About the text for this class
Exploring InDesign CS6
This semester we will work through the text Exploring InDesign CS6, by Terry Rydberg, © 2012 Delmar Learning. It is available for purchase at the book store.
This is a wonderful and insightful text complete with access to a website where you will find PDF exercise files to download as well as chapter objectives and overviews, along with great tips! Best of all, these assignments have step-by-step instructions and supplied files to download to learn the necessary skills to create great artwork easily in Indesign.
It just requires you, your focus, and most of all, your time.
In addition there are brief lectures and online reading to help you understand all of the parameters to produce professional graphic design work that will be successful for both print and web production.
This class also will also provide you with the opportunity to dabble in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. Each Adobe Creative Suite software works in concert with one another to help you develop seamless computer graphic designs!
In order to create a smoother workflow between the computer you create on, and the final product, it is imperative that you understand how to save and organize your work properly.
Because this class is designed to move you through online access, it is important that you familiarize yourself with Moodle and how to navigate the lectures, calendar, assignments, and forums. All of your assignments (exercises and projects) and forum postings will be submitted by uploading to Moodle.
We begin by learning the basic functions of InDesign and the importance of using PDF files for submitting your assignments.
All of the links in the right-hand column are designed to familiarize you with the tools necessary to move successfully through this class format.
Save Indesign files, packaging and then exporting and saving them as a PDF.
1. Each of your completed assignments in this class will be SAVED as InDesign documents which will use the .indd ending.
2. Once you have SAVED the assignment you will then create an InDesign Package (see "The Indesign Package" link to the right).
3. The Indesign document will then be EXPORTED
as a PDF for High Quality Print.
The PDF file will then submitted for grading.
Face to Face students and Online students:
It is recommended that you always print out a hard copy of your files to make sure you have met all of the requirements and that your files will print successfully. Catch any errors before you upload your pdf files!
Learn About PDF
1. PDF What is it... and... How to use it!
2. Learn How to Package an InDesign Document
3. Learn How to Export to a PDF
Resources
Print vs. web PDFs
How to create a press quality PDF with InDesign
Export to PDF (Adobe resource page)
Creating a PDF with Marks and Bleeds
The InDesign Workspace
How to Customize your workspace using InDesign
Customizing the workspace (Adobe video)