Moorpark College Graphic Design

Reading: Bible p.547-569 – Setting up Tabs and Tables

While InDesign allows for the most complex of formatting jobs, it supplies a number of tools to ease the tedium and redundancy where formatting text is concerned. When dealing with large quantities of data, such as the information for a price list or catalog, Tables can pick up where Paragrarph Styles, Tab and Paragraph Rules leave off.

First, consider the data flow. The initial data can originate from a number of sources. It may come from Microsoft Word, Excel, or it can come right off the internet. If you are getting the data from a website, ask the provider to export the data to an Excel file. Once you have the Excel file, you can open it and determine if any fields can be eliminated, as it is easier to edit the data before importing into InDesign.

Creating the Initial Table

With the data finally prepared, go to File>Place, importing the Excel file into InDesign. When placing, be sure to check “Show Import Options.”

In the “Show Import Options” dialog, at the top of the dialog you’ll see, “Sheet.” Here, you need to choose the specific worksheet associated with the Excel file.

Formatting: Table > Unformatted tabbed text. By choosing this option, you will be able to control all aspects of formatting the table in InDesign.

With an active text cursor within the table, Select>All and go to the Table Menu>Convert Text to Table. The Column separator can remain set at Tab, and the Row Separator at Paragraph.

Apply Design Styles to the Table

Once your text is converted to a table, it is similar to an inline graphic in that it resides within a text frame. However, to make changes to the table or its contents, use the text tool. With an active cursor in the table, you can edit the column or row size by moving the cursor directly over the line. When it turns to a double-headed arrow, click and drag to change the size. Edit the column widths appropriately so that the rows fit comfortably on a line.

Drag with the text cursor to highlight text in a cell. To highlight all the text in the table, first highlight a row, then go to Edit>Select All to change the font, style and size. Incorporate paragraph styles and a complex task is eased.

The Table>Table Options gives information about the table, and control over the spacing, strokes and fills for columns and rows in the table for graphic customization.

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No matter what type of publication you’re working on: newsletter, magazine, brochure, catalog, greeting card, etc., once the design problems are resolved, the rest is mostly production work. Because production work tends to have repetitive procedures, there are a whole slew of “tricks” that can speed the process up and take the tedium out of the work.

The Page Palette

1. Duplicate a page with all of its elements, including guides – Click on the page in the page palette, hold down the option key and drag it below the existing page. Voila, a twin!
2. To edit and remove master elements from a page in the publication – Click on the page palette pop up menu>Override All Master Page Items. They are no unlocked and free to move about the cabin.
3. In the same palette, you can steal master pages from other documents by first saving, then loading master pages.
4. For that matter clone a page from a different file by dragging its page icon from one file to the other.

Step and Repeat

1. One of my favorite and one of the more useful features for production is Step and Repeat found under the Edit Menu. Use it to duplicate and position elements with a single operation.

Assign Color to Line Art

1. In photoshop, convert your line art to Bitmap. If you scanned it in RGB, you’ll need to convert the file to grayscale before converting it to Bitmap. In the conversion dialog, choose 50% threshold, which converts all pixels under 50% gray to white, and those greater than 50% to black.
2. Place the bitmap file into InDesign.
3. Select the content of the frame with the Direct Select (white) arrow tool and the “fill” swatch active.
4. Choose a color from the swatches palette to convert the contents to the desired color.
5. To fill the background with a color, use the Black Selection arrow tool.

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Register at Veer to keep abreast of their new type and images. You’ll get regular mailings with tons of terrific idea-starters.

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There is still room in several great Multimedia and Graphic Design classes being offered in the Fall Semester at Moorpark College, starting on Monday August 18th…

Motion Graphics – MM30
In this class you will learn from Mathew how to create stunning Motion Graphics for TV, Films and the Web. Take your computer graphics and video projects to a whole new level. If you thought Photoshop could help you create coolness, wait until you see what After Effects can do.
Wed 6:00pm

Interactive Design – MM50
In this class you will learn to really use Flash for both fun and work. We will explore various types of interactivity by creating simple games that can be played on not only computers, but handheld electronic devices, and even the Wii… We will learn to create dynamic and stunning websites that even incorporate interactive video, using Flash, HTML and a bit of javaScript…
Thur 6:00pm

Computer Illustration – GR26
In this class you will build a solid foundation in Adobe Illustrator. You’ll start with a tour of important menus, tools, and palettes, then explore selection tools, drawing tools, layers, the pen tool (a lesson unto itself) as well as transformations/ distortions, type tools, and modifying paths and shapes. You’ll be surprised how quickly you begin to master this challenging but rewarding software application.Check out the Flyer – http://www.turbocurl.com/moorpark/gr26_fall2008.pdf MW 10:30am – 1:00pm

Desktop Publishing I and II
Publishing brochures, newsletters, reports, and other print pieces can be a challenge without the right tools. Along comes Adobe InDesign with all the features and flexibility and you’ll need to publish professional-quality layouts. This course will impart a working knowledge of the main InDesign tools and features, everything from basic features to using master pages, importing and manipulating objects, controlling text flow and style, to graphic effects such as transparency, drop shadow, and feathering. Your InDesign training will leave you with an understanding of the software and a slew of great portfolio pieces. Taught in Com 151 – PC lab. Instructor: Nancy Haberman MW 1:00am – 3:20pm

Design Fundamentals – GR M30
In this class you will establish a firm foundation for taking on intermediate graphic design classes (Graphic Design 1 and 2). Looking to establish a career as a freelance designer? The course provides you opportunities to hone your design process, as you research each project, develop concepts, work with iterative feedback, and begin to develop quality pieces for your portfolio.You’ll explore the challenges of designing posters, logos, magazine covers, book layouts, 3D designs, and brand identities. W 06:00pm

Announcing BRAND NEW MAC lab… COM109 is being outfitted with brand new 24” iMacs with 4GB of RAM.

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Hello Graphic Arts People!

I have recieved an announcement for non-paid and paid interships at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. I work with Ranger Sheila (pronounce SHY-la) Braden with biology interns and their experience is invaulable.

If you have some special students please refer them to Sheila Braden. They can also download an application online (if they google NPS Santa Monica Mountians).

Potential interns can contact Audry Furrel for college credit.

Please spread the word.

Thank you!

Kath Courtney

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It’s really been fun to watch the proliferation of digital fonts. They began to appear in 1985 along with Apple’s postscript laser printer and Linotype’s “Linotronic” imagesetter. They were expensive, and with the exception of Adobe and a few established foundries, there wasn’t too much digital type to be found.

Today there are endless variations of the old standbys, display fonts and picture fonts.

Recently a student asked about a calligraphy font, and if you’re receiving the ezine from MyFonts, then you may already know about Paulo W’s font, CalligraphiaLatina. Just out last month on MyFonts, this font offers a wide assortment of ornaments that can be used to impart a formal appearance to graphic design.

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Class Notes, Chapters 12

Demonstration / Specialty Sash and Door. Students work with the ellipse and rectangle tool to recreate the graphic foundation for the SS&Door Logo.

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Using straight lines only, create an abstract composition in Adobe Illustrator. All paths must be composed of two anchor points only, connected by a line segment. Using only black (no colors). Concentrate on the principles of design as you create your composition. The following key principles of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity should be reviewed when asking yourself how you might create visual interest in an abstract illustration.

Of all the elements in art, line is the most familiar to us. Since most tools that we use for writing and drawing are pointed, we have been making lines constantly since we were young children. What is a line? Other than a mark made by a pointed tool, it is a form that has length and width, but the width is so tiny compared to the length that we perceive line as having only one dimension. Geometry defines a line as an infinite number of points. The usual art definition of a line is a moving dot…Line is capable of infinite variety…A line is a minimum statement, made quickly with a minimum of effort but seemingly able to convey all sorts of moods and feelings.

Design Basics, David A . Lauer

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Continuing our discussion of text formatting, we learn how to use style sheets.

• Paragraph Styles
• Character Styles
• Based on Styles
• Next Style

Link to the menu exercise which was originally published in FatBits, a Macintosh user’s group newletter. It was written in the 1990’s for PageMaker’s style sheets and I recently updated it for InDesign.

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Reading – Typography 2

Introduction to Publication Design

Text Formatting Using Style Sheets. Continuing our discussion of text formatting, we will learn how to use style sheets.

Flowing Text

Readings from Roy Nelson’s “Publication Design” – Choose the readings that will help you with your final project.

Chapter 6 – Magazine Formula and Format

Chapter 7 – The Magazine Cover

Chapter 8 – Magazine – Inside Pages

Chapter 9 – Newspaper Design

Chapter 10 – Book Design

Chapter 11 – Miscellaneous Publications

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