[Tex/LaTex] Two figures in one page of two columns style

floats

I want to insert two pictures in one page. Each picture should be expanded in two columns. So far the only thing that I can do is to insert one picture expanded in two columns but I can't put two pictures. 

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage{stfloats}
\begin{document}

\lipsum[1-5]
\begin{figure*}[t]
\centering\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}
\lipsum[1-10]

\lipsum[1-5]
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure}
\lipsum[1-10]

\end{document}

Best Answer

Here subfig package is used because I assume you want two figures in one page as said in the title. For two-column style, you need figure* environment which explains why your second figure doesn't work properly.

enter image description here

enter image description here

Code

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}
%\usepackage{stfloats}
\usepackage{subfig}
\begin{document}

\lipsum[1-5]

\begin{figure*}[t]   % --- method 1, one figure environment. These can be arranged 
\centering           % horizonally (side by side) if ,say, 0.4\textwidth is used and \hfill is replaced by \quad instead.
\subfloat[figure 1]{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}\hfill
\subfloat[figure 2]{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}

\begin{figure*}[t]   % -- method 2, two figure environments
\centering
\subfloat{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure*}[t]
\centering
\subfloat{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}
\lipsum[1-10]

\end{document}

EDIT: The OP wants so add some text between the figures, thus multicol is recommnded to use in such case. Not article class with [twocolumn].

enter image description here

\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{subfig}


\begin{document}

\begin{figure*}[t]
\centering
\subfloat{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}

\begin{multicols}{2}
This is a sententence written between two figures.
This is a sententence written between two figures.
This is a sententence written between two figures.
This is a sententence written between two figures.
\end{multicols}


\begin{figure*}[h]
\centering
\subfloat{\rule{0.8\textwidth}{0.3\textwidth}}
\caption{A nice figure}
\end{figure*}


\end{document}
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