Contents Page Analysis #3 - Research

On this contents page, the colour scheme is very basic and monochrome, with interjections of red to highlight important articles. The page numbers, "cover story" and the number 44 are all in red. The articles are listed down the right hand side of the page, all are written in a serif font.

The words "contents" and "features" are also in the same font as one another, again serif, however different to the main body of text. They have the same underline which has an effect similar to a bar code.

( #1 )

( #2 )

The contents page also features two puffs, one grey and white, the other red and white. The first has an unusual shape, the many pointed star shape and the red colour make this more obvious on the black background and make it more eye catching. The red also creates synergy with the rest of the page as the numbers are in the same shade of red. The second puff is not as eye catching as the light grey shape on the white background makes it blend towards the background and makes it so you are more likely to notice the red puff first. The most conspicuous part of the second puff is the black writing as it is darker than the shape and the background and therefore is more noticeable. Again the grey, white and black create a synergy to the rest of the text and the black and white photo.

This contents page breaks the conventions of usual magazine contents pages as there is only one image, usually magazines contain many images - above 5 as a minimum - however this has the singular photo of The Rolling Stones. This image is styled more as a cover shot than an inside issue image, the image is a group shot and all of the members are looking into the camera. It is a very casual image and they have been styled to look like normal people, this could have Dyer applied to it as they have been created to look very normal without showing the stardom they really have, and therefore as an image rather than real people.

How this research has influenced me:
This contents page has shown me that it is again effective to break convention. The use of one singular image draws your attention to it, and makes the feature article very obvious. The black and white with red additions makes the puffs more noticeable and effective and that is something I may try for my magazine.