InDesign

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Weeks 10-11: Goals this Week

By the end of this week you will be able to:
  • Plan a postcard layout, gathering all the information you will need to set up your InDesign document
The assigned activities for this week are designed to help you practice these learning goals and demonstrate your learning. Doing these activities in the order presented below is recommended. However, you are ultimately responsible for your own learning, and you may proceed in any way that helps you acquire the above knowledge and skills.

Completion checklist for Weeks 10-11

All tasks are completed online.
  • Complete your Layout Plan (save to turn in next week Face to Face)
  • Purchase printing/mounting supplies
We do not meet face to face, remember that Friday November 11th is Veterans Day and campus will be closed. Feel free to call or email me with any questions you have.

Layout Plan

Complete before beginning next week's InDesign assignment
Complete your Layout Plan. If you attended face-to-face class on October 21, you were given a paper copy. If you missed class, you can print your own Layout Plan; it is one of the pages in your InDesign Folio.
How to turn in: Review your layout plan with your instructor during our face-to-face class meeting on November 18.

Printing and Mounting Supplies

Complete before coming to class on November 18
Supplies you will need for printing and mounting your postcard proof:
  • Epson InkJet Printing Paper (You will need at least 4 sheets, letter size. You can buy a glossy or matte variety so long as it is Epson brand.)
  • Black Cardstock (You will need 2-3 sheets, 8x10 or letter size, available at most art/craft supply shops.)
  • Adhesive. (I recommend rubber cement or double-stick tape.)
Other supplies you need are provided in the Graphic Lab, so you don't need to buy them. But so you know what they are, they include:
  • Xacto knife and blade
  • Self-healing cutting surface
  • Metal-edged ruler


Week 12: Goals this Week

By the end of this week you will be able to:
  • Set InDesign preferences for units and display performance
  • Set up a custom-size document with InDesign
  • Rotate an InDesign document spread
  • Set Guides in an InDesign document
  • Place artwork created with Photoshop and Illustrator into an InDesign layout
  • Use InDesign's text tool
  • Apply strokes and corner effects to InDesign frames
  • Package your InDesign layout for printing
  • Determine whether artwork placed into InDesign has sufficient resolution for professional printing
The assigned activities on this page are designed to help you practice these learning goals and demonstrate your learning. Doing these activities in the order presented below is recommended. However, you are ultimately responsible for your own learning, and you may proceed in any way that helps you acquire the above knowledge and skills.

Completion checklist for Week 12

There are several tasks to be completed online before we meet face to face this week.
  • Before class: If you did not do so last week, complete your Layout Plan before beginning work in InDesign - Online, review in class
  • Before class: If you did not do so last week, get your printing and mounting supplies
  • Before class: Complete your InDesign layout for your postcard - Online
  • Before class: Package your InDesign layout - Online
  • During class: Make appointment to print your postcard - Face to Face
  • During class: Turn in your InDesign Folio - Face to Face
  • During class: Peer review the InDesign Folios of two classmates - Face to Face
Note: there is no verbal presentation for your InDesign Folio. That's because we will give the verbal presentation during finals week, when you will present the printed, mounted postcard.

Complete your InDesign Layout

Complete before Packaging
This week, we will not use exercises from your book, but instead dive right into InDesign using video demonstrations. With your Layout Plan completed, you are ready to work in InDesign. To assemble your postcard layout using InDesign, work your way through the following steps:

1. Set InDesign Preferences (time needed: 2-5 minutes).

Summary: Set InDesign to use inches for measurement, and to display your artwork at high quality.

If you are using InDesign on a Windows computer instead of a Mac, to set preferences go to the Menu Bar and choose Edit > Preferences (instead of InDesign > Preferences, as shown in the video).

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

2. InDesign Document Setup (time needed: 5-7 minutes).

Summary: Create a custom-sized document the exact size of your postcard, set up margins if needed, set up bleed if needed.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

3. Rotate an InDesign Spread (time needed: 2-3 minutes).

Summary: Rotate a document spread in InDesign. This is useful if the front of your postcard is portrait oriented, while the back side is landscape oriented.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

4. Set Guides (time needed: 4-8 minutes).

Summary: Set guides or mark special areas. You can make guides for positioning artwork on a grid, make use of the Rule of Thirds or Golden Ratio, or just mark special areas within the postcard, like the US Postal Service reserved Barcode and Address Clear Areas.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

5. Placing Artwork (time needed: 10-20 minutes).

Summary: Place your Photoshop and Illustrator files into your InDesign layout. Make edits to the placed files using the Links panel.

If you have problems with playback, you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

6. Adding Text Frames (time needed: 10-20 minutes).

Summary: Adding text, adjusting type and editing text frames.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

7. Working with Frames (time needed: 6-10 minutes).

Summary: How to resize placed artwork within its frame, resize frames, add borders and edit border styles.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

Package Your Postcard

Complete before coming to class November 18.


During the steps above, you created your postcard layout using InDesign and saved the InDesign master file as postcard.indd. Now you will use this file to complete the Package step that creates your InDesign Folio to be turned in December 2. Depending on class needs, I may provide 40 - 60 minutes at the start of class for finishing up and getting questions answered, but it is in your interest do do as much of this project as you can before coming to class.

8. Package Your Postcard (time needed: 6-10 minutes).




Summary: Packaging your layout gathers all placed images and fonts used in your postcard so that you are ready to print.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.


9. Include a Stock Photo Credit (time needed: 7 - 15 minutes).

Summary: If your Photoshop image uses stock photography, attribute your image source in a credits file, and on your postcard if necessary.

If you're not sure whether to include a credit on your postcard:

  • If the image came from the stock.xchng and has Standard restrictions only, you don't need to include a credit on your postcard.
  • If it's a stock.xchng image and the owner asked to be credited, you do need to include a credit on your postcard.
  • If the image is licensed under Creative Commons, you need to include a credit on your postcard, and follow any special instructions given by the image owner. Follow the wikiHow guidelines you learned during Search Week to credit a Creative Commons stock image.

If you have problems with playback you can right-click and download the m4v movie file here.

Make Print Appointment

Complete during class November 18.
I will have a sign-up sheet available so everyone can make an appointment for printing. We will print and mount your postcards in the Graphics Lab during class time on December 9. Signing up for a time will ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to use the available printers. Time needed: 1-2 minutes.

Peer Review

Complete during class November 18.

Peer evaluations will take 20-30 minutes. Each student will evaluate two other students' InDesign Folios using the Check List and Peer Grade Sheets (I will provide blank sheets during class). Thorough, accurate peer reviews are important because they serve as a final check on project requirements before turning in the InDesign Folio. They also allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the InDesign tools and techniques we used to create our layouts. You receive 15 points for each Peer Grade Sheet you fill out, for a total of 30 points. (If you miss something that could improve someone's score, I reserve the right to lower the points you receive for your evaluation.)

InDesign Folio Due

Complete during class November 18.

Once you have used InDesign to Package your postcard layout, name the packaged folder lastname-first-indesign. Review the feedback received from your peers. You have until the end of class to correct any errors or omissions spotted by your fellow students. Place your InDesign Folio in the ART100 DropBox before the end of class. Hand in Peer Grade Sheets for your project to your instructor before leaving.


InDesign Folio Handout

This handout provides a summary of the files you will create during Week 12. The second page is your Layout Plan, and the third page shows USPS Postal Regulations that will help you plan your layout. The fourth page is the Instructor Grade Sheet. The fifth page is a Check List you can use to make sure you have everything you need to turn in, and the sixth page is the Peer Grade Sheet you will fill out for 2-3 other students during class in Week 12. You can enlarge to full screen or download the PDF (1MB) file.

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