As I established at the start, double-page spreads often take a very creative and unique format, meaning that very few adhere to the same conventions.
For my first deconstruction of a double-paged spread, I wanted to choose a popular and recognised magazine company in. This extract is from Q, and the logo has been been highlighted in small print next to the page number at the bottom. Branding and promotion is a very common feature of a music magazine, and the logo will be present on most of the pages to familiarise the reader with it so that they build up associations. In this particular example, it is not only the logo that enforces the idea of 'Q', but also the colour. The red and white shades feature heavily across the page, which further causes the reader to associate these colours with the 'Q' magazine. Outlining the first letter of the artist's name in large print across the page is a convention in this magazine, showing uniqueness and how these articles deserve their own way of being identified.
As a way of comparing this feature, the issue above about Lady Gaga follows the same layout.
Although very artistic, the layout is simultaneously quite basic: the left side is a full page photograph of the artist whilst the right has a full page of text. This simplicity pays off; the photograph is the first thing the audience see and so if the artist interests them, they can take the time to reader about them.
From the amount of text on the page we can infer that the articles are intended for long-term fans who will be passionate enough to read for that long. For those less engaged with the celebrity, the quotation that captions the picture can be used as a way of enticing the audience into at least attempting to read the article. In this example, Jay Z is making a statement about his long-term public feud with artist Noel Gallagher. Therefore even if a reader is unaware or uninterested in Jay Z, they might be provoked by the hinted conflict he has with the Oasis singer.
The image is overshadowed with a crimson shade on one half and a white shade on the other. Red and white have juxtaposing connotations of colour, where red is the colour of the devil and white is associated with angelic purity. The merging of this suggests that no one is completely good or bad, and that Q exposes the reality of both in their magazine.
The close up demonstrates Jay Z's imposing expression. Concealing his eyes with glasses is not only a stereotype of the rapper, but also distorts the idea of direct address. Since the audience cannot see his eyes, there is anticipation knowing he might be glaring or looking in another direction. This draws you in because the photo is usually a representative of the tone of the article. Since the quote already hints towards conflict, the image could support the idea of tension and anger within the article. Wearing a black top correlates with his closely-shaved haircut and his black glasses, showing synchronisation in fashion in order to not distract from the article.
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