creation of columns to easily and neatly create layouts for text. It also has a tool to create a text wrap effect to make sure that text does not pass over the picture. To show how the tools can be used to good effect for my magazine I have shown the various steps in the creation of my DPS below.

Here is the photograph I have chosen to create my double page spread with. The image was one of very few which turned out with such high clarity and personally I liked the stance and found it to show the artist deep in thought with his hands clasped, a look which I replicated from other magazines. The following images show the steps I undertook to alter and improve the image to turn it into my final DPS.

 





Here is a screen shot of photoshop showing the first change I made to my picture. I decided to liquify the face of my model as the process is commonly used within real world publications and I felt my models facial expression could benefit from a slight change in shape. I used a large brush to ensure a smooth effect.

I decided to use a radial blur on the background to intensify the main image and to bring clarity to the model. It also brings a connection to the genre with this effect, along with long exposure settings on cameras frequently used. I firstly used the quick selection tool to select the background. I then opened filters, selected blur, then radial blur and proceeded to create the effect seen above.

To ensure there wasn't an obviously seen effect & that the point where the back wall meets the grass was not evident, I decided to use the smudge tool and smudge the line which divided the two in such a way as to create a similar effect to the radial blur aswell as providing consistency within the DPS. This was done around the model slightly also to allow for the radial blur effect to look as free-flowing as possible.

After creating this effect. I thought the picture looked dull, with the monochrome effect from my Nikon J1 camera providing no differentiation in tone or shade. To ensure that the picture's clarity was intesified and that the monochrome effect would work I decided to increase the contrast levels.

Moving on from my opinion of the picture looking dull, I decided to create an outer shadow effect. I duplicated the layer and used a brush of size 484px. I reduced the hardness of the brush to 0 and changed the opacity to 74% to ensure a soft glow. I then used a circular brush round the edges to gain the desired effect that you see opposite>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Here, I created a new layer and set the layer style to colour. This was to ensure the glow effect on the double page spread remained vibrant and provided a sense of atmosphere to the picture as the colour blue/turquoise  generally provides a feeling of distance in the picture and brings perspective to the model within the picture. I used the same brush specification as previously mentioned and selected the colour mentioned.

Here you can see where I have created the artist name on my double page spread. On the text layer I have inserted a black drop shadow along with a turquoise inner glow. I have embossed the text and added a black outer glow along with the colour overlay as the original text was block white, here you can see I added a weak transparency to the text to match the misty, dark theme I am trying to create amongst my coherent house style.

Although I liked the font, I felt the 'y' did not aesthetically compliment the rest of the page. I decided to alter the text slightly by first rasterizing the text layer to allow editing. I then used the polygonal lasso tool to draw out my graphic which will be connected to text. This was followed by using a brush with hardness, opacity and size all at 100 to elongate the y and draw the futuristic looking curve.

I then decided to insert my pull quote using photoshop as to allow for greater manipulation possibilities and to ensure I could place it outside of column boundaries. This uses turnpike font with a strong black drop shadow.

This process was repeated with the creation of my article introduction. I inserted this on a new layer and changed the layout of the text to look like it is text wrapped. This is to ensure the text is completely seperated from the picture and that it stays on the right hand side page.

 For the majority of the article I used adobe indesign. The text taken from my Microsoft word document was inserted into a file with 6 columns in an A3 landscape. I then inserted a black outer glow to the main body of text. As you can see with my highlighted areas, I used the pencil tool to ensure I could apply the text wrap to my picture for the text. Finally, the page numbers appear on the bottom corners. These are made using the font turnpike and are black with a white stroke. The magazines name appears in white font next to the page numbers.

 

This page was created mainly due to the amount of text I wrote in my article needing to run over. As I decided to split my article into two parts, I made this page into a quick fire questions section. This was made with the same outer shadow effect on the picture along with the same contrast levels. I then inserted the edited picture into indesign onto A4 portrait with 3 columns and used the same font as in the double page spread. I used a text wrap around the models face as well as recreating the Syla logo. The Syla text layer was copied from the double page spread and transformed using the free transform tool to fit into the page whilst still allowing the audiences perception of the identity of the artist to remain continuous.