Learn how to use Adobe InDesign’s ability to automatically flow text into your document.
Archive for March, 2010
Flowing Text with Adobe InDesign
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Creative Transitions Seminar Series – Changes & Announcements
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
The last two sessions of our spring Creative Transitions Seminar Series begin in Madison on March 23, with a session bound to get the attention of anyone using the web to generate leads, sales or revenue:
Web Design & Content that Delivers ROI.
We changed the Milwaukee date for this session to April 13.
C2 has enlisted Jeff Larche, a leading expert in analytics and marketing technology ROI, to help our clients identify best practices in both developing and quantifying an investment in a web site, landing page or social media campaign.
Jeff, a prolific researcher and writer on the topic of digital ROI, has explored this subject repeatedly in his blog, Digital Solid. We’ve attached a few of our favorite posts to tease and intrigue you. Sign up today to see Jeff LIVE in Madison or Milwaukee, so he can help you take advantage of the incredible technological evolution impacting in our industry.
–OVERALL APPROACHES TO DIGITAL ROI–
Announcement:
We’ve reviewed YOUR feedback from the spring CTSS events and are thrilled to announce the dates and topics for the fall series!
We kick-off in Milwaukee on Tuesday, Sept. 7, from 1-4 pm followed by a happy hour in which you can further explore the topic with your instructor and fellow participants.
Save the DATES:
September 7 (Mke) & 21 (Mad): Content Management Systems
October 5 (Mke) & 19 (Mad) 9 am to 4 pm: SuperUsers Unite! Masters Techniques in Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign
November 9 (Mke) & 16 (Mad): Mobile & Web Application Design & Development
December 7 (Mke) & 14 (Mad): Intermediate Web Development
Details on pricing, curriculum, and venues coming SOON!
Illustrator Multiple Artboards Save the Day
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Well, sort of. Adobe Illustrator’s multiple artboards at least created a solution for a long standing issue – creating a PDF from a layered Illustrator file.
Imagine you’ve created an Illustrator design using layers with multiple versions on said layers. Now you want to end up with these designs as a multiple page PDF. In previous versions, you would have to change the visibility (and turn the layer to non-printing) and save each layer as a separate PDF. Then combine them all back inside of Acrobat – IF you had Acrobat Pro, that is.
Well, now you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble using the multiple artboards feature in Illustrator. Here’s how:
Take your design and turn on the appropriate layers for a version.
Then select your Artboard Tool (shift+O), making sure the “Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard” button is turned on.
Hold down the Alt/Opt key and drag your artboard to duplicate the artboard. Only the visible layers will duplicate! Leave the original objects on the board – do not delete, we can ignore Artboard 1 when we save. Repeat each step, activating layers and duplicating out from Artboard 1.
When you are finished, Save As a PDF, selecting which artboards you wish to include (ignoring Artboard 1) and you are all set!
The Importance of Networking in Today’s Job Market
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
I was approached after Acrobash with a question by an attendee: “Why do I care about attending a user group? Isn’t it geared towards new users and hobbyists?” The answer couldn’t be further from it.
I’m speaking in general terms, not of one specific group. User groups and other networking events are indispensable in today’s market. They are your link to other like-minded individuals and potential employers in an informal and comfortable setting.
Networking is what you make of it. When you attend a meeting or event, if you become shy or avoid contact with others, then you are missing out on a lot of opportunities. The person sitting quietly in the corner goes unnoticed, while the person introducing themselves and engaging in conversations is remembered.
Part of the process that may not be understood is that while attending these events will not guarantee you a job, it does not hurt your chances either. It gets your name out there, puts you in front of people who can either hire you or point you to a new opportunity. The more you are active and placing yourself out there the sooner people will take note of you.
Think of it as marketing a brand – you. If you do not advertise yourself, you are only keeping yourself anonymous in the eyes of employers.
Speaking from personal experience, when I moved to Milwaukee I felt like a little fish in a big pond. I’m sure many graduates or people new on the market can feel the same way. However, attending user groups and networking events – even non-industry related ones – helped introduce me to the players in the community and establish me as a resource. Trust me, I’m not comfortable just introducing myself to a person I don’t know, but it is necessary at times to start a relationship. Someone has to do it.
If you want to find out about upcoming industry events and user group meetings, check out our pipeline and user groups listings. For more insight and ideas on how to network effectively, check out our friend, Maryl Petrie’s latest Profit Pros Newsletter here.
Get out there and join in.
InDesign Tip: Import Options
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
When you place anything into Adobe InDesign (text, graphic or table) a commonly overlooked feature is import options. It is located in the lower left hand corner of the place dialog box.
If you choose to click import options you will be greeted with a plethora of information regarding your file that will help choose how the file will be imported (content and/or formatting).
Microsoft Word Import Options
Word’s options let you choose the formatting options of text, importing of inline graphics/tables or even map Word styles to InDesign styles.
*If you want to remove Word’s formatting, but keep local changes (like bold and italic) don’t forget to click “preserve local overrides”
Microsoft Excel Import Option
Excel’s import lets you select the sheet you would like to import and/or formatting options.
Image Import Options
Placing a layered .psd file with import options allows you to choose the visibility of individual layers or even pick from a Photoshop layer comp. Be sure to save .psd files with maximum compatibility to ensure proper importing into InDesign. Other options include activating the clipping path and changing the color profile.
PDF/AI/INDD Import Options
If you are placing a PDF, Adobe Illustrator file (.ai) or even another InDesign file (.indd) you can choose which page range, transparent background, layer and cropping options.
The Shift Key
The problem with choosing the import options check-box is that it remembers that you have checked it and it will remain checked for every subsequent item that you place. A workaround this problem is to hold down the Shift Key as you place the file(s) that you would like to see with the import options box. The shift key will allow those particular items to bring up their respective import options, but the check-box will remain off in the subsequent item placements.
Get your LEARN on!
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010Every month the offering of professional development meet ups, lunches and seminars seems to grow, and so does the diversity and quality of opportunties. I’ve highlighted a couple things we think may be pretty cool, made cooler, of course, by YOUR participation.
3/8 SEO Meet Up
3/9 PHP Meet Up
3/11 Creativity Works! Focus Group
3/16 Leave Smarter! J.B. Kenehan User Group
Our Changing Industry, Doomsday or Opportunity?
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010Dramatic title, huh? Well, I recently read an article outlining four major shifts in the traditional business model the advertising industry faces over the course of the next few years, titled:
IBM Study: The end of advertising as we know it
That makes my headline look tame. The results, while not as dramatic as the article’s title, should be heeded. Of the four changes, one stood out:
“Measurement – Advertisers are demanding more individual-specific and involvement- based measurements, putting pressure on the traditional mass-market model.”
While this is an area direct marketers have explored for several years, new techniques, models and approaches for measuring and reporting surface daily. Keeping up with best practices can be daunting. We enlisted Jeff Larche, from Digital Solid and HarQen, a leading expert in analytics and web content development, to help our clients to help theirs. Join us for the last two segments of the Creative Transitions Seminar Series (CTSS) in which Jeff will facilitate 2 workshops:
Jeff, a prolific researcher and writer on the topic of digital ROI, has attacked this subject repeatedly in his blog, Digital Solid. We’ve attached a few of our favorite posts to tease and intrigue you. Sign up today to see Jeff LIVE in Madison or Milwaukee, so he can help you take advantage of the changing climate in our industry.
Photoshop Technology Sneak Peeks
Monday, March 1st, 2010Coming down off the buzz from the 20th Anniversary of Adobe Photoshop, I thought a good transitional post would be to show what is coming down the road for Photoshop.
The Official Adobe Photoshop Facebook page is a great asset for Photoshop enthusiasts. Posts include upcoming events worldwide, tips and tricks, and more importantly, sneak peeks at “future technologies being developed by Adobe Systems that may or may not be featured in an upcoming release.” (Thanks Sandee Cohen!)
Here are some featured sneak peeks for you.
Content Aware Fill:
Advanced Selections/Refine Edge:
Painting Enhancements:
