Jan

9

AARP redesign shows the power of choice

Filed Under Direct Mail, Graphic Elements, Page Layout | Leave a Comment

The recent redesign of the AARP Bulletin, introduced in the January, 2007, issue, displays the power of choice as applied to publication design.
Instead of a single, “take it or leave it!” choice of a single featured article, the front cover contains a tasteful display of 12 different articles and the benefits of reading each […]

Nov

16

Microsoft Publisher versus Adobe InDesign, Pt. 5

Filed Under Page Layout, Site Reviews | 2 Comments

Although Microsoft Publisher has built-in capability to place and manipulate graphic images using a variety of graphics file, Adobe InDesign can work with a wider variety of image files.
For example, you can place native Photoshop files directly into your InDesign publications, i.e., you don’t have to export them to a different file format. You […]

Oct

23

Microsoft Publisher versus Adobe InDesign, Pt. 4

Filed Under Page Layout, Typography | Leave a Comment

Another advantage Adobe InDesign offers over Microsoft Publisher is InDesign’s support of the Open Type font format. Open Type is an easier to use and easier to manage alternative to Adobe’s previous Type1 font format. Open Type, for example, makes it easier to insert typographic refinements like old style figures and true small caps. related […]

Oct

13

Microsoft Publisher versus Adobe InDesign, Pt. 3

Filed Under MS Publisher, Page Layout, Typography | Leave a Comment

Although Microsoft Publisher can claim the “best value” position, Adobe InDesign’s superior typesetting ability pays off in terms of setting great looking type.
One of the reasons is InDesign’s Paragraph Composer which improves the quality of both flush-left/ragged-right and justified text. The Paragraph Composer automatically selects the best possible line breaks early in a paragraph in […]

Oct

8

Microsoft Publisher versus Adobe InDesign, Pt. 2

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Although Microsoft Publisher is the desktop publishing program of choice for entrepreneurs, graphic designers who want to appeal to “annual report” quality Fortune 1000 clients and employers will probably choose Adobe InDesign. Optical alignment is one of the reasons why.
When setting justified text, i.e., lines of equal length, Adobe InDesign pushes punctuation like commas, […]

Oct

5

Microsoft Publisher versus Adobe InDesign, Pt. 1

Filed Under MS Publisher, Page Layout | Leave a Comment

I wrote Design to Sell about Microsoft Publisher because it’s the desktop publishing program of choice for business owners who want to create their own marketing materials.
I’ve always maintained that no other software program can immediately make as big a difference in the profits of most firms. Download two chapters for free here. […]

Sep

27

Using Adobe InDesign to set great type

Filed Under Books, Page Layout, Typography | Leave a Comment

Nigel French’s InDesign Type: Professional Typography with InDesign CS2 is an excellent example of relating the why’s of design concepts to the how’s of a specific software program.
Effective design is based on details, and InDesign Type shows how to take full advantage of the program’s extensive capabilities.
Whether you’re a newcomer to InDesign, or an […]