Joe Carroll Double Page Analysis

The designs of the pages are very balanced and very clean looking. One half is the large editorial image that’s mainly dark colours with red and blue accents and on the other page is all of the text with a large ‘S’ behind it all. The long thin column of text balances well with the thicker column and the white background keeps the text readable.

The page is made up of solely serif font in black (excluding the logos). The text is sometimes in italics and varies size. This type of font is a regular used by Q. this type of font is very good as it keeps the magazine looking fresh and formal.

When looking at the pages I don’t see any clear uses of any design principles.

The only picture on this double page is a large image of the artist. It is a close up that features lots of dark tones of black, blue and red. The artist is giving a sultry pose and is linked to the artist style and genre. It is not a standard type of picture that magazines usually go for, it is highly stylised and edited; this applying to younger or newer readers.

The house style of the page is very minimal and clean looking this is due to the plain font, balanced image and use of the large letter to eliminate as much white space as possible. Also the gutters are very linear pull quotes and side bars have not been used. However the first column is in a larger font and this is the kicker.

The design of this double page is a lot less formal than the Q double page. The pages are not sectioned off a strongly and all of the grey tones are very harmonious and keep it looking relaxed. The large picture is balanced with the large heading. The use of all similar colors is very sophisticated without being too strong on the eye, which adds to easy reading and a modern look appalling to lots of readers.

From what I can see there is a loose use of the rule of thirds. The model is loosely placed in the right cross section and the main headline resting on the center line. This adds some formality and order and stops the casual layout and colors from looking sloppy and untidy.

All of the text is a rather dark grey and off black which is sometimes serif and some times sans-serif. The kicker is in italics which helps separate it from the main piece of text. The font also reduces size as it goes downwards on the page and this gradient draws the eye down and encourages reading.

The house style of the double page is uniform and balanced with the use of coordinating tones and the loose reverence to the rule of thirds. Even as the off center placing of the image with the model not giving direct address reduces stiffness. The font is varied and fun while being contemporary and modern. All of this result in a very polished looking page and appealing aesthetics.

The large picture of the model, it’s a close up and a head shot, she is not giving direct address and is looking casually to right. Again this and the color scheme along with the mixed font types add to the off-the-cuff look of the pages. The older style of font also match the style and genre of the artist pictured.