After producing the front cover for my magazine 'AlternativeGirl' I started straight away on my contents page. I originally wanted to do my contents on just one page, but after looking at a few existing contents pages I decided to do it across two, as this way I could have the photos as big as I liked and still fit in all the information about what's on what page. 
So I drew out a very rough plan of what type of layout I wanted my magazine to have. This shows that I will have space for the photos of four different artists that are featured in my magazine all the page numbers and their content, a space for a section explaining how to obtain the free download that you get with the magazine, and another section explaining about an offer to subscribe to the magazine. I have found these are common codes and conventions of a contents page, after looking at a few different existing magazine contents pages. I decided images definitely make the page look more interesting rather than just a block of text which would look more like a boring index page than a contents page of a music magazine. They often have everything in blocks with photos in separate blocks alongside them, although this is a good orderly way to set it out I decided I didn't want to follow this exactly and preferred the layout of the contents from the summer 2001 issue of Q as all the page numbers and the description of what is on the pages is not in boxes, and the photos are more creatively spread out with their corresponding page numbers next to them. Although I felt it necessary to use boxes to separate certain parts of the page, for example the 'SUBSCRIBE' section and the 'How to get your FREE download' section, this needed to be put in boxes as otherwise it looked a little messy and wasn't clear which text went with which part. They also have branding on the page so that it links into the theme of the magazine and the front cover. Taking this all into consideration when creating my contents page I decided to take inspiration from both the different style of contents pages above and just make it more relevant to the style of my own magazine. 
On my contents page I have kept to the same colour scheme as on my front cover, and also used the same fonts to show a clear link between the two. 'This Month' is written across the two pages in big bold font so that it is noticeable as the title of the page, then 'Contents' is written slightly smaller but still in a bold font above where the contents starts so that it is obvious that it is the contents if it wasn't clear already.
The page numbers are in a larger font than the text that tells you what is on each page, this is because the page numbers is the main information that you look for on a contents page. Although what's on the page is also important so that is in bold text and then below in a smaller font is a little teaser giving you a little bit more information about what the page contains, whether it be an interview or an article or review. I have used all my own photos on the page, all in different sizes to add some variety to the page, including a photo of Cassidy my cover star that I have cut out. I did this because this way all my photos are not square, and also on the contents page from Q the photos are cut out and all different shapes and I like the look this gives.
I have simply put the most important words in alternating blue and purple in the boxes concerning subscription and the free download as this matches the colour scheme and is also the most important information and therefore needs to be eye catching. I have also added page numbers to the bottom corners of both pages, alongside a little icon saying 'AG' which stands for AlternativeGirl. This is presented in a little purple box the same colour as the purple of the masthead font on the front cover. I did this to make it clear that the pages belong to the same magazine and link the whole thing together as I feel it is important that everything follows the same style to make the magazine look more professional.
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