Three Minutes Max: InDesign

This crowd favorite is back and better than ever! Don’t miss this fun-filled, action-packed, highly educational, and mind-blowing session where each of our instructors will have just three minutes to share their favorite InDesign tip—then you get to vote for your favorite!

In past years, some of the best tips have been held for this session, so you don’t want to miss it!

The Power of Paper and Print

Sure, digital is great, but in many situations, print is far more effective! Join us as we explore when and why print excels, as well as how best to take advantage of new (and old!) print techniques for phenomenal results and maximum visual impact.

Topics include:

  • Why print results in measurably better returns than on-screen experiences
  • Bringing your designs to life with coatings and varnishes that replicate the look and feel of any texture
  • Building instant brand memorability
  • Increasing perceived value through haptic response
  • How digital presses can create amazing analog experiences

Bullets and Numbering in InDesign

You’ve found the buttons to apply bullets and/or numbering to your lists in InDesign, but getting them to behave the way you want can be wildly frustrating . . .  until you learn the secrets in this session! Join Laurie Ruhlin as she demystifies this crucial InDesign skill.

Topics include:

  • Tricks and essential tips for applying bullets and numbering to all your lists
  • Understanding the power of Space Between Paragraphs Using Same Style
  • Create a character style to color a bullet or change a font
  • Control the numbering of figures or graphics

Leveraging Metadata Across Adobe Apps

Did you know that every Adobe file you work with can contain hidden information that describes your file? Did you know that the Adobe applications give you the ability to leverage that metadata in other applications?

In this session, you’ll learn what metadata is and how to use it your everyday work. You’ll also learn how to leverage that metadata to automate tasks and streamline your workflow, to get jobs done faster and with less effort.

Making Sense of Creative Cloud Libraries

Creative Cloud Libraries sound great in theory, but don’t always work the way you might expect them to. However they are incredibly useful for storing artwork, colors, text, styles, patterns, and more, and then using this content across different Adobe apps. Join Keith Gilbert for strategies to make CC Libraries work for you, not against you.

Topics include:

  • How you can use CC Libraries to manage assets for specific projects and share them with stakeholders
  • How to leverage little-known features of CC Libraries to reduce friction when reusing content between Creative Cloud apps
  • How to use your libraries in non-Adobe apps like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Google Workspace

Buried Treasure: Mining Your Fonts for Gold

Don’t know your Unicode from a unicorn? Think Stylistic Sets are a Philadelphia soul group? This session is for you. We’ll discuss finding elusive glyphs, getting the most out of Adobe Fonts, understanding those obscure OpenType features, and explore when and why to use special fonts like Variable or Color Fonts.

Topics include:

  • Accessing alternate characters and ligatures
  • Figure styles and fractions
  • Add flair with picture fonts, ornaments and catchwords

Problem Solving with AI in InDesign

Believe it or not—in addition to all the other apps, AI can also help you shine—in InDesign! With intelligent features that have existed for awhile, such as Subject-Aware Text Wrap, Content-Aware Fit, and newer innovations, your workflow is about to get a major boost. Don’t miss this session with Jason Hoppe for an insightful look at clever ways AI could be making your life easier in InDesign.

Demystifying Table and Cell Styles

Are you tired of wrestling with data tables in your design projects? Join us for an illuminating presentation that unravels the mysteries of InDesign’s tables and transforms your relationship with data-driven design. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned designer, this session offers invaluable insights that will streamline your workflow.

Augmenting Reality with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Aero

In the coming years, augmented reality promises to be as game-changing as the first graphic user interface. But what is it, exactly? And how can you start experimenting with it? Rob de Winter shows you how to make the leap and some inspiring and creative ways to use it.

Topics include:

  • Taking your Photoshop and Illustrator images into Aero to build AR experiences
  • Adding interactivity and animation
  • Using 3D assets
  • Triggering AR with a QR or printed image
  • What makes AR different than VR

Color Through the Lens of Culture

Do you think color is just about what looks good? Think again! There’s far more to color than a pretty palette or a fashion statement. It gives rise to feelings, forges connections to one’s heritage, brings people together, and can be a key component of effective communication. We can create deeper relationships when we become more conscious of the color choices we make.

In this session, you’ll learn to make the most of color psychology as a powerful form of language, particularly when it comes to cross-cultural communication.

Topics include:

  • The powerful influence of color psychology
  • How cultural misappropriation can divide communities and affect brand perception
  • The Impacts of gendered marketing through color
  • The role color plays when it comes to cultural heritage