Adobe Training
InDesign Advanced

Digital publishing and layout involves working with huge documents (books, magazines, reports, and more) packed with text and graphic content.

Why not let InDesign do the heavy lifting? InDesign is loaded with productivity and customization tools that help you work quickly and efficiently, making the most of your valuable design time.

In this 6-lesson course, you can expect to be challenged both technically and creatively. Lectures introduce you to professional-level production features that are often overlooked by today's designers. You'll learn to customize InDesign for maximum efficiency, collaborate effectively with your printer, use advanced typography and drawing features, manage printing of transparency and trapping, use plug-ins and scripts, create interactive PDFs, and more.

In each exercise, InDesign expert John Feld challenges you to create original, inventive designs based on the techniques you've learned. You'll tackle a wide range of project scenarios—from newsletters, to folders, promotions, ads, and interactive presentations—doing creative design work while improving your productivity.

John Feld is the editor of The Graphics Report, a leading resource for designers and digital photographers ... get bio

Customize InDesign preferences to suit individual needs and implement time-saving work strategies.

Utilize specialized type controls including the Paragraph Composer, nested styles, glyphs, and type on a path.

Calibrate monitors and set up printers for optimal color presentation and printing.

Collaborate effectively with printers and manage projects with Adobe Bridge and Version Cue.

Create customized paths and compound paths for advanced drawing needs.

Manage large passages of text with the Story Editor and Find/Change features.

Manage the advanced printing needs of transparency, gradients, and trapping.

Create interactive documents and presentations using links and other navigational features.

Design efficient and effective print documents and interactive PDFs.

Install plug-in software and scripts to extend the functionality of InDesign.

Outline:

LESSON 1 InDesign Workflow No two designers work in InDesign the same way—different projects and designers demand different workflows. The course kicks off with a detailed look at preferences and customization features, helping you make InDesign work for your specific needs. Techniques for managing layers, snippets, keyboard shortcuts, colors, and file imports are covered. In your first exercise, you'll produce a brochure that combines these workflow tips with your own creative design travel brochure.

LESSON 2 Typography, Color, and Collaboration The bulk of an InDesign user's job centers on working with typography. In this lesson, you'll learn how to apply reusable paragraph and character styles, use the Adobe Paragraph Composer, manipulate typography features, create lists, and correctly use tabs and indents. You'll also look at the printing process and how to manage projects using Adobe Bridge and Version Cue. Show your versatility and type prowess in the exercise by creating a small newspaper ad and a large magazine ad for a travel company.

LESSON 3 Layers and Paths Lesson Three introduces you to a wide range of specialty options in InDesign, starting with an overview of layer and path features to enhance your designs. You'll learn to make compound paths, manage and customize the Story Editor, and create special symbols (like fractions and currency symbols). Finally, you'll learn to expand InDesign's functionality by adding plug-in software. Exercise Three employs some handy plug-ins as you work on a fun phrasebook for travelers.

LESSON 4 InDesign Details They say "the devil's in the details" but InDesign has some tricks for working with the nitty-gritty that are heaven sent. Drawing features including fine path controls and the Pathfinder palette are covered, and you'll learn how to create special type, stroke, and rule features. Gradients and transparency are discussed in detail, including important tips for printing these effects, and file output processes and file export formats are also covered. In the exercise, you'll design specialty advertising materials including a door hanger and coupon, applying techniques you've learned.

LESSON 5 Interactive Design InDesign does more than print documents—this lesson introduces you to the many interactive features you can add to your PDFs. Presentations and Web documents are addressed, and you'll explore how to create working hyperlinks, navigation buttons, and develop branching and sequential navigation schemes. In addition to working with interactive techniques, you'll learn tips on designing effective interactive pieces. Exercise Five tests your interactive abilities with a simple interactive newsletter and a complex portfolio presentation.

LESSON 6 Advanced Functionality InDesign has plenty of power hidden away, and this lesson explores some of the productivity gems that not all designers have discovered. First up are nested styles which make the formatting of callouts and complex documents a breeze. After trying out nested styles, you'll take a fresh look at transparency and ways to manage the Transparency Flattener and printing. The course wraps up with a look at applying special scripts that enhance the functionality of InDesign by adding features that save time. These skills prepare you the final exercise: a set of presentation materials to complement your portfolio. You'll create a descriptive document introducing you to your clients, a presentation folder, and a magazine advertisement pitching your work.