This document analyzes the conventions of double-page spreads in magazines. It notes that they typically include a large sans-serif title, a big main image often spanning both pages, and additional smaller images. Colors are usually kept simple to draw attention to the images, while layouts place most text on one page opposite the main visual. The purpose is to inform readers through articles and attract their attention through large eye-catching designs.

1. Image This image makes a bold statement about how music artists look and live their life. They’ve edited the photo well as her features seem to stand out a lot more than usual; e.g. the red from the flag makes her hair look a lot redder than what it is. Another example is the way her skin (mainly her legs) appears to be shinning a lot to give the impression that she is perfect and smooth. The way she is posing also gives the effect that she is a dominant/ an independent women. Colour The colouring of the background on this double page spread is purposely plain (black and white/grey); this is so that the music artist (Florence) stands out more to make her look in control. Another reason why the colours are so dull is to try and portray it as being a more sophisticated read. In addition the contrast of colours give these two pages a good balance. Layout The layout has been spread across both pages neatly. The masthead ‘USA, got the love’ is almost part of the image the way it is all almost attached. The content is all squashed into the right hand corner to give space for the image to look big and dominant. This is a very un-conventional layout as the passage of writing is all put on one side instead of being spread out. Font The font is serif which is the opposite to front covers as things start to get more fashionable/stylish. The big ‘D’ at the start of the text is an example of this. Also the font is black to stand out clearly on the white/greyish background. Language The language used in the text lures the audience in by using many quotations from music artist Florence. It also uses questions to try and offer support and attracts/encodes the audience to carry on reading. Much of the language used is fact as the text is very much like an interview aimed towards Florence. Target Audience The target audience would predominantly white females who are into the music genre of rock and soul as this is what ‘Florence and the Machine’ are linked with. (Burton’s social/media grouping). This is clear as the image is of a strong, independent women who would be a role-model to many females. Also the font being serif with all the curls shows a feminine side. Representation Music artist ‘Florence’ is represented here as a strong women and a role model to all women. This is shown due to the fact that she is striking a strong seductive pose. This also helps show that she is a proud American as she is in the image with a U.S.A flag. Gratifications The main two gratifications for the target audience would be to inform and to entertain. (Blumar and Katz theory). Inform because it’s like an interview so the audience are finding out information and entertain as the audience get to know their role model Florence that extra bit better.

2. Image This image shows the whole band of ‘Black Eye Peas’. It’s been cleverly edited as ‘Will-I-am’, leader of the band, hasn’t been faded like the others to show he’s the main focus. The pose that they have all struck signifies their uniqueness and difference to other music artists/bands. The image itself spreads on to both pages to almost portray/show that they are a big/successful band. In addition even their outfits suggest uniqueness as they are dressed in odd/fashionable clothing. Colour The colours used have been kept rather simple. The background is a plain white with black text so that the audience can read it with no difficulty. The image itself is slightly more colourful which signifies their dominance and power by the way they stand out. The bolder colour of ‘Will-I-Am’ shows that he is leader and that he is the most iconic artist out of them all. Finally the black box with text in shows that, that is important information and it also adds variety to the double-page spread. Target Audience The target audience is clear and simple. Male and female’s into the music genre of ‘hip-hop/RNB’ (media grouping) and of ages between 15-20 (social grouping). The reason that I think this is because the band is based on that sort of music genre but also because there is quite and obscene amount of text so this would attract an older reader and then for the younger readers there is a big image to go with it which would attract them. Representation The music artists shown are ‘Black Eye Peas’. They are represented as unique artists with a certain swagger about themselves, this is clear as the way they dress is different and they could be seen as trend setters. The poses they are individually doing from left to right shows sophistication/innocence which slowly turns into arrogance and confidence (man on the right). Font The font shown throughout the two page spread is simply a san serif black font on a white background in order for the audience to read it clearly. More important/interesting content has been put in white writing in a black box to stand out that extra bit more. Gratifications Like all music magazines the main gratification is to entertain their target audience. It does this by giving inside information on the band and juicy gossip for them. The other gratifications it is fulfilling is inform and educate as the reader finds out more things on the band throughout this content/piece of text. Layout The layout is unique like the whole double page spread is. The image has its own piece of text going over it (masthead) which is different but clever as it still stands out. The whole right page is where all the content is and the way it has been spread out so well makes it clear to read and overall good. In addition the box with text saying ‘Will he. Won’t he’ is cleverly laid out as the colour of the font is the same as the bolder coloured artist to show its about him. Language The language used is some what colloquial and encodes the target audience of Hip-Hop perfectly as it uses key text such as ‘fresh’ and ‘live’. The language is an important part for the audience as this is the fundamental of the magazine to find out information about their idols and the way ‘slang’ has been used helps the audience connect to the text.

3. Target Audience Judging by this double-page spread the target audience would be white females of ages between 15-20 (Burton’s social grouping) and more than likely be into the music genre of ‘Pop’ and also enjoy watching programmes such as soaps e.g. ‘Hollyoaks’, ‘Eastenders’ etc (Burton’s media grouping). I believe this to be clear due to the image being a middle aged woman/artist and also the font being san-serif shows youthfulness. Image The image takes up the whole of the right side of the page to make it stand out who exactly it is (music artist Pink). The image sets the tone for the whole passage. ‘Pink’ appears to be smiling and laughing which represents happiness which would effectively rub off on the target audiences mood. The genre of music being Pop also relates to the image as its often thought to be a bubbly fun sort of music genre and this is what the image shows. Font The font is mainly san-serif but as shown at the start of the text the letter ‘P’ is bigger and bolder than the rest which sort of represents serif font due to the fact that it’s different to the rest. The font isn’t as entertaining as what I thought it might be as the font is a simple san serif and also a simple black on a white background. I expected it to maybe show a variety of font colours but none the less it does it’s job as it all stands out. Colour The colour scheme of this double page spread has been kept simple which signifies that the text is perhaps the best/most important bit of the page. The image is a plain black background with music artist Pink looking rather tanned which often connotates attractiveness. The aluminous green ear-rings help brighten up the page. In addition the text is black on a white background so that the audience can read it with relative ease. Gratifications The stand out gratifications for these pages would appear to be to ‘inform’ by telling the audience what's happening with music artist Pink and also to ‘entertain’ which would be by giving the audience pleasure in what their reading. These two gratifications are Katz and Blumlar’s theories and these specific two are the same in near enough all music magazines. Layout The layout is good. A big image on one side of the page and the other side covered in informing/interesting text. The masthead is set bold at the top with a sentence for a coverline below it. The text is set out in three columns which helps spread it out as well as giving it an attractive/different text alignment. What makes this layout good is the fact that there appear to be no big empty spaces so therefore has been covered which will in theory be a more eye-catching magazine. Representation Music artist Pink has been represented as a down to earth woman. This is clear as she is laughing and having a good time. Also her boisterous haircut also gives the effect that she is just a normal person and that she isn’t to worried about being all ‘glammed’ up like other artists are known for. The image represents the music genre of Hip-Hop perfectly as it shows happiness and enjoyment. Language The language used in this piece of text has been wrote in some what ‘pun’ way in the fact that there have been quirky jokes with in the text that helps draw the audience in as well as entertaining them. It also uses persuasive language in the fact that there are a few advertisements happening. An example is ‘Cash for Questions’ which is a sort of advertisement in the fact that they are looking to get money out of the audience.

4. Conventions of Double-Page Spreads Conventions of double-page spreads are much like that of a front pages but they just look a little more complex. There is always a big bold san serif title so that the audience know exactly what the content will be on. There is also a big image sometimes covering both sides of the page as well as little sub images sometimes. Colour is once again a convention and an important one so that the audience want to carry on reading as the page has captured there eye (also the job of the image). The text is obviously the most important convention as this is what the foundation of the spread is. It is usually san-serif font that is distributed but sometimes serif as the first letters can be big curly ones to attract the audience not to just look at the image but also read the content. Another thing shown in double-page spreads are ‘pull quotes’ this is when an artist is quoting in saying something and written in bold is what they’ve said. Finally writer credits are occasionally shown somewhere on the pages. In addition some form of anchorage can be shown next to the image to tell the audience exactly what the image is about and why its there, but this is not always the case. Page numbers are also often labelled.