Super Styling: Automatic formatting with Nested, Line, and GREP Styles

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Chad Chelius

Super Styling:
Automatic formatting with Nested, Line, and GREP Styles

Tuesday, 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Automatic formatting with Nested, Line, and GREP Styles. A perennial favorite session for our attendees, with good reason! So much of our formatting work depends on a smart set of paragraph and character styles that work for you, not against you. Learn how to determine which type of style to use in different situations and how to make the most of these powerful styles!
  • Understanding order of operation
  • Using GREP Styles to intelligently format content
  • Building Nested Styles for powerful formatting control
  • How to deal with variability in your content

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Session evaluation

Up to Speed with New features in InDesign CC

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David Blatner

David Blatner

Up to Speed with New features in InDesign CC

Tuesday, 10:15 am – 10:45 am

InDesign is constantly growing and evolving with every Creative Cloud update. And this year is no different. We’ve seen new features being released over the past 12 months that included productivity improvements and other features to make your life easier. But it’s not always easy to keep track of every update and change in the program. But don’t panic, we’re here to help. During this session we’ll take a look at InDesign’s updates and get you up to speed with InDesign’s latest and greatest features. And of course we’ll also give you a recap of the 2016 and 2017 updates you might have missed before. You’ll be up to speed in no time!


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Session evaluation

Using InDesign with Photoshop and Illustrator

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Mark Heaps

Using InDesign with Photoshop and Illustrator

Tuesday, 10:15 am – 10:45 am

David Blatner likes to joke that Photoshop and Illustrator are the two best “InDesign plug-ins.” However you think of these apps, there’s no doubt that it’s critical that you know how to use all three of them together. Learn important tips and tricks for ensuring your artwork travels smoothly from one program to the next.

  • Which file formats to use (and which to avoid)
  • Managing layers and layer comps
  • When to copy and paste, and when you really shouldn’t

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Session evaluation

Secrets of the InDesign Power Users

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Erica Gamet

Erica Gamet

Secrets of the InDesign Power Users

Tuesday, 9:15 am – 10:00 am

InDesign should work for you, not against you. But it’s up to you to know the tips and tricks that can make it hum like a finely-tuned race car. Learn the power tools you need to have at the ready to not only make it across the finish line, but to do it with speed, efficiency, and precision.

  • Implement preferences that stick around
  • Set image and object options for efficient re-use
  • Learn tricks to speed up your workflow
  • See the tools that can save you time and possibly your sanity

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Session evaluation

Three Minutes Max

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Mark Heaps, et al, et al.

Three Minutes Max + Conclusion

Monday, 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm

Still hungry for more?! Watch our presenters each take three minutes max to show off their best tip, trick, or technique! Which one will blow your mind? You get to vote and shower one lucky attendee in the room with prizes… it might be you!


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Session evaluation

Making Iconic Logos: Creativity is a Process

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Von Glitschka

Making Iconic Logos: Creativity is a Process

Monday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

In this focused and inpsirational talk, designer and Illustrator rockstar Von Glitschka will walk you through his creative process — from ideation, vector building, color exploration, art direction, rejection and ultimate usage of iconic brand design. Along the way he’ll share creative insights and methodology he uses daily to craft visual identities for companies large and small.


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Session evaluation

It’s Not Just for Video — After Effects for Print and Web

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Chris Converse

It’s Not Just for Video:
After Effects for Print and Web

Monday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

You know Adobe AfterEffects is “like, the coolest animation program,” but did you know if can be used for print design, web graphics, and even HTML5 animations? If you know Photoshop, you already know the basics!

And remember, if you have Creative Cloud, you already have access to this amazing design app.

We’ll explore linking files to an After Effects design, then use the effects panel to enhance, mask, stylize, and transform our images into amazing works or art… in seconds! And once you’ve created some amazing effects, we’ll move the artwork back into a native, fully transparent, layered Photoshop document.

  • How Photoshop and After Effects are similar
  • Learn to import, style, and export artwork in After Effects
  • Create special effects in a fraction of the time
  • Generate textures and natural phenomenon
  • Create illustration elements for your photo composites
  • Tell more compelling stories with your visuals
  • Export your artwork to native Photoshop documents

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Session evaluation

Just Make It Look Better: Color, Tone, and Sharpness Correction Fundamentals

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Mark Heaps

Just Make It Look Better:
Color, Tone, and Sharpness Correction Fundamentals

Monday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

We all get images we have to work with that aren’t always what we want or need. How can we make them better, and turn mediocre images into images that pop? Learn fundamental techniques for editing photographs, like coloring for cinematic quality, sharpening, improving exposure or tonality, and maintaining a camera’s real light and shadow. Whether it’s marketing collateral, stock imagery, or even pics you take with your phone, we can get big results with new features inside of Photoshop.

  • Finite edits without making complex selections
  • Color grading for cinematic quality
  • Focusing attention through sharpening techniques
  • Using RAW processing techniques on non-raw files
  • Creating a replicable style through Adjustment Layers and Blend Modes

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Session evaluation

No-Draw Art Building in Illustrator

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Laura Coyle

No-Draw Art Building in Illustrator

Monday, 2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

You may not draw like Da Vinci, but you do know your way around a cocktail napkin. Take your ideas to the next level with Adobe Illustrator, where you can transform them into amazing art – no drawing skills required. In this session, Laura Coyle will share her favorite art-building techniques, and her inspiring approach to some of Illustrator’s most powerful tools.

Whether you’re new to Illustrator, or you’re looking to pick up some tricks to increase your productivity, this session is sure to make you feel the Illustrator love. Topics include:

  • Shapebuilder & Pathfinder – how and when to use each one.
  • Brushes that can do the drawing for you.
  • Shortcuts that facilitate flow.
  • Tips for using photo reference in your art.
  • Customizing stock art.

Laura’s enthusiasm for Illustrator is contagious, and you’re sure to enjoy this engaging session. She’ll be demonstrating with real-world examples from her client work, and you’ll come away with a range of techniques you can use in your own projects.


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Session evaluation

Turbo Charge Your Workflow in Photoshop

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Jesus Ramirez

Jesus Ramirez

Turbo Charge Your Workflow in Photoshop

Monday, 2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Everyone knows Photoshop is full of amazing features — but where the heck are they hidden?! And which ones are worth using when you really need to be efficient and productive. This session concentrates on using automated features and techniques that most people never think to use.

  • Droplets
  • Scripts
  • Shared Libraries
  • Image stacks
  • Which “auto” functions you should (or shouldn’t) use

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Session evaluation