Memo Rolling Stone Article Design Analysis

To:        Dr. Carla Kungl          
From:    Beth Weyer    
Date:     11/29/2009

Re:     Rolling Stone Magazine, Pink

This memo will analyze two pages among a six page feature about pop singer Pink in September’s issue of Rolling Stone magazine. I will be examining the spread against major features of designing a document found in chapter 12 of our text book.  After discussing the three most successful design elements used- columns, pull quotes, and graphics- I will suggest how two particular pages could be designed differently.

What Works Well

The use of three columns in this article gives repetition an important principle of design. This creates a visual pattern which makes the reading easier. For the multiple page span of a feature story, columns are necessary to fit the most information per page. This arrangement seems the least daunting to the reader.

On page 92 and 93, photos are extended across two columns on the left and a top all three columns on the right page. This creates a box effect and emphasizes the photos.  

The use of a pull quote attracts attention effectively. It’s larger type size and typeface accompanies a photo almost as if a caption.  The interesting quote reads: “It wasn’t singing about boy meets girl- I was singing about divorce, drugs. My job is to be comfortable enough in my own pain to share it with others and help them.” The black and white photo depicts the singer holding hands in a circle with her crew backstage.

 
In general the six pages are all complimentary of one another. In addition to use of columns, photos, and pull quotes, the white space, line length, spacing and typography are elements used well to make the lengthy copy painless to get through.  

Suggestions 

Colored photos would be more favorable to show. A black and white photo of Pinks acrobatic skills on stage bleeds into the crease of the page. The photo is interesting enough to be placed better in my opinion. I would make adjustments to the design layout and use of the four photos (page 92 and 93). Two black and white photos are tight against two colored photos. A blood-red screen behind white text draws emphasis to the captions of the images. Though the four photos create a box of their own for emphasis, I’d like to see a different organization and presentation of this particular double page spread.