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.

Finished Double Page Spreads

Revised Double Page Spread Article

 My original draft article was fairly well received by my peer and teacher however there was a continuous point that was raised and that was that firstly my use of quotation was appalling! Another point made was that both the unstructured interview along with the Q&A perhaps is too much and to allow it to fit aesthetically into a DPS, I may have to either shorten the article or to spread it over 3 pages. This evidently meaning that the unstructured interview is on the DPS with another structured Q&A session on a seperate page. Possible subtitles/names for this session could be '60 Seconds with: [Syla]' or "The Grill" I shall decide on this after my article is re-read and finalised.

It's not easy to go out in public without hearing the name 'Syla'. The Chart topping dubstep producer from the east end of London, recently crowned the prince of dubstep and is letting people know that he is ready to take over the electronic music scene.

His recent domination of the iTunes Electronic Top 10, in which he is currently holding an unbelievable 9 spots, provides evidence of that. No other artist has ever reached that feat, not deadmau5 or Chase & Status, not even the king of dubstep Skrillex! Syla, once lead singer of the popular band 'Neurosis', has incorporated a new style into the genre, which is obviously loved amongst his vast fan base but perhaps the key question would be has all the success gone to his head? Well, we went to find out:

The noise was deafening and he had finished his set. Of course this was not the speaker shattering bass created by Syla, but the screams of his adoring crowd. As the man in question takes a bow I peer round the corner of the stage, attempting to reassure myself that this sound was man made and not a faulty speaker. Sure enough, the almost 5000 strong crowd at the Brixton O2 Academy were all shouting for more, at this point Samuel Morrison walks off the stage to come and meet me for the interview.

I barely get in the word "Hello" before he grabs me and runs me to his car, a customised Range Rover Evoque, complete with tinted windows, a must have for such a high profile celebrity.

As we drive onwards into the misty December night, he explains the exhilarating series of events that just occurred.

"Sorry man, need to make a quick getaway at places like that or you'll be mauled!" "I have enough of it when I enter the building, don't get me wrong it's amazing, just need to make sure you don't hit traffic 'n' all that you know?" Unbelievable that traffic is even a distant thought in this musical magicians mind.

As the journey progresses we listen to his new EP "Unwanted Distraction" (more on that on page 28!). As I go to talk I'm interrupted:

"I know right? It's fucking incredible! I couldn't believe just how high the quality of the tracks ended up! A lot of it was down to how great Daniel (Stephens) was and the amount of new stuff he and I created for it!"

For those of you who don't know, Daniel Stephens, one half of the popular electronic act 'Nero' signed Samuel to his label, GodWaste Records after hearing the talented producer at a 'Neurosis' gig, trying out his DJ set as an intro for the band. Believe it or not, he was actually booed off stage when originally doing this.

"Daniel saw something in me and my music!"
"He listened to what I was coming out with and saw the potential!" "He knew the vision I had for it, something a bit different from the norm'."

As we conclude the conversation we reach the premises in which we would be conducting the scheduled interview, this being his house which he shares with 3 friends, a modest living environment for a person who has sold over 2.4 million copies of his debut EP "Tackle Bug".

We enter the house, followed by the throwing of his keys straight on the floor. He grabs 2 mugs out of the cupboard, tells me to go out to the garden. There I find the stereotypical £9.99 garden furniture, of course for a normal person of his age you would expect this, perhaps I was being slightly snobbish, but why did this multi million record selling artist not live someone far nicer than a semi-detached 3 bedroom house in Bromley?

The lights come on, whilst Samuel comes out of the back door to join me. Clutching two cups of tea, a strange beverage for a guy who's just finished delivering some of the heaviest basslines I've ever heard! He hands me a cup, sits down, and breathes what I gathered to be a sigh of relief.

DT: Okay so this isn't on the list, but whats with the run-down bargain furniture & the cups of tea?
Syla: Hey, there's nothing wrong with the basics mate!

DT: Fair enough! So tell me, who would you say is your inspiration?
Syla: You would not believe how much I get asked this question, it's difficult to say really, since I started listening to music, I always liked a mix of genres. I can listen to something like Jamiroquai, then move on to something like The Prodigy immediately after. In terms of my electronic stuff, I really liked anything on Warp Records when I was younger, people like Squarepusher, Aphex twins and stuff like that

DT: Where did the name 'Syla' come from? 
Syla: Um, well I guess my mind? Haha, shit, no I seriously don't know, it's just a name I came up with, I wish I had a mysterious description for you but no such luck!

DT: We mentioned it briefly in the car, but what happened with Neurosis? 
Syla: Ha, knew this was coming. There was a lot of speculation over the Internet, stuff like I slept with Coles girlfriend and that John coming out as gay  caused it. The most entertaining rumour I read was the one about being threatened from the local gang! To be honest, we just decided to do different things, I loved the band, I loved the music, it's just I felt that my Dubstep stuff reached out to so many more people! We're still good mates, Me and Cole went for a drink the other day, not the controversy you were expecting?

DT: No, not quite, was still hoping the "Bromley Massive" threats were true! 
Syla: Haha, I know right? Fucking classic!

DT: Is there any DJ you really want to work with in the future?Syla: Oh too many to name! I guess I would love to do a track with Nero, I reckon Dan would be open to the idea but I'm a bit reluctant to ask him, the reply might not be what I was expecting!

DT: Let's hope he reads this then! 
Syla: Hell Yeah!

DT: How big of a role has Dan and Joe had on your development? 
Syla: When my EP was being released, they mentioned me in all of their interviews, put my EP up on their Facebook Page, were just constantly alerting the press of my existence and what they thought of the tracks, which, they actually helped me mix. In short, I owe the guys EVERYTHING!

DT: Nice, thanks for taking the time out for this interview Samuel but, we gotta ask, on a final note, are the rumours your headlining Coachella 2012 true? 
Syla: Aha, no comment man, no comment.

Double Page Spread Research

Here is a double page spread article that features in MixMag. It's based around the dance/techno music partnership Groove Armada. This is clearly seen by the fact that the colour of the font on the name has been changed to red, which really makes it stand out on the white background with black lettering. The opening paragraph is set as the introduction for the rest of the article. This is symbolised by the fact that it is far bolder and bigger than the rest of the article. 

The subject of the article, Groove Armada is clearly shown by being in red, contrasting from the rest of the text in Black. The question asked is one which I believe would have been on many peoples minds at the time therefore showing relevance to the target audience. A black banner is spread across the double page on the top of the article, a consistent feature in Mix Mag when they are conducting a Q+A interview. This is re-iterated by the Q+A written in the top left in red font, and VIP written on both sides in a white font. This is showing the interviews are with well known artists. The colours also match the rest of the magazines colour scheme showing a coherent house style.


Text Wrap is used in the article where a page is taken up with 4 columns of text with a polyroid style snapshot in the mid bottom of the page, and the other page is dominated by the main picture of the article. The interview is all layed out in a Q+A format with the question being asked in a bolder font than the answer by the artists, both names being mentioned giving separate answers. A pull quote appears on the picture in bold and underlined to give the reader of the magazine reader an idea into the tone of the article. The picture is annotated in the bottom left hand corner.

Here is a double page spread that appeared in NME of the pop artist Lily Allen. Once again the artists name is highlighted in red and bolded from the surrounding introduction. The pull quote is used extremely effectively in a font resembling the effect of newspaper clippings. 


The unconventional style of the font helps to draw the readers attention aswell as effectively ensuring that all space available is used. The picture of the artist Lily Allen is on the right hand page slightly spreading onto the left hand page. She is giving direct eye contact to the reader sparking interest. 


Drop Caps is used for the first letter showing a difference to the previous article in MixMag. Unlike the MixMag article a more informal writing style is used showing humour, both in the writing and the fonts used. The introduction is as clear evidence as any for this talking about dodging paparazzi and "tabloid-baiting breath of fresh air".


Both approaches are acceptable forms of writing an article. I shall attempt for a mix of different features, taking various attributes from both of these examples as well as a few others. I shall mix my article between a Q+A session and a written interview as to widen its appeal to people.

Double Page Flat Plan

For my double page spread, I have created a basic hand draw flat plan to allow myself guidelines when making my double page on Photoshop & InDesign.

 This is the basic layout I want for my double page spread.

1. This is where I am planning on putting the artists name onto the page. Generally when people turn a page in a magazine their first instinct is to look at the left hand page as it usually dictates what the following article is going to be about.


2. Here I am planning on writing a simple introduction to my article, explaining what it will be about and also ensuring that there is a clear coherent link seen with the front cover and contents descriptions. This will allow people to find out a little bit about the artist if they have never heard about the person before however my fictional assumption is that he will be known by every reader.


3. Around this area is where I am planning on inserting a pull quote (when an interesting quote is highlighted, enlarged and placed into the article to grab the readers attention). It will be about the artists personality and really create an interest surrounding both the artists interview and the article in general.

4. This will be at the end of the article and be a brief description on the release of the artist's (Syla) new album.

It is key to note that elements may change as I progress through the creation of my double page spread however it provides me with guidelines which I can use to create my final submitted piece. 

Double Page Spread Draft

I have completed my double page spread draft article, I used both Q & A layout aswell as a basic unscheduled layout:

You've heard the name, regardless as to whether or not you've listened to his music. It's not easy to go out in public as of late without hearing a murmer or whisper of the name 'Syla'. The Chart topping dubstep producer from the east end of London is becoming known as the prince of dubstep and is letting people know that he is ready to take over the electronic music scene.

His recent domination of the iTunes Electronic Top 10, in which he is currently holding an unbelievable 9 spots, provides evidence of that. No other artist has ever reached that feat, not deadmau5 or Chase & Status, not even the king of dubstep Skrillex! Syla, once lead singer of the popular band 'Neurosis', has incorporated a new style into the genre, which is obviously loved amongst his vast fan base but perhaps the key question would be has all the success gone to his head? Well, we went to find out:

The noise was deafening and he had finished his set. Of course this was not the speaker shattering bass created by Syla, but the screams of his adoring crowd. As the man in question takes a bow I peer round the corner of the stage, attempting to reassure myself that this sound was man made and not a faulty speaker. Sure enough, the almost 5000 strong crowd at the Brixton O2 Academy were all shouting for more, at this point Samuel Morrison walks off the stage to come and meet me for the interview. Now this may seem slightly insulting to the devoted fan base, well I would have agreed with you if it were not for the fact that this was his 4th encore.

I try to enter in conversation, I barely get in the word "Hello" before he grabs me and runs me to his car, a customised Range Rover Evoque, complete with tinted windows, a must have for such a high profile celebrity.

As we drive onwards into the misty December night, he explains the exhilarating series of events that just occurred.

"Sorry man, need to make a quick getaway at places like that or you'll be mauled!" "I have enough of it when I enter the building, don't get me wrong it's amazing, just need to make sure you don't hit traffic 'n' all that you know?"

Unbelievable that traffic is even a distant thought in this musical magicians mind. As the journey progresses we listen to his new EP "Unwanted Distraction" (more on that on page 28!). As I go to talk I'm interrupted:

"I know right?" "It's fucking incredible!" I had to agree with this assumption!
"I couldn't believe just how high the quality of the tracks ended up! A lot of it was down to how great Daniel (Stephens) was and the amount of new stuff he and I created for it!"

For those of you who don't know, Daniel Stephens, one half of the popular electronic act 'Nero' signed Samuel to his label, GodWaste Records after hearing the talented producer at a 'Neurosis' gig, trying out his DJ set as an intro for the band. Believe it or not, he was actually booed off stage when originally doing this.

"Daniel saw something you know?"
"He listened to what I was coming out with and saw the potential!" "He knew the vision I had for it, something a bit different from the norm', something edgy."

As we conclude the conversation we reach the premises in which we would be conducting the scheduled interview, this being his house which he shares with 3 friends, a modest living environment for a person who has sold over 2.4 million copies of his debut EP "Tackle Bug".

We enter the house, followed by the throwing of his keys straight on the floor. He grabs 2 mugs, then tells me to go out to the garden. There I find the stereotypical £9.99 garden furniture, of course for a normal person of his age you would expect this, perhaps I was being slightly snobbish, but why did this multi million record selling artist not live someone far nicer than a semi-detached 3 bedroom house in Bromley?

The lights come on, whilst Samuel comes out of the back door to join me. Clutching two cups of tea, a strange beverage for a guy who's just finished delivering some of the heaviest basslines I've ever heard! He hands me a cup, sits down, and breathes what I gathered to be a sigh of relief.

"Come on then man, let's get this party started, fire away!"

DT: Okay so this isn't on the list, but whats with the run-down bargain furniture & the cups of tea?
 
Syla: Hey, there's nothing wrong with the basics mate. You don't need luxury's when you're barely at home. I spend most of my time in the studio now, it's where I want to be. That, and I like tea! Simples!

DT: Fair enough! So tell me, who would you say is your inspiration?
 
Syla: You would not believe how much I get asked this question, it's difficult to say really, since I started listening to music, I always liked a mix of genres. I can listen to something like Jamiroquai, then move on to something like The Prodigy immediately after. In terms of my electronic stuff, I really liked anything on Warp Records when I was younger, people like Squarepusher, Aphex twins and stuff like that

DT: Where did the name 'Syla' come from?
 
Syla: Um, well I guess my mind? Haha, shit, no I seriously don't know, it's just a name I came up with, I wish I had a mysterious description for you but no such luck!

DT: We mentioned it briefly in the car, but what happened with Neurosis?

Syla: Ha, knew this was coming. There was a lot of speculation over the Internet, stuff like I slept with Coles girlfriend and that John coming out as gay  caused it. The most entertaining rumour I read was the one about being threatened from the local gang! To be honest, we just decided to do different things, I loved the band, I loved the music, it's just I felt that my Dubstep stuff reached out to so many more people! We're still good mates, Me and Cole went for a drink the other day, not the controversy you were expecting?

DT: No, not quite, was still hoping the "Bromley Massive" threats were true!

Syla: Haha, I know right? Fucking classic!

DT: Is there any DJ you really want to work with in the future?

Syla: Oh too many to name! I guess I would love to do a track with Nero, I reckon Dan would be open to the idea but I'm a bit reluctant to ask him, the reply might not be what I was expecting!

DT: Let's hope he reads this then!

Syla: Hell Yeah!

DT: How big of a role has Dan and Joe had on your development?

Syla: When my EP was being released, they mentioned me in all of their interviews, put my EP up on their Facebook Page, were just constantly alerting the press of my existence and what they thought of the tracks, which, they actually helped me mix. In short, I owe the guys EVERYTHING!

DT: Nice, thanks for taking the time out for this interview Samuel but, we gotta ask, on a final note, are the rumours your headlining Coachella 2012 true?

Syla: Aha, no comment man, no comment.