InDesign is used for creating page layouts that include type, graphics and images. You can include elements from Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. You can export files as PDFs or even HTML files.
Create a New File
File> New Document
Select whether you are designing for print, Web or Digital Publishing.
Enter a Value in the Number of Pages text field for the number of pages in the document. You can easily add pages later using the pages panel.
Select facing pages to arrange pages in pairs, so you have spreads (facing or adjacent pages in a layout). This is what you select if you are designing a publication such as a book or a magazine. If you deselect this option pages are arranged individually. This is a good choice for a single page flyer or a document with only a front and a back side.
Choose a page size from the drop down list. The page size should be set to the size of the paper you intend to print on or the size at which the content will be displayed. The width and heigh will change based on the size you choose. You can also enter your own settings to create a custom size. The orientation changes from portrait tall to landscape wide based in the settings you enter in the width and height fields.
The Intent selection you make determines the choices in the Page Size drop down list. If you select web, you can choose from various screen resolutions, whereas if you select from digital publishing you can choose from various popular tablet sizes such as Ipad, Nook or Kindle.
You can enter pages sizes using most common forms of measurement such as “in, cm or px”
Choose a number for the columns on the page
This step creates guides for columns that do not print or display in the completed project. These guides help you organize pages as you create them. You can also enter a value in the gutter field which specifies the space between each of the columns.
Choose values for the page margins.
Make all settings the same button is a chain icon in the middle of four text fields where you enter margin values. Click to make all margin values the same.
If you see top, bottom inside and outside you are specifying margins for a document that has facing pages. The inside margins refers to the margins in the middle of the spread and the outside margins refer to the outer left and right margins of a book or magazine. You can set the Inside setting to accomodate the binding of a book which may need wider margins than the outside
If you use the same settings repeatedly it is a good idea to save them as a preset. Click save preset in the new document window
Click ok when you are finished.
Or choose file>open and browse for the file.
Document Set Up
If you need to change the size of your pages or the number of pages in a document that’s already open in the workspace choose: File>Document Setup.
The number of pages updates after you close the dialogue box. You can also add more pages by choosing Pages>Insert Pages or Layout>Pages>Add Page to add a single page or by using the pages panel.
You can also change the page size and the orientation of the paper in the document set up.
The Elements that create the InDesign workspace:
- Page: the main area of the In Design workspace is a page. It is the area that is printed or exported when you finish making a layout
- Master page: You can define how certain text elements and graphics appear in an entire document or just part of it by using master page. It is like a template because you can reuse elements throughout the pages.
For example if you have an elament that you want on every page ( such as page numbering), you can create it on the master page. If you need to change an element on the master page, you can change it at any time and your changes are reflected on every page that the master page is applied to . You access the master page in the Pages panel. - Spread: A spread refers to a set of two or more pages that will be printed side by side. You usually see spreads in magazine and books when you open them. If your document had only one single page, front and back, you will not see a spread in the InDesign document window.
- Pasteboard: the area around the edge of a page. You can use the pasteboard to store objects until you are ready to put them into the layout. Pasteboards are not shared between pages. Each page or spread has its own pasteboard.
Tools
Where you find the tools to edit, manipulate or select elements in you document as well as tools to make adjustments to pages. Use the cursor and select the tool to select it.
- Create new content using the drawing, frame and text tools
- select existing content on a page to move or edit
- view the page in different ways by moving (panning) or magnifying the page or spread.
edit existing objects such as shapes, lines and text
when a tool has a small arrow next to it, more tools are hiding behind it. When you click the tool and hold down the mouse, a menu appears that shows you other available tools
Menus:
File: create, open, save, place, export, print
- Edit: dictionary, spellcheck, coying
- Layout: create guides, help to layout elements, alignment, navigate pages and spreads
- Type: Select fonts, control characters, opens the text panel
- Object: modify the look and placement of objects. Which options are available depends on which element you have selected in the workspace
- Table: set up, modify, create tables
- View: zooming, guides, rulers grids
- Window: open and close panels, switch between open documents
- Help: access help and plugins
Panels:
panels at the edge of the workspace are considered docked. can be maximized or minimized or moved around the workspace or closed altogether.
To expand a panel> click the panel name and it expands. Panels are automatically collapsed when you click another panel.
click the left facing double arrow on the grey bar above the panels to expand. To collapse click the right facing double arrows.
you can choose the grouping of panels by clicking and dragging them
Control Panel:
used to edits elements you have selected. It is context sensetive
Pages Panel:
allows you to arrange, add and delete pages in your document. If you are creating electronic documents you can use the pages panel to create alternate layouts for vertical and horizontal displays on tablet. You can also navigate among pages with this panel
You can hide all panels by pressing Tab, Press Tab to return them to view.
Contextual Menus:
pop up when you control-click the mouse. Change depending on which element you choose and what tool you are using.
Setting up the workspace
Showing hidden guides and grids:
Guides and grids are onscreen lines that help you with your layout but that by default don’t appear when printing.
A document grid is applied across the whole entire document page area. You can have objects on a page align to a document grid to line up and space items.
Baseline grid runs horizontally across the page. Use to make sure that the text of different columns is aligned.
View>Guides & Grids>Show (or hide)…
Guides can be place anywhere on the page or pasteboard and are used to accurately position objects in a layout. Unlike grids, guides are usually create individually. Use them to align specific objects individually. Objects can snap to guides
- make sure that rulers are visible View>Show Rulers
- move the cursor to a horizontal or vertical ruler
- Click the ruler and drag the mouse toward the page
- Release the mouse where you want the guide
- To hide the guide choose View>Grids & Guides>Hide Guides
- To see again choose View>Guides & Grids>Show Guides
Change the color of guide by Control clicking it. Or change in the Preferences dialog box.
Snapping to a guide or a grid
To make sure item snaps like it is magnetic
View>Grids & Guides>Snap to Guides.
Smart Guides
Importing Content:
- File>New Document
- File>Place
- Click the file you want to import and click Open
- Click the location on the page where you want the upper left corner of the imported file to appear. The imported file is placed on the page
Viewing Content:
Scroll Bars, Zoom, Hand Tool, Keyboard
Saving your Publication
File>Save or CMD +S
File> Save As to save versions
BMCC Art 100, Professor Reinhardt 