Magazine Double Spread (First Attempt)

This is my first attempt at creating a double page magazine spread. It is about the way Channel 4 represent disability in both Misfits and Cast Offs. It has been created using Adobe InDesign CS4, which has specifically been created for projects like this, as it can handle large amounts of text, unlike Photoshop, which was created to handle images.


Firstly, I made a folder called ‘magazine’ in my documents. Within this folder, I created another three folders called ‘images’, ‘text’ and ‘fonts’. This is so that the text, images and fonts I used in my magazine were in a place I knew, and there wouldn’t be any broken links. Then, I set up my page.We had to measure a magazine with a ruler, and set our page widths & lengths to these sizes. The magazine we measured was 295x 210mm, so I set my page at the same size. We then had to set up the margins, this time I forget to change them, but to improve next time, I will measure up with a real magazine. The top and bottom margins are self explanitory, but the outside margins are the margins near the outer edge of the page, and the inner margins are the margins nearer the spine of the magazine. We also had to set up gutters, these are the gaps in between the columns. We used column guides so that we could create boxes to place text in, this was quite easy as the boxes snap to the column guides.

Next, I imported text from the disability essay I had already written. I placed the text in the first text box, then threaded it into the following text boxes, so that it flowed throughout the document. The font size I used was 9, as this is a rule of thumb for magazine producers. There are some gaps in the document, which I have left for pictures and quote inserts. I also used the drop cap tool, which makes the first letter of the article bigger, signalling the start of the story. I then created a masthead, which consists of white text against an orange background. I made the background orange because it fits in with the jumpsuits in the Misfits programme. I used text effects to make the masthead look more effective, these were drop shadow, outer glow and bevel & emboss.

To improve my magazine, I need to put the pictures in, as well as some quote inserts. I could also need to change the margins to fit in with that of a real magazine.