What Is InDesign?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that graphic design jobs are expected to grow by 3% from 2021 to 2031. A particular skill in this field that is in high demand is proficiency with Adobe InDesign, which can be acquired by taking an InDesign training course from a reliable platform like ONLC.
InDesign is an industry-standard tool used to create everything from eye-catching brochures to interactive PDFs. Knowing the ins and outs of the program can help you fulfill your aspirations for a design career!
More About Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software application primarily used to create print and digital media layouts. Unlike other programs in the Adobe suite, it specializes in combining text, images, and graphics, making it perfect for multi-page documents such as magazines, catalogs, and books. With these features of Adobe Indesign, you can create almost anything you need to drive meaningful business and brand awareness and increase your value as an employee.
Its standout feature is its ability to integrate seamlessly with other Adobe products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. This allows designers to import and refine content across these platforms, ultimately creating polished, professional layouts in InDesign.
Features of InDesign
Adobe Indesign offers many features and abilities that give aspiring graphic design professionals the ability to showcase their talents and become an attractive candidate in the workforce. While it of course takes practice to master the features, doing so with hours of hands-on experience and specialized InDesign training will help you become a master at using the various features.
Here are some top features of InDesign:
- Master pages: Adobe InDesign allows you to create a consistent document layout. You can set up a master page that serves as a template for the rest of your document.
- Multi-page documents: The tool excels in the creation of multi-page layouts, which makes it ideal for designing lengthy documents such as books, magazines, and catalogs.
- Advanced typography: InDesign offers exceptional control over typography. You can manipulate kerning, tracking, leading, and more to achieve professional-level typography.
- Text wrap: This feature allows text to flow around objects, allowing you to incorporate images and shapes into your designs without disrupting the text layout.
- Grids and guides: This also helps you align text and graphics precisely, which ensures a clean layout and a balanced design.
- Interactive documents: InDesign supports the creation of interactive PDFs and e-books. You can include buttons, hyperlinks, and even embed audio and video files.
- Print and digital publishing: InDesign supports both print and digital publishing, making it versatile across different media platforms.
Who Uses InDesign?
Adobe InDesign is widely used across many fields and has broad appeal since almost every industry requires some level of digital/print media design and layout to succeed in today’s digital world. Let’s take a look at some of the professions that frequently use InDesign:
- Graphic designers: Given its superior layout design capabilities, InDesign is a go-to tool for graphic designers. They use it to create everything from business cards and posters to brochures and flyers.
- Book designers: For book designers, InDesign’s multi-page layout and master page features make it an ideal choice. From novels to textbooks, designers rely on InDesign to create clear, engaging layouts.
- Marketing and advertising professionals: These professionals use it to design marketing collateral such as product catalogs, corporate reports, and promotional banners.
- Web designers: Even though InDesign is primarily a tool for print design, it’s also used by web designers for laying out and exporting content for online use.
How to Get Started With InDesign
Getting started with Adobe InDesign can seem challenging. It is possible to jump right into the tool and learn as you use it, but before using it for professional purposes, it is highly recommended to take a course and get certified. By following these simple steps, you’ll be on your way to understanding and mastering the tool:
Step 1: Download and Install Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a part of the Adobe Creative Suite. You can download it from the Adobe website, and they offer a free trial for new users and several subscription options.
Step 2: Explore the Workspace
Familiarize yourself with the InDesign interface. Understand where different tools are located and what they do.
Step 3: Learn the Basics
Start by learning the basic functions of InDesign, such as creating a new document, setting up pages and margins, importing text and images, and formatting text.
Step 4: Practice With Projects
The best way to learn is by doing. Start a project that lets you use and understand the different features of InDesign–this could be a flyer, a brochure, or a multi-page document.
Step 5: Use Online Tutorials or Enroll in a Training Course
There are many free resources online that can help you understand the different functionalities of InDesign. However, if you prefer structured learning that is more in-depth, you can enroll in an online training course with ONLC Training Centers for comprehensive InDesign training and to learn everything that Adobe InDesign can be used for.
Step 6: Practice Regularly
As with any other skill, regular practice is key to becoming proficient at InDesign. Once you’ve got down the basics, continue using the tool for more complex projects to grow your skill sets.
In Summary
After you understand what Adobe InDesign is all about, you’ll undoubtedly be excited about getting started with the tool! ONLC is here to help you learn more about this powerful creative program and become the next InDesign expert.
