The Stranger Classifieds: Seattle

Class Description

Formerly named "InDesign 2: Layout Strategies"

Move beyond the basics and learn how to master this powerful, flexible product. In this intermediate level class, we examine the overlapping usefulness of master pages, libraries, templates, and styles, then decide how to use each to best advantage. We also tame other pro-level features required to build robust publications. Specifically:

what we cover

(always customized for the students in attendance):

Advanced Paragraph Styles

• building sophisticated Nested and Line Styles
• GREP styles to consistently format predicted content
• It can do that?! Keep Options and more

Anchored Objects

• attach elements to the text flow
• create your own fancy drop caps
• master this key feature of ePubs

Object styles

• take global control of graphics and text
• standardize attributes like shadows, text frame inset, colors, strokes, and much more
• use object styles with anchored objects for powerful and flexible layouts

Collaborative workflows

• prepping content for InCopy (optional topic)
• Using CSLive for getting comments from collaborators

Learn how to use the booking features

• creating and using book files
• pitfalls and how to avoid them
• book files for more than just books!

Libraries and Snippets

• saving your InDesign assets for later use
• sharing assets
• want to email page guides to someone? Didn't think so, but you could—and any other page structure

Truly master Master Pages

• the difference between overriding and detaching
• masters applied to masters: how much is too much?
• markers, text variables, and masters

Section Markers, Auto-captions, and Running Headers

• section markers
• chapter markers
• text variables: running heads and other types
• capture metadata from your images to generate captions automatically

Controlling Color and Swatches

• pre-prepress: save money by catching errors before submitting to the printer
• using the ink manager
• defining swatches for multiple output scenarios

Templates vs Layers vs Libraries vs Styles: strategizing your documents for effective publishing workflows

• seeing how they work together
• avoid a cacaphony of features
• developing your workflow

A Note About CS6

If you have a previous version of the software, don't worry! Although we're teaching Adobe^® Creative Suite^® 6, our instructors will point out which features are new and which aren't.

So whether you're using CS6 or its predecessors, our classes will meet your needs.