This document provides an analysis of the layout and design elements of Rolling Stone magazine. It notes that the magazine consistently uses a red masthead in a specific font across issues. It also discusses the placement of cover images, with the artist's head often obscuring part of the title. Interior pages use a "backwards F" layout with most text on the right column. Contents pages feature a split layout with pictures on the left and text on the right. Article pages utilize large close-up images and classic fonts to convey a sophisticated feel. Overall, the document examines the visual conventions and stylistic choices that give Rolling Stone its distinctive aesthetic.

1. Rolling Stone’s title
(masthead) is on the top
third, reading left to right.
The masthead is almost
always the same colour (red)
and is always the same font.
From my research, I haven’t
found a copy on the front
page where the artist in the
picture hasn’t got their head
coving a part of the title,
which I am personally not a
big fan of because to a
newcomer the title reads
‘RgStone’ which can be
misleading.
A mid shot of Sam Smith is
used on the cover with him
placed mostly central ; his
head is placed in the top
third, his torso in the middle
third and his hands and legs
in the bottom third. The
centre of the cover is left
free of any writing so that
the cover isn’t too crowded
and so that readers get a
clear view of the featured
artist.
This magazine has a rocky
aesthetic with lots of black
involved to indicate seriousness.
The font as well (FB Moderno)
has an edge to it, appealing to
people inclined to liking rock
music.
The layout of the text
resembles a backwards F
which initially would cause the
reader to see the title, then
view the cover left to right-
with the majority of text on
the right hand vertical column
(rule of thirds). All of the
writing, besides the title and
the publication information, is
in white which contrasts
against the black and dull
colour of the back ground,
making it pop out more.
Not all of the Rolling Stones issues have a plain and
simple background, some have beaches or beds or
even foliage to mix up the interest, but I prefer a
blank background in order to keep attention on the
artist placed at the focal point.

2. This contents page is laid
out with pictures on the
left and the writing on the
right, forming a golden
ratio- both the photos and
the writing are split into 3
main sections with
subtitles in red, and size of
the photo corresponds to
the size of the content
information.
None of the photos used
have ill-fitting colours and
none of the people in the
photo are actually looking
towards the camera which
gives a spontaneous and
un-cliché feel to this
magazine.
The contents page doesn’t
have the page numbers in
an ascending order which
could be confusing to
readers, however is split
into sections with
subheadings so the
navigation isn’t made too
hard. In addition, the
contents page numbers
are in red, as well as the
subtitles and the headings
for the pages are in bold,
communicating to the
reader that the
information is important.
The font on the contents
page is the same which
makes it seem mature and
professional – also hinting
that the target audience
are of a 20-50 age range.
A banner with the word
‘contents’ is placed as a
wob at the top of the page.
This contents page banner
for the Rolling Stone
magazine always stays the
same and carries the red
theme through the
magazine pages.

3. There isn’t much of an article
on this page, only a large
paragraph which isn’t split
into sections/columns which
can be seen as a positive for
the reader as there is
effectively less to read.
Adele’s close up takes up the
majority of this double page
spread, and she isn’t looking
into the camera, suggesting
that she will be sharing
personal information in this
article and making eye
contact would have made her
seem too confident.
The title of this article takes up the first half of
the recto when joined with the standfirst and
byline which, due to its size, is very eye
catching and seems to be of importance. The
font used seems very classic and sophisticated
which gives an immediate feel to how the
article will be. The title, along with the dropcap
‘I’ is put in bold to singnify its importance in
relation to the rest of the writing.
The standfirst is written in
italics to break it up from the
rest of the page because it
involves information about
the article itself and is more
of a side note written by the
journalist than the actual
story on Adele. I think the
standfirst adds a nice touch
to the page as it makes the
reader aware of the
middleman between us and
the star.
The colour scheme of this page is
monotonous which creates a serious
and classic feel to the artist as well as
the article.