Two Page Spread Drafts

 Introduction 

In this blog, I will be going through three designs I have come up with for my two-page spread. I decided to create designs that fell across the spectrum in terms of conventionality in order to ensure that I had considered all of my options. My goal with my two-page spread design is to come up with a layout which is conventional but creative and not what a reader may always expect. 

Draft One 

For this draft, I decided to take an extremely conventional approach. I did some research and found a spread that I was interested in emulating. For this spread, on the top left corner, I have a drop cap letter T. The reason I have the drop cap above the writing instead of in the writing is because not only due to the aesthetics it creates but because I saw this technique used by magazines in my genre to add character to a spread whose layout may not be as dynamic or interesting. Underneath the drop cap letter is my article itself written in a column format. The reason my article is written in such a format is because this is a format which is extremely conventional in my genre. Magazines may break this trend for a paragraph or so but from what I have research, regardless of the magazine, this is a format which is maintained. In order to follow this strict convention, I formatted my article into columns. 

Next to first column is a massive image which takes up almost the entirety of the spread. The reason that this image is so large is because I wanted this photograph to act as a focal point for the spread. The image currently in the spread is a place holder. The final image will be one most likely of novels or something related to my article. The reason I would like to include an image of this manner is because I would like to provide the reader with a visual aid in order to keep them engaged with the content that the spread is presenting.  In the top left corner of the image is a red caption which will describe the image. This caption is in red because I would like to incorporate the color scheme that I established in my cover and my table of contents. Underneath the image, there are multiple columns continuing the article. Finally, in the bottom left corner of the spread, is the page number. Next to the page number is the name of the magazine and the date as well. I decided to include this information along with the page number because I realized through my research that this practice is a convention of my genre which all the magazines I research followed. So,  in order to make it easier for the reader to navigate the magazine, and to follow conventions, I decided to include this information.

For the drop cap, I will be using a serif font from my table of contents. For the article itself, I will be using the same serif font just in a smaller size and not bolded. Finally, for the caption, I might use a sans serif font from the same font family, but I am not quite sure. I am considering using a sans serif font because it will help create a bit of contrast between the caption and the rest of my writing. For the other fonts, I decided to stick with the serif font I have been using throughout this entire process because I wanted to create a sense of cohesiveness between all of the products and maintain a sophisticated, knowledgeable tone, something that a serif font conveys psychologically. 

I decided not to include a title or subtitle as part of my two-page spread because I am writing a feature article. Typically, a feature article will have a separate two page spread displaying the title and subtitle of the article. Thus, when it comes to content, I will only be including my article and a caption I will write based on the image that I use. I decided not to include a pull quote in this spread because I felt as though it did not fit well layout wise with this design. Furthermore, I have not included my entire article in this spread as it would not fit so including a pull quote so close to the beginning of the piece does not seem as effective. For the layout as a whole, it is easy to navigate and simple, following the conventions of my genre to the furthest extent. 

Draft Two

For this draft, I wanted to take a bit of an unconventional approach to the layout while still maintaining a somewhat conventional atmosphere. While doing some research in order to gain inspiration. I came across a spread in the latest issue of Time magazine. The spread had multiple tiny articles that were separated and arranged across the spread using color and lines. I like the idea of using a more dynamic layout but did not want to write multiple different articles that would be cohesive enough to form a put-together spread. I looked through the article I had written from my two-page spread and as I read the writing, a light bulb went off. I had addressed a variety of scenarios involving the censorship of literature throughout my piece. I figured that I could separate these instances into a variety of sections. This way, I could maintain a dynamic layout while providing clear, concise, and cohesive content. 

              

I first started off with the title. I decide to make the title large but not extremely large as I wanted to leave a bit of white space at the top of the spread. I wanted to leave this white space because I did not want the spread to be overtly busy. I was already planning on utilizing a layout which was not as straight forward, for a lack of better words. I thought that the white space would prevent it from looking overbearing or daunting to the reader. On top of the title of the article, in the top left corner of the spread would be the label. I decided to include a label because as I did research, I noticed that a variety of magazines in my genre, from the New Yorker to Newsweek, utilized a label as part of their two-page spreads in order to better organize the magazine in its entirety. In terms of size, the label would be smaller than the title but not as small as the regular text of the article. This way, a reader would know it is not the title but could still distinguish it as something important or noteworthy. Underneath the title and to the right of it are a vertical and horizontal line that section out that area of the spread by creating a rectangle that is not completely closed off just distinguished as a separate area. 

Inside this sectioned off rectangle is first a label that details the location of the instance of book censorship. This label will be smaller than the title but slightly larger than the topic label. I am also considering putting it in italics, but I have yet to make that decision. Using the location as a label, is a bit unconventional but it helps create a divide between the content of the page by separating it further into categories while maintaining the overlying theme. Below this location label, is around two paragraphs of content describing the situation. Currently, I have lorem ipsum in place of my actual writing but will be replacing it if I chose to utilize this design as a part of my final two page spread. 

To the right of the vertical line, next to the top half is a light gray, horizontal box. This is an unconventional thing to include as a part of my two-page spread but I thought it would help not only add color to the spread, but make it more dynamic as well. I decided to use a muted gray instead of bold color as I usually do because I wanted the content to be the spotlight of this spread and using such a bold color would take away from the writing. In this box, I first added a picture frame in the top left corner in order to denotate where I would be placing an image. I decided to encroach a bit of the white space and have the image go outside of the box because I wanted to utilize a technique I have not only noticed in different news magazines but in different art pieces. People layer different images and swatches of colors in order to create depth and contrast. I thought that creating this subtle contrast would help add to the spread in a way that would not distract from the writing but would improve its impact. 

Underneath the image would be the location label in the same way as I described it earlier. Underneath the label would be text which would explain that instance of book censorship. For the structure of the text inside this box and throughout the spread in general, I decided to use columns similar to that of a newspaper. This choice was made for two reasons. One being that this is an extremely conventional practice of my genre and the second being that this helps maintain the sophisticated, knowledgeable tone for the magazine but displaying to readers that similar to newspapers, this source of information is reliable and trustworthy. Back to the box, it will be filled with columns of writing. To the right of this box, will be another vertical line. Next to this solid line, will be a pull quote in a shade of red that I utilized both in my cover and in my table of contents. I decided to include a pull quote because it no only can help intrigue a reader and make them more interested in what the content of the spread is discussing, but it is a conventional element that helps a layout look and feel both more interesting and dynamic. I decided to use a shade of red for the color of my pull quote because it would help pull together the magazine as a whole by creating a cohesive color scheme throughout all of the products of this endeavor, 

Below the pull quote would a horizontal line that would span almost all the way across the page, till the vertical line separating off the first section. This line would be placed underneath the light gray box, creating a rectangle of white space. In the top left corner of this white space, is again another location label in the format that I explained above. Underneath the label and throughout the white space is columns of writing explaining said instance of censorship. Next to the writing is a horizontal image box which will include a photograph relating to the content next to it. Finally, at the bottom of the page, is the page number which will also have the magazine masthead and date next to it. The reason I decided to include this is due to its conventionality in my genre and because it aids the reader in navigating the magazine as a whole. 

The images I will be incorporating into this spread will be connected to the miniature story that they are next to or sectioned with. This is to provide the reader with a visual aid that helps bring the information next to the image to life. For the color scheme, I will be maintaining the one I have been using throughout this entire magazine, but I will be adding a shade of gray to the color scheme. This gray is only included in order to create a bit more depth in the spread. I included the color red in the pull quote not only to maintain my color scheme, but to draw the eye to this quote. Not only is contrast created but the content of the quote can make the reader even more interested in the information being discussed. 

For the title of the article, I might change the title I used as a part of my table of contents because it does not fit well with the unconventional layout of the article. For the heading, there will be the location corresponding to that instance of censorship. The article itself will be separated into sections based on the instance with an explanation being located under each location label. For the fonts, I decided to stick with the fonts I have been using throughout the entire magazine. For the writing I will use a normal serif font. For the title, I will use a bolder serif font from the same family. For the topic label, I will use a slightly bold font from the same font family. For the location label, I may use a sans serif font from the same family in order to create contrast, but I am not quite sure whether I will implement this idea. In general, I will be using serif fonts from the Noto family because this will help maintain a cohesiveness in the entire magazine as I have been using these fonts throughout all of my products. Plus, using a serif font will help maintain a formal, sophisticated tone which I have been attempting to develop. I will not be using drop cap because I feel as though it is a bit unnecessary considering the unconventional format of my article. For the layout as a whole, I attempted to use lines and an unconventional formatting in order to create a dynamic, interesting spread. 

Draft Three

For this draft, I decided to take inspiration from the New Yorker and approach my spread in an extremely unconventional manner. Firstly, for the left page on my spread, I decided to take a unusual approach. Normally, magazines such as Time and the New Yorker will have an image or illustration take up the entire page. While looking through the photographs I had taken for this article, I could not find an image which would do well in this position. Thus, I kept thinking and remembered a design I saw on one of my friend's projects. I decided that I could make a collage of images and have a caption underneath this collage explaining the significance of all of these images. So, I placed three frames in different shapes: a circle, square, and rectangle in a scrapbook-inspired design. To the right of this collage, I placed a pull quote in red because I figured that it would be a good way to incorporate my color scheme into the spread. I decided to include a pull quote instead of a caption to make the reader more excited about the article they are going to read on the next page. As stated earlier, I will be including a caption underneath the collage of images. This caption will most likely be slightly smaller than the size of the subtitle on the next page and will be in italics. Sticking with conventions, in the bottom left corner of this page is the page number with both the date and the name of the magazine next to it. 

On the page to the right, I decided to emulate the New Yorker. Thus, instead of having the title of the article on another two-page spread, I simply placed it on top of the page to the right. The size of the title will be large but not extremely large so that there is still a bit of white space remaining. This white space will make sure that that the spread does not seem too busy. Underneath the title is the subtitle, which will be in a smaller font and in italics. The reason I decided to include the subtitle in such a manner was to break the conventions of my genre and add a more creative tone to the magazine. On half of my spread, I have already included a collage so that I thought that formatting the title and subtitle in such a manner would help maintain a somewhat creative yet informational and sophisticated atmosphere. Above the title is a label describing the genre that the topic of the article falls under. The reason I included this label is because not only is it conventional to have said label as part of a two-page spread, but it provides information to the reader, making it a bit easier for the reader to find content that they enjoy. 

Below the subtitle is the name of the author, something I included because it is conventional to have the author's name present if the title and subtitle are present. The size of the author's name will be slightly larger than the article itself because I wanted to spotlight the title and subtitle the article the most. Under the author's name is a line that separates the article from the title and the information that goes with it. Underneath this black line, is the article itself written in a conventional column format for reasons that I have explained in my last two mockups. For the fonts, for the title, I used a font similar to the masthead. For the subtitle, label, and author, I used serif fonts from the same font family as the masthead. I decided to use these fonts not only due to the sophisticated atmosphere they create but also due to the fact that they are the ones I have been using throughout my entire magazine. Using these fonts will help to maintain a cohesive brand for the magazine. 

I decided not to use drop cap because it looked a bit abrupt when I placed it. It was disrupting the flow of the layout, so I decided against including it. For the content itself, I will be including the title and subtitle from my table of contents as well as an additional label. I am not quite sure regarding what the label will say yet, but it will most likely be the word, "nation". Then, I will have the article I have written and the author's name, which will be my first and last name. For the layout as a whole, it is much more artistic and less formal in comparison to my other two layouts. I did this in order to make the magazine a bit more personable and welcoming to readers. 

Conclusion

As of now, I am leaning towards draft two for my two-page spread. This is because the spread follows many of the conventions of my genre but breaks some of them. It is dynamic and not what a reader expects. It has a variety of nuances like the colored box which increase the sophistication of the design. It follows the conventions of my genre in its content and the different aspects such as the label which are being included. It subverts conventions through the colored box and the sectioned-out layout of the spread. There are a few things I will be changing about this design including the fonts and all of the content as there is currently lorem ipsum in place of my original content. My next step will be to create my final cover and edit it as I receive feedback from my peers.