Contents Page Research

The background consists of plain and basic colours so that this allows the foreground of the model and the text to stand out as the main features of this contents page. The masthead is in a bold font and in bright white to contrast with the dark background to catch the attention of the reader. The white outline of the 'V' in the background of the page also connects to the models legs, which are also in the shape of a 'V', repeating the title of the magazine. This contents page uses a neutral colour palette consisting of browns, whites and blacks, keeping the page simplistic. The models pose is unusual, as she is laying down rather than the standard stood up pose, this draws attention to the model and makes her the main image on the page. The text is split into two headings - features and fashion - making it easier for the reader to find what they're looking for quickly.

This contents page is also from Vibe magazine and it also caught my eye when I was researching. There is a monochrome colour palette used for this page, however there is a splash of bright red from the heart held by the mysterious arm emerging from behind Kanye. This could make a subtle hint to the reader that stories about Kanye's personal love life could be revealed in the issue. The use of a bright colour in amongst a monochrome palette can sometimes look cliché or 'tacky' but Vibe magazine uses the technique successfully and makes it look effective. Yet again there is a faint 'V' in the background of the page and the 'Contents' heading is in the same font and layout, giving the loyal reader familiarity with the magazine. As well as this, the headings are laid out in the same way and are the same as previously - features and fashion.

This page is very different to a normal layout of a contents page, which is why it caught my attention. The majority of the page is taken up by the main image, enticing the reader to what else is to come later in the magazine. Keeping it simple, the colour palette is just black and white, with very slight hints of different colour in the main image - keeping the colours simple makes the page look clean, de-cluttered, and easy to follow. The font used for the text is also very simple and so contributes to this clean cut style. In the top left corner of the page, there are numbers instead of the usual title of the magazine, being 'Nylon'. I guessed that these numbers would represent the date and issue number of the magazine, which contributes to the unique layout of the page.