Objective

To learn design principles as it relates to publication design. To learn InDesign production techniques by recreating a 28-page catalog.

Discussion

Publication design involves multiple pages. The strongest way to unify a multi-page publication is with a consistent typography system (style sheets) and a consistent grid system. Grids do not need to constrain the designer. Instead, the grid design should allow for maximum flexibility within a system. In fact, the most interesting publications contain "violations" of the grid, bringing variety to the publication.

Procedure

preparing for the exercise

1. download starter files
2. examine downloaded files
3. examine PDF reference file in Acrobat Professional
4. launch InDesign
5. file > new (letter, landscape, margins=0, show facing pages=yes, number of pages=28)
6. window > pages: panel options: icon=small; vertical=no
7. InDesign > preferences > display performance: high quality; units & increments: origin=page
8. rename "layer1" as "type"
9. file > place "artGallery.txt" (on paste board, multiple columns)
10. cut text for pages 6 and 7; paste on "A-master"
11. new layer "template" (lock others)
12. file > place "artGallery.pdf" (show import options: page 6 & 7, crop=trim)
13. new layer "guides" (lock others)
14. draw guides, align frames (view actual size or cmd+1)
15. insert automatic page numbering (type > insert special characters)

creating style sheets

1. edit paragraph style "basic paragraph": Adobe Caslon Regular 9/12; hyph=off; open type: proportional old style figures
2. new paragraph style "small caps": based on "basic paragraph"; case=small caps
3. new paragraph style "folio": based on "small caps"; 8/10, tracking=160
4. new paragraph style "artist": based on "basic paragraph"; 8/12, tracking=200, all caps, space after=7pt
5. new character style "ital": style=italic, case=normal
6. new character style "folio dingbat": based on "none"; 5pt Zapf Dingbats, tracking=160, color=none, stroke=black (.5pt)
7. file > place images (refine crop, scale frame and contents: cmd+shift+drag)
8. refine layout to match template (folio dingbat character="n")
9. hide "template" layer

finishing the document

1. to unlock master page elements: cmd+shift+click objects
2. replace text and pictures (match PDF sample)
3. cover: convert "w" to outlines, place image into object
4. print b&w proof (single pages, 100%)

grading

1. submit b&w proof for grading
2. file your graded proof in your Process Book for individual review