Arrangement of Headings.—Headings, in a way, advertise or “sell” the contents of a periodical, and their arrangement depends on how far the editor or layout man wishes to go in advertising or “selling” the contents. The American people have so much reading matter available that it is probably necessary in most instances almost to force them to read the various articles in periodicals. Encyclopedias are read even if there are no display headings and the type is in six-point, and there are periodicals that are read without urging; but it may as well be conceded that articles are read more when they are well advertised.
A well-advertised story will be found in Example [413]. The title is brought out prominently in a large, bold type, as is the name of the author. The italic line above the title smacks of real advertising, as does the group of type inserted in the upper part of the text. The display in Example [412] is frankly advertising in its appearance.
The Saturday Evening Post heading (Example [424]) is large, but there is no descriptive advertising, and there is little of the nervous fear of going unread so evident in Examples [412] and [413].
Calm, yet pleasing, treatment of headings is to be found in Examples [411] and [423]. It is well to give attention to the presentation of article headings, but sometimes in the place where the heading should go there is so much noise and so much talking that, as a means of resting the nerves, the leaf is quickly turned or the periodical laid aside.
EXAMPLE 427
News headings and make-up
Periodical titles, as they appear on the first text page of each issue, are variously treated. The small, neat effect of Example [423] is commendable. It is in Scotch Roman and harmonizes with the article heading and text type. Title headings on a larger scale will be found in Examples [410], [415] and [416]. Special lettering is sometimes pleasing, as in Examples [421] and [430].
The news department of trade and business periodicals requires numerous headings. Example [427] is suggestive. There the news articles are in narrow columns and have a newspaper style of heading.
Caslon Oldstyle looks well on any class of publication. Roman capitals and lower-case and italic may be used in the same line, as on Example [429].