Welcome to the companion web site that accompanies the book, Instant InDesign, by Gabriel Powell. Here you'll find a growing library of video podcasts, downloadable exercise files, and short articles on Adobe InDesign.
Interview with Nancy Aldrich-Ruenzel on the Author Talk Podcast
August 06, 2008
Peachpit publisher, Nancy Aldrich-Ruenzel, recently interviewed me about my book, Instant InDesign. Nancy's podcast, Author Talk, features interviews with authors about their latest works, techniques, and technologies. In this interview, we talk about the book's features, the importance of templates, and the principles of great template design. Click here to listen to the interview…
Read MorePosted in News/Announcements
Seven Principles of Great Template Design
July 29, 2008
Great templates are created through a carefully planned combination of individual tools and technologies. Like a machine, all of the various parts work so well together that when using it, everything seems to be operating from a single intelligence.
To succeed in perfecting your page production machine, it's important to understand some of the foundational principles that support the creation of quality templates. Use the seven principles covered in this article to guide the decisions you make throughout the template construction process.…
Read MorePosted in Book Excerpts
Episode 3: Creating a Basic XML-ready Template
July 07, 2008
If you've been using InDesign for a while, chances are you've heard at least some of the buzz surrounding XML. It seems that everyone is using it lately. Web developers, database developers, programmers, scientists, and even desktop publishers are taking advantage of XML.
What is this "magic" that XML seems to have? Should you care about it? Well, with all the hype going around, you can't afford to ignore XML any longer. In my opinion, every graphic designer should have at least a basic understanding of what XML is and how you can work with it in Adobe InDesign. This episode is designed to introduce you to the world of XML and show you how to create an XML-ready template that automates the production of a set of business cards.…
Read MorePosted in XML, Automation
Excerpt from Instant InDesign Available at Peachpit.com
June 19, 2008
Peachpit Press has posted an excerpt from my book on their web site. The excerpt is from Chapter 3: Step-by-step Approach to Designing Templates. It walks you through each step in the template design process, helping you to forge a path toward the successful completion of any template. If you're thinking about buying the book, here's your opportunity to get a glimpse into it before you buy it. Click here to read the article…
Read MorePosted in News/Announcements, Book Excerpts
Episode 2: Automating a Catalog with
Data Merge
May 21, 2008
What do Data Merge, an Excel spreadsheet, the Running Header text variable, the section marker, and Layout Adjustment all have in common? They are just a handful of InDesign tools that can be combined together to create a powerful page production machine. Watch this episode to learn how you can use these five tools to design a template that automates the layout of a product catalog.…
Read MorePosted in Data Merge, Automation, Text Variables
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