NEIL MALEK, ACI With just a few basic tools, anyone can professionally polish photos in Photoshop and arrange them into a layout in InDesign. The incredible power and diverse tools can be intimidating, but in this session we ll show just how easy it can be to create high-quality print documents using the Adobe Creative Cloud. In Photoshop, there are two tools that control nearly everything selection and layers and once you get a handle on those, everything else is icing on the cake. In InDesign, the powerful layout tools text wrapping, alignment, and font control will make you wish you never had to go back to Microsoft Word again!
Understanding Images Two methods of creating digital images There are two fundamental types of images in the digital world, vector and raster. You need a clean definition of each to understand what you re choosing to do. Raster Raster graphics are also called pixel-based graphics. If you ve ever zoomed way in to a photo, you know how they re built - with a bunch of little squares of color. A raster graphic is the type of image used for photos, and there s an essential truth here: there is a limit to how much you can blow up a photo, and then it is unusable. However, at the right zoom level, you can see all the color and detail you want. Photoshop creates raster graphics predominantly. Vector Think of a simple rectangle on your computer. Theoretically, you can scale a rectangle infinitely - to the size of a building, even. Fonts are vector graphics, as are shapes - graphics built by connecting points together with lines. Because of this setup, you can create a vector logo for a company and blow it up as big as you like. However, there is a limit to the detail you can have in it, because it isn t a pixel-by-pixel design. Adobe Illustrator creates vector graphics predominantly. ECOCORP
Image file types used for digital projects When you work with images in Photoshop, you can choose from dozens of file types. What you should choose is dictated by where you are in the process, what type of image it is, and what application you have for it. To start out, the most important file type is: PSD The Photoshop Document file type is your project file. It holds all the parts of your image in state, the way you left off. It doesn t compress your image, or otherwise get you into trouble. Never delete this file - when somebody comes back to you later, asking for a tweak, you need to work in this file. Next, you have the file types for photographs - you need a wide range of colors to show sunsets, skin tones, and anything else that steps in front of your camera. JPG The Joint Photographic Expert s Group file type has 16.777 million colors to represent your image. Second, you can set a compression level between 0 quality (highly-compressed, small file size, awful clarity) and 100 quality (uncompressed, large file size, and perfect clarity). This is the classic image file type of the Internet.
PNG The Portable Network Graphic file type has the same color range as JPG, but does not compress the images. In today s high-speed internet world, compressing the images is less important than their quality. Additionally, PNG images can have transparency, allowing you to use them layered on top of one another. TIF The Tagged Image File Format file type is perfect for high color density, professional printing. Again, the TIF format does not lose image quality to compression. These files cannot be viewed on the Internet, so they are used exclusively for print. Finally, the formats devoted to low color density images - logos, line drawings, simple shapes, etc. GIF The Graphic Interchange File Format file type is another Internet classic - they only use 256 colors, but allow the designer to use transparency and animation. This has been supplanted for logos and simple shapes by: PNG SVG AI The Portable Network Graphic file type also has an 8-bit color option, that perfectly maps to the old GIF format. You cannot animate a PNG, but the transparency in PNG images can gradiate gently, instead of GIF transparency, which is a simple on/off value. The Scalable Vector Graphic format is a lesser-used format for creating an easily scalable image, so it grows and shrinks smoothly. The Adobe Illustrator image format is a vector graphic that can be embedded within your PSD file.
Working with file dimensions Resolution is noted in two interconnected ideas: Pixels Per Inch and Dots Per Inch. Pixels are the little squares of color on your computer screen, and Dots are little drops of ink on paper, but ultimately they re essentially the same measurement. Professional Printers will look for your image to have at least 300 DPI, but 600 or 1200 is preferrable. The current ipad Air s Retina Display has a resolution of 264 PPI. Other devices are around the 300 PPI mark. To set an image s resolution, click Image > Image Size... In your original PSD file, never reduce the image resolution - only create lower resolution copies of your original by using the keyboard shortcut [CTRL] + [ALT] + [SHIFT] + [W] or File > Export > Export As...
Selection Selecting structured shapes in an image In order to crop, vignette, or otherwise stylize an image with a rectangular, elliptical, or other shape-based selection, use either the Lasso Tool or the Marquee Tool. The Marquee Tool uses the keyboard shortcut [M] to engage, and [SHIFT] + [M] to switch between options. The two major marquees are rectangular marquee and elliptical marquee. To create a perfect square or circle, rather than a rectangle or ellipse, press and hold the [SHIFT] key while drawing your selection. To draw your circle from the center, press and hold the [ALT] key while you draw the selection.
The Lasso Tool uses the keyboard shortcut [L] to engage, and [SHIFT] + [L] to switch between options. The three major lassos are lasso, polygonal lasso, and magnetic lasso. The tool we ll be using is the Polygonal Lasso Tool. To draw any polygonal area you like, select the polygonal lasso tool, then begin clicking on the points of your shape. As you click, each point is connected with a straight line. To complete your selection, click back at the origin of your selection. (see the closed loop icon). To add to your original selection, press and hold the [SHIFT] key while you draw the second, third, etc. part of your selection. To remove a section of your original selection, press and hold the [ALT] key while drawing the section to be removed.
Selecting based on color and contrast Of course, selecting a person, or a mountain, or a bird, does not constrain to a rectangle or ellipse. For these shapes, you can use the Quick Selection Tool [W]. The Quick Selection Tool works differently than any other tool in Photoshop, but it s basically like magic once you understand it. First, you need an image that has some difference in color and contrast - like a white shirt against a blue sky, or a purple flower against a green field - for it to work well. The less contrast there is, the more difficult it is for your tool to pick up the image.
Next, you are using a brush to paint the selection. If the brush size is large, the selection will be big and sloppy. If the brush size is small, the selection will be tight and overly restrictive. You need to move the brush up and down in size to find the sweet spot for your selection. To adjust the brush size, press [ to make the brush smaller, and ] to make the brush larger. Now, as you paint, try getting closer to the edges. Remember to press [ALT] to remove some of the selection. Fixing an OK selection And now comes the time that separates the pros from the amateurs. You need one tool to fix your selection - Select and Mask. After selecting anything, look for the button Select and Mask... and press it. You ll be taken into an environment for helping you identify and correct your selection. Use the brush to paint your selection in or out, and use the view adjustments to show deselected areas as white, red, or transparent. When you complete your Select and Mask mode, you ll have a beautiful selection to work from.
Layers Understanding layer fundamentals In the Photoshop Layers Palette, you ll find at least one layer in every image, and sometimes there are many of them. You can create additional layers for text, shapes, color, and even entire photographs, copied in. The base layer in most images, labeled as Background, will have a tiny lock on it, requiring that it remain at the bottom of the stacking order. If you want to change this, simply click the lock to make that layer flexible. Now, to show any layer on top, simply drag that layer to the top of the stacking order. It should cover anything below it. Drag the same layer to the bottom of the stacking order, and those other layers should cover it.
In the top-right corner of the Layers Palette is an Opacity slider. This changes the level of transparency for the selected layer. Click on any layer, and move the Opacity slider to 0. That layer should now be invisible. Move the slider to 50, and the layer should be 50% visible. On the left side of every slide is an eyeball icon - click this on-and-off to make that layer visible or invisible. For organizational purposes, always name every layer. If you have a Layer 17 in your image, you ll regret not naming things. Finally, you can click the Folder icon at the bottom of the Layers palette to create a new Group of layers. Simply name the group, and drag any layers into the folder to contain them as a single unit.
Never delete anything - use layer masks The Eraser Tool should never be used, because it is a destructive tool - meaning that once it is used, the image will never be the same again. Instead, you re going to hide things you don t want to see with the Layer Mask. Select any layer, then press the Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers Palette. This will add a white panel to your layer. That white panel is your layer mask. Whenever you see white in your layer mask, that means the layer will be shown. If you see black in your layer mask, the layer will be hidden. It stands to reason, then, if you see grey in your layer mask, the layer contents will be semitransparent. Remember, when using the layer mask, it is easy to lose track of whether you re selected on the layer contents or the mask - keep an eye on your Layer Palette. Use a black paintbrush on your layer mask, and watch as parts of your image disappear. Use a white paintbrush, and watch them reappear. This skill is used constantly by Photoshop professionals.
Use Adjustment Layers instead of destructive tools In the same way as avoiding the Eraser, avoid the Image > Adjustments menu in Photoshop. These effects - color tweaks, black & white images, etc. - are all destructive, and you won t be able to get back to your original photo. Instead, click the Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers Palette to find all the same adjustment tools. Now, these can be applied as separate layers, tweaked, reordered, or even removed at any point. For example, click Adjustment Layer > Black & White. You ll see that you have sliders for deciding how dark to make parts of the image.
Click through, and return to the Black & White Adjustment Layer on your Layers Palette. Start by double-clicking the layer, and your settings will re-open. Now you can choose Tint for example, to make it a blue duotone image. Additionally, notice the layer mask on this adjustment layer - paint part of your mask with a black paintbrush, and watch as that part of the image is no longer blue duotone.
Page Layout Understanding a new measurement system When you open a new InDesign document, you ll notice that the settings don t mention inches or centimeters. Instead, you see something like 51p0. So what is this? It s a measurement in picas and points. We need to have a fundamental understanding of these terms to move forward. You re probably familiar with things like 12 point font from other programs, but did you know that points have a real conversion to inches? 72 points = 1 inch The measurement 12 points is so common and fundamental that 12 points is equal to 1 pica. In other words: 6 picas = 1 inch So, the measurement 51 picas 0 points means 8.5 inches, and 66 picas 0 points is equal to 11 inches. The default margins are 3 picas 0 points, which is equal to.5 inches. For print layouts, being able to measure everything in relation to common fonts sizes just makes sense. Choosing a page layout for your document When you click File > New > Document... you get many choices regarding the number of columns, the margins, and the orientation of the document (next page):
Begin with the standard page size, which will set the width and height values automatically, and then toggle between Portrait and Landscape orientation. At the bottom, the 3p0 (3 pica) margins are 1/2 inches. In the middle, set the number of Columns and the Gutter between them.
Using Page Masters If your document has multiple pages, it is essential to create page masters to have standard templates. Click Window > Pages to open the Pages Palette. At the top of the palette, choose the entry A-Master. Onto this page template, you can add any content you like. Then, click-and-drag the A Master onto any page you want to use the template. You can create as many masters as you like, for those multi-page documents that have covers, introductions, bodies, and indices.
Using placeholders for text The Type Tool in InDesign creates textboxes of any dimension. To fill a space, click near one of the margin markers or column markers, and drag toward another margin or column marker. Alternatively, you can create a box with any dimension and any position. To change the settings of your placeholder, select it and choose Object > Text Frame Options...
In here, you can choose whether Text Wrap is used on the textbox, or if the text will flow through the textbox without concern for other items. Additionally, you can vertically center your content within a textbox. In the bottom-right corner of every textbox is a small button. Click this to create another textbox that threads the content. If you have overflow text within a textbox, this button will turn into a red plus sign.
Styles Creating new Paragraph Styles To create standards for text in InDesign, click Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles. This opens the Paragraph Styles palette, and shows you the default [Basic Paragraph] style. Basic Paragraph is the style applied to every bit of text by default. You should get started here. Double-click the [Basic Paragraph] entry. On the dialog that opens, you ll see 19 tabs down the left side, describing how the text is handled. Start with the Basic Character Formats, where you can set the font, size, and style of that font. As you can see, my company font is called Avenir.
The next thing I always do is hit the Indents and Spacing tab, to set the Space After each paragraph - 1p0 is a good setting for this. The other thing I do on every paragraph style is click onto Hyphenation to disable it.
Next, create some new Paragraph Styles for the other types of text your document will have. I regularly create heading styles. Select the [Basic Paragraph] style from your Paragraph Styles palette, and click the New Style button to make a new style (it will be called Paragraph Style 1). Double-click the new style, and begin with the name and other basic settings: The name should be clear for ease of use. The Based On entry is very important - this creates an inheritance pattern between two styles. I always have the styles inherit from Basic Paragraph, so that the character color, line spacing, paragraph spacing, and hyphenation are set the same. Once this is done, make the same Basic Character Formats changes you made on Basic Paragraph.
Creating new Object Styles Like your text, if you re inserting many images throughout the document, you ll want to have a style for those objects. Begin by clicking Window > Styles > Object Styles to open the Object Styles palette. Then, select the [Basic Graphics Frame] option from Object Styles. Click the Create new style button. At this point, you can modify this Object Style 1 by double-clicking it and opening the Object Style Options. I always name this style something like Image. Some of the relevant settings I target are the Text Wrap & Other (set to 1p0) and Drop Shadow (the setting on this document is 50% opacity, 0p3 distance, and 90 degrees).