This document summarizes the author's research on the layouts of four music magazines: Vibe, Clash, NME, and Q. The author analyzed the front cover, contents page, and double page spread layouts. Some common elements identified across magazine covers include the masthead in large, bold font at the top and a large headline associated with the main image. Contents pages typically include a feature list and large central image. Double page spreads usually have a large central image on one page and bodies of text in various sizes on the facing page. The research aims to help the author identify strengths in professional magazine layouts to apply to their own work.

1. Exploring different layouts

2. • Each magazine contains their own unique style of presentation,
including the house style as well as depending on different genres.
For further knowledge about the layouts, I started by doing a research
of four different magazines. This involves front cover layout, contents
page layout and double page spread layout. This research will help to
me identify the strengths of those layouts from variety of magazines
for instance, Vibe, Clash, NME and Q. This would be applied to my
own work by using those layouts as a guide of how should
professional magazine looks. Then I would also increase the
knowledge of the composition within the music magazines by
showing different positions of the features.

3. • All four covers follow the conventional presentation of a magazine cover. For example their masthead is located on the top
of the page in large, unique and often bold title. This would be because the masthead is where the audience would have
their first glance and therefore it is important for them to remember the title. By having unique and recognisable fonts
would allow the audience to remember the brand which is part of promoting. The next point the audience read tends to
be the headline which is also often written in the largest size. The headline always associates with the main image. For
example from the music magazine the headlines displayed artists’ name. Normally based on the magazines’ conventional
features the cover stories are mostly written in smallest size but still large enough to capture the audience’s attention. It is
usually short, snappy, and interesting which makes the audience pay extra attention to the story. I noticed that the shots
used for main image is no larger than medium close-up also.

4. When looking at these
two magazine front
overs I am able to
distinguish a great
contrast between them.
For instance I can see
that the magazine on
the left hand side is
very plain and
uncluttered, This makes
the magazine easy to
read however will also
mean that the image is
heavily relied upon
when attracting
customers. From the
cover on the right I am
able to see that there
are more conventional
features such as a trap
line, cover line and also
a selling line. This is
more of a conventional
music magazine.

5. When initially looking at
contents pages from
existing music magazines
I am able to see that the
contents page will consist
of allot more
conventional material
then the front cover.
Features such as a pull
quote and also content
images dominate the
contest page. This makes
the page busy and the
reader has allot more
information to intake.
With features such as a
variety of content images
and editors comments it
will also mean that the
reader will gain more
information from a
different variety of
sources.

6. When looking at these two
contents pages there are
some similarities, for
example on the right hand
side of the page there is a
large feature list that
includes top heads of each
of the articles in the
magazine. On the left hand
side of the image there is a
large central image that
dominate most of the
contents page. This shows
that this is a conventional
tool that Is need when I
am making my magazine.

7. Now looking at the double
page spreads that I have
sketched I am firstly able
to see tat the page is
dominated by a large
central image that is
located on the left hand
side of the page. The large
image gives the reader a
visual image to look at and
to make the right hand
side of the page text
dominated. There is other
features of this page like
the bodies of text which Is
located on the right hand
side which will include the
cover article .

8. When looking at the
double page spreads
that are on the screen I
am able to see that
there once again is a
dominating image.
There is main body text
that are located in
various position and
various sizes that
restrict the amount of
text tat can be put into
the body of text.