But what I learned at the Advanced InDesign session with Kristy Roschke nearly made me fall out of my seat (just ask Larry).
The first tip is utilizing inset spacing. Before this revelation, if we wanted to put text inside a box, we just drew another box around or text to avoid having the text run into the stroke like this:
Imagine my surprise when I learned that when you right-click on "Text Frame Options," there is a function that will remedy the text smoosh. I could have Googled it (and that's what I did to find the tutorial below), but I never would have known to Google it had it not been for Kristy.
This is a game-changer for me, people.
Were you also aware that you can do cut-out backgrounds in InDesign without going through Photoshop first? Yeah, me neither.
I'm going to try and replicate the directions from memory so that you can see how I made this without opening Photoshop ONCE.
Using the pen tool, trace around the edges of your picture by playing connect-the-dots.
One the dots are connected, add a large stroke to your image.
Delete your photo.
Click on your outline.
Hit Ctrl+D and place your photo in your outline.
Adjust until the photo is lined up with the outline.
Change the stroke on your outline back to zero and VOILA.
Cut-out of a Great Dane puppy without using Photoshop.
It won't be as clean as doing a cut-out in Photoshop, but for a photo that doesn't have a lot of curves, it is quick and easy.
Miss you guys already!
Erinn Harris
TJHSST
Alexandria, VA
I always enjoy hearing how much time the InDesign sessions will save teachers.
ReplyDeleteSteve Elliott
Arizona State University
Phoenix
I know how to survive on InDesign. If I don't know, someone in the room usually does. I even knew the trick that blew your mind. I did not, however, know that I could set the style permanently for paragraphs.That BLEW MY MIND! Why did I never know this?! Do you know how many times I've LOST MY MIND because an entire layout changes because some knucklehead uses the wrong text font and no one notices til the last draft before press.
ReplyDeleteI also use all of the little visual buttons at the top. The right click to actually bring up the box that shows and explains the text frame options will be so much easier to teach and explain. Yay!
I thought some of the most fascinating things I learned were probably basic journalism text info that I don't know because I've never had any formal training. I learned about preferred fonts, spacing, indents and the reasons behind them. I've just always done what I found in my newsroom when I walked through the door a few years ago. My favorite thing to keep saying about the institute- I didn't know how much I didn't know.
Andrea Lyons
Marietta High
Marietta, Georgia
Here is a perfect example of filling my bucket. I had so many holes for InDesign. I feel much more confident to teach InDesign now. I loved learning about creating style sheets. I also loved the cut out method using the pen tool and then adding a stroke.
ReplyDeleteHeather Eaton
La Joya Community High School
Avondale, AZ