Department/Section Front: Regularly appearing article or section with the same format every issue.
Every department front has an image, the department name, a headline, and a subhead. Typically the headline and subhead are a teaser to what will come in the following pages. The department name is unique and clearly tells readers that they are entering a new section. The typeface for the department name is in ‘sharp grotesk’ with a bold weight and is underlined. It also appears in the top righthand corner.
Example of a department front in the February 2019 issue of Real Simple
Folio: Folio can consist of several elements. The page number is mandatory but others are optional. Others can be publication logo, date, month, and section title.
The folio inside the magazine almost always appears on the bottom lefthand pages. This alerts readers to what issue they are reading, the magazine title, and the page. The order is as listed and is in ‘sharp grotesk’ and all capital letters. The typeface goes from a regular weight to bold weight, and back to regular. This small folio does not take away from the content but still gets the job done of telling readers where they are in the magazine.
Example of the folio in Real Simple Magazine.
Bylines and credits: A line in a newspaper or magazine naming the writer of the article.
Some of the shorter stories throughout the magazine have writers that typically do not write for the publication. With that said, many times right below the short blurb they wrote, a small summary appears about them. The short blurb will be in the typeface ‘georgia’ while credit and summary are in ‘sharp grotesk’ and all capital letters. The name of the writer will appear in bold, as well as a title if they have one. For example, ‘PhD.’ Other bylines and credits for writers who typically write for the magazine appear at the beginning of the story. This also includes the photographer or graphic designer if there is an illustration.
Example of bylines and credits for writers who usually do not write for Real Simple.
Coverlines: Headlines on the cover that are distributed around the main image without taking away from it.
All of the covers for Real Simple have coverlines. The stylistic choice for them remain the same from cover to cover, but one small coverline stands out. On the left side of the nameplate, there is a coverline that appears as a teaser and appears in a circle. It is small and blends in with the cover that it almost goes unnoticed. This teaser adds an interesting tidbit to the cover and lures readers in to find out more. The circle for the coverline teaser will usually be in a color that appears on the cover.
Example of a coverline teaser on the cover of Real Simple Magazine.
Overall, Real Simple does not have too much furniture. This may because the magazine is supposed to be simple and easy to read for women who are busy 24/7. The tiny pieces of furniture in the magazine are elegant and do not take away from the content. If anything, they add a bit of personality to the publication.
