Department headings

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, March, 1990 by Alex White

Department Headings Type in Use Department headings are like road signs that help the reader find what he or she is looking for. They are extremely important elements in determining the cohesiveness of your magazine and the strength of its personality. At best, department headings work hand-in-glove with your other display typography (headlines, subheads and pull quotes) to entice the reader into the articles; at worst, they are mismatched smudges that wander around the pag, confusing the reader in his search for direction.

Departments usually present the same kinds of information from issue to issue. Features, on the other hand, have varying content. Therefore, departments deserve similar design treatment (type-face, design and position on the page) in an issue and in a series of issues.

Also, the cover logo and department headings should be strongly related to each other. This will unite the inside and outside of the magazine, making a more powerful overall impact on the reader--and probably making the magazine more attractive to advertisers.

Of the unending variety of department headings, there are three basic forms: plain type, type with rules and type with illustrations. Deciding which is right for your publication is a matter of deciding which blends in with and enhances the existing typographic elements.

Composed only of type, this department heading's specialness (above) comes from the columnar alignment of the department heading with the byline/bio and the subhead with the text. Textile Rental C. Caffrey, ED

This simple, elegant heading (above) is neatly aligned with the three columns below it. A sharply reduced "TO" and the beautiful all-caps Palatino typeface add to its beauty. Annapolitan Janine Orr, DD

This department heading (above) hangs down from the head trim. The type is always positioned flush left and surprinted on a 40 percent black screen tint. Notice the alignment of the cap height with the vertical hairline rule. Brake & Front End Linda Pyle, AD

Dropped out of solid black, this heading (left) is dramatically bled at the head margin. The black block contrasts with the hairline box rule, and the type is a unifying variation of the headline typeface. Port of Houston A. Bordelon, ED

Because this heading (above) is bled off the top outside corner, it is especially visible to a page-flipping reader. Remember that the upper, outer corners are the mose useful part of the page for positioning road signs. New York Woman B. Carter, ED

The heading here (above) is also dropped out of solid black, but it is tipped sideways and bleeds off the outside edge of the page, mimicking a tab in a looseleaf binder. Oasis Michael McGrath, AD

These marvelous department headings (above) must be shown in a series because each is a variation on a theme. The typeface is consistently run in all caps, and the dropout type is always the same size, allowing other design decisions to be made on whim. The color of the dropout type bar changes with each application, yet the group appears as a consistent series that unifies the magazine. New York Robert Best, DD

A unique department heading treatment (above) that opens horizontally and continues on subsequent pages vertically. The opener is set in 24 point; following pages are reduced to 12 point. This is a good example of using the department heading as a tab to locate the publication's contents quickly. Tappi Journal Michael Kouris, ED

This heading starts out very large and very visible (above), and gets quite a bit smaller without losing very much of its visibility. It is cyan in the oriinal, and the bleeding horizontal rules help by giving the type a defined space in which to exist. Plant Engineering A. Pronoitis, DD

The use of hairline and 12-point rules (above), in addition to letterspacing and sinkage, make this heading unusual. Note also the contrasting serif/sans serif typefaces. CA Magazine N. Luscombe, ED

A simple, elegant treatment (above). The bold overscore is run in bright red (100 percent yellow and 100 prcent magenta) and bleeds off the page. The red overscore's width varies with the typeset heading's width beneath it. Psychology Today W. Fitzpatrick, DD

A department heading can be combined with an illustration. Here (above) the bar is always run in dark green, the illustration and byline are run in black. While these illustrations are very good, this effect can be achieved with less accomplished artwork or with clip art. Ducks Unlimited Lee Salber, ED

These colorful department headings (below) go well beyond mere labels and become focal points on the page. The illustrations and flat screen tints broaden the spectrum of what department headings can be. TravelLife Susan R. Lyday, AD

Each of these charming pieces of artwork (above and left) introduces a brief article. Notice that the bylines are letterspaced to the full column width and that the typeset department headings are placed wherever space allows at the top of the illustrations. New England Monthly H. Teensma, DD