Adobe
InDesign is an industry standard design software, specifically used for layout.
Mainly
used for print layout – publications – anything with multiple pages.
It has
many commonalities with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
When
creating work on InDesign the probability, at this stage, is that, on opening
InDesign, I will work with a ‘New Document’ rather than anything else.
When
creating a ‘New Document’ it is important to have the page(s) at the correct
size needed.
Columns
& Margins:
These provide guides to the page for you to work to.
Gutter: The space between columns, so
that the text does not run into each other.
Margins: These are at the
top/bottom/inside/outside of the page and give a constant border space around
the page.
Bleed
& Slug:
Bleed
is the most important.
It
aids when cropping and trimming the work.
Anything
that goes to the very edge of the page should be given a 3mm bleed extension
over every side.
The
work is then printed with trim marks, allowing the work to be cut out without
the danger of any white edges being left.
The
slug area is larger than the bleed area.
The
slug area is used to contain print marks, registration marks and fold lines.
Number
of pages determines the size of you document.
When
working with multiple pages or making a book it is possible to select a ‘facing
pages’ option which means the facing pages will appear as that on the screen.
When
the document has been produced it will appear with a number of lines around it.
Black
Line - Edge
of the page
Purple
Line - Margin
line
Red
Line - Bleed line
Pages
Pallet:
The
pages pallet has a thumbnail of each page.
It
also has a pallet specific menu that makes it easy to navigate between pages
and easy to insert pages.
Pages
can also be binned by selecting the page and then clicking the bin icon.
Guides
and rulers can be added as with Illustrator and Photoshop.
The
Layout menu can be used to add guides. This method is more accurate. The
process also allows you to choose whether you want the guides to fit to the
page or the margins.
Adding
Content:
Text
When
adding text the process is similar to Illustrator and Photoshop.
A text
box must be created – a ‘text frame’
Type
menu can be used to ‘fill with placeholder text’ allowing you to see how the
text box works on the page when filled with text.
The
text formatting on InDesign is very similar to any other text formatting
software.
The
easiest way to format your type is buy opening the ‘character pallet’ through
the Type menu and then selecting the Character option.
As
with other Adobe software there are alignment guides, which aid in the layout
of multiple frames.
Importing
text
This
is done by creating a text frame and then selecting File, Place and choose
file.
Flow
Text
When
text is to large for the frame you want to fit it in it is possible to flow the
text into another frame. When the text is too large a small red box with a red
plus will appear. Click this box and then from that, draw a new box.
Graphics
or images
Preparing
Images – Photoshop
1. Image size. The photo must be
the actual size it needs to be.
2. Colour mode. For print the
colour mode must be set to CMYK or greyscale.
3. Resolution. The resolution must
be set to 300 dpi
4. The file must be saved as
either a .tif file or a .psd file and not as a JPEG.
Preparing
Images – Illustrator
1. When working with Illustrator
you do not need to worry about size and resolution.
2. Colour mode. For print the
colour mode must be set to CMYK or greyscale.
3. The file should be saved as a
standard illustrator file - .ai
Importing
an image:
Importing
an image is very similar to importing text although it is not necessary to draw
the frame before hand. As with text, you select File, Place and then choose
your image.
It is
also possible to draw an image frame and then import the image through the same
process.
Once an
image has been imported, ‘content grabber’ allows you to select the contents of
the frame without moving the frame.
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