Professional Typography: Top Techniques
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerProfessional Typography: Top Techniques
Wednesday, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
How do we enhance the readability of our text? What steps should we take—and what common errors should we avoid—to maximize the chances of our text being read and understood?
- Choosing type
- Determining the appropriate column width
- Setting the optimum leading value
- Understanding how InDesign composes paragraphs
- Going beyond the default Hyphenation and Justification settings
- The joy of OMA
- Control how the text flows—and how it breaks
- Fixing common problems
InDesign and the Creative Cloud
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerInDesign and the Creative Cloud
Wednesday, 10:15 am – 10:45 am
Using Creative Cloud to the fullest can create time-saving opportunities that weren’t possible with Creative Suite. Designers can collaborate like never before, and embracing new techniques for sharing and acquiring assets have proven to be real productivity helpers.
In this session we’ll focus on the important tools and services InDesign users have available today using Creative Cloud. We’ll cover things like Adobe TypeKit, Creative Cloud Libraries, and how you can manage your branded assets better. With efficiency tips and productivity techniques, this is a 30 min session that shouldn’t be missed!
Unexplored InDesign: Unearthing Hidden and Forgotten Features
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerUnexplored InDesign: Unearthing Hidden and Forgotten Features
Wednesday, 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Learn how to boost your productivity and super-charge your InDesign workflow with these cool tips and hot techniques for getting the most out of InDesign.
- You can use the Table of Contents feature for that?!
- Four helpful InDesign features you’ve probably never even heard of
- (Almost) Magic linking turns objects into symbols
- Page and item numbering tricks every InDesign user needs to know
From InDesign to Motion Media
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerFrom InDesign to Motion Media
Tuesday, 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm
We will discuss the power motion infographics and you will learn how to:
- transfer design elements from InDesign to After Effects
- create basic animations
- organize After Effects Projects
Making the Most of the Long Document Features
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerMaking the Most of the Long Document Features
Tuesday, 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm
Learn valuable tips and techniques to make designing and producing long, repetitive, or complex documents easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Topics will include:
- Really useful Master Page tricks
- Why “Keep Options” should be your best friend
- Tips for anchoring objects to the text flow
- Best practices for creating and applying styles
- Using Object styles, Snippets, and Libraries for repetitive page elements
Must-Have InDesign Scripts That Won’t Break the Bank
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerMust-Have InDesign Scripts That Won’t Break the Bank
Tuesday, 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm
To be really efficient in InDesign, you need to take advantage of additional resources that expand its capabilities and functionality. Scripts are a big part of that equation and—fortunately for us—there are so many that make our jobs easier. This session will look at some of these time-saving and indispensable scripts, without breaking the budget. (Spoiler: Most of them are free!)
- Tame your text and smooth your styles
- Make your documents bend to your will
- Get text frames and objects to behave the way you want
- Add fun effects and introduce a little whimsy to your workflow
Designing Forms in InDesign and Acrobat
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerDesigning Forms in InDesign and Acrobat
Tuesday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Fillable PDF forms let your readers enter information on desktop and mobile devices, regardless of whether they have an internet connection. Using Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat together can help you to build PDF forms faster and with more control than with Adobe Acrobat alone. When planning a forms project, it’s helpful to know which program gives you the features that you need to perform the job at hand and how editing can be achieved most easily. In this session you’ll learn:
- Best practices for creating forms projects in InDesign
- How to add various form fields in Adobe InDesign
- What Acrobat can do that InDesign can’t do
- Tips & tricks to help you build flexible and robust forms
Hacking InDesign Templates
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerHacking InDesign Templates
Tuesday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Did you know that InDesignSecrets premium members get free InDesign template every month to create sophisticated layouts? Did you know that there are free templates you can access from Adobe Stock right from InDesign? But you may not know how to unlock the secrets of working with these templates. In this session Sandee Cohen will use her many years of production work to show you
- What makes a professional template?
- How to explore and understand the way templates are put together
- Easy ways to customize a template for your own particular brand
- And how to make sure nobody knows you started with a template
Engaging Interactive Documents
/in 2017, 2018, InDesign, InDesign 2018 /by David BlatnerEngaging Interactive Documents
Tuesday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Take InDesign to the next level by creating rich, interactive documents. InDesign allows you to add buttons, multi-state objects, media, and animations that can really make your projects pop. This fast-paced session will include tips and strategies for using InDesign’s interactive features effectively.
Starting with typical static files like newsletters, presentations, and instruction manuals, you’ll learn how to engage your online audience by incorporating attractive and useful animations, along with the buttons that can start and stop them — all from within InDesign, no coding required!
Topics include:
- Creating buttons to trigger actions on a page
- The power of Show/Hide
- Animation tricks and techniques
- How to create multi-state objects and use them in a variety of ways
- How to create document navigation menus