Project-based Learning with InDesign

Course Length: 3 days

Delivery Methods: Available as private class only

Course Overview

If you have a group of five or more people who need to get up to speed on InDesign quickly, this project-based InDesign course is what you are looking for. After introducing your team to the InDesign interface, one of our expert instructors will guide you through multiple real-world InDesign projects.

The course can be customized to help you get started on a project of your own.

Course Benefits

Become familiar with a wide array of InDesign features.
Gain experience completing real-world projects with InDesign.
Leave class with a portfolio of projects that you build yourself.

Course Outline

Getting to Know the Interface
1. The InDesign User Interface
2. Explore the InDesign Interface
3. Understanding the Application Frame
4. Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus
5. Explore the Arrangement of InDesign Panels
6. Identifying and Accessing Tools in InDesign
7. Create a Saved Workspace
8. Explore InDesign Document Views
9. Understanding InDesign View Options
10. Controlling Display Performance
11. Explore the Arrangement of Multiple Documents
Project 1: Letterhead Design
1. Stage 1: Setting up the Workspace
  1. Define a New Layout File
  2. Understanding Document Presets
  3. Create Ruler Guides
  4. Understanding Resolution
2. Stage 2: Creating Basic Page Elements
  1. Create a Simple Line
  2. The Control Panel in Depth
  3. Create Bézier Curves
  4. Understanding Anchor Points and Handles
  5. Change Color Values
  6. Create a Basic Graphics Frame
  7. Clone, Align, and Distribute Multiple Objects
  8. Understanding Object Distribution
  9. Create a Rounded Rectangle
  10. Editing Live Corners
  11. More about Working with InDesign Objects
  12. Tips and Tricks for Working with Layout Objects
3. Stage 3: Placing External Images
  1. Place an Adobe Illustrator File
  2. Place Images into Existing Frames
4. Stage 4: Creating and Formatting Basic Text
  1. Create a Simple Text Frame
  2. More about Working with Fonts
  3. Place an External Text File
5. Stage 5: Printing InDesign Files
  1. Print a Sample Proof
  2. Project Review
  3. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 2: Festival Poster
1. Stage 1: Building Graphic Interest
  1. Set up the Workspace
  2. Define Color Swatches
  3. Working with Color Groups
  4. Create the Poster Background
  5. Define and Apply a Gradient
  6. Using the Gradient Tools
  7. Create an Irregular Graphics Frame
  8. Create Visual Impact with Transparency
  9. Create a QR Code
  10. Understanding Blending Modes
  11. More about InDesign Effects
2. Stage 2: Importing and Formatting Text
  1. Define Multiple Layers
  2. Control Text Threading
  3. Define Manual Frame Breaks
  4. Apply Character Formatting
  5. Designing with Placeholder Text
  6. Apply Paragraph Formatting
  7. Understanding the Baseline Grid
  8. Applying Optical Margin Alignment
3. Stage 3: Working with Text as Graphics
  1. Place Inline Graphics
  2. Working with Anchored Objects
  3. Create Type on a Path
  4. Type on a Path Options
4. Stage 4: Adjusting Layout Size
  1. Adjust the Layout Size
  2. Fine-Tune the Adjusted Layout
5. Stage 5: Outputting PDF Files
  1. Using the Flattener Preview Panel
  2. Export a PDF File for Print
  3. Resolution Options for PDF
  4. Project Review
  5. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 3: Aerospace Newsletter
1. Stage 1: Working with Templates
  1. Manage Missing Fonts
  2. More about Managing Missing Fonts
  3. Replace Missing and Modified Graphics
  4. Understanding the Links Panel
  5. Edit Margin and Column Guides
  6. Understanding Master Pages
  7. Create a New File Based on the Template
  8. Implement the Newsletter Template
  9. Place a PDF File
  10. Place an InDesign File
2. Stage 2: Working with Styles
  1. Working with Microsoft Word Files
  2. Apply Template Styles
  3. Manage Local Formatting Overrides
  4. Edit a Paragraph to Span Columns
  5. Control Automatic Text Frame Size
  6. Edit Text Inset and Wrap Settings
  7. Understanding Text Wrap Options
  8. Format Numbered and Bulleted Lists
  9. Working with the Tables Panel
3. Stage 3: Working with Tables
  1. Place a Microsoft Excel Table
  2. Format Cell Attributes
  3. Manage a Table as an Anchored Character
  4. Define Table Fills and Strokes
  5. More about Working with Tables
4. Stage 4: Preflighting and Packaging the Job
  1. Check Document Spelling
  2. Define a Preflight Profile
  3. Using Dynamic Spelling
  4. What’s in a Preflight Profile?
  5. Evaluate the Layout
  6. Create the Job Package
  7. Project Review
  8. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 4: Museum Exhibits Booklet
1. Stage 1: Working with Master Pages
  1. Create the Booklet File
  2. Understanding Master Page Icons
  3. Create Master Pages from Layout Pages
  4. Import Master Pages
  5. Understanding Relative Object Positioning
  6. Edit the Default Master Page
  7. Understanding the Gap Tool
  8. Add Common Elements to a Master Page Layout
  9. Place Automatic Page Number Markers
  10. Special Characters and White Space
  11. Keyboard Shortcuts for Special Characters
2. Stage 2: Controlling the Flow of Text
  1. Import and Auto-Flow Client Text
  2. Understanding the Primary Text Frame
  3. Review and Replace Imported Styles
  4. What’s in a Paragraph Style?
  5. Edit a Style Definition
  6. Understanding Paragraph Rules and Borders
  7. Control Page and Frame Breaks
  8. Define Parent-Child Style Relationships
  9. Control Widows and Orphans
  10. Overriding Automatic Hyphenation
  11. Understanding Paragraph Composition Options
  12. Define Bullets and Numbering Options
  13. Working with OpenType Attributes
  14. Working with Alternate Glyphs
  15. Redefine Styles Based on Local Formatting Overrides
  16. Make Manual Layout Adjustments
  17. Place Images into Master Frames
  18. Unify Spreads with Color
  19. Working with Color Themes
3. Stage 3: Outputting Variations of Files
  1. Create a Folding Dummy
  2. Print a Booklet Proof
  3. Create a PDF with Page Transitions
  4. Project Review
  5. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 5: Folding Travel Brochure
1. Stage 1: Building a Folding Template
  1. Create the Outside Brochure Pages
  2. Add Slug Information and Fold Marks
  3. Place Text Variables
  4. Understanding Text Variable Options
  5. Create the Inside Master Pages
  6. Save a Template
  7. Understanding Pages Panel Options
2. Stage 2: Advanced Frame Options
  1. Convert Text to Outlines
  2. Control Object Stacking Order
  3. Work with an InDesign Library
  4. Working with Adobe CC Libraries
  5. Edit the Basic Graphics Frame Style
  6. What's in an Object Style?
  7. Create a New Object Style
3. Stage 3: Advanced Text Formatting
  1. Import and Flow Client-Supplied Text
  2. Import InDesign Styles
  3. Create a Custom Text Wrap
  4. Create a Style for Pull Quotes
  5. Nested Style Character Options
  6. Understanding Nested Styles
  7. Control Tab Formatting
  8. Create Variations with Conditional Text
  9. Define Paragraph Shading
  10. Create Dynamic Captions
  11. Clean and Finish the File
  12. Export Variations as PDF Files
  13. Project Review
  14. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 6: Digital Layout Variations
1. Stage 1: Controlling Color for Output
  1. Color Management in Theory and Practice
  2. Define Application Color Settings
  3. Assign Color Settings to an Existing File
  4. Assigning and Converting Color Profiles
  5. Preview Separations
  6. Enable Track Changes
  7. Find and Change Text
  8. Find and Change Text Formatting Attributes
  9. Entering Special Characters in Dialog Boxes
  10. Find and Change Object Attributes
  11. More about the Find/Change Dialog Box
  12. Review Tracked Changes
  13. Soft Proofing to Custom Profiles
  14. Export a Color-Managed PDF File
2. Stage 2: Creating Interactive PDF Elements
  1. Define Interactive Bookmarks
  2. Define Hyperlinks
  3. Create Text Form Fields
  4. Create a Radio Button Form Field
  5. Create a Combo Box Form Field
  6. Create Check Box Form Fields
  7. Create Form Control Buttons
  8. Export an Interactive PDF
3. Stage 3: Exporting an HTML File
  1. Anchor Graphics to Text
  2. Define Articles
  3. Tag Styles for Exporting
  4. Export HTML
4. Stage 4: Exporting an EPUB File
  1. Create Versions with Layers
  2. Controlling Text Wrap on Different Layers
  3. Create a Basic Animation
  4. The Animation Panel in Depth
  5. Define Object States
  6. Create a Multi-State Text Frame
  7. Create Buttons to Control the Animation
  8. Export a Fixed-Layout EPUB
  9. Using the Publish Online Service
  10. Project Review
  11. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 7: Reproduced-Content Layouts
1. Stage 1: Working with XML
  1. Tag Frames for XML
  2. Tag Content for XML
  3. Review XML Structure and Attributes
  4. Understanding Options for Managing XML Files
  5. Place Unstructured XML Content
  6. Update Linked XML Data
  7. Import Structured XML
2. Stage 2: Creating Alternate Layouts
  1. Create a File for Digital Publishing
  2. Use the Content Collector
  3. Manage Linked Object Options
  4. Defining Style Mapping Rules
  5. Create an Interactive Overlay
  6. Understanding Interactive Overlay Options
  7. Define Liquid Page Rules
  8. Understanding Column Options
  9. Understanding Liquid Page Rules
  10. Create an Alternate Layout
  11. Project Review
  12. Portfolio Builder Project
Project 8: Multi-Chapter Booklet
1. Stage 1: Combining Documents into Books
  1. Build an InDesign Book
  2. Add Book Chapters
  3. Managing Book Chapters
  4. Control Section and Page Numbering
  5. Understanding Book Page Numbering
  6. Section and Chapter Numbering in Depth
  7. Synchronize Book Files
  8. Smart Matching Style Groups
2. Stage 2: Building a Table of Contents
  1. Define a Table of Contents Style
  2. Build and Update a Table of Contents
3. Stage 3: Building an Index
  1. Tag Basic and Reversed Index Topics
  2. Add Multiple Page References
  3. Add Page-Range References
  4. Add Multiple-Level References
  5. More About Defining Index Entries
  6. Build the Book’s Index
  7. Options for Generating an Index
  8. Export PDF Files for Print and Digital Distribution
4. Stage 4: Merging Data into a Page Layout
  1. Create a Merged Document and Load Source Data
  2. Understanding the Data Source File
  3. Complete the Merged Document
  4. More about Working with Data Merge
  5. Project Review
  6. Portfolio Builder Project

Class Materials

Each student will receive a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all the class examples.

Request a Private Class

Private Class for your Team
Online or On-location
Customizable
Expert Instructors

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